A Pioneer in Naval Oceanography: Navy CDR Mary Sears

By Bob Freeman, Office of the Oceanographer of the Navy.

In celebration of Women’s History Month it is worth considering the accomplishments of a small, shy marine plankton specialist from Massachusetts named Mary Sears (1905-1997) who became a pioneer in naval oceanography.

Sears is generally associated with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. In 1932, while completing her Ph.D. in biology from Radcliffe College, she began working as one of the first ten research assistants at the recently founded institution. She would maintain her association with Woods Hole until her retirement in 1970, becoming a senior marine biologist and eventually being named Scientist Emeritus.

In 1943, at the height of World War II, Dr. Sears was commissioned as a lieutenant junior grade (LTJG) in the Navy and assigned to the Naval Hydrographic Office in Washington, DC where she helped establish a small Oceanographic Unit that greatly expanded the role of applied oceanography in naval warfare.

As able-bodied men were needed in the combat zones, the Naval Hydrographic Office increasingly relied on women. By 1944 there were 30 women officers and 332 enlisted women working there. The Oceanographic Unit was composed of 13 women and three men.

The Naval Hydrographic Office was created in 1854 with a focus on ocean bottom mapping (hydrographic surveys) to assist in creating more accurate charts to enhance safety of navigation. Although it maintained a small marine meteorology division, it wasn’t until the 1930s that the Navy really began to focus on oceanography.

This interest was partly due to advances in submarine warfare and the newly developed sonar technology. Understanding such ocean properties as temperature distribution, pressure, salinity, and bottom characteristics is important to predicting how sound travels in the water. With this knowledge, sonar could be used more effectively in hunting enemy submarines, and our submarines could develop strategies to more effectively avoid sonar detection.

LTJG Sears coordinated ocean research conducted at Woods Hole that assisted this effort, and her fleet publication “Submarine Supplements to the Sailing Directions” predicted the presence of thermoclines in certain waters. These are areas of rapid temperature change in the water column which cause refraction and bending of sound waves. Submarines can effectively hide under thermoclines, avoiding detection by ship-mounted sonars. This remains a critical consideration in modern submarine warfare tactics.

Naval oceanography was also interested in such diverse areas as current drift for search and rescue operations and floating mines, surf predictions for amphibious landings, and the turbulent effects of sea and swell waves on moored mines. Marine biology was also an interest since bioluminescent plankton activated by ship wakes could be used to locate ships in the dark, certain organisms contributed to ambient marine noise that inhibited sonar operations, large kelp growths fouled amphibious landing craft, and certain marine organisms degraded mine mechanisms.

Much of this data was time critical and needed to support ongoing operations, so Sears gathered data from observers in the fleet and from existing civilian research papers and produced detailed oceanographic reports and pamphlets for use by mission planners.

Sears also worked on improving tidal predictions. The Navy became ruefully aware of its shortcomings in this arena after the battle of Tarawa when an inaccurate tide prediction stranded an amphibious group of Marines on a reef, allowing them to be cut to pieces by shore-based Japanese machine gunners. Sears used refined tidal predictions and wave refraction charts to recommend very successful landing locations for the subsequent amphibious assaults on Luzon and various islands around Okinawa in 1945.

During the course of the war, the Oceanographic Unit was expanded into a division, and Sears was promoted to lieutenant commander. Years later, in 1960, the preeminence of oceanography was officially recognized when the Naval Hydrographic Office was renamed the Naval Oceanographic Office. Sears remained at the Oceanographic Division until 1946, working to shape the future of naval oceanography in the post-war era. She then transferred into the Naval Reserve, eventually retiring as a commander in 1963.

After leaving active service, Dr. Sears continued to make her mark. In 1959 she was chairperson of the First International Congress on Oceanography, and she became a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Society of Women Geographers and the American Geophysical Union.

In recognition of Dr. Sears’ contributions to naval oceanography, the Navy named one of its oceanographic survey ships after her. The USNS MARY SEARS (T-AGS 65) was launched in October 2000 and continues to serve today. It is the 12th Navy ship to be christened with a woman’s name, and the first oceanographic survey ship.

Roger Revelle, director of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and a colleague of Mary Sears, once said: “…the federal government…has generally forgotten that the first oceanographer of the Navy in modern times was a short, rather shy and prim [Navy] lieutenant j.g. They underestimated the powerful natural force that is Mary Sears.”

Air Force Mortuary Ensures Dignity, Honor for Fallen

By Elaine Wilson
American Forces Press Service

March 8, 2010 - Under a deluge of rain, the 757 touched down here late at night, returning Army Staff Sgt. Michael David P. Cardenaz home. He had been killed just a few days before in an enemy attack in Afghanistan. With family and friends near, an Army carry team marched in slow, measured steps to the aircraft, undeterred by the whipping wind. Their hands clad in stark, white gloves, the soldiers slowly moved the transfer case from aircraft to waiting vehicle. Only the sound of distant aircraft and the anguished cry of a loved one cut through the silence.

As the driver pulled away slowly, all military members in attendance raised their hands slowly in salute.

The responsibility, and honor, of preparing the 29-year-old for his final journey home now rested on the shoulders of the staff of the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center here.

It's a mission they will undertake with dignity, honor and respect in mind, and with only one acceptable goal: perfection.

"It's a heavy toll our nation has paid on this, and these are the men and women who have borne the cost," said Air Force Col. Robert H. Edmondson, the center's commander. "We owe our best every time and in every way."

The center's mission is to receive a servicemember's remains, prepare them for final disposition, then secure an expedient passage to the place of burial -- all while ensuring "dignity, honor and respect to the fallen and care, service and support to their families," Edmondson said. The staff tends to every seemingly minute detail, from the tight crease on a U.S. flag draped over a casket to a carefully built ribbon rack on a perfectly fitted uniform that may never be seen.

The center, while Air Force-led, is a joint effort among all services, a reflection of the people it serves. All U.S. servicemembers who die in support of a contingency operation overseas will process through here, as well as the U.S. victims of a mass casualty incident, such as the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

The number of returning fallen servicemembers varies, but Edmondson said he's seen up to 20 remains in one night. Though the center can accommodate about 50 remains in one day, he added, that's a scenario he doesn't want to witness.

The center stood up about a year ago to consolidate Air Force mortuary operations in a central location as well as to oversee the port mortuary, the only one of its kind in the Defense Department. The port now is one of the center's three divisions, along with mortuary affairs and operations.

Port mortuary division

The port mortuary is tasked with identification, medical examination and preparation of fallen members for transport to their final destination. This process begins at the time of death notification in the combat theater. Upon arrival of the remains, usually within 48 hours, the processes of identification and medical and legal investigation take place, said Randy Keel, director of the port mortuary division.

Experts obtain fingerprints and compare dental charts. After the autopsy, the embalming and restoration begins, Keel said. This involves preparing a new, custom-tailored uniform, equipped with the most up-to-date awards and decorations, and cleaning and restoring any personal effects, such as wedding bands, watches and wallets, he explained. Each task is undertaken with exacting care, he added.

"Everything is done with a high attention to detail," Keel said, from snipping loose threads off of a uniform to painstakingly restoring a beloved piece of jewelry.

The division's staff also prepares the casket, or the urn if the family chooses to cremate. Those services also can be provided here at the Defense Department's sole crematory, Keel said.

After the remains are dressed and a quality check takes place, the remains are carefully prepared for placement into a casket, with a U.S. flag draped on top. Meanwhile, an administrative team is working behind the scenes to arrange for transportation and to complete a plethora of necessary documentation, Keel said.

"[The staff is] here doing a mission that's largely unseen, and that's the way it ought to be if you're doing it right," Edmondson said.

This division has a weighty mission on its shoulders, but Keel said he's proud to bear that burden. "I can't think of anything else I'd rather do," he said.

Mortuary affairs division

While the port mortuary serves military members from all branches, the mortuary affairs division is a bit more service specific. This division is responsible for the Air Force's mortuary affairs on a global scale.

Only about 5 percent of Air Force deaths worldwide come through this facility, said Todd Rose, director of the mortuary affairs division. "The rest of the deaths the Air Force experiences over a year's timeline occur throughout the world," he said.

Rose's division is tasked with the care, service and support of the deceased and their families. This includes training mortuary affairs officers and technicians assigned to Air Force bases worldwide.

"My staff is responsible to make sure everything the deceased is entitled to receive and the support that the families are entitled to receive is extended to them," Rose said.

The division also oversees the Center for Families of the Fallen, a new, 6,000-square-foot facility here that offers a comfortable waiting area for families that have traveled to Dover to witness the dignified transfer of a fallen loved one. The center features sitting areas designed with privacy in mind, a stocked and fully equipped kitchen, meditation room, nursery and even a room where teens can watch a wide-screen TV or play a video game.

"We wanted to create a comfortable, beautiful environment for the families who have sacrificed so much," Rose said.

Operations division

While the missions of the port mortuary and mortuary affairs divisions are more visible in nature, the operations division takes on more of a behind-the-scenes role. But without this division, the other two would be unable to carry on, said Trevor Dean, deputy to the center's commander.

This division is the support mechanism for the other two, responsible for functions such as budget, resource management and manpower, just to name a few, said Air Force Lt. Col. Mason B. Pigue, the division's director. The division also coordinates the movement of the fallen out of the area of operations, he said, through a 24/7 command, control and communications hub called HRC3.

Upon notification of death, the HRC3 staff starts the information-gathering process to learn as much as possible about the family's wishes regarding the return of remains. They then track the return flight, from the mortuary collection point overseas through Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and then here.

"We track to see if the aircraft is on schedule and watch for issues that might affect arrival time of the fallen or family," Pigue said.

After the remains are ready to transport home, the division takes on the reverse role, arranging for travel to the final destination and tracking every step of the way until the remains are home.

This division also oversees the dignified transfer of remains from the aircraft to the transfer vehicle, a solemn event that's conducted in honor of the fallen servicemember. A dignified transfer is conducted for every servicemember who died in a contingency operation overseas, Dean explained, and also is enacted for civilians involved in a mass fatality or for those attached to other federal agencies, such as the State Department or CIA.

All three divisions work together to ensure fallen servicemembers and their families get the best care possible, Edmondson said. Although it's been just a year since the center stood up, it's since made huge inroads into the care of the fallen and their families with new facilities, technology and partnerships, he said.

"If you were to come here pre-9/11 and asked how many people are on this staff, the answer would have been eight," Edmondson said, noting that there now are about 150 people on staff. The port mortuary was a surge operation then, he explained, with a primarily peacetime mission. When a national emergency occurred, operations would ramp up and then return to the former steady-state operations.

A change in policy last year further changed the face of the center here. The defense secretary authorized media to cover a dignified transfer, with the family's permission, and also allowed funding for up to three family members to attend.

Since then, more than 1,700 family members have traveled here to attend a dignified transfer, and "we've only been doing this for 10 months," Edmondson said. "A tremendous amount of family members want to come." The increase in families drove home a need to increase the support capabilities, resulting in facilities such as the Center for Families of Fallen.

"The new policy allowed our new, fledgling organization to show the Air Force and other services how deeply involved [we are] and how much we care," Dean said. "It's given us the ability to serve each of the services and provide additional services to our families that now come here."

All of the effort the center undertakes circles back to its ultimate mission: to care for the fallen and their families.

"Our mission is important, because those men and women died in service of their country," Edmondson said. "They not only made that ultimate sacrifice, but their families did.

"People are working very long hours, very meticulously, with lots of love and care to make sure it's perfect so the families can have their final honors," he added.

Navy Commissions USS Dewey to Destroyer Fleet

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

March 6, 2010 - The Navy commissioned the newest guided-missile destroyer, the USS Dewey, to its fleet today at a ceremony steeped in naval symbolism and tradition. At the Naval Weapons Station here, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, delivered remarks to a crowd of thousands before the admiral's wife Deborah Mullen, the ship's sponsor, called the order that brought the $1 billion warship to life.

"You're getting a true gem: a ship as well built and well-tested as they come and manned by performance-proven, highly motivated sailors. May you deploy Dewey to the tip of the spear." Mullen said from a podium aboard its quarterdeck.

USS Dewey, the 55th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, can conduct an array of operations, officials said, including the capability to fight simultaneous air, surface and subsurface battles. Considered part of the Navy's Aegis combat warship fleet, the Dewey can detect threats nearly 100 miles away.

For Mullen, today's event was something of a homecoming. The Los Angeles-native recalled serving early in his career on the USS Collett, which was stationed in Long Beach. But in the years since, the admiral said, the security environment in which the U.S. Navy operates has expanded to challenges that are "global in scope" and have required the military to adapt to change.

"In the future, there will be more allies and competitors, more challenges and more opportunities to engage, equating to a greater range of maritime missions than ever before," he said. "You cannot shrink from that. Resolve yourselves to be up for the challenge, to always be ready (and) to lead the future."

The story of the USS Dewey itself is one of continuity and change, as two previous ships have been the namesake of Adm. George Dewey and operated under vastly different circumstances. The first was a destroyer that survived the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor and went on to receive 13 battle stars for World War II service. The second was a Cold War-era destroyer commissioned as a guided-missile frigate before being reclassified as a guided missile destroyer.

The new destroyer also honors Dewey, a hero of the Spanish-American War, who led his squadron of warships into Manila Bay in April 1898 and destroyed the Spanish fleet in two hours. Not a single American died in the fight.

The commissioning today marked the final phase of the new ship's symbolic evolution, some two years after Mullen's wife christened the Dewey at a ceremony in early 2008. In keeping with tradition, Deborah Mullen today invoked the time-honored Navy tradition by ordering the crew to "Man our ship and bring her to life!"

Upon hearing the command, columns of crewmembers standing in formation on the port sprinted up gangways onto the Dewey. Volleys of gunfire blasted from mounted pieces on the quarterdeck, alarms and horns blared, radars and satellites swiveled in place as the personnel lined the ship and saluted the crowd.

Navy Cmdr. Warren R. Buller, the commanding officer of the USS Dewey, said in an interview before the ceremony that in addition to placing the ship in formal commission, today's event recognizes the hard work of the Navy personnel that brought it to this point.

"Remember, when the navy buys a ship, it's not like buying a car where you just come in and drive it off the lot. Imagine if you bought a car and they made you put in the seats and seatbelts," he said. "So really today's a recognition and celebration of the hard work of the crew to get the ship from shipyard to the Pacific Fleet."

Navy Personnel Specialist 2 Randi Dozier, who has been assigned to the ship since March 2008, said today's commissioning marked the crew's crowning achievement.

"This is the defining moment when it's brought to life," she said. "It wouldn't have gotten here without everybody's hard work. I'm happy to see it finally come to commission."

MILITARY CONTRACTS March 5, 2010

NAVY

Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded an $117,401,603 modification to a previously awarded fixed-price incentive fee V-22 multi-year production contract (N00019-07-C-0001) to provide two additional MV-22 tiltrotor aircraft. Pursuant to the variation in quantity clause, this procurement will bring the number of MV-22 aircraft on this contract from 141 to 143. Work will be performed in Ridley Park, Pa. (50 percent); Fort Worth, Texas (35 percent); and Amarillo, Texas (15 percent), and is expected to be completed in May 2014. Contract funds in the amount of $117,401,603 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

RiverHawk Fast Sea Frames, LLC, Tampa, Fla., is being awarded a $70,140,000 firm-fixed-price letter contract for the detail, design, and construction of two offshore support vessels and associated equipment and services for the Iraqi Navy. This contract involves Foreign Military Sales to Iraq. Work will be performed in Houma, La., and is expected to be completed by December 2011. Contract funds in the amount of $47.6 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured based on the terms of a Foreign Military Sales case which the Government of Iraq specified RiverHawk Fast Sea Frames, LLC, as the source for this effort. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-10-C-2222).

General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Bloomington, Minn., is being awarded a $30,602,134 firm-fixed-price contract for the full-rate production of 118 Type 3 advanced mission computers for the F/A-18 and E/A-18G aircrafts. Work will be performed in Bloomington, Minn., and is expected to be completed in December 2011. Contract funds in the amount of $6,480,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-10-C-0014).

Atlantic Marine Philadelphia, LLC, Philadelphia, Pa., is being awarded a $12,771,174 firm-fixed-price contract for a 70-calendar day regular overhaul of Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Joshua Humphreys. The ship's primary mission is to provide fuel to Navy ships at sea and jet fuel to aircraft assigned to aircraft carriers. Humphreys, which deactivated and joined the Navy's Inactive Ships program in 1996, is being reactivated this summer by the direction of U.S. Fleet Forces Command to support counter-piracy and global war on terrorism operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations where the ship will serve as a duty oiler to U.S. and coalition warships. Work performed will include tank inspections; ballast tank preservation; main engine cylinder head inspection and overhaul; underwater hull cleaning; and paint and propeller system maintenance. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $15,492,209. Work will be performed in Philadelphia, Pa., and is expected to be completed by May 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via an unrestricted solicitation and four offers were received. The solicitation was posted to the Military Sealift Command, Navy Electronic Commerce Online and Federal Business Opportunities Web sites. The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Fleet Support Command, a field activity of Military Sealift Command, is the contracting activity (N40442-10-C-1001).

Lockheed Martin Corp., Moorestown, N.J., is being awarded a $10,232,032 cost-plus-fixed-fee task order # 0002 under previously awarded contract (N00014-09-D-0702) for the Integrated Topside program. This task order supports the technology development phase of a Navy acquisition program to develop a satellite communication prototype/advanced development model system suitable for integration into Navy submarines. This contract contains options which, if exercised, will bring the value of the contract to $32,003,899. Work will be performed in Moorestown, N.J., and work is expected to be completed March 2011. With options exercised, the completion date is July 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Office of Naval Research, Arlington, Va., is the contracting activity.

Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $7,111,723 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-07-C-0008) for 12 months of AIM-9X Sidewinder missile support for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, and the governments of Australia, Denmark, Finland, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Turkey and Switzerland. Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz. and is expected to be completed in December 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy ($2,678,281; 38 percent), U.S. Air Force ($2,578,282; 36 percent), and the governments of Australia ($438,658; 23 percent); Denmark ($202,358; 11 percent); Finland ($202,357; 11 percent); Korea ($202,357; 11 percent); Saudi Arabia ($202,358; 11 percent); Singapore ($202,358; 11 percent); Turkey ($202,357; 11 percent); and Switzerland ($202,357; 11 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

Sealaska Environmental Services, LLC*, Juneau, Alaska, is being awarded a $6,832,006 firm-fixed-price contract modification to increase the maximum dollar value of previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N44255-09-D-4005) for the operation, maintenance, and long term monitoring environmental services at various locations within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Northwest area of responsibility (AOR). The work to be performed provides for operation and maintenance of various remediation sites, systems, wellsm and long-term monitoring in order to ensure compliance with environmental agency requirements. After award of this modification, the total cumulative contract value will be $34,913,885. Work will be performed in the NAVFAC Northwest AOR, including, but not limited to, Washington (78 percent), Alaska (18 percent), Oregon (1 percent), Idaho (1 percent), Montana (1 percent), and Wyoming (1 percent). The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months, with an expected completion date of March 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Northwest, Silverdale, Wash., is the contracting activity.

Kalman & Co., Inc., Virginia Beach, Va., is being awarded $6,624,698 to exercise task order #0023 option under previously awarded contract (M67854-03-A-5158). The scope of this effort is to provide business and analytical support to the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense (JPEO-CBD) systems. Objectives of this initiative include risk analyses supporting enterprise-wide efforts and current programs of record, leading to concise business case analyses that identify cost and performance projections, schedule impacts, and sustainment/lifecycle considerations. This effort will require applied use of decision support tools to conduct comparative analyses of costs, quantify benefits and attendant risks, and fully vet each alternative through appropriate stakeholder business forums. The expected outcome of this effort is to assist the JPEO-CBD in continuing best business practices and effective course of action selection criteria for the management of their portfolio of acquisition programs, efforts, and initiatives. Ancillary efforts will include subject matter expertise representation at stakeholder sponsored forums, program objectives memorandum and budget planning, preparing Congressional testimony and briefings, and ensuring a comprehensive program of technology insertion (e.g., research-and-development-based investment) is established and maintained. Work will be performed in Marine Corps Command organizations in Falls Church, Va., and is expected to be completed in September 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps System Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.

General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Fairfax, Va., is being awarded a $6,165,000 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-05-C-5100) for system integrator/design agent for Open Architecture Track Manager. As the systems integrator design agent, the contractor assists in developing and maintaining architecture and requirements; modifies government-furnished information to implement and maintain the open architecture track manager; and integrates open architecture track manager onto Navy-specific platforms. Work will be performed in Fairfax, Va. (98 percent), and San Diego, Calif. (2 percent), and is expected to be completed by September 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.

ARMY

Northrop Grumman Corp., Apopka, Fla., was awarded on March 1, 2010, a $79,000,624 fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract is for the lightweight laser designator rangefinders. Work is to be performed in Orlando, Fla., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2014. Bids were solicted on the World Wide Web with two bids received. U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity (W91CRB-09-D-0061).

General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Height, Mich., was awarded on March 1, 2010, a $62,123,818 firm-fixed-price contract. This contract is for the award program Year Four Increment 2 of the Abrams multi-year contract for a quantity of 22 M1A2 systems enhancement package, Version 2 upgrade vehicles. Work is to be performed in Lima, Ohio (75 percent); Tallahassee, Fla. (10 percent); Anniston, Ala. (9 percent); Scranton, Penn. (3 percent); and Sterling Heights, Mich. (3 percent), with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2012. One bid was solicted with one bid received. TACOM, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-06-G-0006).

Northrop Grumman Corp., Apopka, Fla., was awarded on March 1, 2010 a $46,172,662 fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract is for the lightweight laser designator rangefinders. Work is to be performed in Orlando, Fla., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2014. Bids were solicted on the World Wide Web with two bids received. U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity (W91CRB-09-D-0061).

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Conn., was awarded on March 3, 2010, a $34,416,000 firm-fixed-price contract. This contract is for a requirement to procure a minimum of 144, maximum of 326, upturned exhaust systems to be installed in UH/HH 60M production line aircraft and retrofit of aircraft that will be deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Work is to be performed in Stratford, Conn., with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2015. One bid was solicited with one bid received. U.S. Army Contracting Command, CCAM-BH-A, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-10-D-0001).

Oshkosh Corp, Oshkosh, Wis., was awarded on March 2, 2010, a $29,735,676 requirements contract for the purchase of 79 new Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck, M978A4 trucks on the existing HEMTTA4 contract along with ancillary items. Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, Wis., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2012. One bid was solicted with one bid received. TACOM , Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-09-D-0024).

BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services, Inc., Rockville, Md., was awarded on March 2, 2010, a $22,365,515 cost-plus-award-fee contract for logistical support and services consisting of the three major functional areas of maintenance, transportation, and supply on the islands of Oahu and Hawaii. Work is to be performed in the island of Oahu (96.4 percent) and island of Hawaii (3.6 percent), with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2018. 54 bids were solicited with seven bids received. Regional Contracting Office, Hawaii, Fort Shafter, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (W912CN-08-C-0085).

Northrop Grumman Corp., Apopka, Fla., was awarded on March 1, 2010, a $17,615,004 fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract is for the lightweight laser designator rangefinders. Work is to be performed in Orlando, Fla., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2014. Bids were solicted on the World Wide Web with two bids received. U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity (W91CRB-09-D-0061).

Shaw Environmental and Infrastructure, Inc., Edgewood, Md., was awarded in Feb. 26, 2010, a $16,933,000 firm-fixed-price contract. This contract is to provide all labor, personnel, supervision, administration, materials, equipment, tools, and transportation necessary to perform public works functions at the following general locations in the state of Alaska: Fort Wainwright and the Donnelly, Yukon, and Black Rapids training areas. Work is to be performed in Fort Wainwright; the Donnelly, Yukon, and Black Rapids training areas; and Seward campground, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2014. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with three bids received. U.S. Expeditionary Contracting Command, Fort Wainwright, Alaska, is the contracting activity (W912CZ-09-D-0004).

FN Manufacturing, Columbia, S.C., was awarded on March 3, 2010, a $10,326,020 firm-fixed-price contract for a 5 year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the FN303 firing device. The FN303 firing device is a non-lethal launcher used for riot control and training purposes. Work is to be performed in Columbia, S.C., with an estimated completion date of March 1, 2015. One bid was solicted with one bid received. TACOM Rock Island CCTA-AR-SR-SC, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity (W52H09-10-D-0125).

SUMO-NAN, LLC, Honolulu, Hawaii, was awarded on March 2, 2010, a $10,260,010 firm-fixed-price contract for an upgrade air support operations center complex, Wheeler Administration Annex, Wheeler Army Airfield, Oahu, Hawaii. Work is to be performed in Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 5, 2011. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with four bids received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu District, Fort Shafter, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (W9128a-10-C-0004).

Creative Times Day School, Inc., dba as Creative Times, Inc., Ogden, Utah, was awarded on March 1, 2010, a $9,023,000 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a training support center at Fort Riley, Kan. Work is to be performed in Fort Riley, Kan., with an estimated completion date of July 10, 2011. Bids were solicted on the World Wide Web with nine bids received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City, Mo., is the contracting activity (W912DQ-10-C-4010).

Rockwell Collins Simulation & Training, Sterling, Va., was awarded on March 1, 2010, an $8,704,479 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of one transportable Blackhawk operations simulator US Device 8. Work is to be performed in Sterling, Va., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2013. One bid was solicted with one bid received. U.S. Army Contracting Command, CCAM-BH-C, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-08-C-0257).

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

GE Datex-Ohmeda, Inc., Madison, Wis., is being awarded a maximum $19,847,688 fixed-price with economic price adjustment contract for patient monitoring systems, subsystems, accessories, parts, and training. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. There were originally 17 proposals solicited with nine responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is exercising the first option year period. The date of performance completion is March 5, 2011. The Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (SPM2D1-10-D-8348).

Chairman's Corner: Three Principles for Use of Military Force

By Navy Adm. Mike Mullen
Special to American Forces Press Service

March 5, 2010 - As I laid out during the Landon Lecture this week, our nation has been at war continuously over the last nine years against a syndicate of Islamic extremists, led by al-Qaida and supported by a host of both state and nonstate actors. I have watched -- and advised -- two administrations as they have dealt with this struggle, and I have come to three principles about the proper use of modern military forces. The first is that military power should not, maybe cannot, be the last resort of the state. Sometimes, the military -- because of its unique flexibility and speed -- may be the first, best tool to use. But it should never be the only tool.

Use of military forces must be accompanied by other instruments of national and international power. Defense and diplomacy are simply no longer discrete choices, one to be applied when the other one fails, but must, in fact, complement one another throughout the messy process of international relations.

And I believe that U.S. foreign policy is still too dominated by the military. Should we choose to exert American influence solely through our troops, we should expect to see that influence diminish over time.

In fact, I would argue that in future struggles of the asymmetric, counterinsurgent variety, we ought to make it a pre-condition of committing our troops that we will do so only if and when the other instruments of national power and our allies are ready to engage as well.

The second is that to the maximum extent possible, force should be applied in a precise and principled way. Precisely applying force in a principled manner can help reduce those costs and actually improve our chances of success.

This doesn't mean we don't do the things necessary to win. It means we do those things as mindful as we can about the impact to the innocent people we are trying to protect. Each time we kill a civilian inadvertently, we not only wreak devastation on the lives of their loved ones, we set our own strategy back months if not years. We make it hard for people to trust us.

Frankly, the battlefield isn't necessarily a field anymore, but rather is the minds of the people.

My third principle is that -- in the very dynamic security environment we find ourselves in -- we should welcome a constant struggle between policy and strategy.

The experience of the last nine years tells us two things: A clear strategy for military operations is essential, and that strategy will have to change as those operations evolve. In other words, success in these types of wars is iterative, not decisive. We will win, but we will do so only over time and only after near-constant reassessment and adjustment.

The notion proffered by some that once set a war policy cannot be changed, or that to do so implies some sort of weakness, strikes me not only as incompatible with our own history, but also as quite dangerous.

War has never been a set-piece affair. The enemy adapts to your strategy, and you adapt to his, and so you keep the interplay going between policy and strategy until you find the right combination at the right time.

The day you stop adjusting is the day you lose.

(Navy Adm. Mike Mullen is the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.)

Missouri Air Guard C-130s, Crews Fly to Chile

By Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill
Special to American Forces Press Service

March 5, 2010 - Two Missouri Air National Guard C-130 Hercules transport aircraft with 47 crewmembers are en route to aid earthquake-ravaged Chile today. The 139th Airlift Wing sent the two aircraft, crews and maintenance support personnel from Puerto Rico where they had been supporting U.S. Southern Command to Santiago, Chile, yesterday, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon announced in a news release.

The wing, which is scheduled to send additional aircraft and crews to Santiago in the coming weeks, also has supported earthquake relief efforts in Haiti, flying personnel and supplies to Port-au-Prince, Missouri Guard officials said.

"The men and women of the Missouri Air Guard are uniquely qualified to provide emergency response, relief and recovery services, both at home and abroad," Nixon said. "I am especially proud of the skill and professionalism of our Air Guard units, and I know they will provide invaluable service to the people of Chile during this time of need."

C-130 aircraft can airlift people and cargo long distances in all weather conditions day and night from low to high altitudes and can land in austere areas.

"The 139th Airlift Wing is again at the tip of the spear in supporting humanitarian relief efforts," said Air Force Col. Michael McEnulty, the wing commander. "We are always leaning forward to come to the aid of those who have been affected by disasters, whether at home or abroad."

Missouri is one state that is acutely aware of the need for earthquake preparedness. It sits on the New Madrid fault, named for the Missouri town hit in 1811 and 1812 by some of the strongest earthquakes in North American history. The Missouri National Guard routinely trains for earthquake response and hosts national earthquake planning workshops. At the most recent, in September, more than 200 Guard officials and representatives of civilian agencies from eight states discussed emergency response to a catastrophic earthquake in the New Madrid Seismic Zone.

The National Guard is uniquely qualified to respond, a Missouri University of Science and Technology geological engineer told the workshop.

"That's because the National Guard has combat engineering familiarity and background and in a combat situation you don't control the cards you are dealt," David Rogers said. "The response in an emergency situation has to be fluid and capable of changing. There is no manual for disaster response."

The National Guard has a history of responding to earthquakes that goes back at least 100 years. And the Guard has decades of experience supporting disaster relief operations in Central and South America.

In 1906, after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit San Francisco, California National Guard members didn't even bother waiting for orders they just started showing up at their armories ready to assist, which the Guard did in support of civilian agencies throughout the aftermath.

"The work done and still being done by the National Guard ... will be long and gratefully remembered," a newspaper editorial stated. "Our present National Guard is descended in direct official line from those citizen soldiers that stood, yielding not, at Saratoga, Ticonderoga, Stony Point and Yorktown, and have proved themselves worthy of their ancestors."

Earthquakes are notoriously unpredictable. Scientists debate whether even trying to predict them is a worthwhile exercise, and the U.S. Geological Survey's National Earthquake Information Center flatly states that they cannot be predicted, while also noting that there is a 100 percent chance that one will strike somewhere on the planet today.

In 1990, a New Mexico climatological consultant predicted devastation coming to New Madrid, Mo., on Dec. 3 that year. The prediction was enough to spark state planning, but the day came and went without incident.

As scientists try to predict where the next big earthquake is likely to strike in the United States, the National Guard stands ready to respond, Guard officials said.

"The National Guard has the trained personnel, the equipment and the command and control capabilities in order to execute this mission to help provide food, water, electricity anything the citizens would be in need of during a major disaster such as an earthquake," said Army Brig. Gen. Stephen Danner, Missouri's adjutant general.

(Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill serves at the National Guard Bureau.)

Navy to Commission Guided Missile Destroyer Dewey

The Navy will commission the newest Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, Dewey, Saturday, March 6, 2010, during an 11 a.m. PST ceremony at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, Calif.

Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will deliver the ceremony's principal address. His wife, Deborah Mullen, will serve as the ship's sponsor. The ceremony will be highlighted by a time-honored Navy tradition when she gives the first order to "man our ship and bring her to life!"

Designated DDG 105, the new destroyer honors Adm. George Dewey (1837-1917) who commanded the Asiatic Station from the cruiser Olympia. Shortly after the onset of the Spanish-American War, Dewey led his squadron of warships into Manila Bay on April 30, 1898. The next morning, his squadron destroyed the Spanish fleet in only two hours without a single American loss. A widely popular hero of his day, Dewey was commissioned Admiral of the Navy, a rank created for him, in March 1903. Two previous ships have proudly carried his name. The first was a destroyer (DD 349) that survived the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor and went on to receive 13 battle stars for World War II service. The second was a destroyer commissioned as a guided-missile frigate (DLG 14) before being reclassified as a guided missile destroyer (DDG 45).

Dewey is the 55th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. The ship will be able to conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management, to sea control and power projection. Dewey will be capable of fighting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously and contains a myriad of offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime warfare in keeping with "A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower," which postures the sea services to apply maritime power to protect U.S. vital interests in an increasingly interconnected and uncertain world.

Cmdr. Warren Buller, of Concord, Mass., will become the first commanding officer of the ship and lead the crew of 276 officers and enlisted personnel. The 9,200-ton Dewey was built by Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss. The ship is 509 feet in length, has a waterline beam of 59 feet, and a navigational draft of 31 feet. Four gas turbine engines will power the ship to speeds in excess of 30 knots.

Media may direct queries to the Navy Office of Information at 703-697-5342. More information on Arleigh Burke-class destroyers can be found at http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=900&ct=4.

History Will Reveal Decisive Special Operations Role

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

March 5, 2010 - Addressing a group of Navy SEALs here yesterday, the nation's top military officer said history would show the decisive contributions provided by special operations troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. "I actually believe that when the story is told someday in history that the role of special forces in these wars will be told in a way where they were decisive you were decisive in many ways," Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a group of SEALs at the Naval Air Station North Island here. "That's sometimes hard to see when we're doing it, but I believe that."

Special operations forces, the sector of highly-trained covert military personnel who sometimes are described as "the tip of the spear," are helping to lead U.S. efforts against al-Qaida in Afghanistan, Mullen said.

"I am engaged with your leadership routinely," he said, "to make sure that that edge is continuously honed."

The chairman praised the SEALs for lowering their attrition rate without lowering their standards for fitness or other qualifications, moving the group closer to its goal to increase its ranks by 500 SEALs by 2013.

"We're growing special forces across the board," Mullen said, "and that growth will continue even as we come under increasing budget pressure, as I think we will in coming years."

The rate of attrition among Navy SEALs undergoing the grueling six-month Basic Underwater Demolition School has lingered around 77 percent over the course of training. But that figure has decreased by about 10 percent, according to unofficial estimates by defense officials here.

"Just looking at the attrition statistics, it's a great improvement [while keeping] the same standard and the same course," Mullen said. "That's something we've been seeking for a while. ... That's a big change for the positive."

Mullen expressed his gratitude to the SEALs, who he said "represent the best of who we are in the military."

"You serve in extraordinarily challenging times in a very difficult fight that's going to be around for a while," he said, "and I'm thankful for all that you do and that you'd make the decision to serve our country at this particular point in time."

After meeting with about 20 spouses of Navy SEALs for about an hour before addressing the military operators, Mullen said the spouses allow the military to make a difference.

"I also want to express my appreciation to your families who support what you do, without which we couldn't succeed," he said. "They sacrifice a significant amount, as we all do. We could not do it without them."

Mullen praised the leadership within the ranks of Navy SEALs, and in special operations forces more broadly, saying their contribution allows for military success at the strategic level.

"We are extraordinarily dependent on your success, believe me," he said. "And I know that the leaders, from myself right through the president, understand that, and you've executed mission after mission successfully and we have great faith that you will continue to do that.

"I don't take it for granted. You shouldn't," Mullen continued. "Future success is going to be generated based on the continued level of excellence that this community seeks."

Capitals Host Appreciation Night to Honor Troops

By Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Elliott Fabrizio
Special to American Forces Press Service

March 5, 2010 - The Washington Capitals showed their support for America's armed forces with their seventh annual "Salute to the Military" appreciation night event held yesterday at the Verizon Center here. While the Capitals gained a 5–3 victory over the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning, more than 800 service members and their families enjoyed the game courtesy of tickets the Capitals provided free through local military Morale, Welfare and Recreation offices.

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Douglas B. Wilson and Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli stressed the importance of garnering civilian support for the military and their families during a pre-game reception honoring the military.

"Less than one percent of Americans have served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom," Wilson said. "All Americans need to understand who they are, and that we are all in this together. Military families, the men and women who support our troops are an important part of this country, and we need to give back. Ted Leonsis and the Washington Capitals epitomize that message, and we thank you."

"Not only does this event salute the troops, but we're also saluting the military families," Chiarelli said. "The families are absolutely critical to our troops, and the support of the American people goes a long way."

The Washington Capitals professional ice hockey team is part of the National Hockey League. Alexander Ovechkin, the team's star left wing, played on the national hockey team for his native Russia during the recently concluded Winter Olympics in Canada.

Capitals owner Ted Leonsis praised the men and women of the U.S. military.

"This is such a small, minuscule payback for everything that our men and women in the services do for us," Leonsis said. "The sacrifices our men and women do for us make it possible for us to live the life we are accustomed to as citizens. It's a great honor for us to be able to give something back for everything the military does for us."

The Capitals honored the troops with special performances and aired military "shout-outs" throughout the game. They also donated several viewing suites for use by Wounded Warriors from Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

"A lot of us are still going through surgeries and we've got many more ahead of us," said Wounded Warrior Marine Lt. Col. Keith Schuring. "This gives us a night where we can relax and be with our fellow warriors and just enjoy ourselves."

Service members attending the event expressed appreciation for the Capitals.

"Tonight has been great," Army Master Sgt. Andrew Berger said. "Since we've been here they've really taken care of us. The Washington Capitals are awesome. It's great to be here to show our support to them as they've shown their support for us."

(Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Elliott Fabrizio is assigned with the Pentagon Channel.)

General Officer Assignment

March 5, 2010 - The chief of staff, Air Force announced today the following assignment:

Brig. Gen. Eden J. Murrie, special assistant to the vice chief of staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C., to director for legislative affairs, Office of Legislative Affairs, National Security Staff, Executive Office of the President, the White House, Washington, D.C.

Shooting at Pentagon Metro Station

March 5, 2010 - The Federal Bureau of Investigation, in collaboration with the Pentagon Force Protection Agency (PFPA) and Arlington County Police Department, are investigating why a California man approached the entrance to the Pentagon at approximately 6:40 p.m. on March 4, 2010 and shot two PFPA officers.

The lone shooter, John Patrick Bedell, born May 20, 1973, was shot in the head and left tricep during an exchange of gunfire outside the Pentagon, near the entrance adjacent to the Pentagon Metro Transit Center. Bedell was transported to George Washington University Hospital and died at approximately 10 p.m.

Two PFPA officers, Jeffery Amos and Marvin Carraway, injured in the exchange were treated at George Washington University Hospital and released. A third officer was also involved in the exchange of gunfire but that officer’s name is not being released at this time.

Bedell, of Hollister, California, is believed to have driven to Washington, D.C. in a vehicle that has been located and removed from the Fashion Centre Pentagon City Mall parking garage. The vehicle is a 1998 green Toyota Avalon. At the time of the shooting, Bedell, who had a full beard, was dressed in slacks, a white collared shirt, and blazer.

Investigators are searching the car, conducting interviews, and reviewing a video of the shooting in an effort to piece together a timeline of Bedell’s activities leading up the incident. Investigative efforts include reviewing Bedell’s possible Internet activity, his cell phone usage, and other information which might assist in determining Bedell’s state of mind at the time of the shooting.

The investigation is ongoing and anyone who believes he or she may have witnessed the shooting, or may have additional information, is urged to call the FBI at 202-278-2000.

Wisconsin Guard members vie for Soldier of the Year honors

March 5, 2010 - At 5 a.m. today [March 5] 11 Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldiers started their day with push-ups, sit-ups and a two-mile run - the first events in a three-day span that will test their abilities in marksmanship, physical fitness, land navigation, Soldier task knowledge and military bearing. Each competitor's composure will also be tested by the weekend's long hours and demanding schedule.

These Soldiers are competing for the prestige of being the Wisconsin Army National Guard's Soldier of the Year and Non-commissioned Officer of the Year. The winners will go on to compete against National Guard Soldiers from six other states at the regional competition in May, also to be held at Fort McCoy this year.

Last year, Spc. John Wiernasz of Vadnais Heights, Minn., won the annual Soldier of the Year competition; and Sgt. Raymond B. Heilman, Spooner, won the Non-commissioned Officer of the Year competition. Both are members of Detachment 1, 950th Engineer Company, a Spoonerbased unit that specializes in mine clearance. Wiernasz advanced to the Army National Guard's Best Warrior Competition last August at the Warrior Training Center, Fort Benning, Ga.

The competition is not open to the public, but check out photos from each day of the competition at http://www.flickr.com/photos/wiguardpics/.

Competitors include: Sgt. Amanda Pagac (Hartland), 135th Medical Company (Waukesha); Spc. Carlos Villa-Rivera (Kiel), Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 147th Command Aviation (Madison); Sgt. Cody Brueggen (Oconomowoc), Detachment 1, 107th Maintenance Company (Sparta); Spc. Seth Winchel (La Farge), Detachment 1, 107th Maintenance Company (Sparta); Pfc. Randy Fendryk (Waukesha), Battery C, 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery (Sussex); Staff Sgt. Aaron Larson (Tomah), 106th Engineer Detachment (Tomah); Sgt. Peter Wetzel (Milwaukee), Detachment 1, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry (Abbottsford); Spc. Caleb Brown (Sparta), Detachment 1, Company C, 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry (Onalaska); Sgt. William Atkinson (Whitewater), Headquarters Troop, 1st Battalion, 105th Cavalry (Madison); Spc. Aaron Wallander (Valders), Headquarters Troop, 1st Battalion, 105th Cavalry (Madison); Sgt. Nicole Mayberry (Sparta), Headquarters Detachment, 426th Leadership Regiment (Fort McCoy).

U.S. Military's Medical Role in Haiti Declines

By Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg
Special to American Forces Press Service

March 5, 2010 - It's been a week since the last Haitian patient was treated aboard the U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort, as the need for immediate medical attention is declining two months after a magnitude 7 earthquake struck the island nation, the Joint Task Force-Haiti surgeon said. "The Comfort currently has no Haitian patients aboard," Army Col. (Dr.) Jennifer Menetrez told bloggers yesterday during a DoDLive bloggers roundtable. "The last patient was discharged from the Comfort on Feb. 27."

The hospital beds and hallways of the Comfort are now empty of Haitian patients, Menetrez said. Meanwhile, she said, the Comfort remains on station to provide any follow-on care as needed by the Haitian government.

"Over the last 10 days, we've seen over a 65 percent reduction in patients onboard the [Comfort] as they have been appropriately transferred to local hospitals for follow-on care," she added.

This follow-on care is being supported by the numerous mobile and on-site clinics that have been set up to give continued treatment to victims of the Jan. 12 earthquake.

"To date, there are 130 mobile clinics and 156 on-site clinics," Menetrez said. "The collaboration between military, government of Haiti and [U.S. Agency for International Development] continues to be wonderful. Collaboration between all parties has been a milestone of a unified response through a challenging event."

Since the Comfort arrived on station, she said, U.S. military medical personnel have provided care to more than 8,600 Haitian residents.

"Of the 8,600 patients seen, the U.S. military surgeons performed close to 1,000 surgeries, primary care physicians conducted over 7,200 outpatient visits and oversaw the care of 1,300 for post surgical care within the hospital wards," Menetrez said.

(Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg works in the Defense Media Activity's Emerging Media Directorate)

Lockheed to Speed Development of Joint Strike Fighter

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

March 4, 2010 - Defense Department leaders and Lockheed Martin executives explained to international partners changes that have been made in the Joint Strike Fighter program.

Ashton B. Carter, the department's undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics, and Robert Stevens, chief operating officer for Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor for the program, explained what measures Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has taken to right the program.

A department study of the program completed in October found the development phase of the revolutionary aircraft had slipped by 30 months. Gates has made changes that will reduce the slippage to 13 months, Carter said during a phone interview from Dallas today.

Carter was able to report to the partners that the Joint Strike Fighter program now has a realistic plan and "not a blindly optimistic one" or a "fatalistic one."

The undersecretary also said the study identified management measures to improve performance over the coming years. "I want to emphasize that this process of independent review and aggressive management to specific milestones will continue," he said.

Carter emphasized that the review turned up no fundamental technological or manufacturing problems with the JSF program and no failure to make military capabilities. He reiterated that the Joint Strike Fighter will be the backbone of collective air superiority for the next generation.

The report showed the JSF program was taking longer and costing more than either the government development office or the contractor had predicted, Carter said. "This schedule and cost trend was unacceptable for the taxpayers of the U.S. and for the other eight nations," he said. "The schedule slip was estimated at 30 months in the development program. The cost of the airplanes had grown since 2002 and that for a variety of reasons the JSF program would breach the Nunn-McCurdy threshold."

The Nunn-McCurdy law requires that Congress be notified of a cost growth of more than 15 percent in a program. It also calls for cancellation of programs for which total cost grew by more than 25 percent over the original estimate.

"We didn't wait for the Nunn-McCurdy paperwork to play out," the undersecretary said. "We began to review and restructure the JSF program as though it were already in Nunn-McCurdy breach and the results of that review and restructuring were subsequently described by Gates."

Gates announced the restructuring of the JSF program – the most expensive acquisition in U.S. military history – in early February. The objective is to restore the schedule in the development program.

"We assessed that this was feasible and was possible to reduce the slip in the development program from 30 months to 13 months and that we could realistically plan on that basis provided we took some immediate management steps," Carter said.

That means procuring one more carrier variant aircraft and additional regular aircraft to conduct flight testing "with the idea of hastening the completion of the program," he said.

The changes also call for development of aircraft software capability.

"All of these steps were directed in the restructuring and that's the first steps in the effort to buy back some of the slips in the development program," Carter said.

The defense secretary did not believe it was reasonable for the customers to bear all the costs of those actions, and decided DoD would withhold $614 million of the award fee from the contract, Carter said. "We will be adjusting contract structures in the future to align contractor performance to what we need," he said.

The restructuring allows for contractors to adopt a more realistic schedule and production ramp, and gives Lockheed Martin and subcontractors every opportunity "to accelerate production and make affordable aircraft, faster," he said.

General Officer Announcement

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced today that the President has made the following nomination:

Army Lt. Gen. David M. Rodriguez has been nominated for re-appointment to the rank of lieutenant general and assignment as commander, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command/deputy commander, U.S. Forces Afghanistan. Rodriguez is currently serving as the commander, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command.

MILITARY CONTRACTS March 4, 2010

AIR FORCE

Wyle Laboratories, Inc., West Huntsville, Ala., was awarded an $8,917,289 contract which will provide for the Reliability Information Analysis Center which will research, test, develop, and deliver data analysis and interoperability testing results. At this time, $273,000 has been obligated. 55 CONS/LGCD, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., is the contracting activity (HC1047-05-D-4005).

NAVY

Lockheed Martin, MS2 Division, Syracuse, N.Y., is being awarded a $24,168,312 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-5201) to exercise FY 10 options for Navy's AN/SQQ-89A(V)15 undersea warfare system. The AN/SQQ-89A(V)15 is a surface ship combat system with the capabilities to search, detect, classify, localize and track undersea contacts; and to engage and evade submarines, mine-like small objects, and torpedo threats. Work will be performed in Lemont Furnace, Pa. (50 percent), Syracuse, N.Y. (25 percent), and Eagan, Minn. (25 percent). Work is expected to be completed by August 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Northrop Grumman Space & Mission Systems Corp., Reston, Va., is being awarded a $17,437,358 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price contract for the Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) common computing environment. The primary goals of the CANES program are to build a secure afloat network required for naval and joint operations, and consolidate and reduce the number of afloat networks through the use of mature cross domain technologies and common computing environment infrastructure. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $775,339,532. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed by April 2011. If all options are exercised, work could continue until September 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with unlimited proposals solicited and four offers received via the Commerce Business Daily's Federal Business Opportunities Web site, and the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central Web site. The Space and Naval Warfare System Command in San Diego is the contracting activity (N00039-10-D-0028).

Lockheed Martin MS2 Tactical Systems, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $14,999,994 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price contract for the Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) common computing environment. The primary goals of the CANES program are to build a secure afloat network required for naval and joint operations, and consolidate and reduce the number of afloat networks through the use of mature cross domain technologies and common computing environment infrastructure. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $936,902,393. Work will be performed in San Diego and is expected to be completed by April 2011. If all options are exercised, work could continue until September 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with unlimited proposals solicited and four offers received via the Commerce Business Daily's Federal Business Opportunities Web site, and the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central Web site. The Space and Naval Warfare System Command in San Diego is the contracting activity (N0039-10-D-0027).

Economic Training for Junior Ranks Resonates With Military Chief

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

March 4, 2010 - As a student at the Command and General Staff War College here, part of Maj. Jackie Thompson's studies have included examining how broad economic theories relate to warfare. While such macroeconomic lessons provide an entrée to the relationship between markets and military missions, scarce practical economic education exists for training junior- and mid-ranking officers and enlisted troops bound for places like Iraq and Afghanistan, where development is considered a key to success.

"To have the overall 'why' without the 'how' doesn't work," Thompson, who served as a JAG officer in Mosul and Basra, said of the contrast between theoretical and practical lessons. "You have to have a method to implement the economic program."

Creating a fiscal "how-to" guide to inform deploying U.S. forces on economic decisions -- a concept floated in a discussion here with Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff -- resonated across a spectrum of military officers today.

As part of its current intellectual arsenal, the military boasts a doctrine known as the "Money as a Weapon System Manual" that serves as a primer to the role of finance in armed forces operations. What's missing is practical guidance to help steer the economic decisions of troops endowed with significant discretionary spending to gin up local business and help jumpstart the economies of Iraq and Afghanistan.

"We have handed young captains and senior NCOs millions of dollars in Iraq and Afghanistan in the CERP funds to essentially create jobs, to essentially create communities, to build a chamber of commerce, if you will, in ways where a structure didn't exist," said Mullen, referring to the Commander's Emergency Response Program. "So having some training, some education, some focus on that before we go and do that, I think is really important."

At a roundtable discussion here among senior military officers, academics and policy think tank members, Army Gen. Robert L. Caslen Jr., commander of the college, embraced the notion of spreading economic knowledge throughout the ranks.

"From a division commander who had responsibility for the seven northern provinces of Iraq here recently, we had an economic line of effort and we put a lot of energy into the development of the economy through CERP or starting new businesses," he said. "If I had had this background, and if our officers had had this training, this was exactly the kind of thing we need to go into these kinds of operations."

Mullen listened during the discussion to a proposal for a new armed forces field manual focused on so-called "Expeditionary Economics." Though in its early phase, the concept would provide guidance on how young officers and more senior noncommissioned officers could help set the conditions for economic growth downrange.

Robert Litan, vice president of research at the Kaufman Foundation which is underwriting the project, said the goal would be to spark an interest in entrepreneurship among local populations. His caveat was that the chaotic nature at the root of capitalism might create a clash of cultures for a military more accustomed to strict regimentation.

"A key point that has come out of a lot of our work is that this can't be too planned. By nature, capitalism is messy as hell," Litan said. "The question is, can you pull off a situation where you have just enough planning to ignite the messiness that's called capitalism, then let a thousand flowers bloom."

In a riposte that elicited laughter, Mullen, who was receptive to the overall objective, said, "The military doesn't do messy." Acknowledging the contribution of Wall Street that lead to the current financial woes, the chairman said the credibility blow to U.S. fiscal advice wouldn't preclude the nascent economies of Iraq or Afghanistan from benefitting from American-led development as they seek to sustain themselves.

Speaking more broadly about the nexus of economics and the threat of terrorism, Mullen cited a drive inherent in human nature that could be facilitated -- or thwarted -- by on one's economic situation.

"Parents around the world would like to raise their kids to a higher standard of living," he said. "And that means young sons and daughters choosing careers that don't include blowing themselves up and killing innocent people. The economics behind that are very important, as are the beliefs."

Shooting Outside Pentagon Causes Lockdown

American Forces Press Service

March 4, 2010 - The Pentagon was in lockdown for some time Thursday evening after a gunman opened fire on two Pentagon Force Protection Agency officers, according to a statement released by the Defense Department.

The shooter fired at the officers at the entrance to the Pentagon Metro station outside the Pentagon building about 6:40 p.m., the statement says. The officers returned fire, injuring the gunman, it says.

The two officers and the gunman were transported to a local hospital, the statement says. The officers' injuries did not appear to be life-threatening, it says.

"The officers acted very quickly and decisively to neutralize the threat," a police spokesman said.

The Metro station likely will be closed Friday morning, he said.

The shooting is under investigation.

Flag Officer Assignments

March 4, 2010 - Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead announced today the following assignments:

Rear Adm. (lower half) Jerry K. Burroughs will be assigned as program executive officer for command, control, communications and intelligence, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, Calif. Burroughs is currently serving as chief Engineer Directorate, Code 05, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, Calif.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Anatolio B. Cruz III will be assigned as deputy commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/deputy commander, Fourth Fleet, Mayport, Fla. Cruz is currently serving as deputy commander, Navy Region Southwest, San Diego, Calif.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Dennis E. Fitzpatrick will be assigned as commander, Strike Force Training Atlantic, Norfolk, Va. Fitzpatrick is currently serving as director, joint operations, N3, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, Va.

Rear Adm. Timothy M. Giardina will be assigned as deputy and chief of staff, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Giardina is currently serving as director, readiness and training, N4/N7, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, Va.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Robert J. Kamensky will be assigned as deputy/reserve deputy commander, Submarine Force, Atlantic, Norfolk, Va. Kamensky is currently serving as chief of staff, Submarine Force Reserve Component, Norfolk, Va.

Rear Adm. Charles W. Martoglio will be assigned as chief of staff, U.S. European Command, Germany. Martoglio is currently serving as director of operations, J3, U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Scott E. Sanders will be assigned as deputy commander, Second Fleet, Norfolk, Va. Sanders is currently serving as vice commander, U.S. Naval Forces, U.S. Central Command, Bahrain.

Flag Officer Announcement

March 4, 2010 - Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced today that the President has made the following nomination:

Navy Vice Adm. Paul S. Stanley has been nominated for reappointment to the rank of vice admiral and assignment as principal deputy director of cost assessment and program evaluation, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington, D.C. Stanley is currently serving as director, force structure, resources and assessment, J-8, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.

Budget Balances Security, Economics, Lynn Tells Congress

By Lisa Daniel
American Forces Press Service

March 4, 2010 - The fiscal 2011 defense budget request includes modest but necessary spending increases in line with President Barack Obama's effort to balance national security with economic needs, the deputy defense secretary told Congress members today. The $708 billion request "reflects the administration's commitment to modest, steady, and sustainable growth in defense spending," William J. Lynn III told the House and Senate budget committees in prepared testimony. "Even as the president imposes a spending freeze on domestic agencies, he has made a strategic choice to continue funding modest growth in the military and in other national security agencies."

The request includes $549 billion in discretionary budget authority for baseline defense programs, an increase of more than $18 billion over the current year. Lynn, accompanied by Robert Hale, Pentagon comptroller, said the increase is necessary to increase pay and benefits to match inflation and fund programs such as health-care expenses, which are growing beyond the rate of inflation.

"Because the total cost of sustaining the force is growing faster than inflation, [the Defense Department] needs real growth simply to maintain present force levels," Lynn said. "Sustaining our current size and capabilities is essential to prosecute current wars, meet U.S. commitments worldwide, and conduct unanticipated operations, including relief efforts for natural disasters.

"We cannot afford to make cuts in the size of our force or our operations while we are at war," he added.

The budget reaffirms the commitment to the all-volunteer force, Lynn said, with $138.5 billion for military pay and allowances that includes a 1.4 percent pay raise; $2.2 billion for programs to support wounded warriors; $50.7 billion for medical coverage for 9.5 million beneficiaries; $8.1 billion for family support programs; and $18.7 billion for military construction and family housing.

Lynn noted health care as an area of large growth, but one in which the department also has found savings in the budget. "Health care is one area in particular where the introduction of efficiencies may yield cost savings," he said. "If present trends continue, we can expect health care to consume 10 percent of [the department's] budget by 2015."

The request continues the "rebalancing" of the defense posture for the current wars while preparing for future conflicts by providing more rotary-wing aircraft; hiring 1,500 new helicopter pilots; and increased funding for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support, electronic warfare platforms and special operations.

The budget includes $189 billion for conventional and strategic modernization, including $10.7 billion for continued development of the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter and procurement of 42 of the aircraft; $25.1 billion for procurement of new ships, equipment and research and development; $9.9 billion for missile defense; and $3.2 billion to restructure the Army's Future Combat Systems program.

"These advanced weapons and capabilities are essential to keep us ahead of our adversaries," Lynn said. "We need weapons systems that give U.S. forces an overwhelming advantage in combat, which will both save lives and shorten conflicts."

Another priority, the deputy secretary said, is reforming the acquisition process. The base budget request will allow the department to bolster its acquisitions work force for the eventual hiring of 20,000 workers to replace contractors. The "in-sourcing" ultimately will reduce costs and operational risks and ensure that every defense dollar is spent wisely, he added.

The ax must fall on programs the department doesn't need or that are costing more than expected, Lynn said. "An important component of acquisition reform is having the discipline to curtail or end unneeded and troubled programs," he told the legislators. The budget request calls for cutting seven major systems: the Next Generation Cruiser, the Navy Intelligence Aircraft, the Third Generation Infrared Surveillance System, the Net Enabled Command and Control System, the Defense Integrated Military Human Resources System, more C-17 Globemaster III transport jets and an alternate engine for the joint strike fighter.

Besides the base budget, the request includes $159.3 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. That includes $89.4 billion for operations, $12 billion for force protection, $3.3 billion to counter roadside bombs, $13.6 billion to grow and train Afghan and Iraqi security forces, $2 billion for coalition support, $1.3 billion for the Commanders' Emergency Response Program and $21.3 billion for the reconstruction and resetting of equipment.

"Building the capacity for partner nations to support U.S. counterterrorism operations has emerged as a crucial national security priority," Lynn said.

EOD Experience Benefits Guard Soldier

By Army Spc. Kelsey Blankenship
Special to American Forces Press Service

March 4, 2010 - Army Staff Sgt. Tracy Dice was a 12-year veteran of the law enforcement field when she decided to become an explosive ordnance disposal technician in the North Carolina National Guard. "I wanted to come out of the military with a strong cap for my law enforcement resume, and as we were looking at jobs, EOD popped up, and I asked if females could do that," she said. "When they told me yes, I said that it was for me. It was like the clouds parted and the angels sang."

Dice, who is a member of the 430th EOD Company, said EOD is a lot like law enforcement and sky diving, because they are both thought of as unsafe.

"There are a lot of safeties we have to adhere by in EOD, and you have to rely on your teammates," she said. "If you adhere by those safeties and trust in your teammates, it can be a relatively safe job."

Dice said she believes that everyone can do the same work as long as they put their minds to it.

"I always did my work, and I always had a good work ethic, and when you put that first and foremost, nobody doubts you," she said.

Dice demonstrated her mettle during a deployment to Iraq from 2006 to 2008. She earned her senior badge after three years of conducting EOD missions and became the unit's first female team leader.

When she joined the Guard in 2004, there was one female EOD technician for every five companies, Dice said. Now, as many as four or five women serve in most EOD companies in the active Army. But the National Guard, Dice acknowledged, has yet to achieve those kinds of numbers.

Dice said she likes the bond that is formed among EOD specialists.

"I like the brotherhood," she said. "An EOD technician accepts another EOD technician like nothing else."

For example, if an EOD technician came into town and needed a place to stay, they are always willing to open their homes without any questions asked, Dice said.

"We understand what each other has gone through and are going to go through," she said.

(Army Spc. Kelsey Blankenship serves with the North Carolina National Guard.)

DCoE, Football Players Spread the Message about Concussions

March 4, 2010 - Sutton speaks with former New York Giants running back Tiki Barber.  What do warriors and professional football players have in common? Both are susceptible to sustaining concussions – whether in-theater or on the gridiron. And both are sometimes reluctant to seek treatment for fear of being seen as weak or forced to sit out of the action to recover.

Brig. Gen. Loree Sutton and Marine Sgt. Josh Hopper of DCoE’s Real Warriors Campaign traveled to the Super Bowl Media Day last month to promote our newest relationship with pro football. Real Warriors has joined forces with the Sports Legacy Institute (SLI) and the University of Michigan Depression Center to break the stigma among service members and NFL players in seeking treatment for concussions.

Sutton with former quarterback Joe Theismann and Sgt. Josh Hopper of the Real Warriors Campaign.

While at the Super Bowl, Brig. Gen. Sutton, SLI Founder and President Chris Nowinski and former Miami Dolphins quarterback Jay Fiedler appeared on more than a half-dozen sports talk radio programs encouraging service members and football players that seeking treatment for concussions is an act of courage and strength – not a sign of weakness.

Stay tuned to our Real Warriors Web site this month for a PSA featuring retired Detroit Lions quarterback Eric Hipple, who is now the outreach coordinator for the University of Michigan Depression Center. This PSA will be the first of a few highlighting our collaboration with former NFL players. Also, be sure to check out our Media Day pre-Super Bowl XLIV photo album on Facebook!

What is DCoE learning from football players? If you missed it, read our recent article in the Holiday Issue of the DCoE in Action newsletter, “DCoE Collaborates with NFL Sports Medicine Experts.”

Battlefield Medical Records Assist VA Staff With Service Member’s Recovery Medical Communications for Combat Casualty Care (MC4) Public Affairs

March 04, 2010 - The use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) is the weapon of choice by enemy forces in Southwest Asia. In December 2009, an IED detonation in Afghanistan left an Army major with injuries to the face and multiple fractures throughout his body.

The soldier, who chose to remain anonymous, was medically evacuated to Camp Lacy at Bagram Air Field, where he underwent surgical procedures for his injuries. Clinicians with the 455th Expeditionary Medical Group and others digitally documented his care in computer systems fielded by the U.S. Army’s Medical Communications for Combat Casualty Care (MC4) program.

After a short stay at Camp Lacy, the patient received follow-up care at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. On Christmas Eve, he boarded a plane bound for the U.S. for further recovery and to reunite with his family.

As he crossed the Atlantic Ocean, the staff at the North Chicago VA Medical Center in Illinois prepared for his arrival. Hours before the soldier arrived at the stateside treatment facility, physicians had reviewed a full account of his medical history.

“As soon as we got the call, we were able to generate a medical record for him in VistA Web, where his physician was also able to view all of his remote medical records from AHLTA,” said Bonnie Munkacsy, North Chicago VA Medical Center transfer coordinator. “This made all the difference with the speed and coordination of his care.”

Dr. Frank Maldonado, associate chief of staff for clinical affairs at the North Chicago VA Medical Center, said, “Our VA and DoD electronic medical records systems work extraordinarily well in situations like this. By reviewing the medical record before the patient arrived we were able to determine his allergies, medications, baseline labs, X-rays performed and review of progress notes including operative reports. This saved the patient lots of unnecessary tests and saved time for staff in determining a plan of care.”

The information exchange was made possible via a data interface between the DoD’s AHLTA and the VA’s VistA systems—the Bi-directional Health Information Exchange (BHIE).

Maldonado credits the EMR systems in place to making the time-critical transition of service members possible. “It’s safe to say that that without the EMRs, we would not have been able to prepare for the major’s arrival in the manner in which we did.”

Guard retirees eligible for dental coverage

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (3/3/10) - Good oral health is an important part of maintaining overall health and a military retiree's access to dental coverage doesn't end when they hang up their uniform.

With the Tricare Retiree Dental Program, retired servicemembers can purchase affordable dental coverage for themselves and their eligible family members.

The Tricare retiree dental program is available around the world to retired servicemembers who receive retirement pay, "gray area" retired National Guard and Reserve members who are entitled to but not yet receiving retirement pay and Medal of Honor recipients.

Spouses and children up to 21 years old, or 23 years old if they're full-time students, of these retirees are also eligible for the retiree dental program.

Participants in this voluntary plan may get dental care from any licensed dentist within the program's designated service area. However, visiting an out-of-network dentist may require participants to pay higher out-of-pocket expenses and file their own claims.

The Tricare retiree dental program is a premium-based plan administered by Delta Dental and it has cost shares for certain services after beneficiaries reach their $50 per-person deductible. Most preventive, diagnostic and emergency dental services are covered or available for cost-sharing immediately after enrollment, but some services including orthodontics, dentures and crowns are available with a cost-share only after 12 months of continuous enrollment.

The monthly premium rates vary based on the retiree's location and the number of people covered by the plan. These premiums are automatically deducted from retirement pay. The rates are available at www.trdp.org and adjust Oct. 1 for the next year.

Eligible members may enroll in the Tricare retiree dental program online, by telephone or by mail. Visit www.trdp.org and click "Prospective Enrollees" for more information on rates and benefits.

Wisconsin Guard part of national effort to ensure its Soldiers collect money earned

March 4, 2010 - At least 6,000 National Guard members nationwide may be eligible for Post-Deployment Mobilization Respite Absence, or PDMRA compensation. But the Wisconsin Guard needs Soldiers' help if they want to collect.

In 2009 the Department of Defense developed PDMRA for service members who deploy longer than established dwell ratios - a measure of time at home against time deployed. The 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review calls for the National Guard to have a dwell ratio of about five-to-one.

Soldiers who deploy longer than established ratios qualify for additional days of leave, or paid days off. For example, a National Guard Soldier who deploys longer than 12 months during the most recent 72 months gets one PDMRA day for each additional month or fraction of a month. The number of PDMRA days awarded increases after 18 months and again after 24 months served.

Soldiers receive their PDRMA at the end of their tour. However, Guard Soldiers who mobilized prior to policy enactment have not received their entitlement - specifically those that deployed between Jan. 19, 2007, and Aug. 18, 2007 and served longer than a year. With the help of the National Guard Bureau, Wisconsin has identified at least 430 past or current members that could receive payment for PDMRA days they earned.

Wisconsin Guard Soldiers eligible for the PDMRA compensation who are still serving in the Guard will be notified by their commands, and do not need to fill out any paperwork as they are still in the military pay system, according to Col. Mark Bruns, Wisconsin Army National Guard deputy chief of staff for personnel. However, Soldiers who have left the service honorably or retired are included under this authority. In Wisconsin that is about 240 former members.

"We are using every available means to contact these Soldiers," Bruns said, since reimbursement authority under the program expires Oct. 28, including mailing letters to last known addresses.

Given the limited time Soldiers have to seek compensation, Bruns wants to make certain that everyone who is eligible for compensation receives that information.

Soldiers have 30 days after receiving their letter to respond, Bruns said. However, the sooner they respond the more time personnel staff members have to make sure all paperwork is submitted properly to avoid problems in the future.

Individuals who receive the letter and have questions may call the contact person at the bottom of the letter. Soldiers who believe they may be eligible for compensation, but have not been contacted are urged to contact their chain of command.

Soldiers should receive their PDRMA entitlement payments between March and October.

Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill of the National Guard Bureau contributed to this release.

Board Reassesses Service Disability Ratings

By Air Force Master Sgt. Russell P. Petcoff
Special to American Forces Press Service

March 3, 2010 - Recommendations from a congressionally directed Defense Department disability review board have resulted in 61 percent of applicants having their status changed from a medical separation to retirement on the permanent disability list, the board president said. Michael LoGrande said the board reassessed the accuracy and fairness of the combined disability rating assigned to servicemembers who were separated due to unfitness for duty because of a medical condition with a disability rating of 20 percent or less and weren't retirement-eligible. The review considered only servicemembers separated from the armed forces between Sept. 11, 2001, and Dec. 31, 2009.

The Department of Defense Physical Disability Board of Review came about as part of the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act, which standardized the disability evaluation system among the services by mandating the use of the Veterans Affairs Department's schedule of rating disabilities, LoGrande said.

The Defense Department has identified about 77,000 veterans eligible to apply for a board review, LoGrande said. The request for review may come from the veteran, surviving spouse, next of kin or legal guardian.

Once the board reviews a case and makes a recommendation, the appropriate service secretary or a designee will decide whether to accept the board's recommendation. Veterans cannot appeal a decision made as a result of the review board process, LoGrande said.

Eligible veterans can request a board review by submitting a Department of Defense Form 294, Application for Review of Physical Disability Separation from the Armed Forces of the United States. It's available at http://www.defense.gov by searching for "DD Form 294."

Veterans requesting a review must mail their completed and signed DD Form 294 to SAF/MRBR, 550 C St. W., Suite 41, Randolph Air Force Base, TX 78150-4743. Applicants may submit statements, briefs, medical records or affidavits supporting their application, LoGrande said.

In addressing their involuntary separation, LoGrande emphasized, veterans should consider whether to go with the Physical Disability Board of Review process or apply to their service's Board of Correction for Military Records.

"This is a very important point, and PDBR-eligible veterans should understand there are several differences between the scope and the consequences of the two reviews," he said. The DD Form 294 contains a table outlining the differences and outcomes of the two review processes.

"The choice is important, and highly dependent upon the facts and circumstances of a veteran's case," LoGrande said. "The applicant should weigh all of the factors and make a choice only after careful consideration."

(Air Force Master Sgt. Russell P. Petcoff serves in the secretary of the Air Force public affairs office.)