By: Charles L. Rice, M.D.
Performing the Duties of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs
March 17, 2010 - One of Secretary Gates’ top priorities is high quality health care. As President of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences since 2005, a retired Navy Reserve Captain and the father of a serving officer, I have a deep personal commitment to ensuring that quality health care and support is provided to our active duty force and their families, particularly our nation’s wounded, ill or injured warriors, as well as our retirees and their families.
I was asked by the senior DoD leadership to temporarily perform the duties of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, effective March 1, while the process for appointing a permanent candidate is underway. As such, my number one priority is to ensure that this care and support meets expectations and, to do that, I have outlined the four goals on which I will focus the majority of my attention:
Care for Wounded Warriors, Their Families, and Those Who Care for Them
1. Shaping the way ahead for the DoD electronic health record. Our current electronic health records provide critical support for health care delivery and management, force health protection and readiness, medical surveillance and for sharing with health care partners. Our Electronic Health Record Way Ahead will modernize our current system, align it with national objectives, and empower patients through access to personal health record. It will be designed by and for those who provide the care for our patients and will facilitate the use by our patients and their families.
2. Ensuring that Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) initiatives update and enhance our health care facilities. The BRAC recommendations are bringing about comprehensive changes, will improve use and distribution of our facilities nationwide, and will enhance health care delivery and state-of-the-art medical education and training, and cutting-edge basic science and clinical research across the MHS. By September 11, 2011, two of the largest regions (National Capital Area and San Antonio) will integrate the existing military treatment facilities into new facilities that will seamlessly function, incorporating assets from all of the military services. These medical centers will incorporate patient-focused, family-centered health care delivery with evidence-based structural design to provide beneficiaries with the absolute best healing environment.
3. Focusing the TRICARE contracting process for civilian-provided care to ensure our beneficiaries receive superior care. The MHS is responsible to promote health and provide care for 9.6 million individuals, so it is imperative that we contract efficiently with the civilian health care sector to provide those services which are beyond the capacity of our military treatment facilities’ capabilities to ensure that care.
4. Sharpening our communications to provide everyone the information they need to navigate our MHS. Our beneficiaries have questions and they deserve answers. It is vital that our service members and their families are able to understand their health care benefits and easily access the care they so rightfully deserve. We will sharpen our strategic communications so that all of our beneficiaries know where to turn, or who to ask, for the information they need about health care.
As I transition into my new duties, I am particularly grateful to Mr. Allen Middleton, who stepped up from Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Budgets and Financial Policy into the Health Affairs “front office” in April 2009 and provided invaluable leadership when and where it was needed. His expertise will be critical to me as he continues to perform the duties of Acting Principal Deputy, and I hope to live up to the standards both he and Ms. Ellen Embrey set before me.
Dr. Clifford Stanley, our newly appointed Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel & Readiness, said in a memorandum to Health Affairs and TRICARE Management Activity staff recently that "compassion, excellence and a heightened sense of urgency will help us fulfill our duty." I assure you that we will increase our efforts to fulfill our duty to our most important assets – our service members and their families.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
More than 200 Attend the U.S. Army Women Foundation’s 2nd Annual Army Women in Transition Symposium
Hon. Duckworth and Brig. Gen. Vaught, USAF (Ret.) Inducted into Foundation’s Hall of Fame
March 17, 2010 – The U.S. Army Women’s Foundation today hosted its 2nd Annual Army Women in Transition Symposium and Hall of Fame Luncheon on Capitol Hill from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with more than 200 people attending the two events.
The Symposium included three panels, which analyzed current programs helping servicewomen transition from the frontlines to a civilian career, the corporate world, or the classroom:
• Combat to Classroom addressed the relevant needs to ensuring a successful transition from the battlefield to the academic sector.
• Combat to Career analyzed issues and needs of service women considering transitioning into a new career path within the civilian workforce.
• Combat to Corporate focused on soldiers transitioning to the business world.
The panels were moderated by Brig. Gen. Foote, USA (Ret.) and cultivated dialogue among federal legislators, government agencies, academic institutions, corporate leaders, and non-profit organizations. U.S. Representatives J. Randy Forbes (R – Va.), Jan Schakowsky (D – Ill.), and Ike Skelton (D – Mont.) all made remarks. Last year’s inaugural Symposium focused on the often unique roles, abilities, and needs of Army women as they leave the service.
“Army women, past and presently serving, have sacrificed a lot to safeguard our country. The Foundation’s Army Women in Transition in Symposium helps to focus on our Army women as they move from the Army to civilian life,” said retired Maj. Gen. Dee Ann McWilliams, president of the U.S. Army Women’s Foundation. “Army women have much to offer as they enter civilian life, and we need to better recognize their capabilities and leadership skills.”
Following the Symposium, the Foundation inducted two esteemed servicewomen pioneers into its Hall of Fame for 2010: The Honorable L. Tammy Duckworth, Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs; and, Brigadier General Wilma Vaught, USAF (Ret), President of Board of Directors of the Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation, Inc. The Hall of Fame awards are presented to women who have contributed extraordinary service to the Army and to women in the Army.
“Through their extraordinary dedication, valor, patriotism, and service, Assistant Secretary Duckworth and Brigadier General Vaught have paved the way as leaders and role models for the following generations of Army women,” said retired Maj. Gen. McWilliams.
Duckworth is an Iraq War veteran; former U.S. Army helicopter pilot; and, recipient of many distinguished service awards, including a Purple Heart, an Air Medal, and an Army Commendation Medal.
Vaught, one of the most highly decorated women to serve in the U.S. military, achieved many "firsts" that helped pave the way for thousands of Army women to be judged based on their abilities—not gender.
Kimberly Dozier, CBS News correspondent, emceed the ceremony. Lieut. Gen. James Lovelace, USA (Ret.), former Commanding General, Third United States Army Central, keynoted. Representatives John Carter (R – Texas), Carolyn Kilpatrick (D – Mich.), and Gene Taylor (D – Miss.) were all present for the ceremony. Last year, the Foundation launched its Hall of Fame on March 24, 2009, with the first two inductees: Brig. Gen. Evelyn “Pat” Foote (Ret.) and Command Sgt. Maj. Cynthia Pritchett.
Following the inductions, the Foundation presented five Legacy Scholarships, including three Fort Hood Scholarships. The Fort Hood Scholarships will commemorate fallen soldiers Sgt. Amy Krueger of Kiel, Wis.; Pfc. Francheska Velez of Chicago, Ill.; and, Lieut. Col. Juanita Warman of Havre De Grace, Md.
The Foundation Legacy Scholarship program recognizes the importance of education and helps recipients to achieve their educational goals. The program offers financial support toward undergraduate degrees to Army women and their lineal descendents. Scholarships are based on merit, academic potential, community service, and need.
ABOUT THE U.S ARMY WOMEN’S FOUNDATION
The U.S. Army Women's Foundation is the premier center for educational excellence, the national network for today's Army women, and a dynamic advocate for telling the history of Army women.
Through its programs, research and scholarships, the Foundation honors the service of Army women and supports the U.S. Army Women's Museum. Originally established in 1969, the Foundation is headquartered in Fort Lee, Va. For more information, visit www.awfdn.org.
March 17, 2010 – The U.S. Army Women’s Foundation today hosted its 2nd Annual Army Women in Transition Symposium and Hall of Fame Luncheon on Capitol Hill from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with more than 200 people attending the two events.
The Symposium included three panels, which analyzed current programs helping servicewomen transition from the frontlines to a civilian career, the corporate world, or the classroom:
• Combat to Classroom addressed the relevant needs to ensuring a successful transition from the battlefield to the academic sector.
• Combat to Career analyzed issues and needs of service women considering transitioning into a new career path within the civilian workforce.
• Combat to Corporate focused on soldiers transitioning to the business world.
The panels were moderated by Brig. Gen. Foote, USA (Ret.) and cultivated dialogue among federal legislators, government agencies, academic institutions, corporate leaders, and non-profit organizations. U.S. Representatives J. Randy Forbes (R – Va.), Jan Schakowsky (D – Ill.), and Ike Skelton (D – Mont.) all made remarks. Last year’s inaugural Symposium focused on the often unique roles, abilities, and needs of Army women as they leave the service.
“Army women, past and presently serving, have sacrificed a lot to safeguard our country. The Foundation’s Army Women in Transition in Symposium helps to focus on our Army women as they move from the Army to civilian life,” said retired Maj. Gen. Dee Ann McWilliams, president of the U.S. Army Women’s Foundation. “Army women have much to offer as they enter civilian life, and we need to better recognize their capabilities and leadership skills.”
Following the Symposium, the Foundation inducted two esteemed servicewomen pioneers into its Hall of Fame for 2010: The Honorable L. Tammy Duckworth, Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs; and, Brigadier General Wilma Vaught, USAF (Ret), President of Board of Directors of the Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation, Inc. The Hall of Fame awards are presented to women who have contributed extraordinary service to the Army and to women in the Army.
“Through their extraordinary dedication, valor, patriotism, and service, Assistant Secretary Duckworth and Brigadier General Vaught have paved the way as leaders and role models for the following generations of Army women,” said retired Maj. Gen. McWilliams.
Duckworth is an Iraq War veteran; former U.S. Army helicopter pilot; and, recipient of many distinguished service awards, including a Purple Heart, an Air Medal, and an Army Commendation Medal.
Vaught, one of the most highly decorated women to serve in the U.S. military, achieved many "firsts" that helped pave the way for thousands of Army women to be judged based on their abilities—not gender.
Kimberly Dozier, CBS News correspondent, emceed the ceremony. Lieut. Gen. James Lovelace, USA (Ret.), former Commanding General, Third United States Army Central, keynoted. Representatives John Carter (R – Texas), Carolyn Kilpatrick (D – Mich.), and Gene Taylor (D – Miss.) were all present for the ceremony. Last year, the Foundation launched its Hall of Fame on March 24, 2009, with the first two inductees: Brig. Gen. Evelyn “Pat” Foote (Ret.) and Command Sgt. Maj. Cynthia Pritchett.
Following the inductions, the Foundation presented five Legacy Scholarships, including three Fort Hood Scholarships. The Fort Hood Scholarships will commemorate fallen soldiers Sgt. Amy Krueger of Kiel, Wis.; Pfc. Francheska Velez of Chicago, Ill.; and, Lieut. Col. Juanita Warman of Havre De Grace, Md.
The Foundation Legacy Scholarship program recognizes the importance of education and helps recipients to achieve their educational goals. The program offers financial support toward undergraduate degrees to Army women and their lineal descendents. Scholarships are based on merit, academic potential, community service, and need.
ABOUT THE U.S ARMY WOMEN’S FOUNDATION
The U.S. Army Women's Foundation is the premier center for educational excellence, the national network for today's Army women, and a dynamic advocate for telling the history of Army women.
Through its programs, research and scholarships, the Foundation honors the service of Army women and supports the U.S. Army Women's Museum. Originally established in 1969, the Foundation is headquartered in Fort Lee, Va. For more information, visit www.awfdn.org.
Wounded Warrior Hopes to Inspire Others
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
March 17, 2010 - Army Lt. Col. Marc Hoffmeister has endured some of the most grueling conditions on the planet.
In the past 15 years, Hoffmeister has tackled extreme challenges with adventure and expedition races through the Rocky Mountains, treks through the Alaskan wilderness and an Eco Challenge in Fiji, not to mention combat tours in Iraq and throughout the Middle East. Adventuring is very much a part of who he is.
But in the blink of an eye, a roadside bomb in Iraq all but crushed Hoffmeister's spirit. He nearly lost his life, and was left with little feeling in his left arm.
After months of surgeries and rehabilitation, he found himself falling into a depression, he said.
"Being wounded was a significant experience," Hoffmeister said. "It's a major setback, and it's pretty easy to succumb to your wounds and say, 'I can't do this anymore.'"
Hoffmeister found himself in an unfamiliar situation: stuck at home with nothing to train for and nothing to do. He battled with post-traumatic stress and severe pain, and wasn't sure if he'd ever be competitive again.
That was April 2007. Flash forward to this month: Hoffmeister was voted National Geographic magazine's first Reader's Choice Adventurer of the Year. As part of a six-member team that included three others who are disabled from combat injuries, he conquered Mount McKinley, North America's highest peak -- in June.
"It's pretty humbling to say the least and it's a team recognition," Hoffmeister said of the award. "You look at a lot of the people who've been recognized as adventurer of the year for National Geographic [and] they're incredible people and challenges. To be ranked among these people is amazing to me, but it's also a credit to the way our nation looks at our wounded and recognizes the efforts that we're going through to recover."
Hoffmeister credited his wife, Gayle, for getting him off the couch after months of feeling sorry for himself. A former Army medic and fellow adventure enthusiast, Gayle wouldn't let her Army Ranger husband stay down for long, he added.
"My wife didn't give me a whole lot of time," he said. Gayle began "dragging" her husband to the gym to build up his fitness again. By August 2007, the couple ventured into the Alaskan wilderness for a 26-mile climb and hike on Quail Creek Path.
At the time, Hoffmeister still had a tube inserted into his arm that ran to his chest, providing him with antibiotics four times a day. He found his drive again, and soon thereafter, his wife offered another challenge: climbing Mount McKinley, which also is known as Denali.
"She pretty much told me she was going to climb Denali with or without me," he said. "It's probably one of the best things she's ever done for me. I definitely wasn't going to let her climb without me."
The idea came to the couple in January 2008 to form a team of wounded veterans for the climb. The Hoffmeisters got their team together and began training and finding sponsorships for their expedition. They spent 12 days training on a mountaineering course at Denali National Park, he said.
Hoffmeister said he felt anxious and a bit nervous. After months of surgeries and recovery time to save his arm, he said, possibly losing his arm to frostbite on a mountain wasn't at the top of the list of things he wanted to do.
"I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a sense of doubt and fear about my own ability," he said. "After having gone through a load of surgeries and rehab, doing this was a big risk. I was scared and intimidated, and didn't know what I could do."
The team reached North America's highest point in 16 days. Three members of the team finished the 20,320-foot climb: Hoffmeister, wounded soldier Army Spc. David Shebib and retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Bob Haines.
Gayle succumbed to severe frostbite on her toes at 18,200 feet. Retired Marine Corps Capt. Jonathan Kuniholm, who lost his right arm to combat in Iraq, and retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Matt Nyman fell to altitude sickness at 16,200 feet and 17,200 feet, respectively.
Hoffmeister and crew accomplished a great deal despite the entire team not finishing the climb, he said, as the disabled teammates learned that they weren't as hindered by their disabilities as they may have thought. Most importantly, he added, they overcame any psychological issues they may have had, and they set an example for other disabled veterans and civilians to follow.
"The message goes far beyond what we did on the mountain," Hoffmeister said. "We're trying to set the example for the other guys who are coming behind us and at the same stage we were in, doubting ourselves in the hospital bed, trying to figure it out and [wondering] what [we] can achieve. Anyone who has disabilities, who wants to throw in the towel, hopefully they hear our message and think otherwise. They can pursue things they thought were not possible."
Hoffmeister said he hopes his team's story inspires others. Their journey to 20,000 feet shows that any hardship or disability can be overcome through teamwork and determination, he said.
"We all deal with shared hardships, whether it's long deployments or the fear of combat, and no one gets through it on their own," he said. "They get through it by the strength of a team, knowing when people are weak and when they're strong, and stepping up when you're strong and accepting help when you're weak. If you understand that psychology, you understand success."
Hoffmeister is assigned to U.S. Alaska Command and Joint Task Force Alaska as the chief engineer. He is set to assume command of the 6th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade this summer and is scheduled to deploy to Iraq in the fall.
He and his wife scaled Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania last month. While her husband is deployed, Gayle hopes to scale Denali, and after he returns from Iraq, they hope to form another team of veterans to climb 22,000 feet up Cerro Aconcaqua in Argentina, the highest point in the Americas.
American Forces Press Service
March 17, 2010 - Army Lt. Col. Marc Hoffmeister has endured some of the most grueling conditions on the planet.
In the past 15 years, Hoffmeister has tackled extreme challenges with adventure and expedition races through the Rocky Mountains, treks through the Alaskan wilderness and an Eco Challenge in Fiji, not to mention combat tours in Iraq and throughout the Middle East. Adventuring is very much a part of who he is.
But in the blink of an eye, a roadside bomb in Iraq all but crushed Hoffmeister's spirit. He nearly lost his life, and was left with little feeling in his left arm.
After months of surgeries and rehabilitation, he found himself falling into a depression, he said.
"Being wounded was a significant experience," Hoffmeister said. "It's a major setback, and it's pretty easy to succumb to your wounds and say, 'I can't do this anymore.'"
Hoffmeister found himself in an unfamiliar situation: stuck at home with nothing to train for and nothing to do. He battled with post-traumatic stress and severe pain, and wasn't sure if he'd ever be competitive again.
That was April 2007. Flash forward to this month: Hoffmeister was voted National Geographic magazine's first Reader's Choice Adventurer of the Year. As part of a six-member team that included three others who are disabled from combat injuries, he conquered Mount McKinley, North America's highest peak -- in June.
"It's pretty humbling to say the least and it's a team recognition," Hoffmeister said of the award. "You look at a lot of the people who've been recognized as adventurer of the year for National Geographic [and] they're incredible people and challenges. To be ranked among these people is amazing to me, but it's also a credit to the way our nation looks at our wounded and recognizes the efforts that we're going through to recover."
Hoffmeister credited his wife, Gayle, for getting him off the couch after months of feeling sorry for himself. A former Army medic and fellow adventure enthusiast, Gayle wouldn't let her Army Ranger husband stay down for long, he added.
"My wife didn't give me a whole lot of time," he said. Gayle began "dragging" her husband to the gym to build up his fitness again. By August 2007, the couple ventured into the Alaskan wilderness for a 26-mile climb and hike on Quail Creek Path.
At the time, Hoffmeister still had a tube inserted into his arm that ran to his chest, providing him with antibiotics four times a day. He found his drive again, and soon thereafter, his wife offered another challenge: climbing Mount McKinley, which also is known as Denali.
"She pretty much told me she was going to climb Denali with or without me," he said. "It's probably one of the best things she's ever done for me. I definitely wasn't going to let her climb without me."
The idea came to the couple in January 2008 to form a team of wounded veterans for the climb. The Hoffmeisters got their team together and began training and finding sponsorships for their expedition. They spent 12 days training on a mountaineering course at Denali National Park, he said.
Hoffmeister said he felt anxious and a bit nervous. After months of surgeries and recovery time to save his arm, he said, possibly losing his arm to frostbite on a mountain wasn't at the top of the list of things he wanted to do.
"I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a sense of doubt and fear about my own ability," he said. "After having gone through a load of surgeries and rehab, doing this was a big risk. I was scared and intimidated, and didn't know what I could do."
The team reached North America's highest point in 16 days. Three members of the team finished the 20,320-foot climb: Hoffmeister, wounded soldier Army Spc. David Shebib and retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Bob Haines.
Gayle succumbed to severe frostbite on her toes at 18,200 feet. Retired Marine Corps Capt. Jonathan Kuniholm, who lost his right arm to combat in Iraq, and retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Matt Nyman fell to altitude sickness at 16,200 feet and 17,200 feet, respectively.
Hoffmeister and crew accomplished a great deal despite the entire team not finishing the climb, he said, as the disabled teammates learned that they weren't as hindered by their disabilities as they may have thought. Most importantly, he added, they overcame any psychological issues they may have had, and they set an example for other disabled veterans and civilians to follow.
"The message goes far beyond what we did on the mountain," Hoffmeister said. "We're trying to set the example for the other guys who are coming behind us and at the same stage we were in, doubting ourselves in the hospital bed, trying to figure it out and [wondering] what [we] can achieve. Anyone who has disabilities, who wants to throw in the towel, hopefully they hear our message and think otherwise. They can pursue things they thought were not possible."
Hoffmeister said he hopes his team's story inspires others. Their journey to 20,000 feet shows that any hardship or disability can be overcome through teamwork and determination, he said.
"We all deal with shared hardships, whether it's long deployments or the fear of combat, and no one gets through it on their own," he said. "They get through it by the strength of a team, knowing when people are weak and when they're strong, and stepping up when you're strong and accepting help when you're weak. If you understand that psychology, you understand success."
Hoffmeister is assigned to U.S. Alaska Command and Joint Task Force Alaska as the chief engineer. He is set to assume command of the 6th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade this summer and is scheduled to deploy to Iraq in the fall.
He and his wife scaled Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania last month. While her husband is deployed, Gayle hopes to scale Denali, and after he returns from Iraq, they hope to form another team of veterans to climb 22,000 feet up Cerro Aconcaqua in Argentina, the highest point in the Americas.
TRICARE and VA Work Together
March 17, 2010 - FALLS CHURCH, Va. – Service members who became ill or injured while serving on active duty and are then medically retired have health benefits available to them through both the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs.
Like all retirees, medically-retired veterans can choose TRICARE Prime where it’s available, or TRICARE Standard and Extra if they are not eligible for Medicare. Their family members have the same TRICARE choices. Veterans who are eligible for Medicare because of disability must maintain Medicare Parts A and B to keep their TRICARE coverage.
Retirees with a service-connected disability rated at 50 percent or higher; are unemployable due to the service-connected disability; or are seeking care for the service-connected disability are automatically eligible but must request care from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Retirees eligible for VA health benefits along with their TRICARE retiree health care benefits can receive care from the VA or TRICARE. These retirees must apply for health benefits from the VA. Though there is an initial choice each time they seek care for a non-service related condition—VA or TRICARE—once treatment has begun, it must be completed using the same benefit. However, when seeking care for a service-related condition, they must use VA benefits.
Almost all VA health care facilities are part of the TRICARE network, however treatment of TRICARE beneficiaries is provided on a space and resource available basis only. When choosing to use their TRICARE benefit, retirees may be authorized to receive non-service related care at participating VA medical centers, a military treatment facility (MTF) or a TRICARE network provider. Representatives are available at VA facilities to assist veterans who are eligible for TRICARE and VA health care, and VA liaisons and benefit counselors are available at many MTFs to assist veterans transferring from Defense Department to VA care.
Veterans can learn about the different financial responsibilities for TRICARE-covered services and VA benefits by contacting their TRICARE regional contractor, or VA Health Benefits Service Center at 877-222-VETS. Regional contractor contact information can be found at www.tricare.mil/contactus.
There are many programs available through TRICARE, VA, the armed services and TRICARE’s regional contractors supporting veterans who became ill or were injured serving on active duty. Visit www.warriorcare.mil for more information about these resources.
Like all retirees, medically-retired veterans can choose TRICARE Prime where it’s available, or TRICARE Standard and Extra if they are not eligible for Medicare. Their family members have the same TRICARE choices. Veterans who are eligible for Medicare because of disability must maintain Medicare Parts A and B to keep their TRICARE coverage.
Retirees with a service-connected disability rated at 50 percent or higher; are unemployable due to the service-connected disability; or are seeking care for the service-connected disability are automatically eligible but must request care from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Retirees eligible for VA health benefits along with their TRICARE retiree health care benefits can receive care from the VA or TRICARE. These retirees must apply for health benefits from the VA. Though there is an initial choice each time they seek care for a non-service related condition—VA or TRICARE—once treatment has begun, it must be completed using the same benefit. However, when seeking care for a service-related condition, they must use VA benefits.
Almost all VA health care facilities are part of the TRICARE network, however treatment of TRICARE beneficiaries is provided on a space and resource available basis only. When choosing to use their TRICARE benefit, retirees may be authorized to receive non-service related care at participating VA medical centers, a military treatment facility (MTF) or a TRICARE network provider. Representatives are available at VA facilities to assist veterans who are eligible for TRICARE and VA health care, and VA liaisons and benefit counselors are available at many MTFs to assist veterans transferring from Defense Department to VA care.
Veterans can learn about the different financial responsibilities for TRICARE-covered services and VA benefits by contacting their TRICARE regional contractor, or VA Health Benefits Service Center at 877-222-VETS. Regional contractor contact information can be found at www.tricare.mil/contactus.
There are many programs available through TRICARE, VA, the armed services and TRICARE’s regional contractors supporting veterans who became ill or were injured serving on active duty. Visit www.warriorcare.mil for more information about these resources.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
What is a Hero?
What is a Hero? This collection of short stories indirectly asks the question - what is a hero? Each of the 13 authors wrote about a specific person whom the author identified as an American Hero. Each author had a different take - some heroes were thrust into danger; others were comedic, yet heroic; still others were role models because of their heroic nature. While all different, there is a common thread: heroism.
Veterans job fairs kick off in Madison
March 16, 2010 - Michael Mauermann had a simple reason for making the drive from Appleton to Madison on a slightly foggy, slightly rainy Thursday morning.
"Returning vet needs a job," he said, smiling.
Mauermann, a Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldier who deployed twice - most recently with the Onalaska-based Company A, Brigade Special Troops Battalion - was among many veterans to attend a Veterans Job Fair at Edgewood College's Deming Way campus March 11. Some attendees have been out of the service for decades, while others are still serving out their contracts. But all came to see what was available at the first of 18 such job fairs, the result of a collaboration between the state Department of Workforce Development, Department of Military Affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs and the American Legion.
"The economy is suffering, but we're seeing signs of recovery," she said. "Having skilled workers ready could not be more important."
Twenty-three employers - many with current job openings - were on hand at the first veterans job fair, and Gassman said they were committed to the employment and well-being of state veterans.
"They have a base of leadership within themselves that, without a doubt, will take us well into the 21st century," said Ken Black, DVA secretary. He added veterans make excellent employees because they are self-starters, culturally sensitive and hard-working.
"They're so dedicated they want to do great things with their lives," Brig. Gen. John McCoy, commander of the Wisconsin Air National Guard, agreed. Keith Miller of Sun Prairie, who retired from a full-time job as an Army Reserve recruiter in 2001, is currently employed but came out to see what opportunities are available.
"The [Veterans Administration] has been my focus," he said. "I think working for them would be worthwhile."
Adam Puhl of Oshkosh seemed optimistic as he visited each station, tucking information neatly into a folder.
"I've gotten a few leads I didn't know about before," he said.
Dan Viesman, an Argyle, Wis. resident who left the Army in 1974, said he was getting plenty of information at the job fair. A few years from retirement, he expressed concern over his chances for a job.
"There are lots of young people here," he observed.
Mauermann - who, with seven years of military experience, would qualify as one of the "young people," - directed his attention to the Madison Police Department and Dane County Sheriff's Department booths. "I'm going to school for criminal justice," he said. "There's lots of good information here."
McCoy said that a job fair of this magnitude had been discussed for some time. Gassman described the effort as an "ambitious plan" to reach out to veterans.
"It's unique," she said, "and we're very proud to do it."
Seventeen additional job fairs for veterans will be held, with the final event at an Army National Guard armory in Superior.
"Returning vet needs a job," he said, smiling.
Mauermann, a Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldier who deployed twice - most recently with the Onalaska-based Company A, Brigade Special Troops Battalion - was among many veterans to attend a Veterans Job Fair at Edgewood College's Deming Way campus March 11. Some attendees have been out of the service for decades, while others are still serving out their contracts. But all came to see what was available at the first of 18 such job fairs, the result of a collaboration between the state Department of Workforce Development, Department of Military Affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs and the American Legion.
"The economy is suffering, but we're seeing signs of recovery," she said. "Having skilled workers ready could not be more important."
Twenty-three employers - many with current job openings - were on hand at the first veterans job fair, and Gassman said they were committed to the employment and well-being of state veterans.
"They have a base of leadership within themselves that, without a doubt, will take us well into the 21st century," said Ken Black, DVA secretary. He added veterans make excellent employees because they are self-starters, culturally sensitive and hard-working.
"They're so dedicated they want to do great things with their lives," Brig. Gen. John McCoy, commander of the Wisconsin Air National Guard, agreed. Keith Miller of Sun Prairie, who retired from a full-time job as an Army Reserve recruiter in 2001, is currently employed but came out to see what opportunities are available.
"The [Veterans Administration] has been my focus," he said. "I think working for them would be worthwhile."
Adam Puhl of Oshkosh seemed optimistic as he visited each station, tucking information neatly into a folder.
"I've gotten a few leads I didn't know about before," he said.
Dan Viesman, an Argyle, Wis. resident who left the Army in 1974, said he was getting plenty of information at the job fair. A few years from retirement, he expressed concern over his chances for a job.
"There are lots of young people here," he observed.
Mauermann - who, with seven years of military experience, would qualify as one of the "young people," - directed his attention to the Madison Police Department and Dane County Sheriff's Department booths. "I'm going to school for criminal justice," he said. "There's lots of good information here."
McCoy said that a job fair of this magnitude had been discussed for some time. Gassman described the effort as an "ambitious plan" to reach out to veterans.
"It's unique," she said, "and we're very proud to do it."
Seventeen additional job fairs for veterans will be held, with the final event at an Army National Guard armory in Superior.
Senior Executive Service Appointments and Reassignments
Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced the following Department of Defense Senior Executive Service appointments and reassignments:
Appointments
Thomas L. Allen has been appointed to the Senior Executive Service and is assigned as deputy director for force management, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. Allen previously served as project leader, Institute for Defense Analysis, Alexandria, Va.
William K. Lietzau has been appointed to the Senior Executive Service and is assigned as deputy assistant secretary of defense for detainee policy, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Global Strategic Affairs), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Washington, D.C. Lietzau previously served as deputy legal advisor, National Security Council, Washington, D.C.
David A. Mussington has been appointed to the Senior Executive Service and is assigned as senior advisor for cyber policy, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Global Strategic Affairs), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Washington, D.C. Mussington previously served as chief of corporate security, National Railroad Passenger Corp., Washington, D.C.
Reassignments
George D. Mulligan has been assigned as director, White House Military Office, Washington Headquarters Services, Washington, D.C. Mulligan previously served as deputy director, White House Military Office, Washington Headquarters Services, Washington, D.C.
Donald G. Diggs has been assigned as deputy director, White House Military Office, Washington Headquarters Services, Washington, D.C. Diggs previously served as director, national leadership command capabilities, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Networks and Information Integration/Chief Information Officer), Washington, D.C.
Susan A. Yarwood has been assigned as principal director, enterprise services, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Policy Integration and Chief of Staff), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Arlington, Va. Yarwood previously served as deputy director, enterprise services, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Policy Integration and Chief of Staff), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Arlington, Va.
Appointments
Thomas L. Allen has been appointed to the Senior Executive Service and is assigned as deputy director for force management, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. Allen previously served as project leader, Institute for Defense Analysis, Alexandria, Va.
William K. Lietzau has been appointed to the Senior Executive Service and is assigned as deputy assistant secretary of defense for detainee policy, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Global Strategic Affairs), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Washington, D.C. Lietzau previously served as deputy legal advisor, National Security Council, Washington, D.C.
David A. Mussington has been appointed to the Senior Executive Service and is assigned as senior advisor for cyber policy, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Global Strategic Affairs), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Washington, D.C. Mussington previously served as chief of corporate security, National Railroad Passenger Corp., Washington, D.C.
Reassignments
George D. Mulligan has been assigned as director, White House Military Office, Washington Headquarters Services, Washington, D.C. Mulligan previously served as deputy director, White House Military Office, Washington Headquarters Services, Washington, D.C.
Donald G. Diggs has been assigned as deputy director, White House Military Office, Washington Headquarters Services, Washington, D.C. Diggs previously served as director, national leadership command capabilities, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Networks and Information Integration/Chief Information Officer), Washington, D.C.
Susan A. Yarwood has been assigned as principal director, enterprise services, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Policy Integration and Chief of Staff), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Arlington, Va. Yarwood previously served as deputy director, enterprise services, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Policy Integration and Chief of Staff), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Arlington, Va.
MILITARY CONTRACTS March 16, 2010
AIR FORCE
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Orlando, Fla., was awarded a $41,898,184 contract which will provide for the purchase and contractor logistic support of sniper advanced targeting pods to support a foreign military sale customer, Saudi Arabia. At this time, $20,949,092 has been obligated. 448 PKHCB, Robins Air Force Base, Ga., is the contracting activity (FA8522-10-C-0003).
Lockheed Martin Corp., Marietta, Ga., was awarded a $6,165,779 contract which will provide for the procurement of required data, support equipment, and spares to stand up five different C-5 avionics modernization program line replaceable units at the respective Air Logistics Center depot. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 716 AESG/PK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (F33657-98-C-0006, P00231).
NAVY
American Rheinmetall Munitions Corp., Stafford, Va., is being awarded a $28,797,243 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the improved flash-bang grenade. Work will be performed in Camden, Ark., and is expected to be completed by March 2015. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities and Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Web sites, with six proposals solicited and four offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity (N00164-10-D-JM31).
BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair, Inc., San Diego, is being awarded an $8,284,783 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-08-C-2300) to exercise an option for the accomplishment of the post-shakedown availability (PSA) for the USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108). Specific efforts include engineering and management in support of the PSA; labor and procurement of material to correct government-responsible deficiencies and accomplish system upgrades; perform specified PSA work items inclusive of tests and post-repair sea trials; and task additional man hours and material in order to complete emergent repairs. Work will be performed in San Diego and is expected to be completed by December 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
Progeny Systems Corp., Manassas, Va., is being awarded a $5,848,035 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-08-C-6288) to exercise an option for information assurance engineering and technical services for the Navy's information assurance solutions and to integrate them into commercial-off-the-shelf-based combat and network systems. Work will be performed in Manassas, Va., and is expected to be completed by March 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.
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Orlando, Fla., was awarded a $41,898,184 contract which will provide for the purchase and contractor logistic support of sniper advanced targeting pods to support a foreign military sale customer, Saudi Arabia. At this time, $20,949,092 has been obligated. 448 PKHCB, Robins Air Force Base, Ga., is the contracting activity (FA8522-10-C-0003).
Lockheed Martin Corp., Marietta, Ga., was awarded a $6,165,779 contract which will provide for the procurement of required data, support equipment, and spares to stand up five different C-5 avionics modernization program line replaceable units at the respective Air Logistics Center depot. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 716 AESG/PK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (F33657-98-C-0006, P00231).
NAVY
American Rheinmetall Munitions Corp., Stafford, Va., is being awarded a $28,797,243 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the improved flash-bang grenade. Work will be performed in Camden, Ark., and is expected to be completed by March 2015. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities and Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Web sites, with six proposals solicited and four offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity (N00164-10-D-JM31).
BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair, Inc., San Diego, is being awarded an $8,284,783 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-08-C-2300) to exercise an option for the accomplishment of the post-shakedown availability (PSA) for the USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108). Specific efforts include engineering and management in support of the PSA; labor and procurement of material to correct government-responsible deficiencies and accomplish system upgrades; perform specified PSA work items inclusive of tests and post-repair sea trials; and task additional man hours and material in order to complete emergent repairs. Work will be performed in San Diego and is expected to be completed by December 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
Progeny Systems Corp., Manassas, Va., is being awarded a $5,848,035 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-08-C-6288) to exercise an option for information assurance engineering and technical services for the Navy's information assurance solutions and to integrate them into commercial-off-the-shelf-based combat and network systems. Work will be performed in Manassas, Va., and is expected to be completed by March 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.
Air Force Pilot MIA From Vietnam War is Identified
The Department of Defense announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Air Force Maj. Curtis Daniel Miller of Palacios, Texas, will be buried on March 29 in the Dallas-Ft. Worth National Cemetery. Miller was part of a 14-man aircrew, all of which are now accounted-for. Remains that could not be individually identified are included in a group that will be buried together in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va.
On March 29, 1972, 14 men were aboard an AC-130A Spectre gunship that took off from Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, on an armed reconnaissance mission over southern Laos. The aircraft was struck by an enemy surface-to-air missile and crashed. Search and rescue efforts were stopped after a few days due to heavy enemy activity in the area.
In 1986, joint U.S.- Lao People's Democratic Republic teams, lead by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), surveyed and excavated the crash site in Savannakhet Province, Laos. The team recovered human remains and other evidence including two identification tags, life support items and aircraft wreckage. From 1986 to 1988, the remains were identified as those of nine men from this crew.
Between 2005 and 2006, joint teams resurveyed the crash site and excavated it twice. The teams found more human remains, personal effects and crew-related equipment. As a result, JPAC identified the other crewmen using forensic identification tools, circumstantial evidence, mitochondrial DNA and dental comparisons.
For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at or http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo call (703) 699-1169
Air Force Maj. Curtis Daniel Miller of Palacios, Texas, will be buried on March 29 in the Dallas-Ft. Worth National Cemetery. Miller was part of a 14-man aircrew, all of which are now accounted-for. Remains that could not be individually identified are included in a group that will be buried together in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va.
On March 29, 1972, 14 men were aboard an AC-130A Spectre gunship that took off from Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, on an armed reconnaissance mission over southern Laos. The aircraft was struck by an enemy surface-to-air missile and crashed. Search and rescue efforts were stopped after a few days due to heavy enemy activity in the area.
In 1986, joint U.S.- Lao People's Democratic Republic teams, lead by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), surveyed and excavated the crash site in Savannakhet Province, Laos. The team recovered human remains and other evidence including two identification tags, life support items and aircraft wreckage. From 1986 to 1988, the remains were identified as those of nine men from this crew.
Between 2005 and 2006, joint teams resurveyed the crash site and excavated it twice. The teams found more human remains, personal effects and crew-related equipment. As a result, JPAC identified the other crewmen using forensic identification tools, circumstantial evidence, mitochondrial DNA and dental comparisons.
For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at or http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo call (703) 699-1169
Flag Officer Announcement
Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced today that the President has made the following nomination:
Navy Vice Adm. David J. Venlet has been nominated for reappointment to the rank of vice admiral and assignment as director, Joint Strike Fighter program, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Arlington, Va. Venlet is currently serving as commander, Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md.
Navy Vice Adm. David J. Venlet has been nominated for reappointment to the rank of vice admiral and assignment as director, Joint Strike Fighter program, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Arlington, Va. Venlet is currently serving as commander, Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md.
General Officer Announcement
Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced today that the President has made the following nominations:
Air Force Col. David W. Allvin has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Allvin is currently serving as the military fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, New York City, N.Y.
Air Force Col. Balan R. Ayyar has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Ayyar is currently serving as the military assistant to the Secretary Air Force Col. Thomas W. Bergeson has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Bergeson is currently serving as the commander, 3rd Wing, Pacific Air Forces, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.
Air Force Col. Jack L. Briggs II has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Briggs is currently serving as the director, inspections, Office of the Inspector General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Rosslyn, Va.
Air Force Col. James S. Browne has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Browne is currently serving as the commander, 325th Fighter Wing, Air Education and Training Command, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
Air Force Col. Arnold W. Bunch, Jr. has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Bunch is currently serving as the vice commander, Air Armament Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
Air Force Col. Theresa C. Carter has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Carter is currently serving as the director, installations and mission support, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
Air Force Col. Scott L. Dennis has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Dennis is currently serving as the deputy director, air operations, Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Plans and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Air Force Col. John W. Doucette has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Doucette is currently serving as the special assistant to the director of the joint staff for general officer and flag officer matters, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Air Force Col. Sandra E. Finan has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Finan is currently serving as the inspector general, Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale Air Force Base, La.
Air Force Col. Donald S. George has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. George is currently serving as the commander, National Air and Space Intelligence Center, Headquarters Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
Air Force Col. Jerry D. Harris, Jr. has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Harris is currently serving as the assistant director of operations, plans, requirements and programs, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii.
Air Force Col. Kevin J. Jacobsen has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Jacobsen is currently serving as the director, special investigations, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force Inspector General, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Air Force Col. Scott W. Jansson has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Jansson is currently serving as the vice commander, Ogden Air Logistics Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Hill Air Force Base, Utah.
Air Force Col. Richard A. Klumpp, Jr. has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Klumpp is currently serving as the inspector general, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
Air Force Col. Leslie A. Kodlick has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Kodlick is currently serving as the director, public affairs, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Air Force Col. Gregory J. Lengyel has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Lengyel is currently serving as the commander, 1st Special Operations Wing, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
Air Force Col. James F. Martin Jr. has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Martin is currently serving as the director, air force budget programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Air Force Col. Robert D. McMurry has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. McMurry is currently serving as the commander, airborne laser program, Aeronautical Systems Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.
Air Force Col. Edward M. Minahan has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Minahan is currently serving as the executive officer to the deputy commander, U.S. European Command, Headquarters U.S. European Command, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany.
Air Force Col. Jon A. Norman has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Norman is currently serving as the special assistant to the vice commander, Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern), Air Combat Command, Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.
Air Force Col. James N. Post III has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Post is currently serving as the commander, 354th Fighter Wing, Pacific Air Forces, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.
Air Force Col. Steven M. Shepro has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Shepro is currently serving as the commander, 316th Wing, Air Force District of Washington, Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
Air Force Col. Jay B. Silveria has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Silveria is currently serving as the commander, 48th Fighter Wing, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom. Air Force Col. David D. Thompson has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Thompson is currently serving as the director, Space Forces, Air Forces Central, Air Combat Command, Al Udeid, Qatar.
Air Force Col. William J. Thornton has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Thornton is currently serving as the commander, 412th Test Wing, Air Force Materiel Command, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
Air Force Col. Kenneth E. Todorov has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Todorov is currently serving as the executive officer to the commander, U.S. Northern Command, Headquarters U.S. Northern Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
Air Force Col. Linda R. Urrutia-Varhall has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Urrutia-Varhall is currently serving as the senior military assistant to the under secretary of defense (intelligence), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Intelligence), Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Air Force Col. Burke E. Wilson has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Wilson is currently serving as the commander, 45th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command, Patrick Air Force Base, Fla.
Air Force Col. David W. Allvin has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Allvin is currently serving as the military fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, New York City, N.Y.
Air Force Col. Balan R. Ayyar has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Ayyar is currently serving as the military assistant to the Secretary Air Force Col. Thomas W. Bergeson has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Bergeson is currently serving as the commander, 3rd Wing, Pacific Air Forces, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.
Air Force Col. Jack L. Briggs II has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Briggs is currently serving as the director, inspections, Office of the Inspector General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Rosslyn, Va.
Air Force Col. James S. Browne has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Browne is currently serving as the commander, 325th Fighter Wing, Air Education and Training Command, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
Air Force Col. Arnold W. Bunch, Jr. has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Bunch is currently serving as the vice commander, Air Armament Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
Air Force Col. Theresa C. Carter has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Carter is currently serving as the director, installations and mission support, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
Air Force Col. Scott L. Dennis has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Dennis is currently serving as the deputy director, air operations, Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Plans and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Air Force Col. John W. Doucette has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Doucette is currently serving as the special assistant to the director of the joint staff for general officer and flag officer matters, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Air Force Col. Sandra E. Finan has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Finan is currently serving as the inspector general, Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale Air Force Base, La.
Air Force Col. Donald S. George has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. George is currently serving as the commander, National Air and Space Intelligence Center, Headquarters Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
Air Force Col. Jerry D. Harris, Jr. has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Harris is currently serving as the assistant director of operations, plans, requirements and programs, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii.
Air Force Col. Kevin J. Jacobsen has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Jacobsen is currently serving as the director, special investigations, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force Inspector General, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Air Force Col. Scott W. Jansson has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Jansson is currently serving as the vice commander, Ogden Air Logistics Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Hill Air Force Base, Utah.
Air Force Col. Richard A. Klumpp, Jr. has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Klumpp is currently serving as the inspector general, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
Air Force Col. Leslie A. Kodlick has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Kodlick is currently serving as the director, public affairs, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Air Force Col. Gregory J. Lengyel has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Lengyel is currently serving as the commander, 1st Special Operations Wing, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
Air Force Col. James F. Martin Jr. has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Martin is currently serving as the director, air force budget programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Air Force Col. Robert D. McMurry has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. McMurry is currently serving as the commander, airborne laser program, Aeronautical Systems Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.
Air Force Col. Edward M. Minahan has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Minahan is currently serving as the executive officer to the deputy commander, U.S. European Command, Headquarters U.S. European Command, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany.
Air Force Col. Jon A. Norman has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Norman is currently serving as the special assistant to the vice commander, Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern), Air Combat Command, Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.
Air Force Col. James N. Post III has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Post is currently serving as the commander, 354th Fighter Wing, Pacific Air Forces, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.
Air Force Col. Steven M. Shepro has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Shepro is currently serving as the commander, 316th Wing, Air Force District of Washington, Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
Air Force Col. Jay B. Silveria has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Silveria is currently serving as the commander, 48th Fighter Wing, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom. Air Force Col. David D. Thompson has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Thompson is currently serving as the director, Space Forces, Air Forces Central, Air Combat Command, Al Udeid, Qatar.
Air Force Col. William J. Thornton has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Thornton is currently serving as the commander, 412th Test Wing, Air Force Materiel Command, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
Air Force Col. Kenneth E. Todorov has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Todorov is currently serving as the executive officer to the commander, U.S. Northern Command, Headquarters U.S. Northern Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
Air Force Col. Linda R. Urrutia-Varhall has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Urrutia-Varhall is currently serving as the senior military assistant to the under secretary of defense (intelligence), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Intelligence), Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Air Force Col. Burke E. Wilson has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Wilson is currently serving as the commander, 45th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command, Patrick Air Force Base, Fla.
Changes in South Korea Mean New Opportunities for Lodge
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
March 16, 2010 - Most hotel managers would lose sleep over the prospect of losing almost half of their guaranteed hotel guests. But Ed Fagan, general manager of the Dragon Hill Lodge at U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan here, sees the upcoming move of most U.S. forces from Seoul as an opportunity for the lodge to claim its rightful place within the military's Armed Forces Recreation Center network.
In a few short years, most of the U.S. servicemembers and their families based at Yongsan and other posts north toward the demilitarized zone will relocate south of Seoul, most to U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys. As a result, troops reporting for duty or wrapping up their tours in Korea no longer will in- and out-process through the centralized center at Yongsan. They'll also no longer automatically spend their first and last nights in South Korea just across the parking lot at the Dragon Hill Lodge.
Gone will be the regular customer base that constitutes 44 percent of the hotel's annual room nights. Also gone will be most of about 17,000 military identification card holders based at Yongsan who frequent its restaurants, fitness center and other services.
But Fagan isn't worried about keeping his 394 rooms filled. In fact, he said, he sees the changes ahead as an opportunity to transform the Dragon Hill Lodge into a vacation destination for servicemembers, Defense Department employees and their families.
"We then become truly an AFRC," he said. "And I would maintain that we are going to become the most exciting AFRC."
Located in the heart of Seoul, the world's second-largest metropolitan city, the Dragon Hill Lodge offers easy access to a wealth of attractions and entertainment. Guests can tour historic and cultural sites, take in professional sporting events, visit museums, galleries and amusement and nature parks, and enjoy world-class shopping.
Fagan recent launched a "Discover Seoul" campaign to get the word out about these opportunities, and others beyond the city limits in the Land of the Morning Calm.
"We are not going to focus on selling the Dragon Hill Lodge. Our focus is on selling Seoul," Fagan said. "Our marketing materials are going to be such that people say, 'I want to take a vacation in Seoul. I want to discover this wonderful city with all it has to offer."
He's confident that when they do so, they'll choose the Dragon Hill Lodge as their base, smack in the middle of land the South Korean government plans to transform into a huge intercity park.
The Dragon Hill Lodge opened in 1990 as the crown jewel of the U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan compound that's home to the U.S. Forces Korea and Combined Forces Korea headquarters. Fagan described it as "the most elegant AFRC," an upscale contrast to the Quonset huts that surrounded it 20 years ago.
With stately dragons flanking the entrance, an elegant lobby, well-appointed rooms and top-quality food and beverage services, the Dragon Hill Lodge sets the tone for servicemembers and their families moving into South Korea, Fagan said.
"The Dragon Hill Lodge makes a statement that we value you, that we care about our servicemembers," he said. And for anyone arriving with apprehensions about living far from home in unfamiliar surroundings, Fagan said, the lodge provides reassurance that "life in Korea is not going to be too bad."
The lodge set the example for the transformation of the greater Yongsan garrison over the past two decades.
"It kind of set the standard for a lot of the follow-on construction that the U.S. forces did in Korea to really demonstrate that Korea is no longer a one-year hardship tour," Fagan said. "The soldiers who serve in Korea work just as hard as all the other soldiers and perform just as important a mission – and they deserve the same quality of life that exists in other parts of the world."
The Dragon Hill Lodge was modeled after other successful armed forces recreation centers the Army operates. But unlike the Edelweiss Lodge and Resort in Garmisch, Germany, and Hale Koa Hotel in Honolulu -- Shades of Green opened the following year at the Disney World complex in Orlando, Fla. -- the Dragon Hill Lodge has predominantly served troops pulling one-year tours in South Korea, most without their families.
That, too, is expected to change as normalized, three-year tours are introduced in South Korea and more troops arrive with their families in tow. When they're ready for some rest and recuperation and a base for exploring their new surroundings, the Dragon Hill Lodge is ready for them, Fagan said.
At first glance, the lodge is much like any other luxury hotel, with comfortable rooms, four full-service restaurants, lounges, game rooms and a top-of-the-line fitness center. What's different, Fagan said, is that the lodge's top priority is serving troops and their families -- not making money.
"If one of our servicemembers was to check into the Marriott or the Hyatt to visit Seoul, they would just be another guest," he said. "When they come to the Dragon Hill Lodge, we are here because of them, and to support them."
Room rates are based on a sliding scale according to rank, with the most-junior soldiers on leave or pass paying $59 a night for a single room. For higher-ranking guests, the same room goes for up to $139 a night, with larger rooms available at higher prices to accommodate families.
"We need to make money at the Dragon Hill Lodge to sustain ourselves, but our purpose is not to make money," Fagan said. "Our purpose is to provide quality of life for the servicemembers and their family members. ... We will be geared specifically to support them with programs that are designed for servicemembers, around servicemembers' budgets, and around servicemembers' lifestyles and family sizes."
Although the Dragon Hill Lodge is a bargain for military travelers, Fagan said, its guests are equally attracted to the gateway it provides to Seoul, as well as the familiarity and convenience of familiar surroundings.
While incorporating Asian architectural design and furnishings, the Dragon Hill Lodge represents a piece of Americana -- along with military conveniences -- to its guests. Its restaurants serve up everything from homestyle barbeque cooked all night so it falls off the bone to high-end steak-and-lobster cuisine. A Tex-Mex restaurant on the premises features its own microbrewery with "Amber" the house brew and a tortilla machine that ensures authentic flavors.
The secret, Fagan confided, is that the Dragon Hill Lodge flies all its ingredients in from the United States rather than buying them locally.
But familiarity for guests and their families goes beyond their palates. Dragon Hill Lodge also houses a small post exchange, a U.S. bank, a variety of concessions sanctioned by the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, and a desk where guests can ask directions to sites around town, book tours, and buy discounted tickets to local venues.
Guests call these features a winning combination.
"This is great, and it's all strategically based," said Army Sgt. Travon Graves as he and fellow 2nd Infantry Division soldier Sgt. Kiarra Sutton studied the Discover Seoul display in the Dragon Hill Inn's lobby.
They came to Seoul for medical appointments, but hoped to check out some of Seoul's attractions the Lotte World amusement park, the zoo, the Korean War memorial and local museums before returning to their base at Camp Casey.
"There's a lot here. We just have to figure out what we want to do," Sutton said.
Army Staff Sgt. Antonio Jefferson, who had just arrived in South Korea for his assignment at Camp Casey, said he already was impressed with the Korean culture and was looking forward to learning more about it.
But before traveling north to his new assignment, Jefferson said he planned to use the Dragon Hill Lodge as a base for another priority. "I'm definitely going shopping," he said. "From what I hear, this is a great place to do it."
American Forces Press Service
March 16, 2010 - Most hotel managers would lose sleep over the prospect of losing almost half of their guaranteed hotel guests. But Ed Fagan, general manager of the Dragon Hill Lodge at U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan here, sees the upcoming move of most U.S. forces from Seoul as an opportunity for the lodge to claim its rightful place within the military's Armed Forces Recreation Center network.
In a few short years, most of the U.S. servicemembers and their families based at Yongsan and other posts north toward the demilitarized zone will relocate south of Seoul, most to U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys. As a result, troops reporting for duty or wrapping up their tours in Korea no longer will in- and out-process through the centralized center at Yongsan. They'll also no longer automatically spend their first and last nights in South Korea just across the parking lot at the Dragon Hill Lodge.
Gone will be the regular customer base that constitutes 44 percent of the hotel's annual room nights. Also gone will be most of about 17,000 military identification card holders based at Yongsan who frequent its restaurants, fitness center and other services.
But Fagan isn't worried about keeping his 394 rooms filled. In fact, he said, he sees the changes ahead as an opportunity to transform the Dragon Hill Lodge into a vacation destination for servicemembers, Defense Department employees and their families.
"We then become truly an AFRC," he said. "And I would maintain that we are going to become the most exciting AFRC."
Located in the heart of Seoul, the world's second-largest metropolitan city, the Dragon Hill Lodge offers easy access to a wealth of attractions and entertainment. Guests can tour historic and cultural sites, take in professional sporting events, visit museums, galleries and amusement and nature parks, and enjoy world-class shopping.
Fagan recent launched a "Discover Seoul" campaign to get the word out about these opportunities, and others beyond the city limits in the Land of the Morning Calm.
"We are not going to focus on selling the Dragon Hill Lodge. Our focus is on selling Seoul," Fagan said. "Our marketing materials are going to be such that people say, 'I want to take a vacation in Seoul. I want to discover this wonderful city with all it has to offer."
He's confident that when they do so, they'll choose the Dragon Hill Lodge as their base, smack in the middle of land the South Korean government plans to transform into a huge intercity park.
The Dragon Hill Lodge opened in 1990 as the crown jewel of the U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan compound that's home to the U.S. Forces Korea and Combined Forces Korea headquarters. Fagan described it as "the most elegant AFRC," an upscale contrast to the Quonset huts that surrounded it 20 years ago.
With stately dragons flanking the entrance, an elegant lobby, well-appointed rooms and top-quality food and beverage services, the Dragon Hill Lodge sets the tone for servicemembers and their families moving into South Korea, Fagan said.
"The Dragon Hill Lodge makes a statement that we value you, that we care about our servicemembers," he said. And for anyone arriving with apprehensions about living far from home in unfamiliar surroundings, Fagan said, the lodge provides reassurance that "life in Korea is not going to be too bad."
The lodge set the example for the transformation of the greater Yongsan garrison over the past two decades.
"It kind of set the standard for a lot of the follow-on construction that the U.S. forces did in Korea to really demonstrate that Korea is no longer a one-year hardship tour," Fagan said. "The soldiers who serve in Korea work just as hard as all the other soldiers and perform just as important a mission – and they deserve the same quality of life that exists in other parts of the world."
The Dragon Hill Lodge was modeled after other successful armed forces recreation centers the Army operates. But unlike the Edelweiss Lodge and Resort in Garmisch, Germany, and Hale Koa Hotel in Honolulu -- Shades of Green opened the following year at the Disney World complex in Orlando, Fla. -- the Dragon Hill Lodge has predominantly served troops pulling one-year tours in South Korea, most without their families.
That, too, is expected to change as normalized, three-year tours are introduced in South Korea and more troops arrive with their families in tow. When they're ready for some rest and recuperation and a base for exploring their new surroundings, the Dragon Hill Lodge is ready for them, Fagan said.
At first glance, the lodge is much like any other luxury hotel, with comfortable rooms, four full-service restaurants, lounges, game rooms and a top-of-the-line fitness center. What's different, Fagan said, is that the lodge's top priority is serving troops and their families -- not making money.
"If one of our servicemembers was to check into the Marriott or the Hyatt to visit Seoul, they would just be another guest," he said. "When they come to the Dragon Hill Lodge, we are here because of them, and to support them."
Room rates are based on a sliding scale according to rank, with the most-junior soldiers on leave or pass paying $59 a night for a single room. For higher-ranking guests, the same room goes for up to $139 a night, with larger rooms available at higher prices to accommodate families.
"We need to make money at the Dragon Hill Lodge to sustain ourselves, but our purpose is not to make money," Fagan said. "Our purpose is to provide quality of life for the servicemembers and their family members. ... We will be geared specifically to support them with programs that are designed for servicemembers, around servicemembers' budgets, and around servicemembers' lifestyles and family sizes."
Although the Dragon Hill Lodge is a bargain for military travelers, Fagan said, its guests are equally attracted to the gateway it provides to Seoul, as well as the familiarity and convenience of familiar surroundings.
While incorporating Asian architectural design and furnishings, the Dragon Hill Lodge represents a piece of Americana -- along with military conveniences -- to its guests. Its restaurants serve up everything from homestyle barbeque cooked all night so it falls off the bone to high-end steak-and-lobster cuisine. A Tex-Mex restaurant on the premises features its own microbrewery with "Amber" the house brew and a tortilla machine that ensures authentic flavors.
The secret, Fagan confided, is that the Dragon Hill Lodge flies all its ingredients in from the United States rather than buying them locally.
But familiarity for guests and their families goes beyond their palates. Dragon Hill Lodge also houses a small post exchange, a U.S. bank, a variety of concessions sanctioned by the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, and a desk where guests can ask directions to sites around town, book tours, and buy discounted tickets to local venues.
Guests call these features a winning combination.
"This is great, and it's all strategically based," said Army Sgt. Travon Graves as he and fellow 2nd Infantry Division soldier Sgt. Kiarra Sutton studied the Discover Seoul display in the Dragon Hill Inn's lobby.
They came to Seoul for medical appointments, but hoped to check out some of Seoul's attractions the Lotte World amusement park, the zoo, the Korean War memorial and local museums before returning to their base at Camp Casey.
"There's a lot here. We just have to figure out what we want to do," Sutton said.
Army Staff Sgt. Antonio Jefferson, who had just arrived in South Korea for his assignment at Camp Casey, said he already was impressed with the Korean culture and was looking forward to learning more about it.
But before traveling north to his new assignment, Jefferson said he planned to use the Dragon Hill Lodge as a base for another priority. "I'm definitely going shopping," he said. "From what I hear, this is a great place to do it."
Drill Instructor Enjoys Fly-fishing
By Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rebecca A. Lamont
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 16, 2010 - He started learning the ins and outs of fly-fishing from his grandfather at age 7. Years later, he'd spend every day on the Gunnison River in Colorado. "My grandfather taught me everything I know about fly-fishing," said Marine Corps Staff Sgt. David R. Brewer, a drill instructor with Platoon 3263, Company M.
Fly-fishing differs from other forms of fishing because the individual stands in a river with waders and uses an artificial bug as bait, using an ancient angling method.
"It gives me an adrenaline rush," Brewer said. "You don't know when the fish will jump out, and then it becomes a fight."
The Gunnison River is Brewer's favorite place to fish because it's in a canyon; the water is incredibly clear. It's a very peaceful place and few people know about it.
"I'd fish with my grandfather and usually my two younger brothers as well," Brewer said. "We are all best friends."
Brewer's grandfather once showed his grandsons how to catch trout using a cookie.
"One day my brothers and I were making fun of my grandfather, telling him he wasn't going to catch anything that day," Brewer recalled. "Well, then he put [a cookie] in his mouth and casted his fly 15 feet ahead." Within a minute, his grandfather reeled in an 11-pound brown trout -- a large-sized fish to catch in a river -- and his grandfather had the last laugh, Brewer said.
More recently, Brewer's grandfather celebrated his birthday with his son and Brewer on a deep-sea fishing charter boat in San Diego. Although he didn't keep his catch, Brewer's grandfather caught a 350-pound hammerhead shark. "He put him back. It's all about the thrill," Brewer said. "Besides, what is someone going to do with 350 pounds of meat?"
Brewer had a fish story worthy of telling for years when he caught a 14-pound rainbow trout on the Colorado River in Glenwood Springs, Colo.
"My brother and I were fishing one day and I was standing on a rock in the center of the river," he said. A fish grabbed his fly and unraveled all the line off his reel.
"I had to get off my rock and follow him," Brewer said. "He dragged me into a strong current, and the water was up to my neck, so I had to hop on another rock." But then he slipped.
"All my gear went down river, and I had to swim at this point," he said. "But I never let go of that fishing pole."
Two hours later, Brewer finally won the fight, but with a price. Although he lost all of his fishing gear, it was well worth catching that rainbow trout, he said.
"I don't eat fish; I just snap a picture and let it go," he said. "It's just for the experience and the competition between my brothers on who can catch the biggest fish, that's all."
It's also a good time on the river and nice bonding with family, he said.
Brewer will be home on leave soon, fishing with his brothers. He and his grandfather plan to go fly-fishing in Alaska someday, he said, because they look forward to the challenging fight the 50-pound salmon there would bring.
"I'm going to be catching big fish for the rest of my life. I guarantee it," Brewer said.
(Lance Cpl. Rebecca A. Lamont serves at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.)
Wisconsin Guard places among the best in the National Guard and U.S. Army media contests
March 16, 2010 - The Wisconsin National Guard earned four top spots in the 2009 National Guard media contest and took first in the U.S. Army's Maj. Gen. Keith L. Ware Public Affairs Competition for its' web-based publication.
The contests recognize military and civilian-employee print and broadcast practitioners for journalistic excellence across several categories including best print, web and video products.
At Ease, the official newsletter of the Wisconsin National Guard, earned first place in the Army's Keith L. Ware competition and will now compete against the other military services for the Department of Defense's Thomas Jefferson Award. NGB announced top finishers Friday (March 12), while Keith L. Ware recipients were released Monday (March 15). DoD winners are expected to be named in May.
The following four entries placed among the best in the National Guard:
First place, television news category goes to Staff Sgt. Mary Flynn, 112th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, for her broadcast story on Rhythm n' Booms 2009.
The In the Zone newsletter, produced by the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat team during their recent Iraq deployment, placed third in the newsletter/field newspaper category. The Wisconsin Guard also played a role in producing the first place field newsletter, The Wire, a Joint Task Force - Guantanamo publication produced by the 112th MPAD from March 2007 - March 2008. The Florida National Guard assumed editorial control in March 2008.
Spc. Meghan Phillips earned third place in the deployed television news report category for her broadcast story on a Coast Guard post security unit returning for another deployment to JTF-Guantanamo. Phillips also won third place in this category in 2008. She produced both reports during her 2008-2009 JTF-Guantanamo deployment with the 112th MPAD.
The At Ease earned second place in NGB's web-based publication category. Dating back to 2001, At Ease has earned three first place finishes for NGB and two first place Keith L. Ware awards. First Sgt. Vaughn Larson, At Ease editor, transitioned the award winning hard-copy publication to the web-based publication in 2009.
In depth information about both contests, including winning entries, can be found online at: 2009 National Guard media contest - and Maj. Gen. Keith L. Ware Public Affairs Competition.
The contests recognize military and civilian-employee print and broadcast practitioners for journalistic excellence across several categories including best print, web and video products.
At Ease, the official newsletter of the Wisconsin National Guard, earned first place in the Army's Keith L. Ware competition and will now compete against the other military services for the Department of Defense's Thomas Jefferson Award. NGB announced top finishers Friday (March 12), while Keith L. Ware recipients were released Monday (March 15). DoD winners are expected to be named in May.
The following four entries placed among the best in the National Guard:
First place, television news category goes to Staff Sgt. Mary Flynn, 112th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, for her broadcast story on Rhythm n' Booms 2009.
The In the Zone newsletter, produced by the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat team during their recent Iraq deployment, placed third in the newsletter/field newspaper category. The Wisconsin Guard also played a role in producing the first place field newsletter, The Wire, a Joint Task Force - Guantanamo publication produced by the 112th MPAD from March 2007 - March 2008. The Florida National Guard assumed editorial control in March 2008.
Spc. Meghan Phillips earned third place in the deployed television news report category for her broadcast story on a Coast Guard post security unit returning for another deployment to JTF-Guantanamo. Phillips also won third place in this category in 2008. She produced both reports during her 2008-2009 JTF-Guantanamo deployment with the 112th MPAD.
The At Ease earned second place in NGB's web-based publication category. Dating back to 2001, At Ease has earned three first place finishes for NGB and two first place Keith L. Ware awards. First Sgt. Vaughn Larson, At Ease editor, transitioned the award winning hard-copy publication to the web-based publication in 2009.
In depth information about both contests, including winning entries, can be found online at: 2009 National Guard media contest - and Maj. Gen. Keith L. Ware Public Affairs Competition.
DOD Releases Annual Sexual Assault Response and Prevention Report
The Department of Defense today released the fiscal 2009 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military.
In fiscal 2009, a total of 3,230 restricted and unrestricted reports of sexual assault were filed, involving military members as either victims or subjects, which is an 11 percent increase from fiscal 2008. There were 714 restricted reports filed in fiscal 2009. Under the restricted (confidential) reporting option, service members may choose to obtain medical, mental health care and other services without becoming involved in the military criminal justice process. This year, 123 victims converted their reports from restricted to unrestricted, which is included in the overall total of 2,516 unrestricted reports.
"One sexual assault is too many. As such, the best way to combat sexual assault is to prevent it," said Clifford L. Stanley, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.
To advance the prevention of sexual assault, the department provided its DoD Sexual Assault Prevention Strategy to the senior leaders of each military service and the National Guard Bureau in fiscal 2009. Each military service held leadership summits in fiscal 2009, keynoted by their service secretary, chief of staff and commandant of the Marine Corps, to emphasize the importance of command's role in prevention. The department also deployed a multimedia prevention campaign, "My Strength is for Defending: Preventing Sexual Assault is Part of My Duty," across the military services.
The full report is available at: http://www.sapr.mil. For service specific information, contact the individual military services at 703-697-2564 for Army, 703-697-5342 for Navy, and 703-695-0640 for Air Force.
In fiscal 2009, a total of 3,230 restricted and unrestricted reports of sexual assault were filed, involving military members as either victims or subjects, which is an 11 percent increase from fiscal 2008. There were 714 restricted reports filed in fiscal 2009. Under the restricted (confidential) reporting option, service members may choose to obtain medical, mental health care and other services without becoming involved in the military criminal justice process. This year, 123 victims converted their reports from restricted to unrestricted, which is included in the overall total of 2,516 unrestricted reports.
"One sexual assault is too many. As such, the best way to combat sexual assault is to prevent it," said Clifford L. Stanley, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.
To advance the prevention of sexual assault, the department provided its DoD Sexual Assault Prevention Strategy to the senior leaders of each military service and the National Guard Bureau in fiscal 2009. Each military service held leadership summits in fiscal 2009, keynoted by their service secretary, chief of staff and commandant of the Marine Corps, to emphasize the importance of command's role in prevention. The department also deployed a multimedia prevention campaign, "My Strength is for Defending: Preventing Sexual Assault is Part of My Duty," across the military services.
The full report is available at: http://www.sapr.mil. For service specific information, contact the individual military services at 703-697-2564 for Army, 703-697-5342 for Navy, and 703-695-0640 for Air Force.
Know Your Rights: Returning Service Members with Disabilities
By Tracy Russo
Tremendous sacrifices are made by the brave men and women who serve our nation in the military. When they return home, veterans often face new challenges.
For those men and women who are wounded in combat, barriers can be even greater. A returning service member may have new disabilities resulting from the loss of a limb, hearing or vision loss, traumatic injury or post traumatic stress disorder.
The Department of Justice wants to ensure that those who return home from war with new disabilities know they are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as well as other federal laws. The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination and guarantees that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in American civic life.
The Department’s Civil Rights Division has created an easy-to-follow booklet designed to provide service members who have been seriously wounded with a general understanding of their rights.
The booklet also includes information about where to turn for additional information and assistance. An electronic version of the booklet can be viewed here and downloaded here.
The ADA uses different standards than the military and the Department of Veterans Affairs in determining disability status. It is critical that returning service members know their rights under the ADA.
To order individual print copies of the Returning Service Members with Disabilities brochure, please call the ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (voice) or 800-514-0383 (TTY). Those organizing a national or regional conference related to service members wounded in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom can contact the ADA Speakers Bureau to request a expert speaker who can discuss these laws.
Tremendous sacrifices are made by the brave men and women who serve our nation in the military. When they return home, veterans often face new challenges.
For those men and women who are wounded in combat, barriers can be even greater. A returning service member may have new disabilities resulting from the loss of a limb, hearing or vision loss, traumatic injury or post traumatic stress disorder.
The Department of Justice wants to ensure that those who return home from war with new disabilities know they are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as well as other federal laws. The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination and guarantees that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in American civic life.
The Department’s Civil Rights Division has created an easy-to-follow booklet designed to provide service members who have been seriously wounded with a general understanding of their rights.
The booklet also includes information about where to turn for additional information and assistance. An electronic version of the booklet can be viewed here and downloaded here.
The ADA uses different standards than the military and the Department of Veterans Affairs in determining disability status. It is critical that returning service members know their rights under the ADA.
To order individual print copies of the Returning Service Members with Disabilities brochure, please call the ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (voice) or 800-514-0383 (TTY). Those organizing a national or regional conference related to service members wounded in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom can contact the ADA Speakers Bureau to request a expert speaker who can discuss these laws.
Defense Department Notes Rise in Sexual Assault Reporting
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
March 16, 2010 - Reports of sexual assault involving servicemembers rose by 11 percent in fiscal 2009, a senior Defense Department official said yesterday. In the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 3,230 reports of sexual assault were filed.
An increase in reporting was a goal for the department, said Kaye Whitley, director of the Defense Department's sexual abuse prevention and response office.
"Research in the civilian community shows that sexual assault is widely underreported, and we believe that is the same in the military," she said in an interview. "As a result, increasing reporting has been one of our key goals. We want people who are victims of sexual assault to come forward so they can get the help that they need." The department's goal is to create a "climate of confidence" so that people will come forward to report, she added.
One aspect of the program is a confidential reporting option called "restricted reporting," which lifts some of the barriers that can deter military personnel from reporting sexual assault. Unrestricted reporting means the victim's command is notified and an investigation initiated. Under the restricted reporting option, the command is not notified and an investigation does not follow. Still, the victim can receive medical, mental health and all other services without becoming involved in the military criminal justice process.
Whitley said the number of sexual assaults in the military probably is comparable to the civilian community, but that direct comparisons are hard to make. The overall rate for the Defense Department was two reports of sexual assault per thousand servicemembers. In the Army, the rate was 2.6 per thousand. In the Navy it was 1.6 per thousand, in the Air Force 1.4 per thousand, and in the Marine Corps 1.3 per thousand. Service-specific data, including the total numbers of reports, is included in the annual report.
"Our total number includes both perpetrators and victims," Whitley said. The data covers eight categories of sexual assault ranging from the least-egregious wrongful sexual contact to rape.
"We need to keep in mind that these are reports where the victim or the perpetrator was a military member," Whitley said. The reports include sexual assaults reported that involved a military member against a military member, a military member against a civilian or a civilian against a military member, she explained.
Last year, Whitley said, 123 victims converted their restricted reports to the unrestricted category. "What we find are those people who are victims of sexual assault, they feel a loss of control," Whitley said. "Then, when we meet with them and give them these reporting options, they get a little bit of that control back. So often, they will go home and if they feel supported and start feeling comfortable with reporting it, they will change it to an unrestricted report, in which case we can investigate and prosecute."
The restricted reporting option has been in place since 2005, and it fills a need, Whitley said. "We've had over 3,600 people use that option since then, so that tells me that over 3,600 people wouldn't have come forward otherwise," she said.
Whitley said she would like to think the rise in reported cases has resulted from the emphasis the department is putting on sexual abuse prevention and the department's efforts to tell people about the program.
Last year, the theme of the awareness and education campaign was "My Strength for Defending: Preventing Sexual Assault Part of My Duty." This year's theme -- "Hurts one. Affects all. Preventing sexual assault is everyone's duty" -- builds on that and concentrates on readiness, Whitley said.
American Forces Press Service
March 16, 2010 - Reports of sexual assault involving servicemembers rose by 11 percent in fiscal 2009, a senior Defense Department official said yesterday. In the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 3,230 reports of sexual assault were filed.
An increase in reporting was a goal for the department, said Kaye Whitley, director of the Defense Department's sexual abuse prevention and response office.
"Research in the civilian community shows that sexual assault is widely underreported, and we believe that is the same in the military," she said in an interview. "As a result, increasing reporting has been one of our key goals. We want people who are victims of sexual assault to come forward so they can get the help that they need." The department's goal is to create a "climate of confidence" so that people will come forward to report, she added.
One aspect of the program is a confidential reporting option called "restricted reporting," which lifts some of the barriers that can deter military personnel from reporting sexual assault. Unrestricted reporting means the victim's command is notified and an investigation initiated. Under the restricted reporting option, the command is not notified and an investigation does not follow. Still, the victim can receive medical, mental health and all other services without becoming involved in the military criminal justice process.
Whitley said the number of sexual assaults in the military probably is comparable to the civilian community, but that direct comparisons are hard to make. The overall rate for the Defense Department was two reports of sexual assault per thousand servicemembers. In the Army, the rate was 2.6 per thousand. In the Navy it was 1.6 per thousand, in the Air Force 1.4 per thousand, and in the Marine Corps 1.3 per thousand. Service-specific data, including the total numbers of reports, is included in the annual report.
"Our total number includes both perpetrators and victims," Whitley said. The data covers eight categories of sexual assault ranging from the least-egregious wrongful sexual contact to rape.
"We need to keep in mind that these are reports where the victim or the perpetrator was a military member," Whitley said. The reports include sexual assaults reported that involved a military member against a military member, a military member against a civilian or a civilian against a military member, she explained.
Last year, Whitley said, 123 victims converted their restricted reports to the unrestricted category. "What we find are those people who are victims of sexual assault, they feel a loss of control," Whitley said. "Then, when we meet with them and give them these reporting options, they get a little bit of that control back. So often, they will go home and if they feel supported and start feeling comfortable with reporting it, they will change it to an unrestricted report, in which case we can investigate and prosecute."
The restricted reporting option has been in place since 2005, and it fills a need, Whitley said. "We've had over 3,600 people use that option since then, so that tells me that over 3,600 people wouldn't have come forward otherwise," she said.
Whitley said she would like to think the rise in reported cases has resulted from the emphasis the department is putting on sexual abuse prevention and the department's efforts to tell people about the program.
Last year, the theme of the awareness and education campaign was "My Strength for Defending: Preventing Sexual Assault Part of My Duty." This year's theme -- "Hurts one. Affects all. Preventing sexual assault is everyone's duty" -- builds on that and concentrates on readiness, Whitley said.
Police Chaplain
Editor's Note: Both the host and the guest are former servicemembers.
On April 8, 2010, Conversations with American Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a conversation with Police Chaplain C. Grant Wolf.
Program Date: April 8, 2010
Program Time: 1700 Hours Pacific
Topic: Police Chaplain
Listen Live: www.americanheroesradio.com/police_chaplain.html
About the Guest
After more than years as Executive Director and a work career spanning six decades, C. Grant Wolf will retired from the Fellowship of Christian Police Officers on December 31, 2009. An ordained pastor, Grant has served the Chattanooga Police Department as Chaplain for many years. One of his great delights is teaching in new academy classes and conducting weekly sessions in the department’s chapel. He also conducts funerals, weddings, and provides financial and pre-marital counseling. An experienced organist, Grant plays each Sunday in his church as well as theater organ at Chattanooga’s Tivoli Theatre. He began playing dinner music professionally in a Wichita KS restaurant in December, 1949. In the 60 years since then he has continuously been employed, including Military service and in school. His undergraduate studies in psychology were at Wichita State and graduate work in communications at Boston University.
While in the Army he was assigned to Tokyo in Psychological Warfare. In that capacity he wrote news and news commentary, traveled in several countries interviewing top civilian and military personnel and taught “English as a Second Language” to Japanese high school teachers in night school. He also played dinner music on weekends at the Tokyo Plaza Hotel.
About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Public Safety Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.
Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
www.americanheroesradio.com/police_chaplain.html
Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530
On April 8, 2010, Conversations with American Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a conversation with Police Chaplain C. Grant Wolf.
Program Date: April 8, 2010
Program Time: 1700 Hours Pacific
Topic: Police Chaplain
Listen Live: www.americanheroesradio.com/police_chaplain.html
About the Guest
After more than years as Executive Director and a work career spanning six decades, C. Grant Wolf will retired from the Fellowship of Christian Police Officers on December 31, 2009. An ordained pastor, Grant has served the Chattanooga Police Department as Chaplain for many years. One of his great delights is teaching in new academy classes and conducting weekly sessions in the department’s chapel. He also conducts funerals, weddings, and provides financial and pre-marital counseling. An experienced organist, Grant plays each Sunday in his church as well as theater organ at Chattanooga’s Tivoli Theatre. He began playing dinner music professionally in a Wichita KS restaurant in December, 1949. In the 60 years since then he has continuously been employed, including Military service and in school. His undergraduate studies in psychology were at Wichita State and graduate work in communications at Boston University.
While in the Army he was assigned to Tokyo in Psychological Warfare. In that capacity he wrote news and news commentary, traveled in several countries interviewing top civilian and military personnel and taught “English as a Second Language” to Japanese high school teachers in night school. He also played dinner music on weekends at the Tokyo Plaza Hotel.
About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Public Safety Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.
Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
www.americanheroesradio.com/police_chaplain.html
Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530
Monday, March 15, 2010
General Officer Announcement
Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced today that the President has made the following nomination:
Army Maj. Gen. Daniel P. Bolger has been nominated for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general and assignment as deputy chief of staff, G-3/5/7, U.S. Army, Washington, D.C. Bolger is currently serving as commanding general, 1st Cavalry Division/commanding general, Multi-National Division-Baghdad, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq.
Army Maj. Gen. Daniel P. Bolger has been nominated for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general and assignment as deputy chief of staff, G-3/5/7, U.S. Army, Washington, D.C. Bolger is currently serving as commanding general, 1st Cavalry Division/commanding general, Multi-National Division-Baghdad, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq.
Care Plan to Encompass More Military Families
By Elaine Wilson
American Forces Press Service
March 15, 2010 - The Defense Department's family care plan policy will be expanded in the coming months to encompass a wider population of military parents, a defense legal expert said. The new policy will require military parents with custody of children from a previous relationship to file a family care plan, said Army Col. Shawn Shumake, director of the Pentagon's office of legal policy. The requirement already is in place for dual military couples and single parents with custody.
Family care plans are used to ensure dependents are cared for while the servicemember is away for an extended period of time, whether it's for training, a deployment or a remote assignment, Shumake explained. The document includes everything from designation of temporary guardianship to arrangements for financial and logistical support, including relocation and medical care.
While the family care plan always has been a required and useful planning tool for dual-military couples and single parents, the lack of inclusion of "blended" families represented a "gaping hole" in the policy, Shumake said, prompting the first policy update since 1992.
"What we're trying to do is put these servicemembers in the best possible position before they leave," he said.
In recent years, Shumake said, he has seen an increase in custody disputes involving blended families that mostly arose from a lack of prior coordination. The deploying parent may designate guardianship to the step-parent, for instance, only to have the biological parent intercede while the custodial parent is gone. And the biological parent has every right to custody of that child, he explained, unless extenuating circumstances exist.
This situation can put a deployed parent in a tough, stressful spot while far from home, he noted.
"The worst possible thing is when things come to a head while the servicemember is gone," Shumake said. "The servicemember is going to be overseas, and that biological parent is going to pop up and be able to walk away with that kid." Requiring servicemembers with a blended family to have a family care plan will lead to anticipating some of these potential problems early on, he said.
Shumake noted that although it's helpful, the family care plan isn't a legally binding document. But if it's prepared early enough, the servicemember generally would be able to take the plan to court and petition for a court order to enforce it.
Servicemembers who anticipate that they won't be able to reach an agreement with or trust the noncustodial, biological parent should visit their legal assistance office so they understand the legal ramifications of not involving the biological parent, Shumake advised.
The new policy also will address issues that affect all parents required to have a care plan. For instance, if a catastrophic circumstance arises –- a temporary guardian refusing to care for the child or getting into an accident and being unable to provide care, for example -- the new policy allows for a deployment deferment until the issue is resolved. Commanders also will be sensitive to those circumstances, Shumake said.
"It would shock me if there was any commander out there who would not allow a military parent the opportunity to deal with that and figure out a good response," he said. "We have no interest in ripping a servicemember away from a child and sending the servicemember to Iraq or Afghanistan. No commander is going to want that to happen."
In extreme cases, when the servicemember just can't piece together a family care plan, the commander has the option of separating the servicemember from service. "The commander needs to rely on his people and needs to know they'll be there," Shumake said.
The commanders also are tasked with advising servicemembers of the risks involved with designating a nonviable guardian or leaving a biological parent out of the equation, he explained. The new policy will outline this increased responsibility for commanders, he added.
Family care plans are extensive and can take some time to fill out, Shumake acknowledged, further underscoring the need to start well in advance of a departure. Legal assistance offices are a valuable resource for help with a plan, as well as Military OneSource at http://www.militaryonesource.com or Military Homefront at http://www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil.
For parents needing more extensive assistance, such as those seeking court orders to establish guardianship, Shumake advised they first check with their legal office for advice. Local legal offices can help to point them to free legal assistance, such as that offered through the American Bar Association's Military Pro Bono Project.
Above all, the aim is to avoid problems in the first place, Shumake said. "We want to mitigate or avoid the problems before they happen," he said. "Deployments are stressful enough without the added worry of care for your children back home."
American Forces Press Service
March 15, 2010 - The Defense Department's family care plan policy will be expanded in the coming months to encompass a wider population of military parents, a defense legal expert said. The new policy will require military parents with custody of children from a previous relationship to file a family care plan, said Army Col. Shawn Shumake, director of the Pentagon's office of legal policy. The requirement already is in place for dual military couples and single parents with custody.
Family care plans are used to ensure dependents are cared for while the servicemember is away for an extended period of time, whether it's for training, a deployment or a remote assignment, Shumake explained. The document includes everything from designation of temporary guardianship to arrangements for financial and logistical support, including relocation and medical care.
While the family care plan always has been a required and useful planning tool for dual-military couples and single parents, the lack of inclusion of "blended" families represented a "gaping hole" in the policy, Shumake said, prompting the first policy update since 1992.
"What we're trying to do is put these servicemembers in the best possible position before they leave," he said.
In recent years, Shumake said, he has seen an increase in custody disputes involving blended families that mostly arose from a lack of prior coordination. The deploying parent may designate guardianship to the step-parent, for instance, only to have the biological parent intercede while the custodial parent is gone. And the biological parent has every right to custody of that child, he explained, unless extenuating circumstances exist.
This situation can put a deployed parent in a tough, stressful spot while far from home, he noted.
"The worst possible thing is when things come to a head while the servicemember is gone," Shumake said. "The servicemember is going to be overseas, and that biological parent is going to pop up and be able to walk away with that kid." Requiring servicemembers with a blended family to have a family care plan will lead to anticipating some of these potential problems early on, he said.
Shumake noted that although it's helpful, the family care plan isn't a legally binding document. But if it's prepared early enough, the servicemember generally would be able to take the plan to court and petition for a court order to enforce it.
Servicemembers who anticipate that they won't be able to reach an agreement with or trust the noncustodial, biological parent should visit their legal assistance office so they understand the legal ramifications of not involving the biological parent, Shumake advised.
The new policy also will address issues that affect all parents required to have a care plan. For instance, if a catastrophic circumstance arises –- a temporary guardian refusing to care for the child or getting into an accident and being unable to provide care, for example -- the new policy allows for a deployment deferment until the issue is resolved. Commanders also will be sensitive to those circumstances, Shumake said.
"It would shock me if there was any commander out there who would not allow a military parent the opportunity to deal with that and figure out a good response," he said. "We have no interest in ripping a servicemember away from a child and sending the servicemember to Iraq or Afghanistan. No commander is going to want that to happen."
In extreme cases, when the servicemember just can't piece together a family care plan, the commander has the option of separating the servicemember from service. "The commander needs to rely on his people and needs to know they'll be there," Shumake said.
The commanders also are tasked with advising servicemembers of the risks involved with designating a nonviable guardian or leaving a biological parent out of the equation, he explained. The new policy will outline this increased responsibility for commanders, he added.
Family care plans are extensive and can take some time to fill out, Shumake acknowledged, further underscoring the need to start well in advance of a departure. Legal assistance offices are a valuable resource for help with a plan, as well as Military OneSource at http://www.militaryonesource.com or Military Homefront at http://www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil.
For parents needing more extensive assistance, such as those seeking court orders to establish guardianship, Shumake advised they first check with their legal office for advice. Local legal offices can help to point them to free legal assistance, such as that offered through the American Bar Association's Military Pro Bono Project.
Above all, the aim is to avoid problems in the first place, Shumake said. "We want to mitigate or avoid the problems before they happen," he said. "Deployments are stressful enough without the added worry of care for your children back home."
MILITARY CONTRACTS March 15, 2010
NAVY
Navistar Defense, LLC, Warrenville, Ill., is being awarded a $178,262,162 modification to delivery order #0013 under previously awarded firm-fixed priced contract (M67854-07-D-5032) for the procurement of 1,222 independent suspension system kits and aluminum catcher plates for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles. Work will be performed in West Point, Miss., and the period of performance is expected to be completed by the end of March 2011. Contract funds will not expire by the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Northrop Grumman Corp., Integrated Systems, Bethpage, N.Y., is being awarded a $94,629,000 not-to-exceed advance acquisition contract for long lead materials and support associated with the manufacture and delivery of four low rate initial production Lot 3 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft. Work will be performed in Syracuse, N.Y. (32.6 percent); various locations within the United States (23.7 percent); Bethpage, N.Y. (15.5 percent); Dallas, Texas (12.4 percent); Menlo Park, Calif. (9.8 percent); and Woodland Hills, Calif. (6 percent), and is expected to be completed in May 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-10-C-0044).
L-3 Communications Corp., Salt Lake City, Utah, is being awarded a $37,490,848 modification to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive contract (N00019-09-C-0059) to exercise an option for the manufacture, test, and delivery of 11 AN/SRQ-4(Ku) radio terminal sets for ship small surface combatants and 51 AN/ARQ-59 RTSs for the MH-60R aircraft, including technical data. These upgraded Ku-band systems will extend existing Hawklink connectivity from small surface combatants to the aircraft carrier and increase data rates between MH-60R to surface combatants. Work will be performed in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is expected to be completed in March 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Raytheon Technical Services Co., LLC, Indianapolis, Ind., is being awarded an $18,853,530 firm-fixed-price modification to a previously issued basic order agreement (N00019-05-G-0008) to exercise an option for the procurement of 36 LAU-115D/A launchers and 82 LAU-116B/A launchers for the F/A-18 aircraft. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Ind., and is expected to be completed in September 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Maersk Line, Ltd, Norfolk, Va., is being awarded an $8,630,000 firm-fixed-price contract for a nine-month time charter of tanker MT Samho Moonstone, currently a foreign-flag vessel, which will be re-named and U.S.-flagged upon delivery to the government. The ship's primary mission is to move petroleum for the Department of Defense between ports in the Far East. This contract includes one 30-day option which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to $9,500,000. Work is expected to commence May 2010 and is expected to be completed within 270 calendar days or, if all options are exercised, within 300 calendar days. The contract is expected to be funded in fiscal year 2010 and funds will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured, with 11 offers received. Military Sealift Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting authority (N00033-10-C-5410).
Insitu, Inc., Bingen, Wash., is being awarded an $8,576,814 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of technical services in support of the ScanEagle unmanned aerial system to support intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance services. In addition, this contract provides for six critical spare kits and nine SkyHook recovery system modifications. Work will be performed in Bingen, Wash., and is expected to be completed in December 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $8,433,786 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.302-2. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-10-C-0045).
Raytheon Co., Integrated Defense Systems, San Diego, is being awarded a $7,500,000 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-08-C-5122) for the exercise of FY 10 options for performing as the platform system engineering agent for the Ship Self Defense System (SSDS). In the course of this effort, Raytheon will be responsible for the integration of complex war-fighting improvement - including components associated with the dual-band radar and Rolling Airframe Missile Block 2 - into the modular SSDS. SSDS is a combat system that intends to integrate and coordinate all of the existing sensors and weapons systems aboard a ship. Raytheon will integrate, test, and provide certification support for the government-furnished equipment/information required for the CVN/amphibious ship combat system. Work will be performed in San Diego (90 percent); Tewksbury, Mass. (2.5 percent); Portsmouth, R.I. (2.5 percent); St. Petersburg, Fla. (2.5 percent); and Tucson, Ariz. (2.5 percent). Work is expected to be completed by September 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
AIR FORCE
Kaman Precision Products, Inc., Orlando, Fla., was awarded a $46,253,422.83 contract modification which will provide a quantity of 12,994 joint programmable fuze systems. At this time, entire amount has been obligated. 679 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (F08626-98-C-0006, P00130).
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $19,505,458 contract which provides an Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air-Missile system improvement program. At this time, the $2,770,000 has been obligated. 696 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8675-10-C-0105).
Booz Allen Hamilton, Herndon, Va., was awarded a $20,355,914 contract which will provide secure collaborative technologies and cyber security to Air Mobility Command. At this time, $455,000 has been obligated. 55 Contracting Squadron, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., is the contracting activity (SP0700-98-D-4002).
Rockwell Collins, Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was awarded an $11,111,767 contract modification which will provide for systems development, integration, and verification phase of the P5 range instrumentation waveform. This waveform is in support of the F-22 and F-35 aircraft. At this time, $5,000,000 has been obligated. 689 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8678-05-C-0141).
ARMY
Global Strategies Group North America, Inc., Frederick, Md., was awarded on March 10, 2010, an $18,745,406 firm-fixed-price contract for 103 containerized kitchens and authorize stockage list spares. Work is to be performed in Fredrick, Md., with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2012. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with six bids received. U.S. Army Research, Development & Engineering Command Contracting Center, Natick Contracting Division, Natick, Mass., is the contracting activity (W911QY-05-D-0004).
Bethel Services, Inc., Bethel, Ark., was awarded on March 10, 2010, an $18,119,555 firm-fixed-price contract for 19 cold weather kits. Work is to be performed in Bethel, Ark., with an estimated completion date of April 29, 2011. One bid was solicited with one bid received. U.S. Army Research, Development & Engineering Command Contracting Center, Natick Contracting Divison, Natick, Mass., is the contracting activity (W911QY-05-C-0047).
Scott Reliance, JV, Chicago, Ill., was awarded on March 10, 2010, a $13,668,906 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of an Army Reserve Center. Work is to be performed in Joliet, Ill., with an estimated completion date of Feb. 3, 2012. Bids were posted on the World Wide Web with eleven bids received. U.S. Corps of Engineers, Louisville District, Louisville, Ky., is the contracting activity (W912QR-10-C-0013).
Honeywell, Minneapolis, Minn., was awarded on March 10, 2010, a $7,342,153 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency, funding Honeywell to design, develop, and deliver a demonstration of a gyroscope with a goal capability of absolute reference navigation in a compact, four diameter optically integrated gyro-head. Work is to be performed in Minneapolis, Minn. (47 percent); Somerset, N.J. (19 percent); Pasadena, Calif. (17 percent); Glendale, Ariz. (16 percent); and King of Prussia, Pa. (1 percent), with an estimated completion date of May 7, 2010. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va., is the contracting activity (HR0011-09-C-0019).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
MOOG, Inc., East Aurora, N.Y., is being awarded a maximum $6,232,476 firm-fixed-price contract for V22 aircraft parts. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Air Force. There were originally two proposals solicited with two responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is March 2012. The Defense Logistics Agency, Philadelphia (DSCR-ZC), Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (SPM4A1-06-G-0002-THA7).
Navistar Defense, LLC, Warrenville, Ill., is being awarded a $178,262,162 modification to delivery order #0013 under previously awarded firm-fixed priced contract (M67854-07-D-5032) for the procurement of 1,222 independent suspension system kits and aluminum catcher plates for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles. Work will be performed in West Point, Miss., and the period of performance is expected to be completed by the end of March 2011. Contract funds will not expire by the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Northrop Grumman Corp., Integrated Systems, Bethpage, N.Y., is being awarded a $94,629,000 not-to-exceed advance acquisition contract for long lead materials and support associated with the manufacture and delivery of four low rate initial production Lot 3 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft. Work will be performed in Syracuse, N.Y. (32.6 percent); various locations within the United States (23.7 percent); Bethpage, N.Y. (15.5 percent); Dallas, Texas (12.4 percent); Menlo Park, Calif. (9.8 percent); and Woodland Hills, Calif. (6 percent), and is expected to be completed in May 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-10-C-0044).
L-3 Communications Corp., Salt Lake City, Utah, is being awarded a $37,490,848 modification to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive contract (N00019-09-C-0059) to exercise an option for the manufacture, test, and delivery of 11 AN/SRQ-4(Ku) radio terminal sets for ship small surface combatants and 51 AN/ARQ-59 RTSs for the MH-60R aircraft, including technical data. These upgraded Ku-band systems will extend existing Hawklink connectivity from small surface combatants to the aircraft carrier and increase data rates between MH-60R to surface combatants. Work will be performed in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is expected to be completed in March 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Raytheon Technical Services Co., LLC, Indianapolis, Ind., is being awarded an $18,853,530 firm-fixed-price modification to a previously issued basic order agreement (N00019-05-G-0008) to exercise an option for the procurement of 36 LAU-115D/A launchers and 82 LAU-116B/A launchers for the F/A-18 aircraft. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Ind., and is expected to be completed in September 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Maersk Line, Ltd, Norfolk, Va., is being awarded an $8,630,000 firm-fixed-price contract for a nine-month time charter of tanker MT Samho Moonstone, currently a foreign-flag vessel, which will be re-named and U.S.-flagged upon delivery to the government. The ship's primary mission is to move petroleum for the Department of Defense between ports in the Far East. This contract includes one 30-day option which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to $9,500,000. Work is expected to commence May 2010 and is expected to be completed within 270 calendar days or, if all options are exercised, within 300 calendar days. The contract is expected to be funded in fiscal year 2010 and funds will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured, with 11 offers received. Military Sealift Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting authority (N00033-10-C-5410).
Insitu, Inc., Bingen, Wash., is being awarded an $8,576,814 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of technical services in support of the ScanEagle unmanned aerial system to support intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance services. In addition, this contract provides for six critical spare kits and nine SkyHook recovery system modifications. Work will be performed in Bingen, Wash., and is expected to be completed in December 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $8,433,786 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.302-2. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-10-C-0045).
Raytheon Co., Integrated Defense Systems, San Diego, is being awarded a $7,500,000 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-08-C-5122) for the exercise of FY 10 options for performing as the platform system engineering agent for the Ship Self Defense System (SSDS). In the course of this effort, Raytheon will be responsible for the integration of complex war-fighting improvement - including components associated with the dual-band radar and Rolling Airframe Missile Block 2 - into the modular SSDS. SSDS is a combat system that intends to integrate and coordinate all of the existing sensors and weapons systems aboard a ship. Raytheon will integrate, test, and provide certification support for the government-furnished equipment/information required for the CVN/amphibious ship combat system. Work will be performed in San Diego (90 percent); Tewksbury, Mass. (2.5 percent); Portsmouth, R.I. (2.5 percent); St. Petersburg, Fla. (2.5 percent); and Tucson, Ariz. (2.5 percent). Work is expected to be completed by September 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
AIR FORCE
Kaman Precision Products, Inc., Orlando, Fla., was awarded a $46,253,422.83 contract modification which will provide a quantity of 12,994 joint programmable fuze systems. At this time, entire amount has been obligated. 679 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (F08626-98-C-0006, P00130).
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $19,505,458 contract which provides an Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air-Missile system improvement program. At this time, the $2,770,000 has been obligated. 696 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8675-10-C-0105).
Booz Allen Hamilton, Herndon, Va., was awarded a $20,355,914 contract which will provide secure collaborative technologies and cyber security to Air Mobility Command. At this time, $455,000 has been obligated. 55 Contracting Squadron, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., is the contracting activity (SP0700-98-D-4002).
Rockwell Collins, Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was awarded an $11,111,767 contract modification which will provide for systems development, integration, and verification phase of the P5 range instrumentation waveform. This waveform is in support of the F-22 and F-35 aircraft. At this time, $5,000,000 has been obligated. 689 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8678-05-C-0141).
ARMY
Global Strategies Group North America, Inc., Frederick, Md., was awarded on March 10, 2010, an $18,745,406 firm-fixed-price contract for 103 containerized kitchens and authorize stockage list spares. Work is to be performed in Fredrick, Md., with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2012. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with six bids received. U.S. Army Research, Development & Engineering Command Contracting Center, Natick Contracting Division, Natick, Mass., is the contracting activity (W911QY-05-D-0004).
Bethel Services, Inc., Bethel, Ark., was awarded on March 10, 2010, an $18,119,555 firm-fixed-price contract for 19 cold weather kits. Work is to be performed in Bethel, Ark., with an estimated completion date of April 29, 2011. One bid was solicited with one bid received. U.S. Army Research, Development & Engineering Command Contracting Center, Natick Contracting Divison, Natick, Mass., is the contracting activity (W911QY-05-C-0047).
Scott Reliance, JV, Chicago, Ill., was awarded on March 10, 2010, a $13,668,906 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of an Army Reserve Center. Work is to be performed in Joliet, Ill., with an estimated completion date of Feb. 3, 2012. Bids were posted on the World Wide Web with eleven bids received. U.S. Corps of Engineers, Louisville District, Louisville, Ky., is the contracting activity (W912QR-10-C-0013).
Honeywell, Minneapolis, Minn., was awarded on March 10, 2010, a $7,342,153 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency, funding Honeywell to design, develop, and deliver a demonstration of a gyroscope with a goal capability of absolute reference navigation in a compact, four diameter optically integrated gyro-head. Work is to be performed in Minneapolis, Minn. (47 percent); Somerset, N.J. (19 percent); Pasadena, Calif. (17 percent); Glendale, Ariz. (16 percent); and King of Prussia, Pa. (1 percent), with an estimated completion date of May 7, 2010. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va., is the contracting activity (HR0011-09-C-0019).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
MOOG, Inc., East Aurora, N.Y., is being awarded a maximum $6,232,476 firm-fixed-price contract for V22 aircraft parts. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Air Force. There were originally two proposals solicited with two responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is March 2012. The Defense Logistics Agency, Philadelphia (DSCR-ZC), Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (SPM4A1-06-G-0002-THA7).
General Officer Assignments
Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Norton A. Schwartz announced today the following assignment:
Air Force Brig. Gen. Charles W. Lyon, director, joint integration, Directorate of Operational Capability Requirements, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Plans and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C., to director, Air Component Coordination Element, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Air Combat Command, Kabul, Afghanistan.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Stephen W. Wilson, commander, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Air Combat Command, Al Udeid, Qatar, to director, joint integration, Directorate of Operational Capability Requirements, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Plans and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Randy A. Kee, vice commander, 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., to commander, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Air Combat Command, Al Udeid, Qatar.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Carlton D. Everhart II, deputy commander, political-military affairs, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, U.S. Central Command, Kabul, Afghanistan, to vice commander, 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Barbara J. Faulkenberry, commander, 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force, Air Mobility Command, Travis Air Force Base, Calif., to deputy director for logistics, U.S. Africa Command, Stuttgart, Germany.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Frederick H. Martin, deputy director for logistics, U.S. Africa Command, Stuttgart, Germany, to commander, 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force, Air Mobility Command, Travis Air Force Base, Calif.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Charles W. Lyon, director, joint integration, Directorate of Operational Capability Requirements, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Plans and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C., to director, Air Component Coordination Element, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Air Combat Command, Kabul, Afghanistan.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Stephen W. Wilson, commander, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Air Combat Command, Al Udeid, Qatar, to director, joint integration, Directorate of Operational Capability Requirements, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Plans and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Randy A. Kee, vice commander, 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., to commander, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Air Combat Command, Al Udeid, Qatar.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Carlton D. Everhart II, deputy commander, political-military affairs, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, U.S. Central Command, Kabul, Afghanistan, to vice commander, 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Barbara J. Faulkenberry, commander, 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force, Air Mobility Command, Travis Air Force Base, Calif., to deputy director for logistics, U.S. Africa Command, Stuttgart, Germany.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Frederick H. Martin, deputy director for logistics, U.S. Africa Command, Stuttgart, Germany, to commander, 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force, Air Mobility Command, Travis Air Force Base, Calif.
As Humanitarian Assistance Transitions, so Does U.S. Military
Lt. Gen. Ken Keen, Commander Joint Task Force Haiti
When an international humanitarian crisis occurs, the U.S. military is often called upon to be a first responder with its capacity to provide robust logistics, manpower resources and life saving aid. The earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12 caused one of the worst natural disasters any country has ever experienced. The response by the United States and the international community was and continues to be unprecedented. Two months have now passed, and the humanitarian situation today has transitioned from crisis response to one of sustained relief and long term recovery.
This transition has caused some to question whether the U.S. military’s presence is still required. I can tell you, without hesitation, the skills our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, coastguardsmen and civilians bring to this humanitarian assistance mission are still useful. However, the U.S. military’s role should transition to other humanitarian and United Nation organizations for long-term relief and recovery.
The U.S. military’s role has evolved as the situation in Haiti has evolved. This occurs in every mission, and Haiti is no different. During the days immediately following the earthquake, the mission of the U.S. Joint Task Force – Haiti was to support the U.S. Government’s lead federal agency for providing humanitarian assistance, the United States Agency for International Development. Our mission was to save lives and provide security, when necessary, to support the delivery of water, food and medical care.
As the situation in Haiti evolved from emergency response to relief and recovery, the need for military support also transitioned. One example of this is the U.S. military partnering with the United Nation’s Coordination Support Council planning task force. This task force is chaired by the Government of Haiti and comprised of members from the UN, USAID, military and non-governmental organizations. One of its missions is the removal of debris from roadways and residential areas affected by the earthquake. The goal is to clear the debris from the roads and areas where homes once stood so the government can begin the recovery process, and families can return to their communities, reducing the need for settlement camps for displaced Haitians.
One skill set the U.S. military brings to the mission now is a complement of expert planners. Using the Military Decision Making Process or MDMP, we adapted a proven military planning process to fit the situation in Haiti. The result is a plan that meets the intent of the Government of Haiti and calls for moving or creating more space for displaced civilians living in overcrowded or flood-prone areas before the rainy season starts.
The UN, USAID and the hundreds of NGOs partnered with the Government of Haiti as they transition from emergency response to relief and recovery. They have years of experience addressing the wide spectrum of humanitarian needs and requirements for reconstruction and rebuilding. What the U.S. military brings to these types of interagency-run operations is years of experience in planning. It’s something we train our officers to do early on in their careers and this training is enhanced and reinforced as they progress through the ranks.
Today, the request for many of the skills the U.S. military provided in the days and weeks immediately following the earthquake have waned. As JTF-H forces begin to redeploy, there will be a transition of the remaining military requirements to the United States Southern Command’s (USSOUTHCOM) long-standing humanitarian assistance operations. These types of operations are already being planned for implementation in the coming months and will include medical assistance, construction of schools and emergency operation centers and development of hurricane preparation projects.
On behalf of all the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coastguardsmen and civilians who have served and are currently serving here as part of Operation Unified Response, I am proud to have answered our nation’s call for such a noble mission. The people of Haiti are extremely grateful. When I look into the eyes of the children and see the smiles on their faces, I see both resilience and hope. When I see the poverty, the thousands of homeless living in make-shift settlements, and a shattered city, I see the challenges of a nation that needs the world’s assistance.
As the U.S. military’s role decreases, the U.S. Government’s commitment remains steadfast as USAID mobilizes its resources to the fullest and the UN, international community and hundreds of NGOs step forward to provide much needed assistance. While they do this, the light needs to keep shining on this Caribbean nation so hope can overcome the challenges faced by the people of Haiti.
When an international humanitarian crisis occurs, the U.S. military is often called upon to be a first responder with its capacity to provide robust logistics, manpower resources and life saving aid. The earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12 caused one of the worst natural disasters any country has ever experienced. The response by the United States and the international community was and continues to be unprecedented. Two months have now passed, and the humanitarian situation today has transitioned from crisis response to one of sustained relief and long term recovery.
This transition has caused some to question whether the U.S. military’s presence is still required. I can tell you, without hesitation, the skills our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, coastguardsmen and civilians bring to this humanitarian assistance mission are still useful. However, the U.S. military’s role should transition to other humanitarian and United Nation organizations for long-term relief and recovery.
The U.S. military’s role has evolved as the situation in Haiti has evolved. This occurs in every mission, and Haiti is no different. During the days immediately following the earthquake, the mission of the U.S. Joint Task Force – Haiti was to support the U.S. Government’s lead federal agency for providing humanitarian assistance, the United States Agency for International Development. Our mission was to save lives and provide security, when necessary, to support the delivery of water, food and medical care.
As the situation in Haiti evolved from emergency response to relief and recovery, the need for military support also transitioned. One example of this is the U.S. military partnering with the United Nation’s Coordination Support Council planning task force. This task force is chaired by the Government of Haiti and comprised of members from the UN, USAID, military and non-governmental organizations. One of its missions is the removal of debris from roadways and residential areas affected by the earthquake. The goal is to clear the debris from the roads and areas where homes once stood so the government can begin the recovery process, and families can return to their communities, reducing the need for settlement camps for displaced Haitians.
One skill set the U.S. military brings to the mission now is a complement of expert planners. Using the Military Decision Making Process or MDMP, we adapted a proven military planning process to fit the situation in Haiti. The result is a plan that meets the intent of the Government of Haiti and calls for moving or creating more space for displaced civilians living in overcrowded or flood-prone areas before the rainy season starts.
The UN, USAID and the hundreds of NGOs partnered with the Government of Haiti as they transition from emergency response to relief and recovery. They have years of experience addressing the wide spectrum of humanitarian needs and requirements for reconstruction and rebuilding. What the U.S. military brings to these types of interagency-run operations is years of experience in planning. It’s something we train our officers to do early on in their careers and this training is enhanced and reinforced as they progress through the ranks.
Today, the request for many of the skills the U.S. military provided in the days and weeks immediately following the earthquake have waned. As JTF-H forces begin to redeploy, there will be a transition of the remaining military requirements to the United States Southern Command’s (USSOUTHCOM) long-standing humanitarian assistance operations. These types of operations are already being planned for implementation in the coming months and will include medical assistance, construction of schools and emergency operation centers and development of hurricane preparation projects.
On behalf of all the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coastguardsmen and civilians who have served and are currently serving here as part of Operation Unified Response, I am proud to have answered our nation’s call for such a noble mission. The people of Haiti are extremely grateful. When I look into the eyes of the children and see the smiles on their faces, I see both resilience and hope. When I see the poverty, the thousands of homeless living in make-shift settlements, and a shattered city, I see the challenges of a nation that needs the world’s assistance.
As the U.S. military’s role decreases, the U.S. Government’s commitment remains steadfast as USAID mobilizes its resources to the fullest and the UN, international community and hundreds of NGOs step forward to provide much needed assistance. While they do this, the light needs to keep shining on this Caribbean nation so hope can overcome the challenges faced by the people of Haiti.
Flag Officer Announcement
Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced today that the President has made the following nominations:
Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Duane D. Thiessen has been nominated for reappointment to the rank of lieutenant general with assignment as commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific; commanding general, Fleet Marine Force Pacific; and commander, Marine Corps Bases Pacific. Thiessen is currently serving as the deputy commandant for programs and resources, Washington, DC.
Marine Corps Reserve Brig. Gen. Rex C. McMillian has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. McMillian is currently serving as the deputy commanding general, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Duane D. Thiessen has been nominated for reappointment to the rank of lieutenant general with assignment as commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific; commanding general, Fleet Marine Force Pacific; and commander, Marine Corps Bases Pacific. Thiessen is currently serving as the deputy commandant for programs and resources, Washington, DC.
Marine Corps Reserve Brig. Gen. Rex C. McMillian has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. McMillian is currently serving as the deputy commanding general, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Somerset Man Pleads Guilty to Making Material False Statements to the Army
March 15, 2010 - NEWARK—A Somerset man pleaded guilty today to making false statements in documents he submitted for employment as a civilian for the United States Army at Fort Dix and Picatinny Arsenal, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Donald S. Breese, 37, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini to a two-count Information that charges him with making materially false statements to the United States Army in separate applications for civilian employment at Fort Dix in 2004 and Picatinny Arsenal in 2007. Sentencing is scheduled for July 14, 2010.
At his plea hearing, Breese admitted that he misled the Army into hiring him by falsely representing his qualifications. Specifically, Breese admitted that he falsely stated that he had earned a Bachelor's Degree from Rutgers University when, in fact, he had not. Breese also admitted that he had falsely claimed he attended Navy Underwater Demolition School and Navy Advanced Surface Demolition School, and that he had served in Operation Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Desert Calm, and Restore Hope. Breese admitted that he misled the Army and others into believing that he had been a Navy SEAL and a Department of Defense Police Officer and Special Agent. Further, Breese acknowledged that he had falsely stated that he was a special warfare corpsman, that he had trained with foreign weapons and munitions, and that he had served as a bomb technician for the Department of Defense Police. Breese also admitted that he had altered a genuine Federal Bureau of Investigation Hazardous Device School certification to make it appear to be his own in order to mislead the Army into believing that he had received required training for the position of Safety Occupational Health Specialist, at Picatinny Arsenal.
The charges to which Breese pleaded guilty carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 on each count. In determining an actual sentence, Judge Martini will consult the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges that take into account the severity and characteristics of the offense, the defendant's criminal history, if any, and other actors. The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence.
Parole has been abolished in the federal system. Defendants who are given custodial terms must serve nearly all that time.
Fishman credited Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward, Special Agents of the Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge Christopher Fair, Criminal Investigators at the Department of Defense, Office of Criminal Investigations, under the direction of Criminal Investigator Donald K. Meyer and Director of Emergency Services Richard Karlsson, and the Fort Dix Police, under the direction of Acting Chief of Police at the time, Jack Warlow, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney André M. Espinosa of the Government Fraud Unit of the Criminal Division in Newark.
Donald S. Breese, 37, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini to a two-count Information that charges him with making materially false statements to the United States Army in separate applications for civilian employment at Fort Dix in 2004 and Picatinny Arsenal in 2007. Sentencing is scheduled for July 14, 2010.
At his plea hearing, Breese admitted that he misled the Army into hiring him by falsely representing his qualifications. Specifically, Breese admitted that he falsely stated that he had earned a Bachelor's Degree from Rutgers University when, in fact, he had not. Breese also admitted that he had falsely claimed he attended Navy Underwater Demolition School and Navy Advanced Surface Demolition School, and that he had served in Operation Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Desert Calm, and Restore Hope. Breese admitted that he misled the Army and others into believing that he had been a Navy SEAL and a Department of Defense Police Officer and Special Agent. Further, Breese acknowledged that he had falsely stated that he was a special warfare corpsman, that he had trained with foreign weapons and munitions, and that he had served as a bomb technician for the Department of Defense Police. Breese also admitted that he had altered a genuine Federal Bureau of Investigation Hazardous Device School certification to make it appear to be his own in order to mislead the Army into believing that he had received required training for the position of Safety Occupational Health Specialist, at Picatinny Arsenal.
The charges to which Breese pleaded guilty carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 on each count. In determining an actual sentence, Judge Martini will consult the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges that take into account the severity and characteristics of the offense, the defendant's criminal history, if any, and other actors. The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence.
Parole has been abolished in the federal system. Defendants who are given custodial terms must serve nearly all that time.
Fishman credited Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward, Special Agents of the Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge Christopher Fair, Criminal Investigators at the Department of Defense, Office of Criminal Investigations, under the direction of Criminal Investigator Donald K. Meyer and Director of Emergency Services Richard Karlsson, and the Fort Dix Police, under the direction of Acting Chief of Police at the time, Jack Warlow, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney André M. Espinosa of the Government Fraud Unit of the Criminal Division in Newark.
Norad Flight Exercise Planned For Washington, D.C.
North American Aerospace Defense Command will conduct a three-day exercise, Falcon Virgo 10-06, beginning Tuesday and ending Thursday in the skies over the National Capital Region (Washington, D.C.). There will be two flights per night on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the first flight scheduled to take place between midnight until 2 a.m.EDT and the second between 4-6 a.m. EDT. There will be one flight on Thursday, which is scheduled between midnight and 2 a.m. EDT.
In the event of inclement weather, the exercise will take place the following day. People can expect to hear and see NORAD fighter aircraft, Civil Air Patrol aircraft, and Coast Guard helicopters as they participate in these exercises.
The exercise has been carefully planned and will be closely controlled to ensure NORAD's rapid response capability. NORAD has conducted exercise flights of this nature throughout the U.S. and Canada since the start of Operation Noble Eagle, the command's response to the terrorist attacks that occurred on Sept. 11, 2001.
For more information, please contact NORAD Public Affairs at 719-554-6889.
In the event of inclement weather, the exercise will take place the following day. People can expect to hear and see NORAD fighter aircraft, Civil Air Patrol aircraft, and Coast Guard helicopters as they participate in these exercises.
The exercise has been carefully planned and will be closely controlled to ensure NORAD's rapid response capability. NORAD has conducted exercise flights of this nature throughout the U.S. and Canada since the start of Operation Noble Eagle, the command's response to the terrorist attacks that occurred on Sept. 11, 2001.
For more information, please contact NORAD Public Affairs at 719-554-6889.
North Dakota Guard Mobilizes for Flood Duty
American Forces Press Service
March 15, 2010 - The North Dakota National Guard will mobilize soldiers and airmen to begin flood operations for seven of the state's southeastern counties today and tomorrow. The Red River in eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota is expected to crest about 20 feet above flood stage and three feet below last year's record crest by March 20.
The Guardsmen will serve in Steele, Traill, Barnes, Cass, Ransom, Sargent and Richland counties. Some 300 to 400 Guardsmen will be mobilized "with boots on the ground" by tomorrow, said Air Force Col. Ronald Solberg, the North Dakota National Guard's emergency operations commander for Region 4, which includes those counties.
Working in 12-hour shifts, the Guardsmen will conduct a variety of flood-related missions, including traffic control, logistical and supply support, sandbagging and creating rows of barriers.
"Airmen and soldiers will begin traffic control points in Lisbon and Fargo today," Solberg said.
March 15, 2010 - The North Dakota National Guard will mobilize soldiers and airmen to begin flood operations for seven of the state's southeastern counties today and tomorrow. The Red River in eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota is expected to crest about 20 feet above flood stage and three feet below last year's record crest by March 20.
The Guardsmen will serve in Steele, Traill, Barnes, Cass, Ransom, Sargent and Richland counties. Some 300 to 400 Guardsmen will be mobilized "with boots on the ground" by tomorrow, said Air Force Col. Ronald Solberg, the North Dakota National Guard's emergency operations commander for Region 4, which includes those counties.
Working in 12-hour shifts, the Guardsmen will conduct a variety of flood-related missions, including traffic control, logistical and supply support, sandbagging and creating rows of barriers.
"Airmen and soldiers will begin traffic control points in Lisbon and Fargo today," Solberg said.
Navy WAVE, 91, Recalls Her Service
By Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 15, 2010 - As we celebrate Women's History Month, we reflect on the past generations that have served. One of those women, Dorothy Canty Forsberg, fondly referred to as "Dottie," celebrates her 91st birthday today, and she recently recalled her experiences in uniform. Dottie served in World War II as a member of the U.S. Navy's Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, known by the acronym, WAVES. She served in Washington for the Naval Headquarters in 1945, handling highly classified messages about the war to and from Navy Adm. Ernest J. King, who served as the ninth chief of naval operations from March 26, 1942 through Dec. 15, 1945.
Dottie entered the service in July 1941 as a commissioned officer, soon after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Her first duty station was at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla., where she served as a communications officer. Her husband, Gordon Harrington, also a World War II veteran, said that during Dottie's time at Jacksonville, she'd also served as a "courier on occasion, and the side arms caused the guys to sing 'Pistol Packin' Mama,'" a song by Al Dexter and His Troopers that was popular in that era.
After her first assignment in Jacksonville, Dottie reported to Washington for what she called a busy and grueling assignment.
"There were eight other girls that were communicators," she said. "We worked eight hours on, eight hours off, eight hours on. It was a grueling, difficult job. Everything had to be in code. So I learned pretty fast how to get it set up and run the machines."
Serving in the military was her whole life, Dottie said. "Pearl Harbor made a big difference to us, to the whole country, not just to the women in the Navy," she explained.
From her time in service during World War II and beyond, Dottie always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. She recalled meeting Eleanor Roosevelt at a tea party hosted at Louisiana State University, and meeting her again during the war. Roosevelt had arrived an hour early to the tea function. "We were all so frantic, because she was early and we weren't ready," Dottie recalled.
During the flurry of preparation for the event, an accident ensued, and Dottie saw first-hand the first lady's generosity. "I was going in and out of the kitchen door. It was a swinging door. I don't know why Eleanor was in the kitchen," recalled Dottie, who was carrying a huge punch bowl for the crowd who soon would be drinking tea with the first lady.
"She came out of one side of the door, and I came through the other side, and the punch bowl fell on the marble floor and it shattered into pieces," said Dottie, noting she was highly upset by the experience.
After the punch bowl shattered, Roosevelt politely escorted Dottie back to her dorm room to calm her. Little did she know that this chance encounter would lead to follow-on meetings Roosevelt during and after the war.
"I was on a plane and spotted Eleanor, and she sat right next to me," she recalled. "We were landing in New Orleans, and she said to me 'I will never forget the time we broke the punch bowl,' and I had no idea that she remembered me."
After the war ended, Dottie continued to play pivotal roles in later WAVES functions. She led the WAVES contingent in the funeral procession for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who died April 12, 1945.
Harrington added that after the war, Dottie was recognized for her time in service and her contributions to the nation. He added that both Army Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower and King presented Dottie with gifts which "were very publicly presented and had minimal monetary value, so it was clear they were personal recognitions of professional service," he said.
Harrington marveled that Eisenhower and King had sought out Dottie to present her with gifts to celebrate the end of the war.
(Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg serves in the Defense Media Activity's emerging media directorate.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
