By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
May 9, 2008 - They didn't have any lines, and if it weren't for their bright colors against the spartan background of a C-17 Globemaster's cargo bay, quilts produced by the South Carolina Quilts of Valor troop-support organization might have gone unnoticed. But their cameo appearance in a scene of Lifetime Network's military drama "Army Wives," however, reflects the importance the quilts have in the lives of real servicemembers.
Susan Thomas, president of the quilt-making group, said Air Force Reserve Capt. Wayne Capps, public affairs officer for the 315th Airlift Wing here, suggested to the show's staff that they use her organization's quilts in a scene while coordinating details of the May 5 filming here of parts of the upcoming season's fourth episode.
"It's just so inspiring, just to know that somebody cares enough to say, 'We want to show this,'" she said.
When their 15 minutes of fame ended, the quilts were boxed up and sent overseas with a note letting recipients know about their quilts' star status.
South Carolina Quilts of Valor is part of the national Quilts of Valor Foundation that started four years ago. The mission of the foundation, and all its chapters, is to cover every wounded servicemember with a quilt to let them know how much they're appreciated.
In the three and a half years since it began, the South Carolina chapter has completed 660 of the quilts, ranging from 50 by 60 inches to 62 by 72 inches in size, just right for use on the litters used to transport wounded warriors on aeromedical airlift flights.
The nearly 30 group members spend about three weeks and a little over $100 to create each heirloom-quality quilt, using only quilt store fabric and a particular kind of batting that ensures they're soft and will hold up to the rigors of a hospital stay.
Despite the seemingly small number of quilters in the chapter, their quilts are anything but cookie-cutter.
"We send a variety," Thomas said. "In fact, [an Army chaplain] sent me an e-mail after he received his box and ... said, 'I love to turn your boxes upside-down and watch the colors fall out.'"
The differing patterns do more than keep one quilt from looking like the next, Thomas said. The pattern name often is included on the label, which raises some curiosity in the recipients.
Two quilt recipients have told the group that they go online to look at the organization's Web site and to research the history of the pattern. "It gives them something to do in the hospital," Thomas explained.
While she never knows where her group's quilts will end up when they're shipped overseas, Thomas said she knows for a fact that they have a huge impact on the recipients.
The half dozen quilts used in the "Army Wives" episode theoretically will end up at the fictional Fort Marshall, where the show is set. But their real impact will be much broader. They not only will bring comfort to real servicemembers, but also will shine a spotlight on Quilts of Valor Foundation's less-recognized chapters, Thomas said.
"Army Wives" second season begins June 8 at 10 p.m. on Lifetime Network.
Editor's Note: To find out about more individuals, groups and organizations that are helping to support the nation's servicemembers, visit www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil. America Supports You directly connects military members to the support of the America people and offers a tool to the general public in their quest to find meaningful ways to support the military community.
Friday, May 09, 2008
Armed Forces Make Progress in Regenerative Medicine
By Jamie Findlater
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 8, 2008 - Thanks to great strides in medical care, today's U.S. warriors have a 50 percent greater chance of survival if they're wounded on the battlefield than their Vietnam War counterparts did. State-of-the-art prosthetics help troops who have lost a limb resume many, and in some cases all, of their pre-injury activities. The Defense Department is hoping to find new and even better ways to help the nation's warriors as it researches a field called regenerative medicine that would enable people to generate new skin and even grow new limbs, Army Col. (Dr.) Robert Vandre told online journalists and "bloggers" in a conference call yesterday.
Vandre, research area director for combat casualty care research at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, has fielded the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine, a consortium that has the top scientists in the field working with the Army to drastically improve the quality of life of wounded servicemembers.
Statistics show that 82 percent of returning wounded servicemembers have extremity injuries, 33 percent have wounds to the face or head, and 5 to 6 percent have burns, Vandre said. He noted that thanks to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, prosthetics for wounded warriors have come a long way in recent years.
"DARPA has great programs in place for prosthetics," he noted, "but we are hoping that eventually there will be no need for prosthetics."
Vandre said doctors often are forced to remove limbs because they know that if they don't, the injured servicemember would always be in excruciating pain, and unable to function normally. The Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine is working to find ways to improve chances of recovery and regeneration that would encourage doctors to keep damaged limbs in place.
"The idea is to use stem cells to put people back together and re-grow the cells that are damaged," Vandre said. The scientists use adult stem cells from the actual patients in their research to minimize the likelihood of rejection.
"Aside from guaranteeing that the body will likely accept the new stem cells, adult stem cells are also less likely than fetal stem cells to cause cancer," he said.
Vandre explained a process called extracellular matrix, in which scientists are working to re-grow damaged muscles.
"Currently, if someone has a wound right in the middle of the muscle and is missing the middle third part, there is not much you can do," he explained. "But with regenerative growth, you can tie the ends back together."
Vandre said the ability to produce new skin should be available in the next few years. "We will easily be able to do things like replace ears and the tip of the nose," he said.
Seven of the 10 top regenerative scientists in the United States are part of the institute, Vandre said, calling that a great indication of its potential for success. "It's really a dream team of people," he said.
The team is funded by $85 million in Department of Defense and National Institute of Health research funding and an additional $80 million generated through state and university grants.
"Since many of these scientists are already pretty big-name people, they already have grants from NIH and the National Science Foundation that adds about another 100 million worth of research to the total equation," he said.
Funding is key, he said, because it determines how many ideas can go forward as projects. "Out of 100 things you work on in the lab, only one becomes a project," he said. "We are bringing the gap by providing the funding to bring some of these projects to fruition, translating basic research to affect actual people."
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 8, 2008 - Thanks to great strides in medical care, today's U.S. warriors have a 50 percent greater chance of survival if they're wounded on the battlefield than their Vietnam War counterparts did. State-of-the-art prosthetics help troops who have lost a limb resume many, and in some cases all, of their pre-injury activities. The Defense Department is hoping to find new and even better ways to help the nation's warriors as it researches a field called regenerative medicine that would enable people to generate new skin and even grow new limbs, Army Col. (Dr.) Robert Vandre told online journalists and "bloggers" in a conference call yesterday.
Vandre, research area director for combat casualty care research at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, has fielded the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine, a consortium that has the top scientists in the field working with the Army to drastically improve the quality of life of wounded servicemembers.
Statistics show that 82 percent of returning wounded servicemembers have extremity injuries, 33 percent have wounds to the face or head, and 5 to 6 percent have burns, Vandre said. He noted that thanks to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, prosthetics for wounded warriors have come a long way in recent years.
"DARPA has great programs in place for prosthetics," he noted, "but we are hoping that eventually there will be no need for prosthetics."
Vandre said doctors often are forced to remove limbs because they know that if they don't, the injured servicemember would always be in excruciating pain, and unable to function normally. The Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine is working to find ways to improve chances of recovery and regeneration that would encourage doctors to keep damaged limbs in place.
"The idea is to use stem cells to put people back together and re-grow the cells that are damaged," Vandre said. The scientists use adult stem cells from the actual patients in their research to minimize the likelihood of rejection.
"Aside from guaranteeing that the body will likely accept the new stem cells, adult stem cells are also less likely than fetal stem cells to cause cancer," he said.
Vandre explained a process called extracellular matrix, in which scientists are working to re-grow damaged muscles.
"Currently, if someone has a wound right in the middle of the muscle and is missing the middle third part, there is not much you can do," he explained. "But with regenerative growth, you can tie the ends back together."
Vandre said the ability to produce new skin should be available in the next few years. "We will easily be able to do things like replace ears and the tip of the nose," he said.
Seven of the 10 top regenerative scientists in the United States are part of the institute, Vandre said, calling that a great indication of its potential for success. "It's really a dream team of people," he said.
The team is funded by $85 million in Department of Defense and National Institute of Health research funding and an additional $80 million generated through state and university grants.
"Since many of these scientists are already pretty big-name people, they already have grants from NIH and the National Science Foundation that adds about another 100 million worth of research to the total equation," he said.
Funding is key, he said, because it determines how many ideas can go forward as projects. "Out of 100 things you work on in the lab, only one becomes a project," he said. "We are bringing the gap by providing the funding to bring some of these projects to fruition, translating basic research to affect actual people."
America Supports You: Group Provides Reading Program at Military Hospitals
By Air Force Maj. (Dr.) Renee Cevey
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 8, 2008 - Wilford Hall Medical Center here has launched a new program emphasizing the importance of literacy to parents and children alike. Reach Out and Read, a national nonprofit organization, uses several methods to promote early literacy as part of routine pediatric care, including having volunteers reading aloud in pediatric waiting rooms.
Its main approach, though, is to promote literacy during well-baby or well-child visits for children from ages 6 months through 4 years. Pediatric providers trained in the Reach Out and Read model offer age-appropriate tips to emphasize to parents and caretakers the importance of reading aloud to children. The parents also are encouraged to invent stories to go with pictures in the books.
During each of these visits, the child receives a new developmentally appropriate book to keep.
Reach Out and Read's programs are located in more than 3,700 hospitals and health centers in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands. Through these programs, more than 5.4 million new books are distributed each year to more than 3.4 million children and their families.
In 2007, Reach Out and Read teamed up with the Defense Department and its Office of Family Policy, Children and Youth to implement the institution of the organization's programs in up to 20 military health care facilities across the nation.
Research demonstrates that parents who are encouraged by their pediatric providers to read aloud to their children are more likely to do so, and consequently report reading aloud as a favorite activity to share with their children. Furthermore, children who are read to during the first years of life are much more likely to learn to read on schedule, contributing to later school success.
Reach Out and Read helps parents understand developmental stages, builds routines that reassure children, and develops skills and knowledge essential for families being tested by separation and deployment.
The organization is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.
(Air Force Maj. (Dr.) Renee Cevey serves at Wilford Hall Medical Center.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 8, 2008 - Wilford Hall Medical Center here has launched a new program emphasizing the importance of literacy to parents and children alike. Reach Out and Read, a national nonprofit organization, uses several methods to promote early literacy as part of routine pediatric care, including having volunteers reading aloud in pediatric waiting rooms.
Its main approach, though, is to promote literacy during well-baby or well-child visits for children from ages 6 months through 4 years. Pediatric providers trained in the Reach Out and Read model offer age-appropriate tips to emphasize to parents and caretakers the importance of reading aloud to children. The parents also are encouraged to invent stories to go with pictures in the books.
During each of these visits, the child receives a new developmentally appropriate book to keep.
Reach Out and Read's programs are located in more than 3,700 hospitals and health centers in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands. Through these programs, more than 5.4 million new books are distributed each year to more than 3.4 million children and their families.
In 2007, Reach Out and Read teamed up with the Defense Department and its Office of Family Policy, Children and Youth to implement the institution of the organization's programs in up to 20 military health care facilities across the nation.
Research demonstrates that parents who are encouraged by their pediatric providers to read aloud to their children are more likely to do so, and consequently report reading aloud as a favorite activity to share with their children. Furthermore, children who are read to during the first years of life are much more likely to learn to read on schedule, contributing to later school success.
Reach Out and Read helps parents understand developmental stages, builds routines that reassure children, and develops skills and knowledge essential for families being tested by separation and deployment.
The organization is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.
(Air Force Maj. (Dr.) Renee Cevey serves at Wilford Hall Medical Center.)
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Pentagon Seeks to Fund University Research in National Security
By Navy Seaman William Selby
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 8, 2008 - The Defense Department is developing a proposal to finance university research on national security-related issues, a senior Pentagon official said yesterday. The Minerva Consortia, as it's called, would have the academic and intellectual communities focus on certain physical and social sciences, Thomas Mahnken, deputy assistant secretary of defense for policy planning, said in a teleconference with online journalists and "bloggers."
"We, as a Defense Department, don't have the expertise that we really need," Mahnken said. "We, as a nation, need to cultivate that expertise."
While DoD already researches both basic and applied physical sciences, Mahnken said, research in social science needs beefing up.
Though some issues surround research of social sciences, Mahnken said, funding should not be one of them.
"One of the virtues of social science research, as opposed to the physical science research, is it's relatively inexpensive," Mahnken said. "This is an area where 2 or 3 million dollars actually goes a long way."
Mahnken said that although the government already uses organizations such as the National Security Agency for social-science research, the goal in the DoD proposal is to bridge a fundamental gap between academia and the government in social sciences.
That gap, he explained, puts the government at a disadvantage in understanding some of the challenges the United States faces worldwide and as a nation, Mahnken said.
Mahnken said another motive is to help college students receive more funding for their education.
"We see this as being able to fund kind of a new generation of scholars," he said. "I've gotten a lot of letters of support from the university community."
To get the Minerva Consortia project to move forward, solid funding is a must, Mahnken said.
"This is the type of research that you don't just turn the crank and produce something overnight," he said. "So we want to provide a stable funding base."
(Navy Seaman William Selby works for the New Media branch of American Forces Information Service.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 8, 2008 - The Defense Department is developing a proposal to finance university research on national security-related issues, a senior Pentagon official said yesterday. The Minerva Consortia, as it's called, would have the academic and intellectual communities focus on certain physical and social sciences, Thomas Mahnken, deputy assistant secretary of defense for policy planning, said in a teleconference with online journalists and "bloggers."
"We, as a Defense Department, don't have the expertise that we really need," Mahnken said. "We, as a nation, need to cultivate that expertise."
While DoD already researches both basic and applied physical sciences, Mahnken said, research in social science needs beefing up.
Though some issues surround research of social sciences, Mahnken said, funding should not be one of them.
"One of the virtues of social science research, as opposed to the physical science research, is it's relatively inexpensive," Mahnken said. "This is an area where 2 or 3 million dollars actually goes a long way."
Mahnken said that although the government already uses organizations such as the National Security Agency for social-science research, the goal in the DoD proposal is to bridge a fundamental gap between academia and the government in social sciences.
That gap, he explained, puts the government at a disadvantage in understanding some of the challenges the United States faces worldwide and as a nation, Mahnken said.
Mahnken said another motive is to help college students receive more funding for their education.
"We see this as being able to fund kind of a new generation of scholars," he said. "I've gotten a lot of letters of support from the university community."
To get the Minerva Consortia project to move forward, solid funding is a must, Mahnken said.
"This is the type of research that you don't just turn the crank and produce something overnight," he said. "So we want to provide a stable funding base."
(Navy Seaman William Selby works for the New Media branch of American Forces Information Service.)
Face of Defense: 15th-Generation Rabbi Helps Airmen Keep Faith
By Air Force Senior Airman Tong Duong
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 8, 2008 - The candle flame performed a slow, mesmerizing dance as it flickered from one side of the wick to the other. The light softly illuminated his face as his silhouette became a portion of the projection behind him -- images of Holocaust victims. Soft-spoken yet with a stern demeanor, Chaplain (Capt.) Raphael Berdugo's eyes glistened as he solemnly lead a prayer. More than 30 servicemembers bowed their heads to pay their respects during the Holocaust Remembrance Vigil held at a base in Southwest Asia on May 2 to remember the more than 6 million lives lost in the Nazis' genocide of Jews during World War Two.
One of only nine rabbis in the Air Force and the only one in the U.S. Air Forces Central region, Berdugo's area of responsibility extends far beyond the base.
"I once received a call in the middle of the night from the wing chaplain of a different base, asking me what would be appropriate to do as a memorial service for a fallen Jewish servicemember," said the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing chaplain from McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.
A 15th-generation rabbi, he said one of his many tasks includes leading his people to a righteous path.
"First and foremost, [being a rabbi] means being a positive role model for others and a visible reminder of what's holy," Berdugo said. "It also involves being a representative -- almost like an ambassador -- for the Jewish people and helping them with their religious needs."
One of those religious needs is keeping a strictly kosher diet, which has been easy thanks to the efforts of the 379th Expeditionary Services Squadron members, Berdugo said, noting that he received several requests for kosher versions of the military rations known as MREs: meals, ready to eat. With the help of the services squadron, he said, several cases of kosher MREs were sent to numerous locations in the area of operations.
Berdugo said he brings a different perspective to the table and that others enjoy asking questions about his religion and learning about Judaism.
"I am very often the first rabbi that most airmen have ever met," he said.
Some are curious about the significance of his camouflage-patterned yarmulke, the small, round cap he wears on top of his head. Its origination comes from a combination of two Hebrew words -- "Yare" and "Malka" -- meaning "fear of the king," he said. "Basically, we wear it to remind ourselves to be submissive to the one above."
Any servicemember whose faith requires the head to be covered is authorized to wear an item such as a yarmulke in uniform, the rabbi pointed out.
With a relatively small Jewish population here, Berdugo's religious services are only a small portion of the work he does, allowing him to focus on visitation and other aspects of a chaplain's ministry.
"[I am] readily accessible to the airmen in all squadrons," he said. "After all, I am a pastoral caregiver for people of all faiths."
Ordained 15 years ago, Berdugo said being a Jewish religious leader was something he felt he was born to do.
"Becoming a rabbi was something I grew into," the father of three boys and two girls said. "Even at the young age of 12, while my parents ministered to the adults, I would minister to the children."
Born a British citizen in Dublin, Ireland, to Moroccan parents, Berdugo said he always has felt that a higher power had intervened and guided his path to becoming an ordained minister and ultimately joining the U.S. Air Force.
"My education led to my becoming an ordained rabbi," he said. "After receiving my rabbinical ordination from Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, N.J., I applied for and received my green card. I started out as a middle school teacher, and for 10 years I taught the Torah and Judaic subjects at a private Jewish school."
Berdugo said he thought he would end his career as a school principal, but after becoming a naturalized American citizen in 1999, he was recruited for the Air Force chaplaincy.
"Although I joined as a reservist, I knew that one day I would become active duty," he said.
Military service is not new to Berdugo's family; his uncle is serving as a chaplain in the French army. Berdugo said he would like for his children to follow in his footsteps.
"My wish is for at least one of my five children to carry on the family tradition," he said.
(Air Force Senior Airman Tong Duong serves in the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs Office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 8, 2008 - The candle flame performed a slow, mesmerizing dance as it flickered from one side of the wick to the other. The light softly illuminated his face as his silhouette became a portion of the projection behind him -- images of Holocaust victims. Soft-spoken yet with a stern demeanor, Chaplain (Capt.) Raphael Berdugo's eyes glistened as he solemnly lead a prayer. More than 30 servicemembers bowed their heads to pay their respects during the Holocaust Remembrance Vigil held at a base in Southwest Asia on May 2 to remember the more than 6 million lives lost in the Nazis' genocide of Jews during World War Two.
One of only nine rabbis in the Air Force and the only one in the U.S. Air Forces Central region, Berdugo's area of responsibility extends far beyond the base.
"I once received a call in the middle of the night from the wing chaplain of a different base, asking me what would be appropriate to do as a memorial service for a fallen Jewish servicemember," said the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing chaplain from McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.
A 15th-generation rabbi, he said one of his many tasks includes leading his people to a righteous path.
"First and foremost, [being a rabbi] means being a positive role model for others and a visible reminder of what's holy," Berdugo said. "It also involves being a representative -- almost like an ambassador -- for the Jewish people and helping them with their religious needs."
One of those religious needs is keeping a strictly kosher diet, which has been easy thanks to the efforts of the 379th Expeditionary Services Squadron members, Berdugo said, noting that he received several requests for kosher versions of the military rations known as MREs: meals, ready to eat. With the help of the services squadron, he said, several cases of kosher MREs were sent to numerous locations in the area of operations.
Berdugo said he brings a different perspective to the table and that others enjoy asking questions about his religion and learning about Judaism.
"I am very often the first rabbi that most airmen have ever met," he said.
Some are curious about the significance of his camouflage-patterned yarmulke, the small, round cap he wears on top of his head. Its origination comes from a combination of two Hebrew words -- "Yare" and "Malka" -- meaning "fear of the king," he said. "Basically, we wear it to remind ourselves to be submissive to the one above."
Any servicemember whose faith requires the head to be covered is authorized to wear an item such as a yarmulke in uniform, the rabbi pointed out.
With a relatively small Jewish population here, Berdugo's religious services are only a small portion of the work he does, allowing him to focus on visitation and other aspects of a chaplain's ministry.
"[I am] readily accessible to the airmen in all squadrons," he said. "After all, I am a pastoral caregiver for people of all faiths."
Ordained 15 years ago, Berdugo said being a Jewish religious leader was something he felt he was born to do.
"Becoming a rabbi was something I grew into," the father of three boys and two girls said. "Even at the young age of 12, while my parents ministered to the adults, I would minister to the children."
Born a British citizen in Dublin, Ireland, to Moroccan parents, Berdugo said he always has felt that a higher power had intervened and guided his path to becoming an ordained minister and ultimately joining the U.S. Air Force.
"My education led to my becoming an ordained rabbi," he said. "After receiving my rabbinical ordination from Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, N.J., I applied for and received my green card. I started out as a middle school teacher, and for 10 years I taught the Torah and Judaic subjects at a private Jewish school."
Berdugo said he thought he would end his career as a school principal, but after becoming a naturalized American citizen in 1999, he was recruited for the Air Force chaplaincy.
"Although I joined as a reservist, I knew that one day I would become active duty," he said.
Military service is not new to Berdugo's family; his uncle is serving as a chaplain in the French army. Berdugo said he would like for his children to follow in his footsteps.
"My wish is for at least one of my five children to carry on the family tradition," he said.
(Air Force Senior Airman Tong Duong serves in the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs Office.)
Waiver Recipients Take Advantage of 'Second Chance' in Army
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
May 8, 2008 - Army recruits who joined the ranks on conduct waivers are slightly more prone to misconduct, but also are promoted faster, re-enlist in higher numbers and represent higher-quality recruits than recruits who enlisted without needing a conduct waiver, an internal Army study revealed. The analysis, conducted late last year, compared the re-enlistment rates, performance and effects on recruiting standards of soldiers who didn't need a conduct waiver to enlist to those whose prior malfeasance was waived.
"For the most part, the individuals that we're bringing in [on waivers] are not the folks that are dabbling in crime," said Army Maj. Jake LaPorte, who works in the strength forecasting division of the Army's personnel, policy and guidance office. "I think they're the ones who have had a mistake, and we're giving them a second chance."
The Army runs potential recruits convicted of a felony or of both serious and minor offenses through a 10-person review. Before a waiver is granted, a general officer must approve the enlistment.
The study sample was made up of first-time recruits from fiscal 2003 to 2006, allowing time for re-enlistment figures to emerge. Findings that reflect positively on waiver recipients include:
-- The conduct-waiver population from fiscal 2003 re-enlisted at a higher rate -- 28.4 percent -- compared to a rate of 26.7 percent for soldiers who didn't need conduct waivers;
-- The infantry conduct-waiver population was promoted to sergeant faster, at 34.7 months of service vs. 39;
-- The conduct-waiver population had a higher ratio of valorous awards, 13.87 percent vs. 12.73 percent; and
-- The conduct-waiver population represented higher-quality recruits, producing a higher percentage of high school graduates -- 86.58 percent vs. 84.2 percent -- and higher Armed Forces Qualification Test scores, 61.2 vs. 60.1.
However, the conduct-waiver population had higher losses in six of nine "adverse loss" categories:
-- Misconduct: 5.95 percent vs. 3.55 percent;
-- Pattern of misconduct: 1.78 percent vs. 1.35 percent;
-- Alcohol rehabilitation failure: 0.27 percent vs. 0.12 percent;
-- Desertion: 4.26 percent vs. 3.59 percent;
-- Military prisoner, bad conduct discharge or dishonorable discharge: 0.5 percent vs. 0.4 percent;
-- Discharge in lieu of courts-martial: 2.58 percent vs. 2.04 percent.
In 2007, the Army granted 511 felony waivers, an increase from the 249 it granted the previous year. Despite this spike, a senior officer said, the Army's standards have not wavered.
"I would say they're probably more stringent," Lt. Col. Val Siegfried, the Army branch chief for enlisted accessions, said of today's requirements for enlistment compared to those in recent decades.
He said that society judges petty theft and in-school fighting more harshly now than in the past. "If you get in a fight in school as a 14-year-old and kick somebody, it's aggravated assault with a deadly weapon," he said, adding that the Army takes a "whole person" look at each recruit, examining the context in which they committed their crime.
"Should that [person] not be brought into the Army and serve his country simply because he got in a fight in school?" he said. "Those are a lot of the kind of people that have been given a waiver for a felony offense in the juvenile life."
American Forces Press Service
May 8, 2008 - Army recruits who joined the ranks on conduct waivers are slightly more prone to misconduct, but also are promoted faster, re-enlist in higher numbers and represent higher-quality recruits than recruits who enlisted without needing a conduct waiver, an internal Army study revealed. The analysis, conducted late last year, compared the re-enlistment rates, performance and effects on recruiting standards of soldiers who didn't need a conduct waiver to enlist to those whose prior malfeasance was waived.
"For the most part, the individuals that we're bringing in [on waivers] are not the folks that are dabbling in crime," said Army Maj. Jake LaPorte, who works in the strength forecasting division of the Army's personnel, policy and guidance office. "I think they're the ones who have had a mistake, and we're giving them a second chance."
The Army runs potential recruits convicted of a felony or of both serious and minor offenses through a 10-person review. Before a waiver is granted, a general officer must approve the enlistment.
The study sample was made up of first-time recruits from fiscal 2003 to 2006, allowing time for re-enlistment figures to emerge. Findings that reflect positively on waiver recipients include:
-- The conduct-waiver population from fiscal 2003 re-enlisted at a higher rate -- 28.4 percent -- compared to a rate of 26.7 percent for soldiers who didn't need conduct waivers;
-- The infantry conduct-waiver population was promoted to sergeant faster, at 34.7 months of service vs. 39;
-- The conduct-waiver population had a higher ratio of valorous awards, 13.87 percent vs. 12.73 percent; and
-- The conduct-waiver population represented higher-quality recruits, producing a higher percentage of high school graduates -- 86.58 percent vs. 84.2 percent -- and higher Armed Forces Qualification Test scores, 61.2 vs. 60.1.
However, the conduct-waiver population had higher losses in six of nine "adverse loss" categories:
-- Misconduct: 5.95 percent vs. 3.55 percent;
-- Pattern of misconduct: 1.78 percent vs. 1.35 percent;
-- Alcohol rehabilitation failure: 0.27 percent vs. 0.12 percent;
-- Desertion: 4.26 percent vs. 3.59 percent;
-- Military prisoner, bad conduct discharge or dishonorable discharge: 0.5 percent vs. 0.4 percent;
-- Discharge in lieu of courts-martial: 2.58 percent vs. 2.04 percent.
In 2007, the Army granted 511 felony waivers, an increase from the 249 it granted the previous year. Despite this spike, a senior officer said, the Army's standards have not wavered.
"I would say they're probably more stringent," Lt. Col. Val Siegfried, the Army branch chief for enlisted accessions, said of today's requirements for enlistment compared to those in recent decades.
He said that society judges petty theft and in-school fighting more harshly now than in the past. "If you get in a fight in school as a 14-year-old and kick somebody, it's aggravated assault with a deadly weapon," he said, adding that the Army takes a "whole person" look at each recruit, examining the context in which they committed their crime.
"Should that [person] not be brought into the Army and serve his country simply because he got in a fight in school?" he said. "Those are a lot of the kind of people that have been given a waiver for a felony offense in the juvenile life."
Gates: U.S. Military Ready to Help, Ships, Air Support Staged
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
May 8, 2008 - The tragedy following a devastating cyclone in Burma is compounded by the fact that the U.S. military and others are ready to help, but can't without the ruling military junta's approval, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today. Gates pointed to the huge U.S. military responses following the December 2004 tsunami in Indonesia that left 225,000 people dead, and an October 2005 earthquake in Pakistan that killed more than 74,000, as examples of what can be offered in Burma.
"The tragedy is compounded by the fact that that, if you look at what our Navy was able to do both with the tsunami and the Pakistan earthquake, there is a lot of opportunity here to save a lot of lives," Gates told reporters during a Pentagon briefing. "We are fully prepared to help and to help right away. And it would be a tragedy if these assets, if people didn't take advantage of them."
The Navy is dispatching helicopters from the USS Essex strike group to a staging area in Thailand, where they will be able to reach Burma with relief supplies "in a matter of hours," Gates said.
In addition, six C-130 aircraft also are available to provide humanitarian support and could airdrop food and water if granted position, he said.
Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the United States honors Burma's sovereignty and would not enter its airspace without approval. "It is all tied to sovereignty, which we respect whether it's on the ground or in the air," he said. "Right now we just don't have any way to get into that airspace with permission."
As the international community pressures the military junta to accept help, the Navy's three ships in the Gulf of Thailand -- USS Essex, USS Juneau and USS Harper's Ferry -- are steaming toward Burma's waters to be available to help if the government concedes. Mullen said the ships should be in a position within about five days.
The ships were in the region conducting Exercise Cobra Gold when the cyclone hit May 1 and 2.
Asked if the presence of U.S. ships nearby might be viewed by the military junta as an aggressive act, Gates said he would be "surprised if they misinterpreted our intentions that badly."
News accounts place the latest death toll in Burma at 80,000 or even higher.
Gates said the United States will work with other countries, if necessary, to help. "Our interest here is totally nonpolitical," he said. "It's to try to help the people of Myanmar," he said.
The United States does not officially recognize Burma by the name bestowed by its military junta, Myanmar.
American Forces Press Service
May 8, 2008 - The tragedy following a devastating cyclone in Burma is compounded by the fact that the U.S. military and others are ready to help, but can't without the ruling military junta's approval, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today. Gates pointed to the huge U.S. military responses following the December 2004 tsunami in Indonesia that left 225,000 people dead, and an October 2005 earthquake in Pakistan that killed more than 74,000, as examples of what can be offered in Burma.
"The tragedy is compounded by the fact that that, if you look at what our Navy was able to do both with the tsunami and the Pakistan earthquake, there is a lot of opportunity here to save a lot of lives," Gates told reporters during a Pentagon briefing. "We are fully prepared to help and to help right away. And it would be a tragedy if these assets, if people didn't take advantage of them."
The Navy is dispatching helicopters from the USS Essex strike group to a staging area in Thailand, where they will be able to reach Burma with relief supplies "in a matter of hours," Gates said.
In addition, six C-130 aircraft also are available to provide humanitarian support and could airdrop food and water if granted position, he said.
Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the United States honors Burma's sovereignty and would not enter its airspace without approval. "It is all tied to sovereignty, which we respect whether it's on the ground or in the air," he said. "Right now we just don't have any way to get into that airspace with permission."
As the international community pressures the military junta to accept help, the Navy's three ships in the Gulf of Thailand -- USS Essex, USS Juneau and USS Harper's Ferry -- are steaming toward Burma's waters to be available to help if the government concedes. Mullen said the ships should be in a position within about five days.
The ships were in the region conducting Exercise Cobra Gold when the cyclone hit May 1 and 2.
Asked if the presence of U.S. ships nearby might be viewed by the military junta as an aggressive act, Gates said he would be "surprised if they misinterpreted our intentions that badly."
News accounts place the latest death toll in Burma at 80,000 or even higher.
Gates said the United States will work with other countries, if necessary, to help. "Our interest here is totally nonpolitical," he said. "It's to try to help the people of Myanmar," he said.
The United States does not officially recognize Burma by the name bestowed by its military junta, Myanmar.
Pentagon Ceremony Fetes Superlative Defense Installations
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
May 8, 2008 - The premier installations from each military service and the Defense Logistics Agency were recognized at a Pentagon award ceremony today. John J. Young Jr., undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, presented the Commander in Chief's Annual Awards for Installation Excellence.
The highlighted installations have distinguished themselves through effective leadership and management as well as being good stewards of tax dollars, Young said at the ceremony.
"Installations are the backbone to our armed forces," Young said, noting that military posts provide training, billeting, maintenance, research and development, and other valuable facilities, and also serve as U.S. power-projection platforms.
Military installations also "provide a safe place for our military members and their families to live, to work and play," Young said.
This year's awardees are: Fort A.P. Hill, Bowling Green, Va.; Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif.; Naval Base Coronado, San Diego; Dover Air Force Base, Dover, Del.; and the Defense Supply Center Richmond, Va.
Wayne Arny, deputy undersecretary of defense for installations and environment, served as the event's master of ceremonies.
"This prestigious award recognizes the best of the best," Arny told the Pentagon auditorium audience before the awards were presented.
President Ronald Reagan created the Commander's in Chief Annual Award for Installation Excellence in 1985. The Defense Logistics Agency was added to the competition in 1988. Cited organizations receive a trophy, an "Installation Excellence" flag, and a letter signed by President Bush.
American Forces Press Service
May 8, 2008 - The premier installations from each military service and the Defense Logistics Agency were recognized at a Pentagon award ceremony today. John J. Young Jr., undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, presented the Commander in Chief's Annual Awards for Installation Excellence.
The highlighted installations have distinguished themselves through effective leadership and management as well as being good stewards of tax dollars, Young said at the ceremony.
"Installations are the backbone to our armed forces," Young said, noting that military posts provide training, billeting, maintenance, research and development, and other valuable facilities, and also serve as U.S. power-projection platforms.
Military installations also "provide a safe place for our military members and their families to live, to work and play," Young said.
This year's awardees are: Fort A.P. Hill, Bowling Green, Va.; Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif.; Naval Base Coronado, San Diego; Dover Air Force Base, Dover, Del.; and the Defense Supply Center Richmond, Va.
Wayne Arny, deputy undersecretary of defense for installations and environment, served as the event's master of ceremonies.
"This prestigious award recognizes the best of the best," Arny told the Pentagon auditorium audience before the awards were presented.
President Ronald Reagan created the Commander's in Chief Annual Award for Installation Excellence in 1985. The Defense Logistics Agency was added to the competition in 1988. Cited organizations receive a trophy, an "Installation Excellence" flag, and a letter signed by President Bush.
Department Begins Roles, Missions Review
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
May 8, 2008 - Work has begun on a review of the U.S. military's roles and missions, senior defense officials said here today. The congressionally mandated study looks to ensure the department is organized effectively and in ways to make it easier for the warfighter, a senior military official, speaking on background, said.
He and a senior defense official said the report will be finished in November and must be turned in to Congress before the fiscal 2010 budget is submitted in February.
The study is a joint effort by the defense secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Congress specifically asked DoD to look at eliminating unnecessary duplication of capabilities and efforts across the services. However, the department and the Joint Staff will take the opportunity to examine six other specific issues: unmanned aerial systems, intratheater airlift, cyber operations, irregular warfare, internal department organization and responsibilities, and interagency roles and missions capabilities.
In the unmanned aircraft system area, the department may include some larger intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance issues. The U.S. government also sees the cyber world continuing to grow in importance, and the study will look at ways the department should posture itself for the future.
A senior Senate-confirmed civilian and a three- or four-star general or flag officer will lead each of the seven roles and missions teams, the senior defense official said.
Expertise from around the department will inform the groups. U.S. Strategic Command will be heavily involved, for example, in the cyber team, and U.S. Special Operations Command will be heavily involved in the team looking at irregular warfare.
The teams will look at what the core mission areas are, what key military activities are required to support the strategic objectives in the various strategies, and how the department should best organize itself to accomplish these activities and goals, the senior military official said.
Many of the civilians involved with this effort are political appointees and will depart in January when the next administration takes office, "so we want to make sure we're looking at what is achievable in the timeframe of the report," the senior defense official said. The exercise also will help the next administration as it works on the next Quadrennial Defense Review.
The department will look at these questions from every angle and determine what joint capabilities are needed, the responsibilities of the services, and how the services fit together. Officials want to determine "how to best organize and govern to get those capabilities out there and develop future capabilities," the senior military official said.
The team looking at the interagency roles and missions will draw on the realities of the war on terror and the need for help from civilian agencies. The review is not an interagency effort, nor will any conclusions be binding on any department outside defense. Still, the study can point the way ahead both for core mission areas -- where other government agencies support DoD -- and in noncore areas in which DoD acts in support of other lead agencies.
American Forces Press Service
May 8, 2008 - Work has begun on a review of the U.S. military's roles and missions, senior defense officials said here today. The congressionally mandated study looks to ensure the department is organized effectively and in ways to make it easier for the warfighter, a senior military official, speaking on background, said.
He and a senior defense official said the report will be finished in November and must be turned in to Congress before the fiscal 2010 budget is submitted in February.
The study is a joint effort by the defense secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Congress specifically asked DoD to look at eliminating unnecessary duplication of capabilities and efforts across the services. However, the department and the Joint Staff will take the opportunity to examine six other specific issues: unmanned aerial systems, intratheater airlift, cyber operations, irregular warfare, internal department organization and responsibilities, and interagency roles and missions capabilities.
In the unmanned aircraft system area, the department may include some larger intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance issues. The U.S. government also sees the cyber world continuing to grow in importance, and the study will look at ways the department should posture itself for the future.
A senior Senate-confirmed civilian and a three- or four-star general or flag officer will lead each of the seven roles and missions teams, the senior defense official said.
Expertise from around the department will inform the groups. U.S. Strategic Command will be heavily involved, for example, in the cyber team, and U.S. Special Operations Command will be heavily involved in the team looking at irregular warfare.
The teams will look at what the core mission areas are, what key military activities are required to support the strategic objectives in the various strategies, and how the department should best organize itself to accomplish these activities and goals, the senior military official said.
Many of the civilians involved with this effort are political appointees and will depart in January when the next administration takes office, "so we want to make sure we're looking at what is achievable in the timeframe of the report," the senior defense official said. The exercise also will help the next administration as it works on the next Quadrennial Defense Review.
The department will look at these questions from every angle and determine what joint capabilities are needed, the responsibilities of the services, and how the services fit together. Officials want to determine "how to best organize and govern to get those capabilities out there and develop future capabilities," the senior military official said.
The team looking at the interagency roles and missions will draw on the realities of the war on terror and the need for help from civilian agencies. The review is not an interagency effort, nor will any conclusions be binding on any department outside defense. Still, the study can point the way ahead both for core mission areas -- where other government agencies support DoD -- and in noncore areas in which DoD acts in support of other lead agencies.
Marines in Afghanistan to Redeploy as Scheduled, Gates Says
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
May 8, 2008 - The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit will redeploy from Afghanistan in November as scheduled, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said today. The unit deployed from Camp Lejeune, N.C., in March. It is operating in Regional Command South under NATO's International Security Assistance Force.
"Just to reemphasize what the secretary said, ... this deployment of Marines is seven months, and they're going to come out toward the end of the year," Mullen said.
As the drawdown of surge forces in Iraq continues, Gates said, the time may come to consider shifting more troops into Afghanistan. Despite his repeated calls on NATO to send more combat troops, the alliance has not come through with forces in the numbers needed and without restrictions on how they can be used.
"We are still going to be looking at what the options are in terms of augmenting our presence during 2009," Gates said. "(But) at this point, as far as I know, there's no specific planning going on along those lines."
Mullen conceded that the Marines "have been on a very challenging rotation," particularly with forces in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Concentrating their forces in Afghanistan is viewed by some Marine Corps leaders as a way to more effectively manage force rotations.
Also during today's briefing, Gates said he supports an enhanced educational benefit, including a provision that would allow servicemembers to transfer unused benefits to family members.
However, he said, he takes issue with legislation that would enable troops to tap into their benefits after just three years of service. The Defense Department wants the service requirement to be six years.
"Our desire is to keep soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines in the military as long as possible," Gates said. "And so our hope would be and our preference would be that the period of service be long enough to, in essence, require at least one re-enlistment."
Gates emphasized that, with those provisions, he fully supports an educational benefit enhancements. "The notion that we're against a better education benefit is just totally nonsense," he said. "The veterans deserve it. It's probably needed. But we're trying to balance the benefit to veterans also with maintaining an all-volunteer force and having as experienced a force as we can."
The secretary opened the briefing noting the 10th anniversary of the U.S. Senate's declaration of Military Appreciation Month to honor servicemembers and their families. "And even as we mark Military Appreciation Month with two wars ongoing, it is important to remember the sacrifices and service of our troops and their families every day throughout the year."
Gates noted "amazing acts of citizen support," especially through the Defense Department's America Supports You program. More than 370 citizen groups have joined that program and are augmenting the Defense Department's work to provide assistance and support to the military community, he said.
Gates said he is "deeply grateful to the American people who continue to show their support for our men and women in uniform."
American Forces Press Service
May 8, 2008 - The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit will redeploy from Afghanistan in November as scheduled, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said today. The unit deployed from Camp Lejeune, N.C., in March. It is operating in Regional Command South under NATO's International Security Assistance Force.
"Just to reemphasize what the secretary said, ... this deployment of Marines is seven months, and they're going to come out toward the end of the year," Mullen said.
As the drawdown of surge forces in Iraq continues, Gates said, the time may come to consider shifting more troops into Afghanistan. Despite his repeated calls on NATO to send more combat troops, the alliance has not come through with forces in the numbers needed and without restrictions on how they can be used.
"We are still going to be looking at what the options are in terms of augmenting our presence during 2009," Gates said. "(But) at this point, as far as I know, there's no specific planning going on along those lines."
Mullen conceded that the Marines "have been on a very challenging rotation," particularly with forces in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Concentrating their forces in Afghanistan is viewed by some Marine Corps leaders as a way to more effectively manage force rotations.
Also during today's briefing, Gates said he supports an enhanced educational benefit, including a provision that would allow servicemembers to transfer unused benefits to family members.
However, he said, he takes issue with legislation that would enable troops to tap into their benefits after just three years of service. The Defense Department wants the service requirement to be six years.
"Our desire is to keep soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines in the military as long as possible," Gates said. "And so our hope would be and our preference would be that the period of service be long enough to, in essence, require at least one re-enlistment."
Gates emphasized that, with those provisions, he fully supports an educational benefit enhancements. "The notion that we're against a better education benefit is just totally nonsense," he said. "The veterans deserve it. It's probably needed. But we're trying to balance the benefit to veterans also with maintaining an all-volunteer force and having as experienced a force as we can."
The secretary opened the briefing noting the 10th anniversary of the U.S. Senate's declaration of Military Appreciation Month to honor servicemembers and their families. "And even as we mark Military Appreciation Month with two wars ongoing, it is important to remember the sacrifices and service of our troops and their families every day throughout the year."
Gates noted "amazing acts of citizen support," especially through the Defense Department's America Supports You program. More than 370 citizen groups have joined that program and are augmenting the Defense Department's work to provide assistance and support to the military community, he said.
Gates said he is "deeply grateful to the American people who continue to show their support for our men and women in uniform."
MILITARY CONTRACTS May 8, 2008
AIR FORCE
Northrop Grumman Mission Systems of Clearfield, Utah, is being awarded a modified firm fixed prices contract for $50,130,567. This contract action will provide a procurement of 280 ICBM Security Modernization Program (ISMP) launch facility secondary door or Fast B-plug element. At this time $50,130,567 has been obligated. Hill AFB, Utah, is the contracting activity (F42610-98-C-0001).
NAVY
Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control, Archbald, Pa., is being awarded a $19,927,908 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-05-D-0020) for the procurement of 11,466 laser guided training rounds. Work will be performed in Archbald, Pa., and work is expected to be completed in Sept. 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $881,166 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Oshkosh Corp., Oshkosh, Wis., is being awarded a $9,977,168 modification to delivery order #0014 under their existing indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (M67854-04-D-5016) task order 0014, modification 17. This modification will extend armor installation and retrofit of Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement vehicles in Iraq. Work will be performed in Iraq, and work for this delivery order is expected to be completed by Jan. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps System Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
ARMY
Navistar Defense, LLC, Warrenville, Ill., was awarded on May 6, 2008, an $11,083,714 firm-fixed price contract for liter fuel truck, liter water trucks, and spares for the trucks, all with radio frequency identification tags. Work will be performed primarily in Warrenville, Ill., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Eight bids were solicited on Sept. 7, 2007, and one bid was received. TACOM, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-07-D-G089).
Raytheon Missile Systems Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded on May 7, 2008, a $9,395,581 firm-fixed price contract with cost-plus-fixed fee items for griffin munitions and engineering services. Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz., 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 Feb. 5, 2008. U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-08-C-0252).
Thales-Raytheon Systems Co., LLC, Fullerton, Calif., was awarded on May 7, 2008, a $7,067,435 firm-fixed price contract for the firefinder AN/TPQ-37 operations control group obsolete parts replacement program. Work will be performed in Fullerton, Calif., and is expected to be completed by May 6, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on Nov. 20, 2007.CECOM Acquisition Center, Fort Monmouth, N.J. is the contracting activity (W15P7T-06-D-T001).
Northrop Grumman Mission Systems of Clearfield, Utah, is being awarded a modified firm fixed prices contract for $50,130,567. This contract action will provide a procurement of 280 ICBM Security Modernization Program (ISMP) launch facility secondary door or Fast B-plug element. At this time $50,130,567 has been obligated. Hill AFB, Utah, is the contracting activity (F42610-98-C-0001).
NAVY
Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control, Archbald, Pa., is being awarded a $19,927,908 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-05-D-0020) for the procurement of 11,466 laser guided training rounds. Work will be performed in Archbald, Pa., and work is expected to be completed in Sept. 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $881,166 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Oshkosh Corp., Oshkosh, Wis., is being awarded a $9,977,168 modification to delivery order #0014 under their existing indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (M67854-04-D-5016) task order 0014, modification 17. This modification will extend armor installation and retrofit of Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement vehicles in Iraq. Work will be performed in Iraq, and work for this delivery order is expected to be completed by Jan. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps System Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
ARMY
Navistar Defense, LLC, Warrenville, Ill., was awarded on May 6, 2008, an $11,083,714 firm-fixed price contract for liter fuel truck, liter water trucks, and spares for the trucks, all with radio frequency identification tags. Work will be performed primarily in Warrenville, Ill., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Eight bids were solicited on Sept. 7, 2007, and one bid was received. TACOM, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-07-D-G089).
Raytheon Missile Systems Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded on May 7, 2008, a $9,395,581 firm-fixed price contract with cost-plus-fixed fee items for griffin munitions and engineering services. Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz., 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 Feb. 5, 2008. U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-08-C-0252).
Thales-Raytheon Systems Co., LLC, Fullerton, Calif., was awarded on May 7, 2008, a $7,067,435 firm-fixed price contract for the firefinder AN/TPQ-37 operations control group obsolete parts replacement program. Work will be performed in Fullerton, Calif., and is expected to be completed by May 6, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on Nov. 20, 2007.CECOM Acquisition Center, Fort Monmouth, N.J. is the contracting activity (W15P7T-06-D-T001).
Navy Secretary Names New Guided-Missile Destroyer USS Michael Murphy
Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter announced today at a ceremony in Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y., the name of the newest Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer will be Michael Murphy. Designated as DDG-112, the name honors Lt. Michael Murphy who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during Operation Red Wing in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005.
Navy SEAL (Sea, Air, Land) Lt. Michael P. Murphy lead a four-man team tasked with finding a key Taliban leader in the mountainous terrain near Asadabad, Afghanistan, when they came under fire from a much larger enemy force with superior tactical position. Mortally wounded while exposing himself to enemy fire, Murphy knowingly left his position of cover to get a clear signal in order to communicate with his headquarters. While being shot at repeatedly, Murphy calmly provided his unit's location and requested immediate support for his element. He returned to his cover position to continue the fight until finally succumbing to his wounds.
Michael Murphy will be one of the U.S. Navy's most advanced, state-of-the-art warships in the fleet. With the combination of Aegis, the vertical launching system, and advanced anti-submarine warfare system, advanced anti-aircraft missiles and Tomahawk cruise missiles, the Arleigh Burke-class continues the revolution at sea. Utilizing a gas turbine propulsion system, Michael Murphy will be able to operate independently or as part of carrier strike groups, surface action groups, amphibious ready groups, and underway replenishment groups.
Michael Murphy will be the 62nd Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. The 9,200 ton ship is being built by Bath Iron Works, a General Dynamics Company and will be 509.5 feet in length, have a waterline beam of 59 feet, a crew size of 323 (23 officers and 300 enlisted) and she will make speed in excess of 30 knots.
Navy SEAL (Sea, Air, Land) Lt. Michael P. Murphy lead a four-man team tasked with finding a key Taliban leader in the mountainous terrain near Asadabad, Afghanistan, when they came under fire from a much larger enemy force with superior tactical position. Mortally wounded while exposing himself to enemy fire, Murphy knowingly left his position of cover to get a clear signal in order to communicate with his headquarters. While being shot at repeatedly, Murphy calmly provided his unit's location and requested immediate support for his element. He returned to his cover position to continue the fight until finally succumbing to his wounds.
Michael Murphy will be one of the U.S. Navy's most advanced, state-of-the-art warships in the fleet. With the combination of Aegis, the vertical launching system, and advanced anti-submarine warfare system, advanced anti-aircraft missiles and Tomahawk cruise missiles, the Arleigh Burke-class continues the revolution at sea. Utilizing a gas turbine propulsion system, Michael Murphy will be able to operate independently or as part of carrier strike groups, surface action groups, amphibious ready groups, and underway replenishment groups.
Michael Murphy will be the 62nd Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. The 9,200 ton ship is being built by Bath Iron Works, a General Dynamics Company and will be 509.5 feet in length, have a waterline beam of 59 feet, a crew size of 323 (23 officers and 300 enlisted) and she will make speed in excess of 30 knots.
New Names Etched Into Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
May 7, 2008 - The names of four U.S. servicemembers were etched into the glossy black walls of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial this week alongside more than 58,000 of their fallen comrades. Finishing the addition today was the name of Raymond C. Mason, a Marine lance corporal who died a year ago as a result of ailing health stemming from a bullet wound that paralyzed him in February 1968 during the Tet Offensive.
In a ceremony at the wall here, Mason's widow, Priscilla Mason, watched as an engraver inched a sandblaster over the Marine's stenciled name with surgeonlike precision.
Priscilla got on bended knee, held a sheet of paper up to the bright, new inscription, and rubbed a crayon in diagonal strokes until "RAYMOND C MASON" was embossed against the white paper. She said she plans to have the outline tattooed onto her skin, and she has promised to make dozens of rubbings for friends back home in Riverside, R.I., when she returns here on Memorial Day.
"This is wonderful. He's finally home," she said when asked how she felt upon seeing the finished product on Panel 41E, Line 64 of the memorial.
The names of Richard M. Goosens, a Marine lance corporal, and Dennis O. Hargrove and Darrell J. Naylor, both Army specialists fourth class, were inscribed here yesterday. The Defense Department determined that their deaths, which occurred years after the end of U.S. operations in Vietnam, resulted from wounds suffered in a combat zone there.
The wall's 58,260 etched names bear testament to the ultimate sacrifice paid by those U.S. troops, said R. James Nicholson, former secretary of Veterans Affairs.
"It's also a tangible expression of the gratitude of the American people for those who served and died there," he said in an interview today. "The hope is that more and more Americans will learn and grow to appreciate the sacrifice and the price that was paid to perpetuate our freedom."
Designed by architect Maya Lin and built in 1982, the memorial consists of two black walls sunken into the ground, with a rolling mound of earth behind it sloping toward a heavily trafficked street.
"It was Maya's vision for the memorial that it appear as a rift in the earth," said J.C. Cummings, architect of record for the memorial. "At the same time, the wall serves a practical purpose of separating the visitor from the noise and the traffic of Constitution Avenue and the noise of the city."
As a result, the architecture creates a quiet and contemplative atmosphere, he said, a design that allows visitors to have a respectful experience.
Jan C. Scruggs, founder and president of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, said adding the names this week completes the healing process for surviving friends and family members. The additions also reflect America's solidarity with its servicemembers of past and present, he said.
"When you join the service, you can feel comfortable that the service is going to stand behind you," Scruggs said in an interview today. "Especially the people who are serving today in Iraq and Afghanistan in combat, they need to know that we're behind them and we appreciate what they're doing."
American Forces Press Service
May 7, 2008 - The names of four U.S. servicemembers were etched into the glossy black walls of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial this week alongside more than 58,000 of their fallen comrades. Finishing the addition today was the name of Raymond C. Mason, a Marine lance corporal who died a year ago as a result of ailing health stemming from a bullet wound that paralyzed him in February 1968 during the Tet Offensive.
In a ceremony at the wall here, Mason's widow, Priscilla Mason, watched as an engraver inched a sandblaster over the Marine's stenciled name with surgeonlike precision.
Priscilla got on bended knee, held a sheet of paper up to the bright, new inscription, and rubbed a crayon in diagonal strokes until "RAYMOND C MASON" was embossed against the white paper. She said she plans to have the outline tattooed onto her skin, and she has promised to make dozens of rubbings for friends back home in Riverside, R.I., when she returns here on Memorial Day.
"This is wonderful. He's finally home," she said when asked how she felt upon seeing the finished product on Panel 41E, Line 64 of the memorial.
The names of Richard M. Goosens, a Marine lance corporal, and Dennis O. Hargrove and Darrell J. Naylor, both Army specialists fourth class, were inscribed here yesterday. The Defense Department determined that their deaths, which occurred years after the end of U.S. operations in Vietnam, resulted from wounds suffered in a combat zone there.
The wall's 58,260 etched names bear testament to the ultimate sacrifice paid by those U.S. troops, said R. James Nicholson, former secretary of Veterans Affairs.
"It's also a tangible expression of the gratitude of the American people for those who served and died there," he said in an interview today. "The hope is that more and more Americans will learn and grow to appreciate the sacrifice and the price that was paid to perpetuate our freedom."
Designed by architect Maya Lin and built in 1982, the memorial consists of two black walls sunken into the ground, with a rolling mound of earth behind it sloping toward a heavily trafficked street.
"It was Maya's vision for the memorial that it appear as a rift in the earth," said J.C. Cummings, architect of record for the memorial. "At the same time, the wall serves a practical purpose of separating the visitor from the noise and the traffic of Constitution Avenue and the noise of the city."
As a result, the architecture creates a quiet and contemplative atmosphere, he said, a design that allows visitors to have a respectful experience.
Jan C. Scruggs, founder and president of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, said adding the names this week completes the healing process for surviving friends and family members. The additions also reflect America's solidarity with its servicemembers of past and present, he said.
"When you join the service, you can feel comfortable that the service is going to stand behind you," Scruggs said in an interview today. "Especially the people who are serving today in Iraq and Afghanistan in combat, they need to know that we're behind them and we appreciate what they're doing."
America Supports You: CinCHouse.com Wins Webby Award
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
May 7, 2008 - A troop-support organization's Web site earned top honors in the annual Webby Awards competition as the top lifestyle site of 2008. The CinCHouse.com Web site -- which derives its name from military shorthand for "commander in chief of the house" -- beat out such corporate giants as Epicurious and Reebok to take top honors in the 12th annual awards.
CinCHouse.com is Operation Homefront's online community for military wives and women in uniform.
"We are completely thrilled," said Regina Galvin, the site's editor in chief. "This really validates all the hard work we put in last year to create a better product for our readers. I can't thank our staff enough for the excellent work they did and continue to do every day."
Shortly after Galvin joined the organization, a creative overhaul of the previous site produced a sleeker, more innovative version. Chad Myers, director of Web development, said the prestigious award will bring much-needed attention to the plight of military families struggling as deployments continue.
"I'm excited to win, but the real benefit will be the exposure to the organization and the ability to help more people because of it," Myers said.
In 1999, Navy wife and author Meredith Leyva created the site as a virtual gathering place for military families frequently on the move. Part of Operation Homefront, CinCHouse includes forums as well as an online magazine that covers such issues as post-traumatic stress disorder and parenting.
"We are extremely honored," she said. "This award really speaks volumes about how important our services are to our members and how important our members are to the larger Internet community."
Operation Homefront is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.
Hailed as the "the Internet's highest honor" by the New York Times, the Webby Awards are the leading international awards honoring excellence on the Internet, including Web sites, interactive advertising, online film and video, and mobile Web sites. They are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a 550-person judging academy whose members include Internet co-inventor Vinton Cerf, R/GA's chief Bob Greenberg, "Simpsons" creator Matt Groening, Arianna Huffington and Harvey Weinstein.
"The Webby Awards honors the very best of the Internet," said David-Michel Davies, executive director of the Webby Awards. "CinCHouse's win is a testament to the skill, ingenuity and vision of its creators."
Founded in 1996, the Webby Awards program is known worldwide for its famous five-word speech limit. Past headline-grabbing speechmakers include Al Gore ("Please don't recount this vote."), Beastie Boys ("Can anyone fix my computer?") and Prince ("Everything you think is true.")
This year, the Webby Awards received a record 10,000 entries from more than 60 countries and all 50 states. The winners will be honored at two star-studded ceremonies in New York City. The Webby Film and Video Awards ceremony takes place June 9, and the 12th Annual Webby Awards Gala will be held June 10.
American Forces Press Service
May 7, 2008 - A troop-support organization's Web site earned top honors in the annual Webby Awards competition as the top lifestyle site of 2008. The CinCHouse.com Web site -- which derives its name from military shorthand for "commander in chief of the house" -- beat out such corporate giants as Epicurious and Reebok to take top honors in the 12th annual awards.
CinCHouse.com is Operation Homefront's online community for military wives and women in uniform.
"We are completely thrilled," said Regina Galvin, the site's editor in chief. "This really validates all the hard work we put in last year to create a better product for our readers. I can't thank our staff enough for the excellent work they did and continue to do every day."
Shortly after Galvin joined the organization, a creative overhaul of the previous site produced a sleeker, more innovative version. Chad Myers, director of Web development, said the prestigious award will bring much-needed attention to the plight of military families struggling as deployments continue.
"I'm excited to win, but the real benefit will be the exposure to the organization and the ability to help more people because of it," Myers said.
In 1999, Navy wife and author Meredith Leyva created the site as a virtual gathering place for military families frequently on the move. Part of Operation Homefront, CinCHouse includes forums as well as an online magazine that covers such issues as post-traumatic stress disorder and parenting.
"We are extremely honored," she said. "This award really speaks volumes about how important our services are to our members and how important our members are to the larger Internet community."
Operation Homefront is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.
Hailed as the "the Internet's highest honor" by the New York Times, the Webby Awards are the leading international awards honoring excellence on the Internet, including Web sites, interactive advertising, online film and video, and mobile Web sites. They are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a 550-person judging academy whose members include Internet co-inventor Vinton Cerf, R/GA's chief Bob Greenberg, "Simpsons" creator Matt Groening, Arianna Huffington and Harvey Weinstein.
"The Webby Awards honors the very best of the Internet," said David-Michel Davies, executive director of the Webby Awards. "CinCHouse's win is a testament to the skill, ingenuity and vision of its creators."
Founded in 1996, the Webby Awards program is known worldwide for its famous five-word speech limit. Past headline-grabbing speechmakers include Al Gore ("Please don't recount this vote."), Beastie Boys ("Can anyone fix my computer?") and Prince ("Everything you think is true.")
This year, the Webby Awards received a record 10,000 entries from more than 60 countries and all 50 states. The winners will be honored at two star-studded ceremonies in New York City. The Webby Film and Video Awards ceremony takes place June 9, and the 12th Annual Webby Awards Gala will be held June 10.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
U.S. Military Ready to Provide Aid for Stricken Burmese, Official Says
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
May 7, 2008 - A flotilla of U.S. Navy vessels, rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft, U.S. Air Force planes and thousands of servicemembers are ready to assist Burma's cyclone-stricken people, if asked, a senior Defense Department official said here today. "We still are prepared and stand ready to provide assistance if Burma should request it and permit access," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters.
Burma was hit by a powerful cyclone May 1 and 2. Officials estimate that the storm has killed as many as 30,000 Burmese, with hundreds of thousands likely injured and homeless. But efforts to persuade Burma's military council, or junta, to allow humanitarian aid to flow into the country have been fruitless thus far, according to news reports.
The Pentagon has identified a number of resources that could be tapped to assist the Burmese, including aircraft carriers and other U.S. Navy vessels that are posted in and around the region, Whitman said. U.S. Air Force cargo aircraft that can fly in food and clean water also are available, he said.
Burma is an eastern-Asian nation on the Bay of Bengal that's sandwiched among neighbors India, China and Thailand. Burma is slightly smaller than Texas, but it has nearly double the population, with nearly 58 million Burmese, compared to about 23 million "Lone Star State" residents, according to U.S. State Department and U.S. Census Bureau statistics.
The U.S. Navy has three ships in the Gulf of Thailand, including the USS Essex, which boasts 23 helicopters, 1,800 Marines and five amphibious landing craft, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters yesterday. The USS Juneau and the USS Harper's Ferry also are in the region, Morrell noted.
The Pentagon also has some U.S. Air Force C-130 cargo aircraft in the region that could be employed in any humanitarian mission for Burma, Whitman told Pentagon reporters today.
The USS Blue Ridge, the flagship of the U.S. Navy 7th Fleet, and the USS Kitty Hawk carrier strike group and the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier also are available to provide assistance to Burma, if needed, Whitman said.
The ships and planes would provide "not an insignificant amount of resources that might be available" if Burma were to request humanitarian assistance from the United States, Whitman said.
The U.S. military has conducted previous humanitarian missions in the Pacific region, such as when Indonesia was battered by a massive tsunami in December 2005.
After that experience, the U.S. military knows it would need portable water purification systems and airfield opening and operating teams for a possible humanitarian-aid mission to Burma, Whitman noted.
"And, those [type of assets] have been tentatively identified for possible deployment should the United States military be asked to render assistance" to Burma, he said.
American Forces Press Service
May 7, 2008 - A flotilla of U.S. Navy vessels, rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft, U.S. Air Force planes and thousands of servicemembers are ready to assist Burma's cyclone-stricken people, if asked, a senior Defense Department official said here today. "We still are prepared and stand ready to provide assistance if Burma should request it and permit access," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters.
Burma was hit by a powerful cyclone May 1 and 2. Officials estimate that the storm has killed as many as 30,000 Burmese, with hundreds of thousands likely injured and homeless. But efforts to persuade Burma's military council, or junta, to allow humanitarian aid to flow into the country have been fruitless thus far, according to news reports.
The Pentagon has identified a number of resources that could be tapped to assist the Burmese, including aircraft carriers and other U.S. Navy vessels that are posted in and around the region, Whitman said. U.S. Air Force cargo aircraft that can fly in food and clean water also are available, he said.
Burma is an eastern-Asian nation on the Bay of Bengal that's sandwiched among neighbors India, China and Thailand. Burma is slightly smaller than Texas, but it has nearly double the population, with nearly 58 million Burmese, compared to about 23 million "Lone Star State" residents, according to U.S. State Department and U.S. Census Bureau statistics.
The U.S. Navy has three ships in the Gulf of Thailand, including the USS Essex, which boasts 23 helicopters, 1,800 Marines and five amphibious landing craft, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters yesterday. The USS Juneau and the USS Harper's Ferry also are in the region, Morrell noted.
The Pentagon also has some U.S. Air Force C-130 cargo aircraft in the region that could be employed in any humanitarian mission for Burma, Whitman told Pentagon reporters today.
The USS Blue Ridge, the flagship of the U.S. Navy 7th Fleet, and the USS Kitty Hawk carrier strike group and the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier also are available to provide assistance to Burma, if needed, Whitman said.
The ships and planes would provide "not an insignificant amount of resources that might be available" if Burma were to request humanitarian assistance from the United States, Whitman said.
The U.S. military has conducted previous humanitarian missions in the Pacific region, such as when Indonesia was battered by a massive tsunami in December 2005.
After that experience, the U.S. military knows it would need portable water purification systems and airfield opening and operating teams for a possible humanitarian-aid mission to Burma, Whitman noted.
"And, those [type of assets] have been tentatively identified for possible deployment should the United States military be asked to render assistance" to Burma, he said.
New Joint Staff Team Evaluates Wounded Warrior Programs
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
May 7, 2008 - A joint team formed by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is looking at the broad range of care and support services for wounded warriors to find any gaps and tap into best practices to share across the force. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen stood up the Joint Staff Wounded Warrior Integration Team in late April and appointed his strategic plans and policy chief, Marine Lt. Gen. John F. Sattler, to head it up.
The team will evaluate all programs that affect wounded warriors and their families to see which are working best, which can be improved, and how to make the services they provide easier to tap into, Sattler explained during an interview with the Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service.
"A lot of things are being done across the spectrum by a lot of great people. We just want to make sure that where there may be a duplication of effort, we can use those resources more wisely," he said. "And if there may be unintentional gaps and seams, we can overcome those."
Sattler noted big improvements in the care and support for wounded troops and emphasized that the task force wasn't formed to fix any particular shortcoming or problem.
"No commander stops raising the bar because they think they have hit the objective," he said. "Even if we're doing all we can do, the harder you look at things, the more often you find things you can do better."
Unlike the flurry of task forces and evaluation teams that convened last year after deficiencies at Walter Reed Army Medical Center came to light, the new joint task force will focus heavily on what's going right, Sattler said.
"This is taking a look at things that are going well -- things that don't normally attract attention because they are humming along -- [and asking] 'Are they humming at the rpms that they should be? Could they be improved upon? Could we make life better [or] easier, could we facilitate for warriors and their families the ability to find out what they don't know?'"
Mullen dedicated "a lot of his best and brightest across the Joint Staff" to answer these questions, Sattler said. The team consists of experts from the legal, legislative affairs, public affairs and personnel fields, as well as commanders with recent combat experience. The variety of perspectives reflects "the intent of making it the best we can for our men and women," Sattler said.
The team is approaching the challenge as an operational planning team would take on a challenge at any military command, he said. It's starting with Mullen's stated intent: "He wants to find, locate the best practices and facilitate the ability of our men and women and their families to have access to those best practices," Sattler said.
Now, the team is exploring all existing programs -- within the military, other government agencies as well as nongovernmental and nonprofit groups – to see how they support that intent. The team will brief Mullen and the service chiefs on its findings at least every two weeks and assemble a "campaign plan" that documents all services currently available and recommended changes or improvements.
Sattler conceded that wounded warriors and their families are a "hard-core crew" who don't ask for much as they try to move forward with their lives.
"They want to take their own destiny into their own hands and they want to advance their cause," he said. "Whatever their wound may be, they want to get back to where they can function in society. No one is looking for a handout."
But it's the Defense Department's responsibility, he said, to ensure programs for wounded warriors are the best they can be.
The issue, he said, isn't about "How high have we raised the bar to support our men and women?," but rather, "How can we raise that bar even higher?"
"Until we exhaust all those efforts, ... as long as our efforts produce results that are better for the men and women and their families or make it easier for [them], then we shouldn't rest," he said.
American Forces Press Service
May 7, 2008 - A joint team formed by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is looking at the broad range of care and support services for wounded warriors to find any gaps and tap into best practices to share across the force. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen stood up the Joint Staff Wounded Warrior Integration Team in late April and appointed his strategic plans and policy chief, Marine Lt. Gen. John F. Sattler, to head it up.
The team will evaluate all programs that affect wounded warriors and their families to see which are working best, which can be improved, and how to make the services they provide easier to tap into, Sattler explained during an interview with the Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service.
"A lot of things are being done across the spectrum by a lot of great people. We just want to make sure that where there may be a duplication of effort, we can use those resources more wisely," he said. "And if there may be unintentional gaps and seams, we can overcome those."
Sattler noted big improvements in the care and support for wounded troops and emphasized that the task force wasn't formed to fix any particular shortcoming or problem.
"No commander stops raising the bar because they think they have hit the objective," he said. "Even if we're doing all we can do, the harder you look at things, the more often you find things you can do better."
Unlike the flurry of task forces and evaluation teams that convened last year after deficiencies at Walter Reed Army Medical Center came to light, the new joint task force will focus heavily on what's going right, Sattler said.
"This is taking a look at things that are going well -- things that don't normally attract attention because they are humming along -- [and asking] 'Are they humming at the rpms that they should be? Could they be improved upon? Could we make life better [or] easier, could we facilitate for warriors and their families the ability to find out what they don't know?'"
Mullen dedicated "a lot of his best and brightest across the Joint Staff" to answer these questions, Sattler said. The team consists of experts from the legal, legislative affairs, public affairs and personnel fields, as well as commanders with recent combat experience. The variety of perspectives reflects "the intent of making it the best we can for our men and women," Sattler said.
The team is approaching the challenge as an operational planning team would take on a challenge at any military command, he said. It's starting with Mullen's stated intent: "He wants to find, locate the best practices and facilitate the ability of our men and women and their families to have access to those best practices," Sattler said.
Now, the team is exploring all existing programs -- within the military, other government agencies as well as nongovernmental and nonprofit groups – to see how they support that intent. The team will brief Mullen and the service chiefs on its findings at least every two weeks and assemble a "campaign plan" that documents all services currently available and recommended changes or improvements.
Sattler conceded that wounded warriors and their families are a "hard-core crew" who don't ask for much as they try to move forward with their lives.
"They want to take their own destiny into their own hands and they want to advance their cause," he said. "Whatever their wound may be, they want to get back to where they can function in society. No one is looking for a handout."
But it's the Defense Department's responsibility, he said, to ensure programs for wounded warriors are the best they can be.
The issue, he said, isn't about "How high have we raised the bar to support our men and women?," but rather, "How can we raise that bar even higher?"
"Until we exhaust all those efforts, ... as long as our efforts produce results that are better for the men and women and their families or make it easier for [them], then we shouldn't rest," he said.
Military Works to Eliminate Perceived Mental Health Treatment Stigma
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
May 7, 2008 - Why, when there's no stigma attached to getting treatment for any other combat injury, do troops hesitate to step forward to get the mental health care they need?
That's the challenge facing military leaders as they encourage their troops suffering from combat stress to seek mental health services, said Marine Lt. Gen. John Sattler, who's heading the new Joint Staff Wounded Warrior Integration Team.
Sattler, director of strategic plans and policy for the Joint Staff, said the military's uncomplaining, can-do spirit can make some troops resist seeking treatment for what Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates calls "the unseen scars of war."
"Sometimes our toughness can be our biggest obstacle in getting those injuries healed," Sattler said.
"If you ... have been hit in battle and have an external wound, you go forward and you receive medical treatment, and you are not ashamed in any way, shape or form to go get that treatment," he said. "But for some reason, [there's a] stigma associated with a nonphysical battle injury such as traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic stress disorder.
"We have to make sure that our men and women know there is no stigma associated with seeking the same high degree of medical care to make sure those injures are also taken care of," he said.
The Joint Staff Wounded Warrior Integration Team is focusing much of its work on better understanding PTSD and TBI and their effects, and getting people with symptoms to step forward, Sattler said.
"As the research continues and the care becomes better, it is our responsibility to make sure we alleviate the stigma and ensure our men and women looking for that type of help are unashamed about it," he said.
Getting treatment is a sign of strength, not weakness, and improves a servicemember's duty performance, he said. "They are going to perform better, they will be better warriors – soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines – if they are completely healed inside as well as outside," he said.
Gates urged senior noncommissioned officers attending the Sergeants Major Academy for their help in getting troops who need it to seek combat-related mental-health care.
"All of you have a special role in encouraging troops to seek help for the unseen scars of war -- to let them know that doing so is a sign of strength and maturity," he said during his May 1 visit to Fort Bliss, Texas. "I urge you all to talk with those below you to find out where we can continue to improve.
"Those who have sacrificed for our nation deserve the best care they can get," he continued. "As I have said before, there is no higher priority for the Department of Defense, after the war itself, than caring for our wounded warriors."
American Forces Press Service
May 7, 2008 - Why, when there's no stigma attached to getting treatment for any other combat injury, do troops hesitate to step forward to get the mental health care they need?
That's the challenge facing military leaders as they encourage their troops suffering from combat stress to seek mental health services, said Marine Lt. Gen. John Sattler, who's heading the new Joint Staff Wounded Warrior Integration Team.
Sattler, director of strategic plans and policy for the Joint Staff, said the military's uncomplaining, can-do spirit can make some troops resist seeking treatment for what Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates calls "the unseen scars of war."
"Sometimes our toughness can be our biggest obstacle in getting those injuries healed," Sattler said.
"If you ... have been hit in battle and have an external wound, you go forward and you receive medical treatment, and you are not ashamed in any way, shape or form to go get that treatment," he said. "But for some reason, [there's a] stigma associated with a nonphysical battle injury such as traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic stress disorder.
"We have to make sure that our men and women know there is no stigma associated with seeking the same high degree of medical care to make sure those injures are also taken care of," he said.
The Joint Staff Wounded Warrior Integration Team is focusing much of its work on better understanding PTSD and TBI and their effects, and getting people with symptoms to step forward, Sattler said.
"As the research continues and the care becomes better, it is our responsibility to make sure we alleviate the stigma and ensure our men and women looking for that type of help are unashamed about it," he said.
Getting treatment is a sign of strength, not weakness, and improves a servicemember's duty performance, he said. "They are going to perform better, they will be better warriors – soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines – if they are completely healed inside as well as outside," he said.
Gates urged senior noncommissioned officers attending the Sergeants Major Academy for their help in getting troops who need it to seek combat-related mental-health care.
"All of you have a special role in encouraging troops to seek help for the unseen scars of war -- to let them know that doing so is a sign of strength and maturity," he said during his May 1 visit to Fort Bliss, Texas. "I urge you all to talk with those below you to find out where we can continue to improve.
"Those who have sacrificed for our nation deserve the best care they can get," he continued. "As I have said before, there is no higher priority for the Department of Defense, after the war itself, than caring for our wounded warriors."
MILITARY CONTRACTS May 7, 2008
NAVY
Innovative Technical Solutions, Inc.*, dba NovaSol, Honolulu, Hawaii, is being awarded a $27,475,062 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the development of a reconnaissance and data exploitation system in support of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle sensor efforts within the Naval Air Systems Command Avionics Department. Work will be performed in Honolulu, Hawaii, and work is expected to be completed in May 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was procured via a Broad Agency Announcement. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, N.J., is the contracting activity (N68335-08-C-0110).
Oceaneering International, Inc., Chesapeake, Va.; East Coast Repair and Fabrication, Inc.*, in joint venture with Tecnico Corp.*, Norfolk, Va.; and Q.E.D. Systems, Inc.*, Va. Beach, Va., are each being awarded a $22,500,000 time-and-material, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contract for furnishing the necessary management, technical services, labor, material, support services, and equipment to provide production support and maintenance for the accomplishment of repairs and maintenance onboard U.S. Navy and other military type vessels, including submarines in support of Norfolk Naval Shipyard. Each contractor will receive $100,000.00 at time of award. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Va., and work is expected to be completed by May 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $300,000will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This multiple award contract wascompetitively procured with 24 proposals solicited and sixoffers received via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website. The Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center, U.S. Navy, Portsmouth, Va., is the contracting activity (Oceaneering International, Inc.: N40025-08-D-8008), (East Coast Repair & Fabrication, Inc. in joint venture with Tecnico Corporation: N40025-08-D-8009), (Q.E.D.Systems, Inc.: N40025-08-D-8010).
Motorola, Inc., Columbia, Md., is being awarded a $20,000,000 modification to a previously awarded contract (N65236-06-D-5196) for hand-held radios to support the Enterprise Land Mobile Radio infrastructure. The cumulative value of this contract, including this modification, is $43,105,144. Work will be performed in Columbia, Md., and work is expected to be completed by Sept. 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $20,000,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured through the Federal Business Opportunities website and the Space and Naval Warfare e-Commerce Central website, with six offers received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Charleston, S.C., is the contracting activity.
ARMY
Kellogg, Brown & Root Services, Inc., Houston, Texas, was awarded on May 6, 2008, a $24,625,839 firm-fixed price and cost-reimbursement contract for Kosovo support services. Work will be performed in Texas, Germany and Kosovo, and is expected to be completed by July 31, 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. 66 bids were solicited on Sep. 29, 2003, and three bids were received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Winchester, Va., is the contracting activity (W912ER-05-D-0003).
Tetra Tech FC, LLC, Alexandria, Va., was awarded on May 5, 2008, a $7,606,400 firm-fixed price contract for modifications for Building 61, the Annex, and 59. Work will be performed at Fort McNair, Washington, D.C., and is expected to be completed by May 5, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Competitive, unrestricted bids were solicited on Jul. 17, 2007, and five were received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Md., is the contracting activity (W912DR-08-C-0024).
Weeks Marine, Inc., Covington, La., was awarded on May 6, 2008, a $5,120,000 firm-fixed price contract for dredging activities. Work will be performed in St. Mary Parish, La., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 30, 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Oct. 1, 2007, and two bids were received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, La., is the contracting activity (W912P8-08-C-0055).
AIR FORCE
Northrop Grumman Mission Systems of Clearfield, Utah, is being awarded a modified cost plus fix fee contract for $7,742,385. This action will provide intercontinental ballistic missile Minuteman Minimum Essential Emergency Communications Network upgrade program for the SDD Phase. The MMPU will provide an improved terminal operator control function, continue to be backward compatible with current Extremely High Frequency low data rate communications, add a future high data rate advanced Extremely High Frequency communications capability and address other system improvements in accordance with the system design and development technical requirement document. Northrop Grumman's role in this modification is to provide the system engineering oversight needed to the radio vendor (Raytheon). One Lot. At this time $1,224,548 has been obligated. Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (F42610-98-C-0001).
General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems, Incorporated of San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a cost plus fixed fee contract for $5,948,515. This contract action will provide support for the Lynx Continuous Look Attack Management Predator Reaper MQ-9. At this time $2,619,712 has been obligated. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8620-05-G-3028 0043).
Rolls-Royce Corp., of Indianapolis, Ind., is being awarded a contract for $5,882,181.78. This action will provide for Sole-Source Commercial Contract with Rolls Royce for Replenishment Spares Parts for the T56 Engine Program Qty of 166 each, shafts, and turbin. At this time $0 has been obligated. Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity (FA8104-08-C-0090).
Innovative Technical Solutions, Inc.*, dba NovaSol, Honolulu, Hawaii, is being awarded a $27,475,062 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the development of a reconnaissance and data exploitation system in support of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle sensor efforts within the Naval Air Systems Command Avionics Department. Work will be performed in Honolulu, Hawaii, and work is expected to be completed in May 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was procured via a Broad Agency Announcement. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, N.J., is the contracting activity (N68335-08-C-0110).
Oceaneering International, Inc., Chesapeake, Va.; East Coast Repair and Fabrication, Inc.*, in joint venture with Tecnico Corp.*, Norfolk, Va.; and Q.E.D. Systems, Inc.*, Va. Beach, Va., are each being awarded a $22,500,000 time-and-material, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contract for furnishing the necessary management, technical services, labor, material, support services, and equipment to provide production support and maintenance for the accomplishment of repairs and maintenance onboard U.S. Navy and other military type vessels, including submarines in support of Norfolk Naval Shipyard. Each contractor will receive $100,000.00 at time of award. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Va., and work is expected to be completed by May 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $300,000will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This multiple award contract wascompetitively procured with 24 proposals solicited and sixoffers received via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website. The Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center, U.S. Navy, Portsmouth, Va., is the contracting activity (Oceaneering International, Inc.: N40025-08-D-8008), (East Coast Repair & Fabrication, Inc. in joint venture with Tecnico Corporation: N40025-08-D-8009), (Q.E.D.Systems, Inc.: N40025-08-D-8010).
Motorola, Inc., Columbia, Md., is being awarded a $20,000,000 modification to a previously awarded contract (N65236-06-D-5196) for hand-held radios to support the Enterprise Land Mobile Radio infrastructure. The cumulative value of this contract, including this modification, is $43,105,144. Work will be performed in Columbia, Md., and work is expected to be completed by Sept. 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $20,000,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured through the Federal Business Opportunities website and the Space and Naval Warfare e-Commerce Central website, with six offers received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Charleston, S.C., is the contracting activity.
ARMY
Kellogg, Brown & Root Services, Inc., Houston, Texas, was awarded on May 6, 2008, a $24,625,839 firm-fixed price and cost-reimbursement contract for Kosovo support services. Work will be performed in Texas, Germany and Kosovo, and is expected to be completed by July 31, 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. 66 bids were solicited on Sep. 29, 2003, and three bids were received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Winchester, Va., is the contracting activity (W912ER-05-D-0003).
Tetra Tech FC, LLC, Alexandria, Va., was awarded on May 5, 2008, a $7,606,400 firm-fixed price contract for modifications for Building 61, the Annex, and 59. Work will be performed at Fort McNair, Washington, D.C., and is expected to be completed by May 5, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Competitive, unrestricted bids were solicited on Jul. 17, 2007, and five were received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Md., is the contracting activity (W912DR-08-C-0024).
Weeks Marine, Inc., Covington, La., was awarded on May 6, 2008, a $5,120,000 firm-fixed price contract for dredging activities. Work will be performed in St. Mary Parish, La., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 30, 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Oct. 1, 2007, and two bids were received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, La., is the contracting activity (W912P8-08-C-0055).
AIR FORCE
Northrop Grumman Mission Systems of Clearfield, Utah, is being awarded a modified cost plus fix fee contract for $7,742,385. This action will provide intercontinental ballistic missile Minuteman Minimum Essential Emergency Communications Network upgrade program for the SDD Phase. The MMPU will provide an improved terminal operator control function, continue to be backward compatible with current Extremely High Frequency low data rate communications, add a future high data rate advanced Extremely High Frequency communications capability and address other system improvements in accordance with the system design and development technical requirement document. Northrop Grumman's role in this modification is to provide the system engineering oversight needed to the radio vendor (Raytheon). One Lot. At this time $1,224,548 has been obligated. Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (F42610-98-C-0001).
General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems, Incorporated of San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a cost plus fixed fee contract for $5,948,515. This contract action will provide support for the Lynx Continuous Look Attack Management Predator Reaper MQ-9. At this time $2,619,712 has been obligated. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8620-05-G-3028 0043).
Rolls-Royce Corp., of Indianapolis, Ind., is being awarded a contract for $5,882,181.78. This action will provide for Sole-Source Commercial Contract with Rolls Royce for Replenishment Spares Parts for the T56 Engine Program Qty of 166 each, shafts, and turbin. At this time $0 has been obligated. Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity (FA8104-08-C-0090).
'Army Wives' Cast Works to Create Realistic Military Parallel
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
May 6, 2008 - Drama can occasionally creep into the lives of military families, but since last season, it's been a sure thing for the military families portrayed on Lifetime Network's top-rated show. The cast of "Army Wives" was here yesterday filming scenes for the series' upcoming second season.
The show focuses on four Army wives, the civilian husband of an Army officer, and a handful of children as they navigate the high and not-so-high points of Army life at fictional Fort Marshall, S.C. They, like real Army families, have dealt with deployment, homecomings and other issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder.
Out of respect for their real-life counterparts, the cast members are working to make their portrayal of military life realistic. One viewer spotted Kim Delaney -- who plays Claudia Joy Holden in the series -- in a Charleston hotel elevator and expressed her appreciation for the show in a soft voice.
"She said, 'My daughter married into the military, and he's over there right now, and they have a little boy, and just get it right!'" Delaney recalled, raising her voice sternly. "That's the thing I love about our show. It's extremely respectful of the military, and we're really proud of what the military's doing, and it's entertainment, but we want to show everybody what everybody goes through."
Delaney, who plays the wife of garrison commander Brig. Gen. Michael Holden, described her character as the "moral center" of the group during a break from filming of the upcoming season's fourth episode yesterday. The instruction Delaney got from the soft-spoken lady in the elevator resonates with the rest of the cast, as well.
"Now that the show has gotten some success, the military has come on board, which is great, because now we can get all those details right," said Brian McNamara, who plays the husband of Delaney's character. "It's not very often in television that you actually feel incredibly proud of what you're doing.
"We went to Fort Bragg [N.C.] at the beginning of this season and met a number of soldiers," he continued. "They spoke to us about their experiences, and it just makes you that much prouder to be doing this and to do it right."
Getting the details right also is important to actor Drew Fuller, who plays Spc. Trevor LeBlanc.
"We are definitely the young couple on the Army post, so a lot of how the audience learns about life on post and certain proper protocol is told through our eyes," Fuller said. "We're portraying real people. There are many E-4s out there with a wife and two kids, and it's really important that we do it right. We've got to make it right for them; we're, as a group, so proud of what they're doing for us, it's the smallest of favors that we can do for them."
The TV family endured its first separation last season when Trevor deployed to Iraq.
Making "Army Wives" as real as possible is a top goal for Harry Bring, an Army veteran and the show's executive producer.
"What I hope happens is that we depict it properly," he said. "[I hope] that we get so much production value out of it that the audience knows that we are military -- not just a drama about Army wives, [but also] that we do this stuff for real."
Viewers were quick to take to the Internet whenever the show missed its target of getting all the details just right last season, and the blogosphere's remarks about errantly worn berets during the first season were mild compared to what it thought of Lt. Col. Joan Burton's methods of coping with her life after returning from her Iraq. Wendy Davis, who plays Burton, heard plenty of comments regarding her character's conduct.
"I don't know if it was the drinking or the dancing on the bar. It was very interesting to live that out," Davis said of her character's experience with post-traumatic stress disorder. "When we went to Fort Bragg, ... one of the things [the officers] shared was ... that our soldiers are not throw-away. It's really about getting them help. That was really great to hear."
Thanks in part to a former soldier who's acting as the show's military advisor, and with tips from military family members working as extras on the set, the show is now on a truer military path.
Natalie McQueen, the wife of a deployed servicemember, has been a fan of the show since it began last year. She said she's pleased with the attention to detail she saw during her experience as an extra yesterday.
"I am a big fan. I really enjoy it," she said with her 5-year-old daughter, MacKenzie, at her side. "They portray the military family really well. It is very realistic."
Air Force Reserve Tech. Sgt. John Patterson, clutching a bouquet of flowers for his TV wife, also proudly acknowledged his appreciation of "Army Wives." He called the show a credible account of military life.
"I've watched it a couple of times," said Patterson, who's activated and is stationed here. "It's a pretty good show. I was in the Army also before I was in the Air Force, and it does portray [military life] well."
The second season of "Army Wives," which premiers June 8 at 10 p.m. Eastern Time on Lifetime, promises plenty of surprises -- just like life in an Army family.
American Forces Press Service
May 6, 2008 - Drama can occasionally creep into the lives of military families, but since last season, it's been a sure thing for the military families portrayed on Lifetime Network's top-rated show. The cast of "Army Wives" was here yesterday filming scenes for the series' upcoming second season.
The show focuses on four Army wives, the civilian husband of an Army officer, and a handful of children as they navigate the high and not-so-high points of Army life at fictional Fort Marshall, S.C. They, like real Army families, have dealt with deployment, homecomings and other issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder.
Out of respect for their real-life counterparts, the cast members are working to make their portrayal of military life realistic. One viewer spotted Kim Delaney -- who plays Claudia Joy Holden in the series -- in a Charleston hotel elevator and expressed her appreciation for the show in a soft voice.
"She said, 'My daughter married into the military, and he's over there right now, and they have a little boy, and just get it right!'" Delaney recalled, raising her voice sternly. "That's the thing I love about our show. It's extremely respectful of the military, and we're really proud of what the military's doing, and it's entertainment, but we want to show everybody what everybody goes through."
Delaney, who plays the wife of garrison commander Brig. Gen. Michael Holden, described her character as the "moral center" of the group during a break from filming of the upcoming season's fourth episode yesterday. The instruction Delaney got from the soft-spoken lady in the elevator resonates with the rest of the cast, as well.
"Now that the show has gotten some success, the military has come on board, which is great, because now we can get all those details right," said Brian McNamara, who plays the husband of Delaney's character. "It's not very often in television that you actually feel incredibly proud of what you're doing.
"We went to Fort Bragg [N.C.] at the beginning of this season and met a number of soldiers," he continued. "They spoke to us about their experiences, and it just makes you that much prouder to be doing this and to do it right."
Getting the details right also is important to actor Drew Fuller, who plays Spc. Trevor LeBlanc.
"We are definitely the young couple on the Army post, so a lot of how the audience learns about life on post and certain proper protocol is told through our eyes," Fuller said. "We're portraying real people. There are many E-4s out there with a wife and two kids, and it's really important that we do it right. We've got to make it right for them; we're, as a group, so proud of what they're doing for us, it's the smallest of favors that we can do for them."
The TV family endured its first separation last season when Trevor deployed to Iraq.
Making "Army Wives" as real as possible is a top goal for Harry Bring, an Army veteran and the show's executive producer.
"What I hope happens is that we depict it properly," he said. "[I hope] that we get so much production value out of it that the audience knows that we are military -- not just a drama about Army wives, [but also] that we do this stuff for real."
Viewers were quick to take to the Internet whenever the show missed its target of getting all the details just right last season, and the blogosphere's remarks about errantly worn berets during the first season were mild compared to what it thought of Lt. Col. Joan Burton's methods of coping with her life after returning from her Iraq. Wendy Davis, who plays Burton, heard plenty of comments regarding her character's conduct.
"I don't know if it was the drinking or the dancing on the bar. It was very interesting to live that out," Davis said of her character's experience with post-traumatic stress disorder. "When we went to Fort Bragg, ... one of the things [the officers] shared was ... that our soldiers are not throw-away. It's really about getting them help. That was really great to hear."
Thanks in part to a former soldier who's acting as the show's military advisor, and with tips from military family members working as extras on the set, the show is now on a truer military path.
Natalie McQueen, the wife of a deployed servicemember, has been a fan of the show since it began last year. She said she's pleased with the attention to detail she saw during her experience as an extra yesterday.
"I am a big fan. I really enjoy it," she said with her 5-year-old daughter, MacKenzie, at her side. "They portray the military family really well. It is very realistic."
Air Force Reserve Tech. Sgt. John Patterson, clutching a bouquet of flowers for his TV wife, also proudly acknowledged his appreciation of "Army Wives." He called the show a credible account of military life.
"I've watched it a couple of times," said Patterson, who's activated and is stationed here. "It's a pretty good show. I was in the Army also before I was in the Air Force, and it does portray [military life] well."
The second season of "Army Wives," which premiers June 8 at 10 p.m. Eastern Time on Lifetime, promises plenty of surprises -- just like life in an Army family.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
No. 88 to Accelerate Careers of 88 Future Sailors
By Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 6, 2008 - The U.S. Navy is using NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s star appeal to attract future sailors. In August, the Navy and Dale Earnhardt Jr. will form the "Dale Jr." Division, an 88-person boot camp division at Recruit Training Command Great Lakes, Ill. Earnhardt drives the 88 car for Hendrick Motorsports on the NASCAR circuit.
Navy Capt. Jack Hanzlik, spokesman for the chief of naval personnel, told online journalists and "bloggers" in a teleconference yesterday that during a national advertising and marketing campaign, Navy officials will assess the impact that NASCAR and Earnhardt have on young men and women ages 18 to 25, the service's recurring demographic."
But while it's launching the National Dale Jr. Recruiting Program, Hanzlik said, the Navy's recruiting effort already is on track, meeting its goals year after year.
"We have continued to meet, month after month, our recruiting goals. We are now in month 79 -- over six years straight -- of meeting our recruiting goals, and we have done that without dropping our recruiting standards," he said.
The call for recruits to join the No. 88 class is expected to kick off during Memorial Day weekend. The 88 recruits will begin boot camp in August and will wear special ball caps during their training to signify they are the Dale Earnhardt Jr. Division. Earnhardt is expected to meet the recruits before and during their eight-week training. He also will attend the recruits' graduation ceremony, Hanzlik said.
He added that the Navy NASCAR program is not just about recruiting new sailors, but also is a great way to reward sailors who have performed well at a particular event.
"We bring young men and women who are sailors out in the fleet, doing great work, and it's kind of a reward where we choose one of our commands to be honored at each race," Hanzlik explained. "And a lot of times, it may tie to something unique that happened in the real world also."
He added that sailors from the USS Lake Erie, one of the recent commands selected to participate in the Fleet Honoree Program by enjoying race day at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama in late April.
"At Talladega, we brought the folks off of USS Lake Erie, who about a month and a half ago was the cruiser that shot down the spy satellite," Hanzlik said.
The sailors got an up-close and personal tour on race day.
"We bring them right down to the pits, and they spend the day in the garage at the pit with the team throughout the day, and they get a chance to meet those folks that are really running the programs for the drivers," he said. "And they get a chance to sort of share their respective experiences and see men and women like themselves that are doing different jobs."
He said that many sailors who get the chance to meet the pit crew and No. 88 racing team walk away from the experience realizing that they share many similarities.
"You step into high op-tempo, where the car comes into the pit, and you have a team that is trying to change tires, clean a windshield, fuel the car, get the driver a quick drink of water and ask whatever things need to be tweaked in a matter of 15 seconds," Hanzlik said. "They mastered the communication aspect of doing the work they have to do."
He compared the NASCAR experience to his days as a naval aviator.
"[During] my time on the flight deck of a carrier, I watched men and women who were very competent in what they did, they had to master their skills to move those aircraft around the flight deck, launch them from the flight deck," he said. "The teamwork all of that goes into it is the same; I found great similarities in that -- technology, skilled development, competence in the communications aspect of it."
(Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg is assigned to the New Media branch of American Forces Information Services.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 6, 2008 - The U.S. Navy is using NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s star appeal to attract future sailors. In August, the Navy and Dale Earnhardt Jr. will form the "Dale Jr." Division, an 88-person boot camp division at Recruit Training Command Great Lakes, Ill. Earnhardt drives the 88 car for Hendrick Motorsports on the NASCAR circuit.
Navy Capt. Jack Hanzlik, spokesman for the chief of naval personnel, told online journalists and "bloggers" in a teleconference yesterday that during a national advertising and marketing campaign, Navy officials will assess the impact that NASCAR and Earnhardt have on young men and women ages 18 to 25, the service's recurring demographic."
But while it's launching the National Dale Jr. Recruiting Program, Hanzlik said, the Navy's recruiting effort already is on track, meeting its goals year after year.
"We have continued to meet, month after month, our recruiting goals. We are now in month 79 -- over six years straight -- of meeting our recruiting goals, and we have done that without dropping our recruiting standards," he said.
The call for recruits to join the No. 88 class is expected to kick off during Memorial Day weekend. The 88 recruits will begin boot camp in August and will wear special ball caps during their training to signify they are the Dale Earnhardt Jr. Division. Earnhardt is expected to meet the recruits before and during their eight-week training. He also will attend the recruits' graduation ceremony, Hanzlik said.
He added that the Navy NASCAR program is not just about recruiting new sailors, but also is a great way to reward sailors who have performed well at a particular event.
"We bring young men and women who are sailors out in the fleet, doing great work, and it's kind of a reward where we choose one of our commands to be honored at each race," Hanzlik explained. "And a lot of times, it may tie to something unique that happened in the real world also."
He added that sailors from the USS Lake Erie, one of the recent commands selected to participate in the Fleet Honoree Program by enjoying race day at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama in late April.
"At Talladega, we brought the folks off of USS Lake Erie, who about a month and a half ago was the cruiser that shot down the spy satellite," Hanzlik said.
The sailors got an up-close and personal tour on race day.
"We bring them right down to the pits, and they spend the day in the garage at the pit with the team throughout the day, and they get a chance to meet those folks that are really running the programs for the drivers," he said. "And they get a chance to sort of share their respective experiences and see men and women like themselves that are doing different jobs."
He said that many sailors who get the chance to meet the pit crew and No. 88 racing team walk away from the experience realizing that they share many similarities.
"You step into high op-tempo, where the car comes into the pit, and you have a team that is trying to change tires, clean a windshield, fuel the car, get the driver a quick drink of water and ask whatever things need to be tweaked in a matter of 15 seconds," Hanzlik said. "They mastered the communication aspect of doing the work they have to do."
He compared the NASCAR experience to his days as a naval aviator.
"[During] my time on the flight deck of a carrier, I watched men and women who were very competent in what they did, they had to master their skills to move those aircraft around the flight deck, launch them from the flight deck," he said. "The teamwork all of that goes into it is the same; I found great similarities in that -- technology, skilled development, competence in the communications aspect of it."
(Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg is assigned to the New Media branch of American Forces Information Services.)
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