By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
Australia, Feb. 21, 2008 - The Navy's outer-atmosphere blasting of an ailing U.S. spy satellite this week proves that the nation's missile defense systems work, Secretary Robert M. Gates said today. "I think, actually, the question of whether this capability works has been settled. The question is: Against what kind of a threat (do we employ the technology)? How large a threat? How sophisticated a threat?" Gates said during a meeting with press after a tour of the Navy's USS Russell, used as back-up for the shootdown.
Gates toured the destroyer at U.S. Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, during a stop on his way to Canberra, Australia, for the Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations.
Gates said there have been several successful attempts of the defense system, and the fact that it works also is validated by Congress' continued funding of the program for the past several years. In its beginnings, the program struggled for funding, and that is what many people remember about missile defense, he said.
"I think that people remember a time some years ago when missile defense was extremely controversial and a lot of people questioned whether it would work or not, and there was always a struggle in the Congress to get money for missile defense," Gates said in an interview with media traveling with him. "One of the significant changes that has taken place in Washington over the past few years has been a general recognition that the development of the system has proceeded, that it does have capability, and that it is increasingly sophisticated in terms of the kind of challenges that it may be able to beat -- although it still (is) very much designed for a very limited kind of threat."
While Congress and other leaders likely were aware of the missile defense system's capabilities, the general public still was not, Gates said. He said that a side benefit of the satellite shootdown was that the American public got to see a demonstration of the missile defense capabilities.
"Completely a side benefit of yesterday's action was to underscore the money that the Congress has been voting for this has resulted in a very real capability," Gates said. "I think the issue of whether it will work is behind us, and we just need to keep improving this capability."
Friday, February 22, 2008
America Supports You: NHL Team Hosts Military Appreciation Night
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 21, 2008 - Away from the rigors of combat last night on an evening dedicated to their selfless service, the only shootout troops worried about was between dueling National Hockey League teams. During Military Appreciation Night at the Verizon Center here, the Washington Capitals honored some 5,000 servicemembers and their families with free admission and hosted dozens of wounded warriors from military hospitals. From the giant high-definition screen hanging from the arena's ceiling, shout-outs to servicemembers and videos featuring troops and hockey pros projected onto some 18,000 fans attending the Capitals-New York Islanders contest.
At a pre-game reception in the Dewar's Club, with fat snowflakes visible through the window behind the podium, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England spoke to a crowd of about 100 VIP guests. England, using the themes of inclement weather and the night's main event, took a playful swipe at his boss, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who injured his shoulder last week after slipping on an icy pathway near his home.
"You know, the secretary is on injured reserve now because he encountered some ice outside," he said. "So it's nice to be here with an ice rink where it all belongs."
On a serious note, England said military appreciation nights are significant because they bring together Pentagon civilians, military members and business people for one common cause: to thank those who serve the United States to preserve American freedom and liberty. "We are absolutely blessed to have these men and women who serve and all of those who serve for them," he added.
England was introduced by Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison. Barber is the founder of America Supports You, a program that connects citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad, which organized the military-themed evening.
"America Supports You is a DoD program that makes it easy for everyone in America to find a way to support our troops and our families," she added.
Before the puck dropped, Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited with America Supports You home-front group members tending to kiosks and booths in the main concourse. As Cartwright made his rounds, fans ogled the shiny brass stars on the general's shoulders. "Who's that four-star?" one former Marine, who later introduced himself to the vice chairman, was overheard to say.
Asked how valuable efforts by networks like America Supports You groups are for channeling public support for the military, the general said the benefits are three-fold.
"It makes the troops and their families aware of what opportunities are available to them and it gives people an opportunity to contribute in a way that may not be in a foxhole, and to be given the booth space and acknowledged makes all the difference in the world," he said. "(Events) like this bring all the pieces together."
The general said that American support for troops -- perhaps at a historic low when he joined the Marines during the Vietnam War era -- is critical to men and women in uniform.
"To understand what you're doing makes a difference and that it's appreciated by somebody is 90 percent of what we go out there and fight for is that feeling," he said. "And to lose that feeling is to lose the motivation that you have in the foxhole day in and day out."
Army Staff Sgt. Gary Heffernan, a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and a member of the Defense Department's "Why We Serve" speakers outreach program, was on hand for the game. The Boston native, who said his father played goalie in the National Hockey League, acknowledged that Americans aren't obliged to display their support for the military.
"So when businesses like the Capitals reach out to the military, it's enormous," he said. "Even when little businesses or schools reach out and say, 'Hey, we support you,' it's enormously meaningful, because the reason why we fight is for the people."
Asked why he thinks they choose to show their support, Heffernan said, "Because they love us. There's no other reason for it."
Capitals owner Ted Leonsis told guests gathered at the pre-game reception that this is the sixth year the Capitals have held military appreciation night. The Caps had won four of the five previous ones, but on this night the Islanders topped the Capitals 3-2 in a shootout.
Leonsis' father, who came to America from Greece, spent seven years in the U.S. Navy, serving on the USS Bunker Hill. Leonsis told the crowd his last memory of his father, who died at age 95 in September, was when Navy sailors honored his memory at the cemetery during his burial.
The flag that was laid over Leonsis' father's casket and presented to the Leonsis family is on display in the Capitals owner's office.
"My father was an American first and foremost, and instilled in all of us the spirit of competitiveness and what a great country this is," Leonsis said. "We should never lose sight that our country is made up of individuals, and the men and women who serve our country really deserve our respect and our thanks, and this is our small way of doing it."
Army Lt. Col. Steve Szewc, who works at the Pentagon as an assistant to the director of the Army staff, said the military appreciation night is a good way to show support for military members of all ranks.
"I think this is a great opportunity for the senior leadership to mix with the troops. It's a good, casual forum, and it also lets servicemembers know there are people out there supporting them," he said. "It's more than what you see in the day-to-day news."
Homicide Investigation readings published this article.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 21, 2008 - Away from the rigors of combat last night on an evening dedicated to their selfless service, the only shootout troops worried about was between dueling National Hockey League teams. During Military Appreciation Night at the Verizon Center here, the Washington Capitals honored some 5,000 servicemembers and their families with free admission and hosted dozens of wounded warriors from military hospitals. From the giant high-definition screen hanging from the arena's ceiling, shout-outs to servicemembers and videos featuring troops and hockey pros projected onto some 18,000 fans attending the Capitals-New York Islanders contest.
At a pre-game reception in the Dewar's Club, with fat snowflakes visible through the window behind the podium, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England spoke to a crowd of about 100 VIP guests. England, using the themes of inclement weather and the night's main event, took a playful swipe at his boss, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who injured his shoulder last week after slipping on an icy pathway near his home.
"You know, the secretary is on injured reserve now because he encountered some ice outside," he said. "So it's nice to be here with an ice rink where it all belongs."
On a serious note, England said military appreciation nights are significant because they bring together Pentagon civilians, military members and business people for one common cause: to thank those who serve the United States to preserve American freedom and liberty. "We are absolutely blessed to have these men and women who serve and all of those who serve for them," he added.
England was introduced by Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison. Barber is the founder of America Supports You, a program that connects citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad, which organized the military-themed evening.
"America Supports You is a DoD program that makes it easy for everyone in America to find a way to support our troops and our families," she added.
Before the puck dropped, Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited with America Supports You home-front group members tending to kiosks and booths in the main concourse. As Cartwright made his rounds, fans ogled the shiny brass stars on the general's shoulders. "Who's that four-star?" one former Marine, who later introduced himself to the vice chairman, was overheard to say.
Asked how valuable efforts by networks like America Supports You groups are for channeling public support for the military, the general said the benefits are three-fold.
"It makes the troops and their families aware of what opportunities are available to them and it gives people an opportunity to contribute in a way that may not be in a foxhole, and to be given the booth space and acknowledged makes all the difference in the world," he said. "(Events) like this bring all the pieces together."
The general said that American support for troops -- perhaps at a historic low when he joined the Marines during the Vietnam War era -- is critical to men and women in uniform.
"To understand what you're doing makes a difference and that it's appreciated by somebody is 90 percent of what we go out there and fight for is that feeling," he said. "And to lose that feeling is to lose the motivation that you have in the foxhole day in and day out."
Army Staff Sgt. Gary Heffernan, a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and a member of the Defense Department's "Why We Serve" speakers outreach program, was on hand for the game. The Boston native, who said his father played goalie in the National Hockey League, acknowledged that Americans aren't obliged to display their support for the military.
"So when businesses like the Capitals reach out to the military, it's enormous," he said. "Even when little businesses or schools reach out and say, 'Hey, we support you,' it's enormously meaningful, because the reason why we fight is for the people."
Asked why he thinks they choose to show their support, Heffernan said, "Because they love us. There's no other reason for it."
Capitals owner Ted Leonsis told guests gathered at the pre-game reception that this is the sixth year the Capitals have held military appreciation night. The Caps had won four of the five previous ones, but on this night the Islanders topped the Capitals 3-2 in a shootout.
Leonsis' father, who came to America from Greece, spent seven years in the U.S. Navy, serving on the USS Bunker Hill. Leonsis told the crowd his last memory of his father, who died at age 95 in September, was when Navy sailors honored his memory at the cemetery during his burial.
The flag that was laid over Leonsis' father's casket and presented to the Leonsis family is on display in the Capitals owner's office.
"My father was an American first and foremost, and instilled in all of us the spirit of competitiveness and what a great country this is," Leonsis said. "We should never lose sight that our country is made up of individuals, and the men and women who serve our country really deserve our respect and our thanks, and this is our small way of doing it."
Army Lt. Col. Steve Szewc, who works at the Pentagon as an assistant to the director of the Army staff, said the military appreciation night is a good way to show support for military members of all ranks.
"I think this is a great opportunity for the senior leadership to mix with the troops. It's a good, casual forum, and it also lets servicemembers know there are people out there supporting them," he said. "It's more than what you see in the day-to-day news."
Homicide Investigation readings published this article.
Gates Heads 'Down Under' for Australian-U.S. Talks
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 21, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates plans to discuss Australia's future efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan and across the globe as he meets for the first time with the country's newly elected Prime Minister Kevin Rudd this weekend. "It's pretty much a broad consultation, and I think that it comes at a useful time in terms of a new Australian government," Gates said today. "It gives us an opportunity to set down and talk to them about their view of the world. I think it will be a very productive dialogue."
The annual Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations tomorrow fall on the heels of a recent announcement by the country to withdrawal about one-third of its troops from Iraq by mid-summer.
Defense Department officials said that the withdrawal does not signal plans by Australia to remove troops altogether from Iraq and that the country's defense officials notified the Pentagon before the announcement was made. Rather, it indicates a shift in the government's efforts in the country that will likely include fewer combat troops and more aid efforts, a senior DoD official said on background.
Gates said he has talked twice before with Australia's Defense Minister Joel Fitzgibbon, and Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith recently visited Washington. Rudd and Fitzgibbon also have visited Iraq and consulted with Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, the official said.
"While obviously we value them and the role they play in Iraq, at the same time, we're mindful of the fact that nearly half of the Australian army is deployed," Gates said in an en route interview session with media members. "We're concerned about the stress on our own force. The Australians are clearly confronting that challenge themselves."
Australia now has about 1,500 troops in Iraq -- a mix of combat, training, aviation and support forces. The 500 slated to leave, mostly combat troops, will be pulled from the south in areas where Iraqi security forces can take over operations, the official said.
Australia will keep a security detachment in Baghdad and much of its aviation support as well as some of its embedded mentor troops.
In Afghanistan, Australia has about 1,000 troops. About 300 are part of a special operations task group in Oruzgan province, in southern Afghanistan. Another 370 are part of a provincial reconstruction team there.
Australia is a staunch supporter of anti-terror and rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan, the DoD official said. In August, the country pledged an additional $115 million in aid over the next two years, according to the country's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Australia's total aid commitment to Afghanistan is $450 million since 2001.
The country is not expected to shift its support in Afghanistan, Gates said.
During the Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations talks, the secretary wants to reaffirm the importance of the two countries' relationship, especially with Australia's new government. This is the first senior-level visit by U.S. officials to the country since its elections in November. The meetings are expected to draw out assessments and expectations by both sides, the senior DoD official said.
Australia, a long-time ally of the United States wants to make sure that that the two countries are moving forward together in cooperative efforts, the official said. Gates is not expected to ask for any specific support from Australia for either Iraq or Afghanistan, the official said.
The first part of talks will focus on the Middle East, Iraq and North Korea. A second session will look at regional issues such as Afghanistan and China and other Asian efforts. A working lunch will focus on southeastern Asia, and a final session will focus on bilateral defense issues and examine how to expand cooperation and an "enhanced" relationship between the two countries, Gates said.
This is the 19th annual Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations. The talks typically involve the two countries' foreign and defense ministers. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte accompanied Gates on the trip.
"We have no better ally than Australia. They have been a magnificent partner on the global scene, in Iraq and Afghanistan," Negroponte said. "We're very appreciative of the role they play in helping promote regional stability and prosperity."
Since World War I, Australia has fought beside the United States and other allies in every significant conflict to the present day.
This is the secretary's first visit to Australia in his current position. His first official travel as a senior government official was to Australia in 1982, he said. It is the second stop in a nine-day trip that also includes Indonesia, India and Turkey.
This blog is maintained through the support of community policing readings.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 21, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates plans to discuss Australia's future efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan and across the globe as he meets for the first time with the country's newly elected Prime Minister Kevin Rudd this weekend. "It's pretty much a broad consultation, and I think that it comes at a useful time in terms of a new Australian government," Gates said today. "It gives us an opportunity to set down and talk to them about their view of the world. I think it will be a very productive dialogue."
The annual Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations tomorrow fall on the heels of a recent announcement by the country to withdrawal about one-third of its troops from Iraq by mid-summer.
Defense Department officials said that the withdrawal does not signal plans by Australia to remove troops altogether from Iraq and that the country's defense officials notified the Pentagon before the announcement was made. Rather, it indicates a shift in the government's efforts in the country that will likely include fewer combat troops and more aid efforts, a senior DoD official said on background.
Gates said he has talked twice before with Australia's Defense Minister Joel Fitzgibbon, and Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith recently visited Washington. Rudd and Fitzgibbon also have visited Iraq and consulted with Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, the official said.
"While obviously we value them and the role they play in Iraq, at the same time, we're mindful of the fact that nearly half of the Australian army is deployed," Gates said in an en route interview session with media members. "We're concerned about the stress on our own force. The Australians are clearly confronting that challenge themselves."
Australia now has about 1,500 troops in Iraq -- a mix of combat, training, aviation and support forces. The 500 slated to leave, mostly combat troops, will be pulled from the south in areas where Iraqi security forces can take over operations, the official said.
Australia will keep a security detachment in Baghdad and much of its aviation support as well as some of its embedded mentor troops.
In Afghanistan, Australia has about 1,000 troops. About 300 are part of a special operations task group in Oruzgan province, in southern Afghanistan. Another 370 are part of a provincial reconstruction team there.
Australia is a staunch supporter of anti-terror and rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan, the DoD official said. In August, the country pledged an additional $115 million in aid over the next two years, according to the country's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Australia's total aid commitment to Afghanistan is $450 million since 2001.
The country is not expected to shift its support in Afghanistan, Gates said.
During the Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations talks, the secretary wants to reaffirm the importance of the two countries' relationship, especially with Australia's new government. This is the first senior-level visit by U.S. officials to the country since its elections in November. The meetings are expected to draw out assessments and expectations by both sides, the senior DoD official said.
Australia, a long-time ally of the United States wants to make sure that that the two countries are moving forward together in cooperative efforts, the official said. Gates is not expected to ask for any specific support from Australia for either Iraq or Afghanistan, the official said.
The first part of talks will focus on the Middle East, Iraq and North Korea. A second session will look at regional issues such as Afghanistan and China and other Asian efforts. A working lunch will focus on southeastern Asia, and a final session will focus on bilateral defense issues and examine how to expand cooperation and an "enhanced" relationship between the two countries, Gates said.
This is the 19th annual Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations. The talks typically involve the two countries' foreign and defense ministers. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte accompanied Gates on the trip.
"We have no better ally than Australia. They have been a magnificent partner on the global scene, in Iraq and Afghanistan," Negroponte said. "We're very appreciative of the role they play in helping promote regional stability and prosperity."
Since World War I, Australia has fought beside the United States and other allies in every significant conflict to the present day.
This is the secretary's first visit to Australia in his current position. His first official travel as a senior government official was to Australia in 1982, he said. It is the second stop in a nine-day trip that also includes Indonesia, India and Turkey.
This blog is maintained through the support of community policing readings.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Gates Tours Back-up Ship for Satellite Shot
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 21, 2008 - Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates today toured the USS Russell, one of the three ships used for yesterday's shooting of the dying spy satellite orbiting earth. The ship's homeport is here, and ship officials said the crew went through the same drills as the USS Lake Erie, which fired the actual shot that hit the satellite. The Russell did not, however, load a missile or leave the port, the officials said.
Gates viewed some of the drills the crew went through to prepare for the shooting, he said, talking to the press shortly after the tour.
"(It is) Just another reminder, as with other ships I've visited, (of) ... the incredible quality and dedication and skill of the men and women in uniform that carry out these tasks," Gates said.
The secretary thanked the people of Hawaii for their support to local servicemembers and their families. "Without your help and support, everything would be a lot more difficult for them. So we really appreciate the local support," Gates said.
The secretary also commended defense and Navy officials for the successful shootdown. "Finally I would just like to congratulate (Air Force) General (Kevin) Chilton and those in strategic command, as well as the Navy for what appears to be a very successful operation yesterday," Gates said. Chilton is commander of U.S. Strategic Command.
The secretary also toured the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, which is responsible for searching for, recovering and identifying remains of Americans unaccounted for from all conflicts from World War II through the Persian Gulf War.
The secretary left here today for Australia, after a brief visit with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the commander of U.S. Pacific Command last evening. The secretary dined with Navy Adms. Mike Mullen and Timothy J. Keating, the Joint Chiefs chairman and PACOM commander respectively, after arriving from Washington yesterday.
Australia is the second stop in a nine-day tour that includes Indonesia, India and Turkey.
Chief executive reading list reproduced this article.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 21, 2008 - Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates today toured the USS Russell, one of the three ships used for yesterday's shooting of the dying spy satellite orbiting earth. The ship's homeport is here, and ship officials said the crew went through the same drills as the USS Lake Erie, which fired the actual shot that hit the satellite. The Russell did not, however, load a missile or leave the port, the officials said.
Gates viewed some of the drills the crew went through to prepare for the shooting, he said, talking to the press shortly after the tour.
"(It is) Just another reminder, as with other ships I've visited, (of) ... the incredible quality and dedication and skill of the men and women in uniform that carry out these tasks," Gates said.
The secretary thanked the people of Hawaii for their support to local servicemembers and their families. "Without your help and support, everything would be a lot more difficult for them. So we really appreciate the local support," Gates said.
The secretary also commended defense and Navy officials for the successful shootdown. "Finally I would just like to congratulate (Air Force) General (Kevin) Chilton and those in strategic command, as well as the Navy for what appears to be a very successful operation yesterday," Gates said. Chilton is commander of U.S. Strategic Command.
The secretary also toured the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, which is responsible for searching for, recovering and identifying remains of Americans unaccounted for from all conflicts from World War II through the Persian Gulf War.
The secretary left here today for Australia, after a brief visit with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the commander of U.S. Pacific Command last evening. The secretary dined with Navy Adms. Mike Mullen and Timothy J. Keating, the Joint Chiefs chairman and PACOM commander respectively, after arriving from Washington yesterday.
Australia is the second stop in a nine-day tour that includes Indonesia, India and Turkey.
Chief executive reading list reproduced this article.
U.S.-Australian Meetings Ready to Begin
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 22, 2008 - U.S. and Australian defense officials will work to strengthen the alliance between the two countries as part of the Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations here this weekend. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen arrived in Australia's capital today and immediately launched into meetings with his counterpart, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, the chief of the country's defense forces.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte arrive later today, and the formal ministerial gets under way tomorrow.
This year's AUSMIN marks the 19th ministerial meeting between the two close allies. The meetings are part of the Australia, New Zealand, United States Treaty signed in 1951. "This year's consultations afford us an opportunity to strengthen that relationship and renew the bonds of the alliance with the new government of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd," wrote Robert D. McCallum, the U.S. ambassador to Australia.
Rudd's government took over Dec. 3. The Rudd government has ordered all Australian combat troops -- about one third of Australian forces in Iraq -- home by the end of June.
Australia will continue to train Iraqi troops in Australia, the air chief marshal said.
"The Australians have been great partners in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we understand the decision the people of Australia made in electing a new government with respect to Iraq," Mullen said during a news conference at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, Feb. 20.
Australian troops have fought alongside U.S. troops since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom in March 2003. Australia also has supported Operation Enduring Freedom and is working with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. "We will continue to engage them, and my understanding is that they will continue to stay in Afghanistan," Mullen said at Hickam. "They are great partners, and we need partners like that to address the problems that we have."
The chairman said he looks forward to the meetings here and the opportunity to "talk with them about the challenges we face together."
This article was reproduced by the detectives reading list.
He said he is not disturbed about the Australian announcement on the country's forces in Iraq. He said Australian military officials have worked closely with Multinational Force Iraq Commander Army Gen. David H. Petraeus in the drawdown in the southern part of Iraq. "We've worked this with their Department of Defense," he said. "We will clearly be able to sustain the kind of progress we've made even as they depart."
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 22, 2008 - U.S. and Australian defense officials will work to strengthen the alliance between the two countries as part of the Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations here this weekend. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen arrived in Australia's capital today and immediately launched into meetings with his counterpart, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, the chief of the country's defense forces.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte arrive later today, and the formal ministerial gets under way tomorrow.
This year's AUSMIN marks the 19th ministerial meeting between the two close allies. The meetings are part of the Australia, New Zealand, United States Treaty signed in 1951. "This year's consultations afford us an opportunity to strengthen that relationship and renew the bonds of the alliance with the new government of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd," wrote Robert D. McCallum, the U.S. ambassador to Australia.
Rudd's government took over Dec. 3. The Rudd government has ordered all Australian combat troops -- about one third of Australian forces in Iraq -- home by the end of June.
Australia will continue to train Iraqi troops in Australia, the air chief marshal said.
"The Australians have been great partners in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we understand the decision the people of Australia made in electing a new government with respect to Iraq," Mullen said during a news conference at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, Feb. 20.
Australian troops have fought alongside U.S. troops since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom in March 2003. Australia also has supported Operation Enduring Freedom and is working with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. "We will continue to engage them, and my understanding is that they will continue to stay in Afghanistan," Mullen said at Hickam. "They are great partners, and we need partners like that to address the problems that we have."
The chairman said he looks forward to the meetings here and the opportunity to "talk with them about the challenges we face together."
This article was reproduced by the detectives reading list.
He said he is not disturbed about the Australian announcement on the country's forces in Iraq. He said Australian military officials have worked closely with Multinational Force Iraq Commander Army Gen. David H. Petraeus in the drawdown in the southern part of Iraq. "We've worked this with their Department of Defense," he said. "We will clearly be able to sustain the kind of progress we've made even as they depart."
Mullen Wishes Kosovo Well, Says NATO Mission Won't Change
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Entry and Blog reproduced by Police Officer.
Feb. 20, 2008 - NATO will continue its mission in the newly independent republic of Kosovo, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here yesterday. Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia on Feb. 17. The United States has a National Guard brigade deployed in the country now, and its mission will not change, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said during a news conference here.
NATO put together its Kosovo Force at the end of a 78-day bombing campaign in 1999 to stop Serbs from driving ethnic Albanians out of Kosovo. NATO forces entered the Serbian province and ended the humanitarian catastrophe that was occurring. NATO took the mission under authorization from United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.
Since then, NATO and partner nations have maintained 15,000 to 16,000 troops there to maintain security and stability for all citizens, irrespective of their ethnic origin, NATO officials said.
The United States has had 1,500 to 1,600 troops in Kosovo for some time. "It is a peacekeeping and peace stabilization mission in Kosovo, and they will continue to operate under UNSCR 1244 until the United Nations Security Council rescinds it," Mullen said.
"I am delighted that independence has been declared, and I certainly wish the people of Kosovo nothing but the best for the future," said the admiral said. "The security mission that will ensue as a result of this independence will transition to what it is now, to a (European Union) capability. We also want this transition to take place in a peaceful way so the people of Kosovo are the long-term winners here."
A NATO news release reiterated NATO's responsibility and capability to ensure that a safe and secure environment in Kosovo remains unchanged.
"KFOR will continue to execute this mandate in an impartial manner in accordance with its Operational Plan," the release said. "NATO will respond resolutely to any attempts to disrupt the safety and security of the population of Kosovo."
American Forces Press Service
Entry and Blog reproduced by Police Officer.
Feb. 20, 2008 - NATO will continue its mission in the newly independent republic of Kosovo, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here yesterday. Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia on Feb. 17. The United States has a National Guard brigade deployed in the country now, and its mission will not change, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said during a news conference here.
NATO put together its Kosovo Force at the end of a 78-day bombing campaign in 1999 to stop Serbs from driving ethnic Albanians out of Kosovo. NATO forces entered the Serbian province and ended the humanitarian catastrophe that was occurring. NATO took the mission under authorization from United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.
Since then, NATO and partner nations have maintained 15,000 to 16,000 troops there to maintain security and stability for all citizens, irrespective of their ethnic origin, NATO officials said.
The United States has had 1,500 to 1,600 troops in Kosovo for some time. "It is a peacekeeping and peace stabilization mission in Kosovo, and they will continue to operate under UNSCR 1244 until the United Nations Security Council rescinds it," Mullen said.
"I am delighted that independence has been declared, and I certainly wish the people of Kosovo nothing but the best for the future," said the admiral said. "The security mission that will ensue as a result of this independence will transition to what it is now, to a (European Union) capability. We also want this transition to take place in a peaceful way so the people of Kosovo are the long-term winners here."
A NATO news release reiterated NATO's responsibility and capability to ensure that a safe and secure environment in Kosovo remains unchanged.
"KFOR will continue to execute this mandate in an impartial manner in accordance with its Operational Plan," the release said. "NATO will respond resolutely to any attempts to disrupt the safety and security of the population of Kosovo."
Mullen Visits Pendleton Wounded Warrior Battalion
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 20, 2008 - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff stopped in here yesterday to see how the Marines Corps treats its wounded warriors. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen visited the Wounded Warrior Battalion West facilities and spoke to wounded Marines in the program.
The battalion shows the wounded warriors that they are still part of the Marine Corps. "The focus is on healing and what to do with the rest of your life," said Marine Lt. Col. Charles Johnson, the battalion commander. "We have counselors that can help them with vocational-technical schools, higher education, how to write resumes, how to navigate the (Department of Veterans Affairs system), as well as a number of nonprofit groups like the Semper Fi Fund that helps these Marines."
The program is outside the medical environment, but is close enough to still get care to the Marines. For some of the Marines, the unit is a way station as they recover and return to their units. For others, the unit is a transition point as they move into the VA system and civilian life.
Thirty-three Marines are in the facility now, but there are another 125 at the Balboa Naval Hospital, 18 at the Palo Alto VA Hospital and 33 at Twentynine Palms, Calif. The unit has a staff of 33, but is building up to a total of 41 personnel, Johnson told Mullen during the tour.
While the primary mission of the Marines at the facility is to receive care, they are still Marines. There is a formation each day. They do physical training, they wear the duty uniform, and they conduct themselves as members of the Corps. The unit ensures the Marines get to their medical appointments, and it monitors treatment to ensure they receive the care they need and deserve. Johnson said the unit works closely with the military's Tricare health care program to find the best facilities for a variety of traumas and make sure the Marines get into them.
Post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries are two conditions that challenge medical professionals throughout the United States. "A significant proportion of those Marines with PTSD also have a substance abuse problem," Johnson said.
Marines with PTSD often self-medicate – mostly with alcohol – to try to relieve their symptoms, he explained. "The PTSD feeds the dependence, and the dependence feeds the PTSD," Johnson said. "It's a cycle we've got to break."
The military is trying to get ahead of the disorder by sending psychological teams to Iraq and Afghanistan to get servicemembers to deal with the symptoms early. "These young men will talk it out with each other if given the chance," said Debbie Paxton, a registered nurse who is a care coordinator at the unit. "This environment helps them, also."
Marines who go back to their old units in their same jobs are eased back to duty. "We plug them in gradually," Johnson said. Other Marines stay in, but the nature of their injuries means they cannot go back to their old specialties. Personnel in the unit provide counseling and advice as the Marines choose new military occupational specialties.
For Marines getting out of the service, there are personnel from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Labor and nonprofit groups to help. In one innovative vo-tech program, the Marines learn to be media specialists in movie-making. When they finish the program, they receive union cards.
The unit has a program with the California State University system to get the Marines into college, and wounded veterans from previous wars often come in and speak to the Marines about their experiences.
"Each injury is different, and each care plan has to be individualized," Johnson told Mullen. "We need to talk to these Marines about what talents they have and what their goals are in life. We need to help them to start looking forward, rather than focusing on what happened."
Lance Cpl. Rodrigo Guerra, whose left leg was shattered by an improvised explosive device in Iraq's Anbar province, will be getting out of the Marines. The unit has helped him with paperwork and with giving him a sense of purpose. "In the hospital, you never think you will get out," he said. "This allows you to look farther down the road."
Cpl. Ryan Draughn was a radio operator in Anbar province when an IED gave him traumatic brain injury. "I had planned on making the Marines my career," said the 21-year old native of New Orleans. "I don't know what I'm going to do now."
But the people at the unit are helping him and his wife cope with the decisions he must make.
"They are all helpful," he said. "They sit down with my wife and go over the treatments I receive with her. They are helping me with resumes and trying to decide what I can do. I know one thing: whatever I do I will approach it like a Marine and do my best."
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 20, 2008 - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff stopped in here yesterday to see how the Marines Corps treats its wounded warriors. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen visited the Wounded Warrior Battalion West facilities and spoke to wounded Marines in the program.
The battalion shows the wounded warriors that they are still part of the Marine Corps. "The focus is on healing and what to do with the rest of your life," said Marine Lt. Col. Charles Johnson, the battalion commander. "We have counselors that can help them with vocational-technical schools, higher education, how to write resumes, how to navigate the (Department of Veterans Affairs system), as well as a number of nonprofit groups like the Semper Fi Fund that helps these Marines."
The program is outside the medical environment, but is close enough to still get care to the Marines. For some of the Marines, the unit is a way station as they recover and return to their units. For others, the unit is a transition point as they move into the VA system and civilian life.
Thirty-three Marines are in the facility now, but there are another 125 at the Balboa Naval Hospital, 18 at the Palo Alto VA Hospital and 33 at Twentynine Palms, Calif. The unit has a staff of 33, but is building up to a total of 41 personnel, Johnson told Mullen during the tour.
While the primary mission of the Marines at the facility is to receive care, they are still Marines. There is a formation each day. They do physical training, they wear the duty uniform, and they conduct themselves as members of the Corps. The unit ensures the Marines get to their medical appointments, and it monitors treatment to ensure they receive the care they need and deserve. Johnson said the unit works closely with the military's Tricare health care program to find the best facilities for a variety of traumas and make sure the Marines get into them.
Post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries are two conditions that challenge medical professionals throughout the United States. "A significant proportion of those Marines with PTSD also have a substance abuse problem," Johnson said.
Marines with PTSD often self-medicate – mostly with alcohol – to try to relieve their symptoms, he explained. "The PTSD feeds the dependence, and the dependence feeds the PTSD," Johnson said. "It's a cycle we've got to break."
The military is trying to get ahead of the disorder by sending psychological teams to Iraq and Afghanistan to get servicemembers to deal with the symptoms early. "These young men will talk it out with each other if given the chance," said Debbie Paxton, a registered nurse who is a care coordinator at the unit. "This environment helps them, also."
Marines who go back to their old units in their same jobs are eased back to duty. "We plug them in gradually," Johnson said. Other Marines stay in, but the nature of their injuries means they cannot go back to their old specialties. Personnel in the unit provide counseling and advice as the Marines choose new military occupational specialties.
For Marines getting out of the service, there are personnel from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Labor and nonprofit groups to help. In one innovative vo-tech program, the Marines learn to be media specialists in movie-making. When they finish the program, they receive union cards.
The unit has a program with the California State University system to get the Marines into college, and wounded veterans from previous wars often come in and speak to the Marines about their experiences.
"Each injury is different, and each care plan has to be individualized," Johnson told Mullen. "We need to talk to these Marines about what talents they have and what their goals are in life. We need to help them to start looking forward, rather than focusing on what happened."
Lance Cpl. Rodrigo Guerra, whose left leg was shattered by an improvised explosive device in Iraq's Anbar province, will be getting out of the Marines. The unit has helped him with paperwork and with giving him a sense of purpose. "In the hospital, you never think you will get out," he said. "This allows you to look farther down the road."
Cpl. Ryan Draughn was a radio operator in Anbar province when an IED gave him traumatic brain injury. "I had planned on making the Marines my career," said the 21-year old native of New Orleans. "I don't know what I'm going to do now."
But the people at the unit are helping him and his wife cope with the decisions he must make.
"They are all helpful," he said. "They sit down with my wife and go over the treatments I receive with her. They are helping me with resumes and trying to decide what I can do. I know one thing: whatever I do I will approach it like a Marine and do my best."
Ability More Important than Disability, Mullen Says
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 20, 2008 - A person's ability is far more important than a person's disability, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said yesterday. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen spoke to reporters while en route here after visiting the Wounded Warrior Battalion West at Camp Pendleton, Calif. He is on a six-day trip to California, Hawaii and Australia.
"Those who have been injured served so well," Mullen said. "One of the things they are asking is, 'OK, what am I going to do with the rest of my life?' They want to be as good and great as they possibly can be, given that their lives have changed dramatically."
The servicemember has to figure out what to do, the chairman said. "The system has a way of focusing on the disability side of this, and that's the compensation part," said he explained. "That's really important. But to me, while it is important, it is of secondary importance to us saying to an individual, 'What is your ability? What is your potential?'"
The system has to move wounded warriors seamlessly from Defense Department to Veterans Affairs health care, and right back to the communities, Mullen said, and has to "support someone getting to their potential, whatever it is."
"The words we choose are really important here," he said.
Disability, he said, is a term for monetary compensation. DoD and VA focus on a servicemember's disability for a rating or for medical retirement. It's compensation for what they can't do any more, and it flavors the way they are treated by the bureaucracy.
Thinking of ability rather than disability is a sea change, the admiral said, but that's how everyone in the wounded warrior system needs to think. "The VA ought to be about future employment," he said. "It ought to be about jobs, it ought to be about their futures."
Mullen said DoD and VA are working together better than ever before, but more remains to be done in that regard.
"I take my most precious resource – my people, who in many cases sacrificed a great part of their futures – and we take care of them medically, we put them through the system and we determine if they are going to stay in the military or not," he said. "If not, we then take them and transition them to another system, the VA system. I get no regular feedback," he continued, "and yet that's still my sailor or Marine or soldier or airman that I want to be well taken care of."
Beyond VA care, Mullen said, he is concerned about what happens when the servicemember returns to the community. "I believe there is a sea of goodwill out there for veterans," he said. "How do we tap that sea of goodwill to take care of these servicemembers?"
The United States is a rich nation and can afford to do right by these men and women, the nation's top military officer said.
"Write it off the top," he said. "The numbers are not overwhelming. These are young people who almost lost their lives doing something we, as a country, asked them to do."
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 20, 2008 - A person's ability is far more important than a person's disability, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said yesterday. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen spoke to reporters while en route here after visiting the Wounded Warrior Battalion West at Camp Pendleton, Calif. He is on a six-day trip to California, Hawaii and Australia.
"Those who have been injured served so well," Mullen said. "One of the things they are asking is, 'OK, what am I going to do with the rest of my life?' They want to be as good and great as they possibly can be, given that their lives have changed dramatically."
The servicemember has to figure out what to do, the chairman said. "The system has a way of focusing on the disability side of this, and that's the compensation part," said he explained. "That's really important. But to me, while it is important, it is of secondary importance to us saying to an individual, 'What is your ability? What is your potential?'"
The system has to move wounded warriors seamlessly from Defense Department to Veterans Affairs health care, and right back to the communities, Mullen said, and has to "support someone getting to their potential, whatever it is."
"The words we choose are really important here," he said.
Disability, he said, is a term for monetary compensation. DoD and VA focus on a servicemember's disability for a rating or for medical retirement. It's compensation for what they can't do any more, and it flavors the way they are treated by the bureaucracy.
Thinking of ability rather than disability is a sea change, the admiral said, but that's how everyone in the wounded warrior system needs to think. "The VA ought to be about future employment," he said. "It ought to be about jobs, it ought to be about their futures."
Mullen said DoD and VA are working together better than ever before, but more remains to be done in that regard.
"I take my most precious resource – my people, who in many cases sacrificed a great part of their futures – and we take care of them medically, we put them through the system and we determine if they are going to stay in the military or not," he said. "If not, we then take them and transition them to another system, the VA system. I get no regular feedback," he continued, "and yet that's still my sailor or Marine or soldier or airman that I want to be well taken care of."
Beyond VA care, Mullen said, he is concerned about what happens when the servicemember returns to the community. "I believe there is a sea of goodwill out there for veterans," he said. "How do we tap that sea of goodwill to take care of these servicemembers?"
The United States is a rich nation and can afford to do right by these men and women, the nation's top military officer said.
"Write it off the top," he said. "The numbers are not overwhelming. These are young people who almost lost their lives doing something we, as a country, asked them to do."
DoD Succeeds In Intercepting Non-Functioning Satellite
A network of land-, air-, sea- and spaced-based sensors confirms that the U.S. military intercepted a non-functioning National Reconnaissance Office satellite which was in its final orbits before entering the earth's atmosphere.
At approximately 10:26 p.m. EST today, a U.S. Navy AEGIS warship, the USS Lake Erie (CG-70), fired a single modified tactical Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) hitting the satellite approximately 247 kilometers (133 nautical miles) over the Pacific Ocean as it traveled in space at more than 17,000 mph. USS Decatur (DDG-73) and USS Russell (DDG-59) were also part of the task force.
The objective was to rupture the fuel tank to dissipate the approximately 1,000 pounds (453 kg) of hydrazine, a hazardous fuel which could pose a danger to people on earth, before it entered into earth's atmosphere. Confirmation that the fuel tank has been fragmented should be available within 24 hours.
Due to the relatively low altitude of the satellite at the time of the engagement, debris will begin to re-enter the earth's atmosphere immediately. Nearly all of the debris will burn up on reentry within 24-48 hours and the remaining debris should re-enter within 40 days.
DoD will conduct a press briefing at 7 a.m. EST to provide further information related to the operation. The briefing can be viewed live on www.Defenselink.com through the Pentagon Channel.
At approximately 10:26 p.m. EST today, a U.S. Navy AEGIS warship, the USS Lake Erie (CG-70), fired a single modified tactical Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) hitting the satellite approximately 247 kilometers (133 nautical miles) over the Pacific Ocean as it traveled in space at more than 17,000 mph. USS Decatur (DDG-73) and USS Russell (DDG-59) were also part of the task force.
The objective was to rupture the fuel tank to dissipate the approximately 1,000 pounds (453 kg) of hydrazine, a hazardous fuel which could pose a danger to people on earth, before it entered into earth's atmosphere. Confirmation that the fuel tank has been fragmented should be available within 24 hours.
Due to the relatively low altitude of the satellite at the time of the engagement, debris will begin to re-enter the earth's atmosphere immediately. Nearly all of the debris will burn up on reentry within 24-48 hours and the remaining debris should re-enter within 40 days.
DoD will conduct a press briefing at 7 a.m. EST to provide further information related to the operation. The briefing can be viewed live on www.Defenselink.com through the Pentagon Channel.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
MILITARY CONTRACTS February 20, 2008
ARMY
River City Construction, L.L.C., East Peoria, Ill., was awarded on Feb. 15, 2008, a $74,210,000 firm-fixed-price contract for changes to the U.S. Transportation Command and its Joint Intelligence Operations Center. Work will be performed at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., and is expected to be completed by Feb. 9, 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This web solicitation was announced on Nov. 1, 2007, and one bid was received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Ky., is the contracting activity W912QR-08-C-0007.
Arviso Construction Co. Inc., Fort Wingate, N.M., was awarded on Feb. 19, 2008, a $66,475,280 firm-fixed-price contract for replacement of Wingate High School and Dormitory. Work will be performed in Fort Wingate, N.M., and is expected to be completed by May 2, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There were 10 bids solicited on Sep. 18, 2007, and three bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Albuquerque, N.M., is the contracting activity W912PP-08-C-0002.
Oshkosh Truck Corp. Oshkosh, Wis., was awarded on Feb. 19, 2008, a $48,906,410 firm-fixed-price award ceiling price modification for family of heavy Tactical Vehicle systems. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wis., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on Oct. 23, 2006, and one bid was received. The Tank Automotive and Armaments Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity W56HZV-07-C-0248.
Combat Support Associates, Orange, Calif., was awarded on Feb. 16, 2008, a $30,926,621 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for contract modifications for expansion of postal operations support. Work will be performed in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, and is expected to be completed by Sep. 30, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This web solicitation was posted on Oct. 30, 1998, and four bids were received. The U.S. Army Sustainment Command, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity DASA02-99-C-1234.
General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, Inc., St. Petersburg, Fla., was awarded on Feb. 15, 2008, a $20,552,074 firm-fixed-price contract for small caliber ammunition. Work will be performed in St. Petersburg, Fla., and is expected to be completed by Aug. 23, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This web solicitation was posted on Jan. 18, 2005, and two bids were received. The U.S. Army Field Support Command, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity W52P1J-05-G-0002.
Alliant Techsystems, Inc., Mesa, Ariz., was awarded on Feb. 15, 2008, a $6,972,000 firm-fixed-price contract for 30mm ammunition. Work will be performed in Radford, Va., and is expected to be completed by Sep. 30, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There were two bids solicited on Jan. 16, 2008, and two bids were received. The U.S. Army Sustainment Command, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity W52P1J-07-C-0035.
Woodward Governor Co., Rockford, Ill., was awarded on Feb. 15, 2008, a delivery order amount of $6,427,580 as part of a $28,879,222 firm-fixed-price contract for fuel control equipment for the Black Hawk helicopter. Work will be performed in Rockford, Ill., and is expected to be completed by Apr. 30, 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There were two bids solicited on Jan. 8, 2007, and one bid was received. The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity W58RGZ-07-D-0174.
Purcell Construction, Watertown, N.Y., was awarded on Feb. 15, 2008, a delivery order amount of $66,100,000 as part of a $150,532,382 firm-fixed-price contract for design and construction of three 624-person barracks. Work will be performed in Fort Lee, Va., and is expected to be completed by Sep 30, 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There were three bids solicited on Dec. 7, 2007, and three bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity W91236-08-D-0014.
NAVY
Global Security and Engineering Solutions, a Division of L-3 Services, Inc., Chantilly, Va., is being awarded a ceiling value $326,318,075 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity requirements contract to design, fabricate, install, and test the Tactical Video Capture System (TVCS) for various Marine Corps bases worldwide. The Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command (MAGTFTC) staff and personnel will use the TVCS for Real-Time Visualization (RTV) and Situational Awareness (SA) while Marine Units are conducting Military Operation in TVCS to conduct After Action Reviews (AAR) of the just completed training exercise. The contractor will perform system design, development, integration, installation, logistics, engineering, and training of the TVCS. Work will be performed at government sites worldwide, and the work is expected to be completed Feb. 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This effort was competitively procured as a full and open competition procurement, with one offer to the solicitation received. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M67854-07-D-8000).
BAE Systems, Land and Armaments Group, Ground Systems, Santa Clara, Calif., is being awarded a $33,938,132 cost-plus-incentive fee contract to provide engineering support services. This contract contains options which, if exercised, would bring the total cumulative value of this contract to $109,497,949. Work will be performed in Santa Clara, Calif., (24 percent); Brea, Calif., (23 percent); Plymouth, Minn., (18 percent); Aberdeen, S.D., (14 percent); Minneapolis, Minn., (10 percent); Nashua, N.H., (9 percent); Austin, Texas, (2 percent), and work is expected to be completed Jul. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Strategic Systems Programs, Arlington, Va., is the contracting activity (N00030-08-C-0025).
Allied Pacific Builders, Inc., Honolulu, Hawaii, and David's Custom Roofing & Painting, Inc.*, Pearl City, Hawaii, are being awarded a not to exceed $20,000,000 (base period and four option years) indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for roof repairs and maintenance for Navy, Marine Corps, and miscellaneous Federal and other facilities at various locations in Oahu, Hawaii. Work will be performed in Oahu, Hawaii, and work is expected to be completed Feb. 2009 (Feb 2013 with options). Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with 11 proposals solicited and eight offers received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Hawaii, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62478-08-D-4014 and N62478-08-D-4015).
AIR FORCE
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics of Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a contract modification for $182,615,911. This action provides for sustainment of the F-22 Weapon System during Calendar Year's 2008 and 2009. At this time $258,763,747 has been obligated. ASC/YFK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8611-08-C-2897).
The United Technologies Corp., Pratt and Whitney, of East Hartford, Conn., is being awarded an undefinitized contract modification for $101,168,373. This contract will provide CY08 sustainment for the F-22 Raptor F119 Engine. At this time $129,834,373 has been obligated. ASC/YFK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8611-08-C-2896).
TAC Industries of Springfield Ohio is being awarded a contract for $34,450,420.50. This action provides for quantity of 68,750 each for top cargo tiedown nets; 137,600 each side cargo tie-down nets. At this time all funds have been obligated. 642nd CBSSS/GBZO-PKAC, Robins Air Force Base Ga., is the contracting activity (FA8533-05-D-0001-0010).
General Atomics of San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a cost plus incentive fee contract for $6,094,533. This effort is for the change to enhance the Maintenance Level Technical Orders, which are a part of the system development and demonstration of the MQ-9 Reaper Unmanned Air Vehicles. At this time no funds have been obligated. 658th AESS/PK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Ohio, is the contracting activity (F33657-02-G-4035, Order 002316).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Seagoing Uniforms, Marshville, N.C.,* is being awarded a maximum $7,536,579.00 firm fixed price, total set aside, indefinite quantity contract for Navy utility uniform items. Other locations of performance are N. C., S. C., and Ga. Using service is Navy. This proposal was originally Web solicited with two responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is exercising option year three (except for Item 0005 – Utility Trousers). Date of performance completion is Mar.31, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa. (SP0100-04-D-0457).
River City Construction, L.L.C., East Peoria, Ill., was awarded on Feb. 15, 2008, a $74,210,000 firm-fixed-price contract for changes to the U.S. Transportation Command and its Joint Intelligence Operations Center. Work will be performed at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., and is expected to be completed by Feb. 9, 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This web solicitation was announced on Nov. 1, 2007, and one bid was received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Ky., is the contracting activity W912QR-08-C-0007.
Arviso Construction Co. Inc., Fort Wingate, N.M., was awarded on Feb. 19, 2008, a $66,475,280 firm-fixed-price contract for replacement of Wingate High School and Dormitory. Work will be performed in Fort Wingate, N.M., and is expected to be completed by May 2, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There were 10 bids solicited on Sep. 18, 2007, and three bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Albuquerque, N.M., is the contracting activity W912PP-08-C-0002.
Oshkosh Truck Corp. Oshkosh, Wis., was awarded on Feb. 19, 2008, a $48,906,410 firm-fixed-price award ceiling price modification for family of heavy Tactical Vehicle systems. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wis., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on Oct. 23, 2006, and one bid was received. The Tank Automotive and Armaments Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity W56HZV-07-C-0248.
Combat Support Associates, Orange, Calif., was awarded on Feb. 16, 2008, a $30,926,621 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for contract modifications for expansion of postal operations support. Work will be performed in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, and is expected to be completed by Sep. 30, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This web solicitation was posted on Oct. 30, 1998, and four bids were received. The U.S. Army Sustainment Command, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity DASA02-99-C-1234.
General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, Inc., St. Petersburg, Fla., was awarded on Feb. 15, 2008, a $20,552,074 firm-fixed-price contract for small caliber ammunition. Work will be performed in St. Petersburg, Fla., and is expected to be completed by Aug. 23, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This web solicitation was posted on Jan. 18, 2005, and two bids were received. The U.S. Army Field Support Command, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity W52P1J-05-G-0002.
Alliant Techsystems, Inc., Mesa, Ariz., was awarded on Feb. 15, 2008, a $6,972,000 firm-fixed-price contract for 30mm ammunition. Work will be performed in Radford, Va., and is expected to be completed by Sep. 30, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There were two bids solicited on Jan. 16, 2008, and two bids were received. The U.S. Army Sustainment Command, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity W52P1J-07-C-0035.
Woodward Governor Co., Rockford, Ill., was awarded on Feb. 15, 2008, a delivery order amount of $6,427,580 as part of a $28,879,222 firm-fixed-price contract for fuel control equipment for the Black Hawk helicopter. Work will be performed in Rockford, Ill., and is expected to be completed by Apr. 30, 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There were two bids solicited on Jan. 8, 2007, and one bid was received. The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity W58RGZ-07-D-0174.
Purcell Construction, Watertown, N.Y., was awarded on Feb. 15, 2008, a delivery order amount of $66,100,000 as part of a $150,532,382 firm-fixed-price contract for design and construction of three 624-person barracks. Work will be performed in Fort Lee, Va., and is expected to be completed by Sep 30, 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There were three bids solicited on Dec. 7, 2007, and three bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity W91236-08-D-0014.
NAVY
Global Security and Engineering Solutions, a Division of L-3 Services, Inc., Chantilly, Va., is being awarded a ceiling value $326,318,075 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity requirements contract to design, fabricate, install, and test the Tactical Video Capture System (TVCS) for various Marine Corps bases worldwide. The Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command (MAGTFTC) staff and personnel will use the TVCS for Real-Time Visualization (RTV) and Situational Awareness (SA) while Marine Units are conducting Military Operation in TVCS to conduct After Action Reviews (AAR) of the just completed training exercise. The contractor will perform system design, development, integration, installation, logistics, engineering, and training of the TVCS. Work will be performed at government sites worldwide, and the work is expected to be completed Feb. 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This effort was competitively procured as a full and open competition procurement, with one offer to the solicitation received. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M67854-07-D-8000).
BAE Systems, Land and Armaments Group, Ground Systems, Santa Clara, Calif., is being awarded a $33,938,132 cost-plus-incentive fee contract to provide engineering support services. This contract contains options which, if exercised, would bring the total cumulative value of this contract to $109,497,949. Work will be performed in Santa Clara, Calif., (24 percent); Brea, Calif., (23 percent); Plymouth, Minn., (18 percent); Aberdeen, S.D., (14 percent); Minneapolis, Minn., (10 percent); Nashua, N.H., (9 percent); Austin, Texas, (2 percent), and work is expected to be completed Jul. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Strategic Systems Programs, Arlington, Va., is the contracting activity (N00030-08-C-0025).
Allied Pacific Builders, Inc., Honolulu, Hawaii, and David's Custom Roofing & Painting, Inc.*, Pearl City, Hawaii, are being awarded a not to exceed $20,000,000 (base period and four option years) indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for roof repairs and maintenance for Navy, Marine Corps, and miscellaneous Federal and other facilities at various locations in Oahu, Hawaii. Work will be performed in Oahu, Hawaii, and work is expected to be completed Feb. 2009 (Feb 2013 with options). Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with 11 proposals solicited and eight offers received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Hawaii, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62478-08-D-4014 and N62478-08-D-4015).
AIR FORCE
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics of Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a contract modification for $182,615,911. This action provides for sustainment of the F-22 Weapon System during Calendar Year's 2008 and 2009. At this time $258,763,747 has been obligated. ASC/YFK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8611-08-C-2897).
The United Technologies Corp., Pratt and Whitney, of East Hartford, Conn., is being awarded an undefinitized contract modification for $101,168,373. This contract will provide CY08 sustainment for the F-22 Raptor F119 Engine. At this time $129,834,373 has been obligated. ASC/YFK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8611-08-C-2896).
TAC Industries of Springfield Ohio is being awarded a contract for $34,450,420.50. This action provides for quantity of 68,750 each for top cargo tiedown nets; 137,600 each side cargo tie-down nets. At this time all funds have been obligated. 642nd CBSSS/GBZO-PKAC, Robins Air Force Base Ga., is the contracting activity (FA8533-05-D-0001-0010).
General Atomics of San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a cost plus incentive fee contract for $6,094,533. This effort is for the change to enhance the Maintenance Level Technical Orders, which are a part of the system development and demonstration of the MQ-9 Reaper Unmanned Air Vehicles. At this time no funds have been obligated. 658th AESS/PK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Ohio, is the contracting activity (F33657-02-G-4035, Order 002316).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Seagoing Uniforms, Marshville, N.C.,* is being awarded a maximum $7,536,579.00 firm fixed price, total set aside, indefinite quantity contract for Navy utility uniform items. Other locations of performance are N. C., S. C., and Ga. Using service is Navy. This proposal was originally Web solicited with two responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is exercising option year three (except for Item 0005 – Utility Trousers). Date of performance completion is Mar.31, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa. (SP0100-04-D-0457).
Gates Departs on Nine-Day World Trip
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 20, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates left today on a nine-day trip around the world aimed at reinforcing relationships with some countries he has yet to visit as defense secretary. Gates will visit U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii, participate in annual bilateral talks with Australia, and discuss security matters with his counterparts in Indonesia, India and Turkey.
The Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations are the principal forum for bilateral talks between the two allies. It brings the U.S. secretaries of state and defense together with their Australian counterparts, along with other senior officials from both countries.
The trip also coincides with the day the Navy plans to try to shoot down a dead U.S. intelligence satellite. The window for the shoot-down opened this morning after the landing of the space shuttle Atlantis.
Defense officials said yesterday that they are evaluating the situation and will advise the secretary when they have a shot to take. President Bush has empowered Gates to order the shoot-down, and based upon the advice he gets, he is prepared to do so during this trip, officials said yesterday.
Preparing for Promotion sponsored this blog and blog entry.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 20, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates left today on a nine-day trip around the world aimed at reinforcing relationships with some countries he has yet to visit as defense secretary. Gates will visit U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii, participate in annual bilateral talks with Australia, and discuss security matters with his counterparts in Indonesia, India and Turkey.
The Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations are the principal forum for bilateral talks between the two allies. It brings the U.S. secretaries of state and defense together with their Australian counterparts, along with other senior officials from both countries.
The trip also coincides with the day the Navy plans to try to shoot down a dead U.S. intelligence satellite. The window for the shoot-down opened this morning after the landing of the space shuttle Atlantis.
Defense officials said yesterday that they are evaluating the situation and will advise the secretary when they have a shot to take. President Bush has empowered Gates to order the shoot-down, and based upon the advice he gets, he is prepared to do so during this trip, officials said yesterday.
Preparing for Promotion sponsored this blog and blog entry.
America Supports You: States Honor Wounded With Silver Star Banner
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 20, 2008 - More than 60 years after the custom was last observed, five states have endorsed the Silver Star banner as their official symbol for honoring war-wounded veterans. The practice began in 1918, and the Silver Star banner was granted semi-official status by the Army adjutant general, said Steve Newton, founder of Silver Star Families of America. Sometime between the end of World War I and the beginning of World War II, he said, the practice was lost.
Silver Star Families of America has been working to get the banner granted official status since 2005, Newton said. "When Congress approved the Blue Star and the Gold Star (as official service banners), it did not designate a Silver Star banner," Newton said.
Blue Star banners designate families with a member serving in the military, while a Gold Star banner honors a family member who was killed in action.
The efforts of Newton's group to work with Congress to get the Silver Star banner designated nationally as an official service banner led to some stalling points, however. Congress wanted the Silver Star Families of America to narrow its definition of wounded, Newton said.
"We decided to ... go state by state, because we didn't want to leave out post-traumatic stress (disorder) or Agent Orange or Gulf War Syndrome or accidents that occur in the war zone that will affect somebody for the rest of their lives," Newton said. "We thought that they needed to be honored also."
In 2007, the group presented each state with a proclamation to endorse the Silver Star banner as its official service banner to honor war wounded. To date, five states -- Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana and Missouri -- have done so.
"To me it's a sign of honor," Newton said. "When a state takes an action like this, it means that they want to remember the sacrifices of the wounded."
Janie Orman, the group's president, said that while the five states agreed quickly and others are on the brink of declaring the Silver Star banner their official service banner for the wounded, some declined.
"A couple of them said, 'No, thank you,'" she said. "A couple of them felt like they had their own programs, I believe."
In 2007, 44 states honored their war wounded by proclaiming May 1 as "Silver Star Day for the Wounded," with at least two of those states working to make the proclamation permanent, Orman said. Silver Star Families of America hopes at least that many states will endorse the Silver Star banner, she added.
The Missouri-based group is a supporter of America Support You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 20, 2008 - More than 60 years after the custom was last observed, five states have endorsed the Silver Star banner as their official symbol for honoring war-wounded veterans. The practice began in 1918, and the Silver Star banner was granted semi-official status by the Army adjutant general, said Steve Newton, founder of Silver Star Families of America. Sometime between the end of World War I and the beginning of World War II, he said, the practice was lost.
Silver Star Families of America has been working to get the banner granted official status since 2005, Newton said. "When Congress approved the Blue Star and the Gold Star (as official service banners), it did not designate a Silver Star banner," Newton said.
Blue Star banners designate families with a member serving in the military, while a Gold Star banner honors a family member who was killed in action.
The efforts of Newton's group to work with Congress to get the Silver Star banner designated nationally as an official service banner led to some stalling points, however. Congress wanted the Silver Star Families of America to narrow its definition of wounded, Newton said.
"We decided to ... go state by state, because we didn't want to leave out post-traumatic stress (disorder) or Agent Orange or Gulf War Syndrome or accidents that occur in the war zone that will affect somebody for the rest of their lives," Newton said. "We thought that they needed to be honored also."
In 2007, the group presented each state with a proclamation to endorse the Silver Star banner as its official service banner to honor war wounded. To date, five states -- Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana and Missouri -- have done so.
"To me it's a sign of honor," Newton said. "When a state takes an action like this, it means that they want to remember the sacrifices of the wounded."
Janie Orman, the group's president, said that while the five states agreed quickly and others are on the brink of declaring the Silver Star banner their official service banner for the wounded, some declined.
"A couple of them said, 'No, thank you,'" she said. "A couple of them felt like they had their own programs, I believe."
In 2007, 44 states honored their war wounded by proclaiming May 1 as "Silver Star Day for the Wounded," with at least two of those states working to make the proclamation permanent, Orman said. Silver Star Families of America hopes at least that many states will endorse the Silver Star banner, she added.
The Missouri-based group is a supporter of America Support You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.
Pentagon Opens Window of Time to Shoot Down Satellite
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 20, 2008 - The Pentagon has opened the window of time in which it will shoot down a malfunctioning U.S. reconnaissance satellite, a senior U.S. military officer said here today. Today's return of the space shuttle Atlantis to Earth prompted the start of the optimal time period for shooting down the satellite, which extends until about the end of the month, the senior officer told Pentagon reporters.
Only "tens of seconds" will be available each day for a favorable launch of a ship-based SM-3 interceptor missile, the senior officer said. "The window is small, ... but we're looking for the best orientation of the satellite" before launching the missile, the officer explained.
The 5,000-pound satellite malfunctioned soon after it was launched in 2006, making it unresponsive to ground control. It is carrying a tank full of hydrazine, a toxic rocket fuel. The satellite, orbiting every 90 minutes or so, was expected to fall to Earth in February or March with its tank of hydrazine intact, possibly endangering human populations.
President Bush directed the Defense Department to engage the satellite just before it enters the atmosphere at about 150 miles above the Earth. The goal is for the missile to hit and rupture the tank of rocket fuel, causing the hydrazine to burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere, along with debris from the stricken satellite.
About 50 percent of debris produced by the missile strike is expected to burn up during the stricken satellite's first two orbits after being hit, the senior military officer said, with the rest burning up shortly after. The strike is designed to leave no space debris.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is to give the order to launch, based upon commanders' recommendations, the senior officer said. Gates will be advised as to the optimal time to launch by the commander of U.S. Strategic Command, based at Offutt Air Force Base, in Omaha, Neb.
All space sensor and missile-tracking activity related to the missile launch is being coordinated by the Joint Space Operations Center, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Sensors, such as large radars and telescopes, are being coordinated by the Joint Integrated Missile Defense Team in Colorado Springs, Colo., under the U.S. Army's Space and Missile Defense Command.
Three U.S. Navy ships -- the cruiser USS Lake Erie and the destroyers USS Decatur and USS Russell -- are posted in the Pacific Ocean waiting for an optimal time to launch, the senior officer said. The Erie is slated to shoot at the satellite, and it is fitted with two SM-3 missiles. The Decatur has one, and the Russell has none. The missiles were modified to carry additional sensor equipment for the mission, the senior officer said.
The launch will be conducted during daytime over the Pacific, the senior officer explained, so that all sensors involved can better track the results of the missile launch. Necessary criteria for launch include satisfactory alignment of all pre-launch sensor-supplied data, as well as favorable weather conditions, he said.
Currently, the wave height about the ships is unfavorable to launch, the officer said. However, this and other conditions are subject to change, he added.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 20, 2008 - The Pentagon has opened the window of time in which it will shoot down a malfunctioning U.S. reconnaissance satellite, a senior U.S. military officer said here today. Today's return of the space shuttle Atlantis to Earth prompted the start of the optimal time period for shooting down the satellite, which extends until about the end of the month, the senior officer told Pentagon reporters.
Only "tens of seconds" will be available each day for a favorable launch of a ship-based SM-3 interceptor missile, the senior officer said. "The window is small, ... but we're looking for the best orientation of the satellite" before launching the missile, the officer explained.
The 5,000-pound satellite malfunctioned soon after it was launched in 2006, making it unresponsive to ground control. It is carrying a tank full of hydrazine, a toxic rocket fuel. The satellite, orbiting every 90 minutes or so, was expected to fall to Earth in February or March with its tank of hydrazine intact, possibly endangering human populations.
President Bush directed the Defense Department to engage the satellite just before it enters the atmosphere at about 150 miles above the Earth. The goal is for the missile to hit and rupture the tank of rocket fuel, causing the hydrazine to burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere, along with debris from the stricken satellite.
About 50 percent of debris produced by the missile strike is expected to burn up during the stricken satellite's first two orbits after being hit, the senior military officer said, with the rest burning up shortly after. The strike is designed to leave no space debris.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is to give the order to launch, based upon commanders' recommendations, the senior officer said. Gates will be advised as to the optimal time to launch by the commander of U.S. Strategic Command, based at Offutt Air Force Base, in Omaha, Neb.
All space sensor and missile-tracking activity related to the missile launch is being coordinated by the Joint Space Operations Center, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Sensors, such as large radars and telescopes, are being coordinated by the Joint Integrated Missile Defense Team in Colorado Springs, Colo., under the U.S. Army's Space and Missile Defense Command.
Three U.S. Navy ships -- the cruiser USS Lake Erie and the destroyers USS Decatur and USS Russell -- are posted in the Pacific Ocean waiting for an optimal time to launch, the senior officer said. The Erie is slated to shoot at the satellite, and it is fitted with two SM-3 missiles. The Decatur has one, and the Russell has none. The missiles were modified to carry additional sensor equipment for the mission, the senior officer said.
The launch will be conducted during daytime over the Pacific, the senior officer explained, so that all sensors involved can better track the results of the missile launch. Necessary criteria for launch include satisfactory alignment of all pre-launch sensor-supplied data, as well as favorable weather conditions, he said.
Currently, the wave height about the ships is unfavorable to launch, the officer said. However, this and other conditions are subject to change, he added.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Bush Voices Support for Kosovo Independence
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 18, 2008 - President Bush voiced his support for Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia during an interview today with NBC in Arusha, Tanzania. "We'll watch and see how the events unfold today," Bush said about the Balkan state. "But, the Kosovars are now independent. It's something that I have advocated, along with my government."
Yesterday, U.S. and NATO officials urged restraint following Kosovo's declaration of independence. Kosovo, a 90-percent ethnic Albanian enclave, has been under the sovereignty of Serbia, where officials in the capital of Belgrade refused to relinquish the province.
As Albanian Kosovars celebrated yesterday's declaration with fireworks and parades, Serbia's prime minister dismissed Kosovo as a "false state" while protesters
converged on the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade and rioting occurred elsewhere, according to reports.
Kosovo has been under United Nations administration and policed by 16,000 NATO peacekeepers, known as KFOR, following a U.S.-led bombing campaign in 1999 that expelled the Serb army and prevented "ethnic cleansing" of the region's Albanians. Some 1,500 U.S. forces are stationed in the province as part of KFOR.
"During this sensitive period, KFOR will respond swiftly and firmly against anyone who might resort to violence in Kosovo," NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said in a statement yesterday. "NATO urges all parties involved to exercise the maximum restraint and moderation."
"On Kosovo, our position is that its status must be resolved in order for the Balkans to be stable," Bush said yesterday during a visit to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. "The United States will continue to work with our allies to do the very best we can to make sure there's no violence."
UN Special Envoy Marti Ahtisaari has drawn up a plan for Kosovo's "supervised independence," that has been widely accepted by leaders in the U.S. and European nations.
"We have strongly supported the Ahtisaari plan," Bush said yesterday, adding that he is encouraged that Kosovo's leaders have shown its willingness and desire to support the rights of the province's Serb minority.
"We also believe it's in Serbia's interests to be aligned with Europe, and the Serbian people can know that they have a friend in America," he said.
A statement issued yesterday by the U.S. State Department called on all parties to "exercise the utmost restraint and to refrain from any provocative act," according to a Reuters report.
"The United States is now reviewing the issue and discussing the matter with its European partners," the statement said. "We expect to issue a statement shortly."
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 18, 2008 - President Bush voiced his support for Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia during an interview today with NBC in Arusha, Tanzania. "We'll watch and see how the events unfold today," Bush said about the Balkan state. "But, the Kosovars are now independent. It's something that I have advocated, along with my government."
Yesterday, U.S. and NATO officials urged restraint following Kosovo's declaration of independence. Kosovo, a 90-percent ethnic Albanian enclave, has been under the sovereignty of Serbia, where officials in the capital of Belgrade refused to relinquish the province.
As Albanian Kosovars celebrated yesterday's declaration with fireworks and parades, Serbia's prime minister dismissed Kosovo as a "false state" while protesters
converged on the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade and rioting occurred elsewhere, according to reports.
Kosovo has been under United Nations administration and policed by 16,000 NATO peacekeepers, known as KFOR, following a U.S.-led bombing campaign in 1999 that expelled the Serb army and prevented "ethnic cleansing" of the region's Albanians. Some 1,500 U.S. forces are stationed in the province as part of KFOR.
"During this sensitive period, KFOR will respond swiftly and firmly against anyone who might resort to violence in Kosovo," NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said in a statement yesterday. "NATO urges all parties involved to exercise the maximum restraint and moderation."
"On Kosovo, our position is that its status must be resolved in order for the Balkans to be stable," Bush said yesterday during a visit to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. "The United States will continue to work with our allies to do the very best we can to make sure there's no violence."
UN Special Envoy Marti Ahtisaari has drawn up a plan for Kosovo's "supervised independence," that has been widely accepted by leaders in the U.S. and European nations.
"We have strongly supported the Ahtisaari plan," Bush said yesterday, adding that he is encouraged that Kosovo's leaders have shown its willingness and desire to support the rights of the province's Serb minority.
"We also believe it's in Serbia's interests to be aligned with Europe, and the Serbian people can know that they have a friend in America," he said.
A statement issued yesterday by the U.S. State Department called on all parties to "exercise the utmost restraint and to refrain from any provocative act," according to a Reuters report.
"The United States is now reviewing the issue and discussing the matter with its European partners," the statement said. "We expect to issue a statement shortly."
America Supports You: Group Packs Laughter in Care Packages
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 19, 2008 - If laughter is the best medicine, deployed troops are getting huge doses when they open care packages full of red clown noses. "The mission of The Red Nose Institute is to share the art of clowning, spread joy and laughter to our military, and perhaps boost their morale by the distribution of red foam noses," said Cheryl Herrington, the institute's president and a professional clown known as "Sweet Pea."
Clowning is a sideline for Herrington, who works as a psychiatric nurse and knows the value of a simple smile. She grew up as an Air Force "brat" and lost a brother in Vietnam.
"We mean no disrespect whatsoever to our military. Our only intent is to help improve their mental health by giving them something to smile about," she said. "And you have to admit, a red clown nose is pretty unexpected!"
If the photos on the Missouri-based institute's Web site are any indication, the noses are accomplishing their goal. In fact, families and friends who request the noses on behalf of servicemembers seem to have as much fun sending them as the servicemembers do receiving them, Herrington said.
Since the program began in July, Herrington and "Pappy," her partner in laughter and in this endeavor, have sent 10,000 red foam noses to troops. Recently, 525 of those went to a Coast Guard unit at the request of its commanding officer. He wanted to give the unit's members something to laugh about -- their deployment to patrol frigid waters during the holidays certainly wasn't doing that, according to the group's Web site.
Sweet Pea and Pappy -- a former Marine and also a professional clown -- can fill requests as small as 25 noses for an individual and up to 1,000 or more. There's no charge to the requestor or the recipients.
Though the duo's main intent is to brighten the troops' days, their secondary goal is no laughing matter.
"It is our hope that some noses will be given to children in communities where the troops are stationed," Herrington said. "We believe that by sharing the art of clowning, our servicemembers will have an opportunity to interact with the children and ... perhaps gain more understanding and awareness of them."
The flip side of that is that perhaps the children will begin to trust the servicemembers, Herrington said.
A new supporter of the Defense Department's America Supports You program, The Red Nose Institute is looking forward to the networking opportunities and exposure the affiliation will bring.
Herrington said the credibility of being associated with the Defense Department's program perhaps will be the greatest benefit, however.
"We are well aware that this project is not for everyone," she said. "Some folks see it as demeaning and totally miss the focus of The Red Nose Institute, which is only to put smiles on the face of our troops!"
The America Supports You program connects citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 19, 2008 - If laughter is the best medicine, deployed troops are getting huge doses when they open care packages full of red clown noses. "The mission of The Red Nose Institute is to share the art of clowning, spread joy and laughter to our military, and perhaps boost their morale by the distribution of red foam noses," said Cheryl Herrington, the institute's president and a professional clown known as "Sweet Pea."
Clowning is a sideline for Herrington, who works as a psychiatric nurse and knows the value of a simple smile. She grew up as an Air Force "brat" and lost a brother in Vietnam.
"We mean no disrespect whatsoever to our military. Our only intent is to help improve their mental health by giving them something to smile about," she said. "And you have to admit, a red clown nose is pretty unexpected!"
If the photos on the Missouri-based institute's Web site are any indication, the noses are accomplishing their goal. In fact, families and friends who request the noses on behalf of servicemembers seem to have as much fun sending them as the servicemembers do receiving them, Herrington said.
Since the program began in July, Herrington and "Pappy," her partner in laughter and in this endeavor, have sent 10,000 red foam noses to troops. Recently, 525 of those went to a Coast Guard unit at the request of its commanding officer. He wanted to give the unit's members something to laugh about -- their deployment to patrol frigid waters during the holidays certainly wasn't doing that, according to the group's Web site.
Sweet Pea and Pappy -- a former Marine and also a professional clown -- can fill requests as small as 25 noses for an individual and up to 1,000 or more. There's no charge to the requestor or the recipients.
Though the duo's main intent is to brighten the troops' days, their secondary goal is no laughing matter.
"It is our hope that some noses will be given to children in communities where the troops are stationed," Herrington said. "We believe that by sharing the art of clowning, our servicemembers will have an opportunity to interact with the children and ... perhaps gain more understanding and awareness of them."
The flip side of that is that perhaps the children will begin to trust the servicemembers, Herrington said.
A new supporter of the Defense Department's America Supports You program, The Red Nose Institute is looking forward to the networking opportunities and exposure the affiliation will bring.
Herrington said the credibility of being associated with the Defense Department's program perhaps will be the greatest benefit, however.
"We are well aware that this project is not for everyone," she said. "Some folks see it as demeaning and totally miss the focus of The Red Nose Institute, which is only to put smiles on the face of our troops!"
The America Supports You program connects citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.
Bush Voices Support for Kosovo Independence
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 18, 2008 - President Bush voiced his support for Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia during an interview today with NBC in Arusha, Tanzania. "We'll watch and see how the events unfold today," Bush said about the Balkan state. "But, the Kosovars are now independent. It's something that I have advocated, along with my government."
Yesterday, U.S. and NATO officials urged restraint following Kosovo's declaration of independence. Kosovo, a 90-percent ethnic Albanian enclave, has been under the sovereignty of Serbia, where officials in the capital of Belgrade refused to relinquish the province.
As Albanian Kosovars celebrated yesterday's declaration with fireworks and parades, Serbia's prime minister dismissed Kosovo as a "false state" while protesters
converged on the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade and rioting occurred elsewhere, according to reports.
Kosovo has been under United Nations administration and policed by 16,000 NATO peacekeepers, known as KFOR, following a U.S.-led bombing campaign in 1999 that expelled the Serb army and prevented "ethnic cleansing" of the region's Albanians. Some 1,500 U.S. forces are stationed in the province as part of KFOR.
"During this sensitive period, KFOR will respond swiftly and firmly against anyone who might resort to violence in Kosovo," NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said in a statement yesterday. "NATO urges all parties involved to exercise the maximum restraint and moderation."
"On Kosovo, our position is that its status must be resolved in order for the Balkans to be stable," Bush said yesterday during a visit to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. "The United States will continue to work with our allies to do the very best we can to make sure there's no violence."
UN Special Envoy Marti Ahtisaari has drawn up a plan for Kosovo's "supervised independence," that has been widely accepted by leaders in the U.S. and European nations.
"We have strongly supported the Ahtisaari plan," Bush said yesterday, adding that he is encouraged that Kosovo's leaders have shown its willingness and desire to support the rights of the province's Serb minority.
"We also believe it's in Serbia's interests to be aligned with Europe, and the Serbian people can know that they have a friend in America," he said.
A statement issued yesterday by the U.S. State Department called on all parties to "exercise the utmost restraint and to refrain from any provocative act," according to a Reuters report.
"The United States is now reviewing the issue and discussing the matter with its European partners," the statement said. "We expect to issue a statement shortly."
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 18, 2008 - President Bush voiced his support for Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia during an interview today with NBC in Arusha, Tanzania. "We'll watch and see how the events unfold today," Bush said about the Balkan state. "But, the Kosovars are now independent. It's something that I have advocated, along with my government."
Yesterday, U.S. and NATO officials urged restraint following Kosovo's declaration of independence. Kosovo, a 90-percent ethnic Albanian enclave, has been under the sovereignty of Serbia, where officials in the capital of Belgrade refused to relinquish the province.
As Albanian Kosovars celebrated yesterday's declaration with fireworks and parades, Serbia's prime minister dismissed Kosovo as a "false state" while protesters
converged on the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade and rioting occurred elsewhere, according to reports.
Kosovo has been under United Nations administration and policed by 16,000 NATO peacekeepers, known as KFOR, following a U.S.-led bombing campaign in 1999 that expelled the Serb army and prevented "ethnic cleansing" of the region's Albanians. Some 1,500 U.S. forces are stationed in the province as part of KFOR.
"During this sensitive period, KFOR will respond swiftly and firmly against anyone who might resort to violence in Kosovo," NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said in a statement yesterday. "NATO urges all parties involved to exercise the maximum restraint and moderation."
"On Kosovo, our position is that its status must be resolved in order for the Balkans to be stable," Bush said yesterday during a visit to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. "The United States will continue to work with our allies to do the very best we can to make sure there's no violence."
UN Special Envoy Marti Ahtisaari has drawn up a plan for Kosovo's "supervised independence," that has been widely accepted by leaders in the U.S. and European nations.
"We have strongly supported the Ahtisaari plan," Bush said yesterday, adding that he is encouraged that Kosovo's leaders have shown its willingness and desire to support the rights of the province's Serb minority.
"We also believe it's in Serbia's interests to be aligned with Europe, and the Serbian people can know that they have a friend in America," he said.
A statement issued yesterday by the U.S. State Department called on all parties to "exercise the utmost restraint and to refrain from any provocative act," according to a Reuters report.
"The United States is now reviewing the issue and discussing the matter with its European partners," the statement said. "We expect to issue a statement shortly."
Window to Open for Satellite Shoot-Down, Gates to Issue Order
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 19, 2008 - The anticipated landing tomorrow of the space shuttle Atlantis will open the window of opportunity for the U.S. military to shoot down a dying intelligence satellite headed toward Earth, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said today. President Bush has authorized Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates to give the shoot-down order, and the secretary received a briefing on the plan today, Morrell said. The secretary is prepared to make that call from the road, if necessary, during his nine-day, around-the-world trip that begins tomorrow, he said.
Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters last week the window of opportunity for shooting down the satellite would last seven or eight days.
"We have a pretty wide aperture with which to take this shot," Morrell said today. "I think the commanders that are evaluating this are looking at all the conditions that could impact this to make sure that when we do take this shot, it can be as successful as possible."
Cartwright, Air Force Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, and other experts across the military and U.S. government "are evaluating the situation and will advise the secretary when they have a shot to take," Morrell said.
Pentagon officials began studying the situation in early January when it become clear that a malfunctioning U.S. spy satellite could cause death or injury if it fell in a populated area. Of particular concern is that the satellite could release hydrazine, a toxic chemical used as a maneuvering fuel.
A Pentagon plan was put together to strike the incoming satellite just above the atmosphere, rupturing the hydrazine tank in the process.
All systems appear to be "go" for the launch order. The Navy has prepared for the mission by modifying three SM-3 missiles aboard Aegis ships to strike the satellite, Cartwright said last week.
The international community has been informed of the mission and why it's being conducted, Morrell said. "So I think everybody is up to date on what our thinking is and what our course of action is going to be, and we will keep them apprised of how it develops over the coming days," he said.
The Federal Aviation Administration today issued a 24-hour notice warning aircraft and ships to steer clear of the projected shoot-down zone in the Pacific. New warnings will be issued every 24 hours during the anticipated shoot-down window, Morrell said.
The Pentagon will issue a written statement within an hour of the launch and will hold a news conference regarding the effort within the following hours, Morrell told reporters. "We can probably tell you at that point whether or not there has been an intercept," but not necessarily if it destroyed the fuel tank, he said. "That may require some additional time," he acknowledged.
Cartwright and other commanders associated with the mission "have a high confidence this engagement will indeed be successful, and I think Secretary Gates shares that confidence," Morrell told reporters.
Morrell emphasized that the mission isn't designed to test U.S. anti-satellite capabilities. "We did that in 1985. Been there, done that," he said.
"This operation is designed to alleviate a threat to human beings on this planet. There is a large tank of hydrazine fuel onboard that satellite that would pose a significant threat to people within the immediate vicinity of it if it were to hit land," Morrell said. "So not wishing to take that risk, the president has asked -- ordered -- this department to shoot down that satellite.
"And that is what we are now evaluating," he continued, "and that is what the secretary will decide to do, based upon the advice of the commanders."
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 19, 2008 - The anticipated landing tomorrow of the space shuttle Atlantis will open the window of opportunity for the U.S. military to shoot down a dying intelligence satellite headed toward Earth, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said today. President Bush has authorized Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates to give the shoot-down order, and the secretary received a briefing on the plan today, Morrell said. The secretary is prepared to make that call from the road, if necessary, during his nine-day, around-the-world trip that begins tomorrow, he said.
Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters last week the window of opportunity for shooting down the satellite would last seven or eight days.
"We have a pretty wide aperture with which to take this shot," Morrell said today. "I think the commanders that are evaluating this are looking at all the conditions that could impact this to make sure that when we do take this shot, it can be as successful as possible."
Cartwright, Air Force Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, and other experts across the military and U.S. government "are evaluating the situation and will advise the secretary when they have a shot to take," Morrell said.
Pentagon officials began studying the situation in early January when it become clear that a malfunctioning U.S. spy satellite could cause death or injury if it fell in a populated area. Of particular concern is that the satellite could release hydrazine, a toxic chemical used as a maneuvering fuel.
A Pentagon plan was put together to strike the incoming satellite just above the atmosphere, rupturing the hydrazine tank in the process.
All systems appear to be "go" for the launch order. The Navy has prepared for the mission by modifying three SM-3 missiles aboard Aegis ships to strike the satellite, Cartwright said last week.
The international community has been informed of the mission and why it's being conducted, Morrell said. "So I think everybody is up to date on what our thinking is and what our course of action is going to be, and we will keep them apprised of how it develops over the coming days," he said.
The Federal Aviation Administration today issued a 24-hour notice warning aircraft and ships to steer clear of the projected shoot-down zone in the Pacific. New warnings will be issued every 24 hours during the anticipated shoot-down window, Morrell said.
The Pentagon will issue a written statement within an hour of the launch and will hold a news conference regarding the effort within the following hours, Morrell told reporters. "We can probably tell you at that point whether or not there has been an intercept," but not necessarily if it destroyed the fuel tank, he said. "That may require some additional time," he acknowledged.
Cartwright and other commanders associated with the mission "have a high confidence this engagement will indeed be successful, and I think Secretary Gates shares that confidence," Morrell told reporters.
Morrell emphasized that the mission isn't designed to test U.S. anti-satellite capabilities. "We did that in 1985. Been there, done that," he said.
"This operation is designed to alleviate a threat to human beings on this planet. There is a large tank of hydrazine fuel onboard that satellite that would pose a significant threat to people within the immediate vicinity of it if it were to hit land," Morrell said. "So not wishing to take that risk, the president has asked -- ordered -- this department to shoot down that satellite.
"And that is what we are now evaluating," he continued, "and that is what the secretary will decide to do, based upon the advice of the commanders."
Gates Discusses Adriatic Charter Defense Ministers' NATO Aspirations
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 19, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met today with the defense ministers of Albania, Croatia and Macedonia to discuss their progress in making the reforms required for them to join NATO, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters. Gates hosted Albanian Defense Minister Fatmir Mediu, Croatian Defense Minister Branko Vukelic and Macedonian Defense Minister Lazar Elenovski as part of the fourth annual U.S.-Adriatic Charter defense ministerial conference.
This year's conference is the first to be held in the United States, and today's secretary-level session kicked off lower-level sessions slated to start tomorrow and wrap up early Feb. 21, Morrell said.
The Adriatic Charter was formed in May 2003 to help Albania, Croatia and Macedonia work toward becoming NATO members. The United States, which signed on as a partner in the charter, agreed to continue helping the three NATO aspirants make the reforms required to join the alliance.
During today's meeting, the leaders discussed relations among their countries, NATO enlargement and the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, Morrell said. In August 2005, the Adriatic Charter sent a joint 12-person medical team to NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, marking its first jointly conducted international mission. In addition, both Albania and Macedonia are members of the coalition in Iraq.
"These are all countries that are certainly punching above their weight class when it comes to their contributions to those respective wars," Morrell said.
The issue of Kosovo, which declared its independence from Serbia Feb. 17, also arose during the discussions, Morrell said. However, the talks did not venture into discussions about the Kosovo Force mission, which Morrell emphasized is not affected by the Kosovars' declaration of independence. That mission "remains as it has been, to provide a safe and secure environment, and to do so in an impartial and fair way," he said.
U.S. forces, which make up about 10 percent of the 16,000 KFOR troops, "will remain there for at least the foreseeable future," Morrell said.
The Adriatic Charter agreement reaffirms the parties' shared commitment to strengthening democratic institutions, civil society, rule of law, market economies and NATO-compatible militaries. The countries also agree to fight corruption and crime and promote human rights and civil liberties in Albania, Croatia, Macedonia and other southeastern European countries.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 19, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met today with the defense ministers of Albania, Croatia and Macedonia to discuss their progress in making the reforms required for them to join NATO, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters. Gates hosted Albanian Defense Minister Fatmir Mediu, Croatian Defense Minister Branko Vukelic and Macedonian Defense Minister Lazar Elenovski as part of the fourth annual U.S.-Adriatic Charter defense ministerial conference.
This year's conference is the first to be held in the United States, and today's secretary-level session kicked off lower-level sessions slated to start tomorrow and wrap up early Feb. 21, Morrell said.
The Adriatic Charter was formed in May 2003 to help Albania, Croatia and Macedonia work toward becoming NATO members. The United States, which signed on as a partner in the charter, agreed to continue helping the three NATO aspirants make the reforms required to join the alliance.
During today's meeting, the leaders discussed relations among their countries, NATO enlargement and the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, Morrell said. In August 2005, the Adriatic Charter sent a joint 12-person medical team to NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, marking its first jointly conducted international mission. In addition, both Albania and Macedonia are members of the coalition in Iraq.
"These are all countries that are certainly punching above their weight class when it comes to their contributions to those respective wars," Morrell said.
The issue of Kosovo, which declared its independence from Serbia Feb. 17, also arose during the discussions, Morrell said. However, the talks did not venture into discussions about the Kosovo Force mission, which Morrell emphasized is not affected by the Kosovars' declaration of independence. That mission "remains as it has been, to provide a safe and secure environment, and to do so in an impartial and fair way," he said.
U.S. forces, which make up about 10 percent of the 16,000 KFOR troops, "will remain there for at least the foreseeable future," Morrell said.
The Adriatic Charter agreement reaffirms the parties' shared commitment to strengthening democratic institutions, civil society, rule of law, market economies and NATO-compatible militaries. The countries also agree to fight corruption and crime and promote human rights and civil liberties in Albania, Croatia, Macedonia and other southeastern European countries.
Combating Illicit Trafficking in Nuclear and Other Radioactive Material
The IAEA released a reference manual that details how to prevent, detect, and respond to an incidence of nuclear terrorism. Combating Illicit Trafficking in Nuclear and Other Radioactive Material serves as a how-to booklet on several topics related to criminal acts involving nuclear and radioactive material. The 150+ page text is intended for a broad audience, including law enforcement agencies, legislators, customs and border patrol personnel, intelligence officials, emergency response teams and users of nuclear technology.
More Information
http://terrorism-online.blogspot.com/2008/02/combating-illicit-trafficking-in.html
More Information
http://terrorism-online.blogspot.com/2008/02/combating-illicit-trafficking-in.html
Monday, February 18, 2008
MANHUNTING
February 18, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Military-Writers.com is a website committed to listing servicemembers who have authored books. The website added former U.S. Air Force servicemember George Crawford to the growing list of military personnel who have authored books.
George Crawford served over 22 years in the most sensitive, trusted positions in intelligence, special operations and ballistic missiles. His highly decorated Air Force military career includes “boots-on-the-ground” operational experience ranging from hostile-fire zones in the Balkans, Central Asia and Afghanistan to key command positions in the United States, Europe and Asia. George Crawford is the author of Manhunting: Reversing the Polarity of Warfare.
According to the description of Manhunting: Reversing the Polarity of Warfare, “Six years after terrorist attacks shocked the world, news headlines portray petty politics, backstabbing bureaucrats and a mired military. How did a small group of extremists frustrate the most powerful nation on the planet? The author, a seasoned special operations intelligence officer, answers the question. America is fighting a twenty-first-century conflict with a national security establishment that was created for the middle of the twentieth century.
Examining trends in military history, the author traces America’s gradual shift toward a new national security strategy. Setting outdated war fighting concepts on their head, he proposes a solution. We can influence, capture, or if necessary kill those who would harm our people. Manhunting, a radical new form of warfare, promises to solve not only the terrorist dilemma. By adopting Manhunting doctrine, we could make warfare personal to our enemies, reverse the polarity of warfare and ensure U.S. security for the next century.”
Military-Writers.com currently lists 74 current or former military servicemembers and their 152 books.
George Crawford served over 22 years in the most sensitive, trusted positions in intelligence, special operations and ballistic missiles. His highly decorated Air Force military career includes “boots-on-the-ground” operational experience ranging from hostile-fire zones in the Balkans, Central Asia and Afghanistan to key command positions in the United States, Europe and Asia. George Crawford is the author of Manhunting: Reversing the Polarity of Warfare.
According to the description of Manhunting: Reversing the Polarity of Warfare, “Six years after terrorist attacks shocked the world, news headlines portray petty politics, backstabbing bureaucrats and a mired military. How did a small group of extremists frustrate the most powerful nation on the planet? The author, a seasoned special operations intelligence officer, answers the question. America is fighting a twenty-first-century conflict with a national security establishment that was created for the middle of the twentieth century.
Examining trends in military history, the author traces America’s gradual shift toward a new national security strategy. Setting outdated war fighting concepts on their head, he proposes a solution. We can influence, capture, or if necessary kill those who would harm our people. Manhunting, a radical new form of warfare, promises to solve not only the terrorist dilemma. By adopting Manhunting doctrine, we could make warfare personal to our enemies, reverse the polarity of warfare and ensure U.S. security for the next century.”
Military-Writers.com currently lists 74 current or former military servicemembers and their 152 books.
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