By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 17, 2009 - Changing threats and emerging technologies drove the decision to restructure the European missile defense plan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today. "I believe this new approach provides a better missile defense capability for our forces in Europe, for our European allies and eventually for our homeland than the program I recommended almost three years ago," Gates said in a briefing at the Pentagon. "It is more adapted to the threat we see developing and takes advantage of new technical capabilities available to us today."
In December 2006, Gates recommended to then-President George W. Bush that the United States should put advanced radars in the Czech Republic and 10 ground-based interceptors in Poland.
That was when intelligence officials gauged the development of Iran's intercontinental ballistic missile as the foremost threat to the United States and its allies.
Now, intelligence reports paint a different picture – that the country is moving faster to develop its shorter-range missiles.
Gates responded by recommending to President Barack Obama that the United States now begin phasing in a missile defense system that puts radars and missiles in place sooner that are more suited to protect against the current threat. Plans are then to continue building on the system to increase its range of defense capabilities.
The president today announced his support of the plan.
"This new approach will provide capabilities sooner, build on proven systems, and offer greater defenses against the threat of missile attack than the 2007 European missile defense program," Obama said today.
Driving the initial phase of the new plan is deploying the Navy's Aegis weapons-system-equipped ships to the region by 2011. These are equipped with the Standard Missile 3 interceptor, which has had several successful tests in the past two years. They will be supported by some forward-position Army radar systems.
This will give the military a smaller range of detection and protection, but is enough initially to protect U.S. troops and allies against Iran's shorter range missiles.
"We can now field initial elements of the system to protect our forces in Europe and our allies roughly six to seven years earlier than the previous plan," Gates said.
As the SM-3 is improved, defense officials will look for positions in Europe to put them on the ground. Talks already are under way with both Poland and the Czech Republic, Gates said.
Additional sensors and more interceptors will be added and by 2020 the system will grow to cover all of Europe and have the capability to knock down multiple targets. It also will give the military the flexibility to move some of its assets to different fronts to combat new threats, Gates said.
"This gives us at least some capability early on and then an increasingly enhanced capability through this entire period," Gates said.
Flexibility is key to the plan, officials said. Originally, the plan centered on the idea of defending against three to five missiles fired from a single rogue nation. Now they believe the United States could have to defend against several missiles simultaneously.
This makes the SM-3 ideal for the job as it is more deployable and cheaper for the military to use against such threats. One Aegis ship can carry about 100 of the interceptors. Also, SM-3s cost about $10 million each, as opposed to a ground-based interceptor -- like those now on standby in Alaska and California -- that top out at about $70 million.
Another feature of the new system is that other countries can combine their radars and interceptors with the United States to increase its range. Many countries already use the Aegis system, and the Japanese already have promised $1 billion toward the development of the improved SM-3, officials said.
"This is a significant opportunity to work in a global construct to both field and fund and maintain this capability in a way that we had not been able to do in the past," said Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also at today's briefing. "We are looking at other partners, both in the sensor and the weapons side, because it does not have to be just American weapons and just American sensors."
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Marine Celebrates Three Decades of Service
By Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jason HernandezSpecial to American Forces Press Service
Iraq, Sept. 17, 2009 - People have the option of serving two to four years in the U.S. military, but some choose to serve many more. One Marine here decided that a few years of service just wasn't enough. Col. Catherine Chase, the assistant chief of staff for the administrative office with II Marine Expeditionary Force, has been serving in the Marine Corps for nearly 30 years.
"I remember thinking that 20 years was going to be a long time," Chase said. "But looking back after almost 30, it really has gone by pretty quickly; it's hard to believe."
Chase received her commission as an officer in 1981.
"While I was in college I had a choice of either joining the Navy or joining the Marine Corps," Chase said. "Being from a family where my father, my grandfather and my granduncle were all Marines, the decision was already made."
She served on active duty during her first five years in the Marines, and her first duty station was at Marine Corps Recruit Depot on Parris Island, S.C.
While at Parris Island, she helped to rewrite the basic training curriculum, allowing female recruits to train, fire and qualify with standard-issue service rifles as men do. She was able to do this while holding the positions of series commander and training company commander, molding young women into Marines.
"It was encouraging to watch the maturing of the Marine Corps," Chase recalled. "To watch the realization that women could contribute significantly to the Marine Corps was truly an amazing experience."
Years after her exit from active duty and entrance into the reserves, Chase found herself serving at a mobilization station in support of operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Not long after the Gulf War ended, Chase earned her master's degree in business and pursued her civilian career while remaining in the reserve.
"I love being in the Marine Corps," she added. "It's good to know that I'm making a valuable contribution to my country."
As Chase's Marine Corps experience winds down and she prepares to retire, she can do so knowing that she'll not only be taking the valuable lessons she's learned in the Marine Corps back to her civilian career, but she'll also be walking away knowing she has made a difference within the Marine Corps community, she said.
"I personally do not believe I could have gotten as far in my civilian career without the lessons I first learned in the Corps," Chase said. "It has always provided a valuable set of skills for me. But one of the most important things I intend to take away from the Marine Corps is the memories of the stellar Marines that I've worked with over the years and all of my accomplishments during that time."
(Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jason Hernandez serves in Multinational Force West.)
Obama Announces Changes for European Missile Defense
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 17, 2009 - President Barack Obama today announced he is restructuring plans for a missile defense system in Europe that provides greater flexibility and promises faster deployment of current technologies. "This new approach will provide capabilities sooner, build on proven systems, and offer greater defenses against the threat of missile attack than the 2007 European missile defense program," Obama said.
The 2007 plan, put in place by the Bush Administration, called for fixed radars to be positioned in the Czech Republic, and 10 interceptor missiles in Poland.
U.S defense officials said the system would protect its allies in Europe and the United States against ballistic missile attacks launched from the Middle East, specifically Iran.
The new plan is based on recent intelligence reports that reassess Iran's weapons capabilities to show short-and medium-range ballistic missiles to be developing more rapidly than projected, and intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities developing much slower than estimated.
Under the new plan, the United States will begin building the missile defense system in a phased approach. First, by 2011, it will field its current radars and interceptors, such as the Navy's Aegis-equipped ships, with the Standard Missile 3 interceptor. The system has proven its capabilities in the past few years, specifically when it stopped a crippled reconnaissance satellite over the Pacific Ocean before it re-entered Earth's atmosphere in February 2008.
This puts in place a defense system in northern and southern Europe that can protect against the more immediate threats from Iran nearly seven years earlier than the plan for installing the ground-based interceptors in Poland, officials said.
The plan is to then build on the system, eventually installing some ground-based radars and interceptors, enlarging the defense system's range, and continuing to augment the system with sea-based systems that can position themselves according to the threat.
"To put it simply, our new missile defense architecture in Europe will provide stronger, smarter and swifter defenses of American forces and America's allies," Obama said. "It is more comprehensive than the previous program; it deploys capabilities that are proven and cost-effective; and it sustains and builds upon our commitment to protect the U.S. homeland against long-range ballistic missile threats; and it ensures and enhances the protection of all our NATO allies."
The new plan alleviates some concerns of Russian leaders, who strongly opposed the positioning of the ground-based interceptors and radar system so near its borders.
U.S. officials traveled several times to Moscow to discuss the system's intention with the Kremlin. The United States offered to allow Russia to have representatives at each site, if the host nation agreed, to provide technical monitoring of activities. The United States promised it would not make the sites operational until the Iranians had tested a missile that could reach most of Western Europe, including parts of Russia.
Still, defense officials said it is likely Russia will not fully embrace any U.S. plans for a missile defense system in Europe.
But, Obama said, as long as Iran continues its nuclear weapons program, the United States will continue to develop its missile defense capabilities in the region.
"Our clear and consistent focus has been the threat posed by Iran's ballistic missile program, and that continues to be our focus and the basis of the program that we're announcing today," the president said. "In confronting that threat, we welcome Russia's cooperation to bring its missile defense capabilities into a broader defense of our common strategic interests, even as ... we continue our shared efforts to end Iran's illicit nuclear program."
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 17, 2009 - President Barack Obama today announced he is restructuring plans for a missile defense system in Europe that provides greater flexibility and promises faster deployment of current technologies. "This new approach will provide capabilities sooner, build on proven systems, and offer greater defenses against the threat of missile attack than the 2007 European missile defense program," Obama said.
The 2007 plan, put in place by the Bush Administration, called for fixed radars to be positioned in the Czech Republic, and 10 interceptor missiles in Poland.
U.S defense officials said the system would protect its allies in Europe and the United States against ballistic missile attacks launched from the Middle East, specifically Iran.
The new plan is based on recent intelligence reports that reassess Iran's weapons capabilities to show short-and medium-range ballistic missiles to be developing more rapidly than projected, and intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities developing much slower than estimated.
Under the new plan, the United States will begin building the missile defense system in a phased approach. First, by 2011, it will field its current radars and interceptors, such as the Navy's Aegis-equipped ships, with the Standard Missile 3 interceptor. The system has proven its capabilities in the past few years, specifically when it stopped a crippled reconnaissance satellite over the Pacific Ocean before it re-entered Earth's atmosphere in February 2008.
This puts in place a defense system in northern and southern Europe that can protect against the more immediate threats from Iran nearly seven years earlier than the plan for installing the ground-based interceptors in Poland, officials said.
The plan is to then build on the system, eventually installing some ground-based radars and interceptors, enlarging the defense system's range, and continuing to augment the system with sea-based systems that can position themselves according to the threat.
"To put it simply, our new missile defense architecture in Europe will provide stronger, smarter and swifter defenses of American forces and America's allies," Obama said. "It is more comprehensive than the previous program; it deploys capabilities that are proven and cost-effective; and it sustains and builds upon our commitment to protect the U.S. homeland against long-range ballistic missile threats; and it ensures and enhances the protection of all our NATO allies."
The new plan alleviates some concerns of Russian leaders, who strongly opposed the positioning of the ground-based interceptors and radar system so near its borders.
U.S. officials traveled several times to Moscow to discuss the system's intention with the Kremlin. The United States offered to allow Russia to have representatives at each site, if the host nation agreed, to provide technical monitoring of activities. The United States promised it would not make the sites operational until the Iranians had tested a missile that could reach most of Western Europe, including parts of Russia.
Still, defense officials said it is likely Russia will not fully embrace any U.S. plans for a missile defense system in Europe.
But, Obama said, as long as Iran continues its nuclear weapons program, the United States will continue to develop its missile defense capabilities in the region.
"Our clear and consistent focus has been the threat posed by Iran's ballistic missile program, and that continues to be our focus and the basis of the program that we're announcing today," the president said. "In confronting that threat, we welcome Russia's cooperation to bring its missile defense capabilities into a broader defense of our common strategic interests, even as ... we continue our shared efforts to end Iran's illicit nuclear program."
Remains of Civil War Soldier Return Home on Anniversary
By Air Force Senior Airman Jameel MosesSpecial to American Forces Press Service
Sept. 17, 2009 - The remains of a Union Civil War soldier found at the Antietam National Battlefield here will be buried today in his home state of New York on the 147th anniversary of the battle, the Civil War's bloodiest day. The remains of the soldier, believed to be between 17 and 19 years old when he was killed, were transferred Sept. 15 from the Antietam National Cemetery Lodge to the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery in Schuylerville, N.Y. He will be buried with full military honors.
"It is right and fitting that today's citizen-soldiers from New York state bring home this unknown New York volunteer of the Civil War," Army Maj. Gen. Joseph J. Taluto, the New York adjutant general, said. "The Soldier's Creed reminds all American soldiers that we never leave a fallen comrade behind. This is a way for soldiers of today to care for a fallen comrade from our past."
The New York National Guard accepted the transfer of the soldier's remains from the Maryland National Guard, which also conducted the honors ceremony at Antietam.
The remains were escorted by the Patriot Guard Riders Association for the 330-mile trip to the New York State Military Museum, where they lie in repose today with a military honor guard.
"The majority of the men who came here and were killed, did not have the opportunity to go back home," said J.W. Howard, superintendent of the Antietam National Battlefield and Antietam National Cemetery. "In our national cemetery, there are over 1,500 unknown graves and you do not know who these young men were, and yet you knew they came here and made this sacrifice. The idea of being able to send him home was something the entire staff stood behind. It was the right thing to do."
The soldier's remains were discovered by a hiker from Oklahoma who was walking along the battlefield last October.
The hiker was walking on a trail running through the Miller cornfield, where the bloodiest fighting of the 12-hour battle occurred, Howard said. A pile of dirt that a groundhog had dug caught his eye. After a closer look, the hiker realized what he had stumbled upon.
The remains included more than 400 bone fragments from 24 different bones, seven coat buttons, two New York state cuff buttons from the left sleeve, six trouser buttons, a leather strap and a belt buckle. They were placed into a box made by a carpenter at Antietam from a walnut tree cut down on the battlefield.
The uniform items will be buried along with the soldier.
"We consider this to be a part of his uniform he was wearing when he died," Howard said. "They should be buried with him."
(Air Force Senior Airman Jameel Moses serves in the National Guard Bureau.)
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Army Aims to Improve Soldiers' Mental Well-being
By Air Force Tech. Sgt. Nick Choy
Special to American Forces Press Service
Sept. 16, 2009 - With soldier suicides reaching what Army leadership is calling "alarming numbers," a renewed emphasis is being placed on soldiers' mental well-being, the Army's second in command said. "We have a force that is much more resilient than I ever thought it was going to be, but it is much more stressed," Army Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, the Army's vice chief of staff, told an audience here Sept. 13 at the National Guard Association of the United States conference.
"In recent years, we've seen an increase in the number of soldiers, both active and reserve components, struggling with depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder," he said.
The Army has confirmed 111 soldier suicides as of early September, and 54 suicides have been confirmed in the Army National Guard and Army Reserve. Chiarelli added that violence, alcohol and substance abuse, and destructive or reckless behaviors have increased among soldiers.
"The challenge facing the Army today is the overall well-being of the force," the general said. "And that force includes the families."
The Army's aim, he said, is to increase soldiers' overall resiliency and to make them aware of programs that can help.
"In the past, the Army's approach was largely reactive -- to treat or discipline soldiers who violated Army standards. That has changed," Chiarelli said. The Army now will assess and intervene early in the process to identify and mitigate issues before they become significant concerns, he explained.
Chiarelli highlighted an ongoing collaboration struck in October 2008 between the Army and the National Institute of Mental Health.
"We realize we must become proactive if we want to be successful in the challenging environment we find ourselves in today," he said.
Another way to solve some of the pressures facing soldiers is to increase the amount of time between deployments. Chiarelli cited an example of one Army unit that has a 3 percent medical nondeployment rate, versus other units' 12- to 15-percent rate.
When he asked his advisors what made that particular unit so successful, he said, they replied that the unit had increased its time at home station to 26 months, as opposed to the average time of 16 months for most other units.
"It doesn't take a nuclear scientist to figure out that the key to this problem is to expand the time our soldiers spend at home," Chiarelli said.
Additionally, the Army plans to add 417 behavioral health specialists to its rolls to mitigate mental health issues associated with increasing deployments and a growing operations tempo. The introduction of online mental health diagnostic and treatment tools for soldiers and their families is another key to helping soldiers cope with the demands being placed upon them, he added.
The general said he'd like to bring Tricare military health plan coverage for soldiers in the National Guard and Army Reserve more in line with their active-duty counterparts.
"We have a responsibility to provide the same level of health care to National Guard soldiers that we provide to the active duty," Chiarelli said, noting that more than 700,000 National Guard and Reserve soldiers have been called to active duty since 2001.
"It really is one team, one fight," he said. "But unfortunately, I think the challenges we are facing as a force are going to get harder before they get easier as we continue to adjust to this new strategic environment."
Finally, Chiarelli highlighted the effort in Afghanistan, where an emphasis on agribusiness is helping to redirect the Afghan focus toward legitimate crops that benefit the entire population instead of the opium poppy trade, which finances insurgent groups. The effort of National Guard members, who are helping to redevelop the country's essential farming practices lost to years of conflict, is a true success story, he said.
"Today, National Guardsmen from agriculture states in middle America are deploying to Afghanistan to advise the Afghan people on modern farming techniques and business practices," the general said. He cited innovative irrigation techniques, grain storage facilities, livestock management and "green" power using solar technology as some of the tools that will bring Afghans toward independence and self-assurance.
"We're helping Afghanistan rebuild their economy, and this is absolutely critical to our success there," Chiarelli said. "These farmer-soldiers represent the strategic tip of the spear."
But this critical mission is not funded in the National Guard by design, the general cautioned. Rather, these missions are conducted and funded by National Guard teams "out of hyde" due to new requirements.
"This new requirement has undoubtedly contributed to the growing strain on our forces," he said. "No doubt, there are tough days ahead, and it'll require a total team effort by our active-duty and Reserve and National Guard components to make it happen."
(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Nick Choy serves in the National Guard Bureau.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Sept. 16, 2009 - With soldier suicides reaching what Army leadership is calling "alarming numbers," a renewed emphasis is being placed on soldiers' mental well-being, the Army's second in command said. "We have a force that is much more resilient than I ever thought it was going to be, but it is much more stressed," Army Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, the Army's vice chief of staff, told an audience here Sept. 13 at the National Guard Association of the United States conference.
"In recent years, we've seen an increase in the number of soldiers, both active and reserve components, struggling with depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder," he said.
The Army has confirmed 111 soldier suicides as of early September, and 54 suicides have been confirmed in the Army National Guard and Army Reserve. Chiarelli added that violence, alcohol and substance abuse, and destructive or reckless behaviors have increased among soldiers.
"The challenge facing the Army today is the overall well-being of the force," the general said. "And that force includes the families."
The Army's aim, he said, is to increase soldiers' overall resiliency and to make them aware of programs that can help.
"In the past, the Army's approach was largely reactive -- to treat or discipline soldiers who violated Army standards. That has changed," Chiarelli said. The Army now will assess and intervene early in the process to identify and mitigate issues before they become significant concerns, he explained.
Chiarelli highlighted an ongoing collaboration struck in October 2008 between the Army and the National Institute of Mental Health.
"We realize we must become proactive if we want to be successful in the challenging environment we find ourselves in today," he said.
Another way to solve some of the pressures facing soldiers is to increase the amount of time between deployments. Chiarelli cited an example of one Army unit that has a 3 percent medical nondeployment rate, versus other units' 12- to 15-percent rate.
When he asked his advisors what made that particular unit so successful, he said, they replied that the unit had increased its time at home station to 26 months, as opposed to the average time of 16 months for most other units.
"It doesn't take a nuclear scientist to figure out that the key to this problem is to expand the time our soldiers spend at home," Chiarelli said.
Additionally, the Army plans to add 417 behavioral health specialists to its rolls to mitigate mental health issues associated with increasing deployments and a growing operations tempo. The introduction of online mental health diagnostic and treatment tools for soldiers and their families is another key to helping soldiers cope with the demands being placed upon them, he added.
The general said he'd like to bring Tricare military health plan coverage for soldiers in the National Guard and Army Reserve more in line with their active-duty counterparts.
"We have a responsibility to provide the same level of health care to National Guard soldiers that we provide to the active duty," Chiarelli said, noting that more than 700,000 National Guard and Reserve soldiers have been called to active duty since 2001.
"It really is one team, one fight," he said. "But unfortunately, I think the challenges we are facing as a force are going to get harder before they get easier as we continue to adjust to this new strategic environment."
Finally, Chiarelli highlighted the effort in Afghanistan, where an emphasis on agribusiness is helping to redirect the Afghan focus toward legitimate crops that benefit the entire population instead of the opium poppy trade, which finances insurgent groups. The effort of National Guard members, who are helping to redevelop the country's essential farming practices lost to years of conflict, is a true success story, he said.
"Today, National Guardsmen from agriculture states in middle America are deploying to Afghanistan to advise the Afghan people on modern farming techniques and business practices," the general said. He cited innovative irrigation techniques, grain storage facilities, livestock management and "green" power using solar technology as some of the tools that will bring Afghans toward independence and self-assurance.
"We're helping Afghanistan rebuild their economy, and this is absolutely critical to our success there," Chiarelli said. "These farmer-soldiers represent the strategic tip of the spear."
But this critical mission is not funded in the National Guard by design, the general cautioned. Rather, these missions are conducted and funded by National Guard teams "out of hyde" due to new requirements.
"This new requirement has undoubtedly contributed to the growing strain on our forces," he said. "No doubt, there are tough days ahead, and it'll require a total team effort by our active-duty and Reserve and National Guard components to make it happen."
(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Nick Choy serves in the National Guard Bureau.)
Legislation Could Extend GI Bill to More Guardsmen
By Air Force Senior Airman Jameel S. Moses
Special to American Forces Press Service
Sept. 16, 2009 - More than 30,000 additional National Guard members may become eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill with the help of bipartisan legislation introduced Sept. 10. U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack of Iowa has introduced a bill that proposes a change to the GI Bill eligibility rules to include National Guard members called to active duty in support of homeland security.
"Essentially, the new GI Bill of Rights that we passed last year unintentionally left out about 30,000 members of the National Guard," Loebsack said on Radio Iowa. "They are not receiving all of the benefits they have earned."
The current Post-9/11 GI Bill, which began Aug. 3, extends benefits only to servicemembers serving under Title 10 duty status, but the proposed law would cover those serving under Title 32 in homeland security roles. Both duty statuses are paid with federal dollars, but under Title 32, the state governor maintains control of National Guard forces.
"Our National Guard members who participate in disaster response, protection of U.S. airspace, border security and many other critical missions deserve the Post-9/11 GI benefits and the opportunities that come with those benefits," Loebsack said. "As a former college professor, I know and understand the many doors an education can open. A small technical error will not and should not get in the way of opening those doors."
The bill also covers reserve-component servicemembers who have been discharged with a service-connected disability, because they're not covered under current law, he added. Servicemembers discharged under Title 10 with a service-connected disability are provided a full, four-year college education, but Guard members discharged under Title 32 aren't eligible.
The bill, which has 22 co-sponsors, has been referred to the House Veterans Affairs Committee. The committee isn't expected to pass new GI Bill-related legislation until next year.
(Air Force Senior Airman Jameel S. Moses serves in the National Guard Bureau.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Sept. 16, 2009 - More than 30,000 additional National Guard members may become eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill with the help of bipartisan legislation introduced Sept. 10. U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack of Iowa has introduced a bill that proposes a change to the GI Bill eligibility rules to include National Guard members called to active duty in support of homeland security.
"Essentially, the new GI Bill of Rights that we passed last year unintentionally left out about 30,000 members of the National Guard," Loebsack said on Radio Iowa. "They are not receiving all of the benefits they have earned."
The current Post-9/11 GI Bill, which began Aug. 3, extends benefits only to servicemembers serving under Title 10 duty status, but the proposed law would cover those serving under Title 32 in homeland security roles. Both duty statuses are paid with federal dollars, but under Title 32, the state governor maintains control of National Guard forces.
"Our National Guard members who participate in disaster response, protection of U.S. airspace, border security and many other critical missions deserve the Post-9/11 GI benefits and the opportunities that come with those benefits," Loebsack said. "As a former college professor, I know and understand the many doors an education can open. A small technical error will not and should not get in the way of opening those doors."
The bill also covers reserve-component servicemembers who have been discharged with a service-connected disability, because they're not covered under current law, he added. Servicemembers discharged under Title 10 with a service-connected disability are provided a full, four-year college education, but Guard members discharged under Title 32 aren't eligible.
The bill, which has 22 co-sponsors, has been referred to the House Veterans Affairs Committee. The committee isn't expected to pass new GI Bill-related legislation until next year.
(Air Force Senior Airman Jameel S. Moses serves in the National Guard Bureau.)
Leaders to Honor Top Employers for Military Support
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 16, 2009 - Fifteen employers from across the nation will receive the 2009 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award tomorrow for their support of Guard and Reserve employees. The ceremony is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center here.
Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden – whose son, Beau, has deployed as a Delaware National Guard officer – will join top Defense Department officials including Dennis McCarthy, assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs, as well as members of Congress at the ceremony. The National Guard and Reserve members who nominated the recipients for the award also will attend.
The Freedom Award is the highest recognition given by the U.S. government to employers for their outstanding support of employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve. The award is given to employers in three categories: large business, small business and the public sector. A record 3,202 nominations for the award were submitted by National Guard and Reserve members or their families from across the nation.
The National Guard and Reserve make up nearly half of the total U.S. military strength. The Defense Department shares these citizen-warriors with their civilian employers; many provide their military employees with exceptional support. This year's honorees range from a small race-car wind tunnel business in North Carolina to major technology and pharmaceutical corporations to a local police department.
The recipients are:
-- AeroDyn Wind Tunnel of Mooresville, N.C.;
-- AstraZeneca International of Wilmington, Del.;
-- Cambridge Fire Department of Cambridge, Mass.;
-- Consolidated Electrical Distributors of North Charleston, S.C.;
-- First Data Corp. of Atlanta;
-- FMC Technologies of Houston;
-- Jackson Parish Sheriff's Department of Jonesboro, La.;
-- The Marks, O'Neill, O'Brien & Courtney law firm of Wilmington, Del.;
-- Microsoft Corp. of Redmond, Wash.;
-- Mid America Kidney Stone Association of Kansas City, Mo.;
-- NetJets of Columbus, Ohio;
-- Ohio Department of Public Safety of Columbus;
-- Perpetual Technologies of Indianapolis;
-- Santa Ana Police Department of Santa Ana, Calif.; and
-- TriWest Healthcare Alliance of Phoenix.
Sept. 16, 2009 - Fifteen employers from across the nation will receive the 2009 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award tomorrow for their support of Guard and Reserve employees. The ceremony is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center here.
Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden – whose son, Beau, has deployed as a Delaware National Guard officer – will join top Defense Department officials including Dennis McCarthy, assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs, as well as members of Congress at the ceremony. The National Guard and Reserve members who nominated the recipients for the award also will attend.
The Freedom Award is the highest recognition given by the U.S. government to employers for their outstanding support of employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve. The award is given to employers in three categories: large business, small business and the public sector. A record 3,202 nominations for the award were submitted by National Guard and Reserve members or their families from across the nation.
The National Guard and Reserve make up nearly half of the total U.S. military strength. The Defense Department shares these citizen-warriors with their civilian employers; many provide their military employees with exceptional support. This year's honorees range from a small race-car wind tunnel business in North Carolina to major technology and pharmaceutical corporations to a local police department.
The recipients are:
-- AeroDyn Wind Tunnel of Mooresville, N.C.;
-- AstraZeneca International of Wilmington, Del.;
-- Cambridge Fire Department of Cambridge, Mass.;
-- Consolidated Electrical Distributors of North Charleston, S.C.;
-- First Data Corp. of Atlanta;
-- FMC Technologies of Houston;
-- Jackson Parish Sheriff's Department of Jonesboro, La.;
-- The Marks, O'Neill, O'Brien & Courtney law firm of Wilmington, Del.;
-- Microsoft Corp. of Redmond, Wash.;
-- Mid America Kidney Stone Association of Kansas City, Mo.;
-- NetJets of Columbus, Ohio;
-- Ohio Department of Public Safety of Columbus;
-- Perpetual Technologies of Indianapolis;
-- Santa Ana Police Department of Santa Ana, Calif.; and
-- TriWest Healthcare Alliance of Phoenix.
Air Force Has Solid Future Capabilities, Gates Says
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 16, 2009 - The foundation of America's air power rests on a broad and versatile mix of capabilities, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. "At the high end of the spectrum is the F-22. It is far and away the best air-to-air fighter ever produced, and will ensure U.S. command of the skies for the next generation," Gates said at the Air Force Association's Air and Space Conference. "Our commitment to this aircraft is underscored by the 6 and-a half billion dollars provided over the next few years to upgrade the existing F-22 fleet to be fully mission-capable."
The Defense Department is slated to purchase 187 F-22 Raptors, which Gates called "a great airplane" during a recent tour of two major defense contractors' plants. Finite defense resources compelled the Pentagon to favor the F-35 Lightning II, an all-purpose aircraft that will cost less than half as much as the F-22, he said during that same trip.
The F-35, which Gates described today as the largest piece of the "U.S. air-dominance portfolio," will be used by the Air Force, the Marine Corps and the Navy. The F-22 Raptor fighter is slated for exclusive use by the Air Force.
Though the F-35 lacks some of the high-end, air-to-air attributes of the F-22, the fifth-generation stealth aircraft spans a wide range of the conflict spectrum, he said, with cutting-edge capabilities in electronic warfare and suppressing enemy air defenses.
"Without question, the F-35 program represents an ambitious effort," Gates said. "[It involves] more than 3,000 aircraft, counting all military services and foreign partners, 22 million lines of code [and] over $46 billion for development, plus an estimated $300 billion total in acquisition costs -- a truly massive investment in the future of U.S. air power."
The F-35 program has seen its share of rising costs, delays and other development issues, and likely will face more challenges, Gates acknowledged. The manufacturers recently assured the secretary that problems are being aggressively addressed, he added.
Joining the F-22 and the F-35 as a major player in the Air Force fleet is the unmanned aerial vehicle.
"The director of the Air Force's unmanned task force has compared ... UAV potential based on today's systems to judging manned aircraft based on the Wright Brothers Flyer," Gates said. "Large numbers of increasingly capable UAVs – when integrated with our fifth-generation fighters – potentially give the United States the ability to disrupt and overwhelm an adversary using mass and swarming tactics, adding a new dimension to the American way of war.
"In future years, these remotely piloted aircraft will get more numerous and more advanced, with great range and the ability to fight as well as survive," he added.
This new century brings with it a "fiendish and complex" array of threats, Gates said.
"To overcome these challenges, we'll call on all elements of America's defense establishment – military, civilian, Congress, and industry, retired flag officers, veterans' groups and military service organizations – to step up and be part of the solution," he said, adding they'll be asked to stretch their comfort zones and rethink long-standing assumptions. "I believe this is happening in the United States Air Force."
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 16, 2009 - The foundation of America's air power rests on a broad and versatile mix of capabilities, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. "At the high end of the spectrum is the F-22. It is far and away the best air-to-air fighter ever produced, and will ensure U.S. command of the skies for the next generation," Gates said at the Air Force Association's Air and Space Conference. "Our commitment to this aircraft is underscored by the 6 and-a half billion dollars provided over the next few years to upgrade the existing F-22 fleet to be fully mission-capable."
The Defense Department is slated to purchase 187 F-22 Raptors, which Gates called "a great airplane" during a recent tour of two major defense contractors' plants. Finite defense resources compelled the Pentagon to favor the F-35 Lightning II, an all-purpose aircraft that will cost less than half as much as the F-22, he said during that same trip.
The F-35, which Gates described today as the largest piece of the "U.S. air-dominance portfolio," will be used by the Air Force, the Marine Corps and the Navy. The F-22 Raptor fighter is slated for exclusive use by the Air Force.
Though the F-35 lacks some of the high-end, air-to-air attributes of the F-22, the fifth-generation stealth aircraft spans a wide range of the conflict spectrum, he said, with cutting-edge capabilities in electronic warfare and suppressing enemy air defenses.
"Without question, the F-35 program represents an ambitious effort," Gates said. "[It involves] more than 3,000 aircraft, counting all military services and foreign partners, 22 million lines of code [and] over $46 billion for development, plus an estimated $300 billion total in acquisition costs -- a truly massive investment in the future of U.S. air power."
The F-35 program has seen its share of rising costs, delays and other development issues, and likely will face more challenges, Gates acknowledged. The manufacturers recently assured the secretary that problems are being aggressively addressed, he added.
Joining the F-22 and the F-35 as a major player in the Air Force fleet is the unmanned aerial vehicle.
"The director of the Air Force's unmanned task force has compared ... UAV potential based on today's systems to judging manned aircraft based on the Wright Brothers Flyer," Gates said. "Large numbers of increasingly capable UAVs – when integrated with our fifth-generation fighters – potentially give the United States the ability to disrupt and overwhelm an adversary using mass and swarming tactics, adding a new dimension to the American way of war.
"In future years, these remotely piloted aircraft will get more numerous and more advanced, with great range and the ability to fight as well as survive," he added.
This new century brings with it a "fiendish and complex" array of threats, Gates said.
"To overcome these challenges, we'll call on all elements of America's defense establishment – military, civilian, Congress, and industry, retired flag officers, veterans' groups and military service organizations – to step up and be part of the solution," he said, adding they'll be asked to stretch their comfort zones and rethink long-standing assumptions. "I believe this is happening in the United States Air Force."
Gates Returns Tanker Selection Authority to Air Force
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 16, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced today that he has returned selection authority for the Air Force's next aerial-refueling tanker to Air Force officials. The Air Force had awarded the contract for what's known as the KC-X to a Northrop-Grumman/EADS/Airbus consortium, which prompted a protest from rival bidder Boeing. The General Accountability Office found irregularities in the awarding of the contract, and Gates re-opened the bidding process on July 9, 2008, appointing the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics as source-selection authority.
Gates shelved the process two months later, however, telling Congress that rather than handing the next presidential administration "an incomplete and possibly contested process," he had decided to defer the procurement decision to the administration that would be elected in November.
In a speech at the Air Force Association's Air and Space Conference here, Gates said he's confident that Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Norton A. Schwartz will handle the source selection well.
"I don't need to belabor the importance of getting this done soon and done right," he said, "and my office will continue to have a robust oversight role. We are committed to the integrity of the selection process, and cannot afford the kind of letdowns, parochial squabbles and corporate food fights that have bedeviled this effort in the past."
A draft request for proposals for the new tanker will follow, the secretary said.
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 16, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced today that he has returned selection authority for the Air Force's next aerial-refueling tanker to Air Force officials. The Air Force had awarded the contract for what's known as the KC-X to a Northrop-Grumman/EADS/Airbus consortium, which prompted a protest from rival bidder Boeing. The General Accountability Office found irregularities in the awarding of the contract, and Gates re-opened the bidding process on July 9, 2008, appointing the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics as source-selection authority.
Gates shelved the process two months later, however, telling Congress that rather than handing the next presidential administration "an incomplete and possibly contested process," he had decided to defer the procurement decision to the administration that would be elected in November.
In a speech at the Air Force Association's Air and Space Conference here, Gates said he's confident that Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Norton A. Schwartz will handle the source selection well.
"I don't need to belabor the importance of getting this done soon and done right," he said, "and my office will continue to have a robust oversight role. We are committed to the integrity of the selection process, and cannot afford the kind of letdowns, parochial squabbles and corporate food fights that have bedeviled this effort in the past."
A draft request for proposals for the new tanker will follow, the secretary said.
Defense Department Kicks Off 2009 CFC Campaign
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 16, 2009 - The Defense Department can lend a hand to Americans affected by the past year's economic crisis through donations to the Combined Federal Campaign, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn said today at the Pentagon's CFC kickoff ceremony. As of August, the unemployment rate increased to 9.7 percent, leaving nearly 15 million Americans without jobs. CFC contributions can make a positive impact on the lives of those in need, Lynn said.
"President Obama has said that America's success depends on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart, and the CFC enables us to do just that," Lynn said to a group of senior civilian and military leaders. "I ask everyone here and every organization and service to go out and champion the message of the Combined Federal Campaign and donate whatever you're able to do."
Through the CFC, Defense Department employees have the opportunity to give money to charities that feed the homeless, research leading-edge medical technology to save lives and to organizations that provide humanitarian assistance to impoverished regions around the globe. More than 4,000 charities are listed in the CFC beneficiary catalog, making it the largest workplace giving campaign in the world.
The CFC campaign has out-pledged its previous year's goal for five straight years. The Defense Department's 2009 campaign goal is to raise $14.1 million, the program's highest benchmark yet. Last year's campaign exceeded its $13.3 million goal by raising more $16 million in donations.
Service goals for this year CFC National Capital Area campaign are $3.85 million from the Navy and Marine Corps, $3.12 million from the Army and $1.8 million from the Air Force. All increased their previous year's goals.
"The CFC is a tremendous and important effort," the deputy defense secretary said. "It has consistently been a leader in workplace giving, and the numbers are impressive."
The CFC campaign began Sept. 1 and runs through Dec. 15. This year's theme is "The Power of Community, the Compassion of Individuals."
Michael L. Rhodes, acting director of administration and management for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, said the theme was chosen and fitting because of the challenges many people face in today's economic crisis.
"Many families have been hit hard by economic situations at home," Rhodes said. "The strength of our department has always been our people. All the participating charities in that catalog need support from folks like you and those you contact throughout the department."
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 16, 2009 - The Defense Department can lend a hand to Americans affected by the past year's economic crisis through donations to the Combined Federal Campaign, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn said today at the Pentagon's CFC kickoff ceremony. As of August, the unemployment rate increased to 9.7 percent, leaving nearly 15 million Americans without jobs. CFC contributions can make a positive impact on the lives of those in need, Lynn said.
"President Obama has said that America's success depends on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart, and the CFC enables us to do just that," Lynn said to a group of senior civilian and military leaders. "I ask everyone here and every organization and service to go out and champion the message of the Combined Federal Campaign and donate whatever you're able to do."
Through the CFC, Defense Department employees have the opportunity to give money to charities that feed the homeless, research leading-edge medical technology to save lives and to organizations that provide humanitarian assistance to impoverished regions around the globe. More than 4,000 charities are listed in the CFC beneficiary catalog, making it the largest workplace giving campaign in the world.
The CFC campaign has out-pledged its previous year's goal for five straight years. The Defense Department's 2009 campaign goal is to raise $14.1 million, the program's highest benchmark yet. Last year's campaign exceeded its $13.3 million goal by raising more $16 million in donations.
Service goals for this year CFC National Capital Area campaign are $3.85 million from the Navy and Marine Corps, $3.12 million from the Army and $1.8 million from the Air Force. All increased their previous year's goals.
"The CFC is a tremendous and important effort," the deputy defense secretary said. "It has consistently been a leader in workplace giving, and the numbers are impressive."
The CFC campaign began Sept. 1 and runs through Dec. 15. This year's theme is "The Power of Community, the Compassion of Individuals."
Michael L. Rhodes, acting director of administration and management for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, said the theme was chosen and fitting because of the challenges many people face in today's economic crisis.
"Many families have been hit hard by economic situations at home," Rhodes said. "The strength of our department has always been our people. All the participating charities in that catalog need support from folks like you and those you contact throughout the department."
Defense Secretary Lauds Airmen's Contributions, Service
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 16, 2009 - Airmen around the world are making a life-and-death difference for U.S. military ground forces, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. The secretary praised airmen's efforts and their sacrifices while addressing an audience at the Air Force Association's Air and Space Convention.
"First, a word of thanks to the men and women whose achievements we cherish and whose interests you represent," Gates said. "Since 9/11, hundreds of thousands of airmen have gone about their duties -- usually unheralded and unrecognized by the usual metric of medals and media coverage.
"More than 100 have made the supreme sacrifice in Iraq and Afghanistan," he added.
Gates highlighted airmen's accomplishments, from reconnaissance groups to weapons squadrons.
"As a result of airmen's efforts, dangerous men looking to attack our troops and harm our country have met their just end, usually without a warning: a distant buzz followed by a bolt from the sky," Gates said. "Some of those strikes may have come from the 74th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron -- the 'Flying Tigers.'"
The Flying Tigers deployed to Afghanistan from Moody Air Force Base, Ga., seven months ago. Since arriving, they've completed more than 2,800 combat missions spanning 12,000 flight hours of reconnaissance and close-air support, a record for the historic unit, Gates said.
Gates noted the actions of an Arizona National Guard unit as well.
"Our enemies have also been under the unblinking eye and precision fire of the 214th Reconnaissance Group of the Arizona National Guard," Gates said. "[The group] recently received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award from [Air Force] Secretary [Michael B.] Donley after its Predators logged more than 17,000 hours over Afghanistan and Iraq."
On a visit to Afghanistan in May, Gates met with search and rescue aircrews from the 34th Weapons Squadron and 38th Rescue Squadron, which are supporting Marines in Helmand province. In a three-month stretch in the spring, pararescue airmen from the 34th recovered or treated more than 320 casualties, both military and civilian, he said.
"Then there was the crew of Shocker 21 of the 305th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron based in Kandahar," Gates said. "They were called in after an American Special Forces team and Afghan soldiers came under heavy attack.
"In four successive passes over a hot landing zone, Shocker 21 picked up two groups of wounded troops, laid down suppressive fire and delivered badly needed ammunition," he continued. "All told, the expertise and courage of the Air Force search and rescue teams are making the goal of the 'golden hour' a reality in Afghanistan."
The golden hour refers to roughly the first 60 minutes following a trauma. The chance of survival is greatest if the needed treatment is obtained within that window.
The secretary didn't forget the airmen serving on the ground in theater, either, drawing on one airman's experience as an example of the difference they're making in the war.
"Take the example of Tech Sergeant Benjamin Horton, from Hill Air Force Base in Utah," Gates said. "Sergeant Horton destroyed more than 7 tons of enemy explosives while deployed to Iraq in the hair-raising vocation of [explosives ordnance disposal] technician.
"His expertise with the tactics of enemy bombers led to the capture of six bomb makers in the Kirkuk region," he continued. "In one instance, he pulled four injured soldiers from a vehicle after a [roadside bomb] attack, and then cleared the extraction zone to medevac the wounded, earning a Bronze Star for his efforts."
Then there are the C-17 and C-5 transport jet crews that fly thousands of tons of goods a day in and out of theater, he said, and the maintenance personnel who keep the planes flying.
"Without these efforts and the exertions of tens of thousands of airmen including engineers, security forces, medical personnel, explosive ordnance disposal experts, and those protecting our lines of communication in space and cyberspace, the entire U.S. war effort would simply grind to a halt," Gates said
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 16, 2009 - Airmen around the world are making a life-and-death difference for U.S. military ground forces, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. The secretary praised airmen's efforts and their sacrifices while addressing an audience at the Air Force Association's Air and Space Convention.
"First, a word of thanks to the men and women whose achievements we cherish and whose interests you represent," Gates said. "Since 9/11, hundreds of thousands of airmen have gone about their duties -- usually unheralded and unrecognized by the usual metric of medals and media coverage.
"More than 100 have made the supreme sacrifice in Iraq and Afghanistan," he added.
Gates highlighted airmen's accomplishments, from reconnaissance groups to weapons squadrons.
"As a result of airmen's efforts, dangerous men looking to attack our troops and harm our country have met their just end, usually without a warning: a distant buzz followed by a bolt from the sky," Gates said. "Some of those strikes may have come from the 74th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron -- the 'Flying Tigers.'"
The Flying Tigers deployed to Afghanistan from Moody Air Force Base, Ga., seven months ago. Since arriving, they've completed more than 2,800 combat missions spanning 12,000 flight hours of reconnaissance and close-air support, a record for the historic unit, Gates said.
Gates noted the actions of an Arizona National Guard unit as well.
"Our enemies have also been under the unblinking eye and precision fire of the 214th Reconnaissance Group of the Arizona National Guard," Gates said. "[The group] recently received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award from [Air Force] Secretary [Michael B.] Donley after its Predators logged more than 17,000 hours over Afghanistan and Iraq."
On a visit to Afghanistan in May, Gates met with search and rescue aircrews from the 34th Weapons Squadron and 38th Rescue Squadron, which are supporting Marines in Helmand province. In a three-month stretch in the spring, pararescue airmen from the 34th recovered or treated more than 320 casualties, both military and civilian, he said.
"Then there was the crew of Shocker 21 of the 305th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron based in Kandahar," Gates said. "They were called in after an American Special Forces team and Afghan soldiers came under heavy attack.
"In four successive passes over a hot landing zone, Shocker 21 picked up two groups of wounded troops, laid down suppressive fire and delivered badly needed ammunition," he continued. "All told, the expertise and courage of the Air Force search and rescue teams are making the goal of the 'golden hour' a reality in Afghanistan."
The golden hour refers to roughly the first 60 minutes following a trauma. The chance of survival is greatest if the needed treatment is obtained within that window.
The secretary didn't forget the airmen serving on the ground in theater, either, drawing on one airman's experience as an example of the difference they're making in the war.
"Take the example of Tech Sergeant Benjamin Horton, from Hill Air Force Base in Utah," Gates said. "Sergeant Horton destroyed more than 7 tons of enemy explosives while deployed to Iraq in the hair-raising vocation of [explosives ordnance disposal] technician.
"His expertise with the tactics of enemy bombers led to the capture of six bomb makers in the Kirkuk region," he continued. "In one instance, he pulled four injured soldiers from a vehicle after a [roadside bomb] attack, and then cleared the extraction zone to medevac the wounded, earning a Bronze Star for his efforts."
Then there are the C-17 and C-5 transport jet crews that fly thousands of tons of goods a day in and out of theater, he said, and the maintenance personnel who keep the planes flying.
"Without these efforts and the exertions of tens of thousands of airmen including engineers, security forces, medical personnel, explosive ordnance disposal experts, and those protecting our lines of communication in space and cyberspace, the entire U.S. war effort would simply grind to a halt," Gates said
Widow Notes Strides in Survivor Support
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 16, 2009 - Donna Engeman always had faith in her military community and its support. When her children were sick, they were cared for by the best doctors the military could offer. And when her husband deployed on several occasions during his nearly three decades of service, someone always was nearby who understood what her family was going through, she said.
She was a dedicated Army spouse for 23 years and loved the camaraderie that even spouses enjoyed. "The Army, especially, tells us that when our loved ones go into the Army, we're part of the Army too," she said of Army spouses. "We don't sign on the line, but it's our career, too."
But in May 2006, the military support system she knew and loved temporarily faded away when she lost her husband to a roadside bomb in Iraq. The death of her husband, Army Chief Warrant Officer John Engeman, and a lack of immediate support from his unit and the Army left her feeling alone and abandoned, she said, making her transition from Army wife to widow more difficult than she ever could have imagined.
"One of the things you feel right away is a sense of alienation," she said. "You not only lose a loved one; for many of us, we lost a way of life. You've lost the Army culture, and there's a real sense that our [Army] family abandoned us."
The sense of abandonment Engeman felt is something the Army and the other military branches have been working to fix for nearly eight years. Since military families began sacrificing their loved ones after the 9/11 attacks, the Defense Department and a host of other organizations have worked tirelessly to establish a culture of support for those like her, and they've come a long way, she said.
"One of the key components in our Army [survivor outreach program] is that we stress to the survivors that they are part of the Army family, and they can be apart of it as long as they want," said Engeman, now a survivor outreach and services advisor for the Army. "For as long as they want us around, we're going to be there to support them."
Engeman's transition from Army wife to widow was unique, because her husband was assigned as a National Guard liaison in West Virginia. He split his work between there and Fort Bragg, N.C., where he helped to train part-time soldiers for deployments. When he was killed, there was no family support group, and the National Guard public affairs and casualty assistance officers assigned to her case weren't familiar with how to care for her. No clear-cut process of support was in place for her and her family, she said.
"It was so overwhelming with all the paperwork," she said. "You're just stunned. You're still trying to wrap your head around the fact that he's dead, and the fact that I'd just talked to him two days ago and now he's gone.
"There was no coordination for families, and it was a mix of Army reservists, Guardsman and active-duty support," she continued. "There were a lot of communication issues, and no one really knew who was taking care of whom."
Engeman and the Army have worked hard to learn from the mistakes made then and the additional stress caused to her and others, she said. The Army has even gone so far as to establish a servicewide program called Survivor Outreach Services, which began in April. The program is made up of special coordinators at each Army installation to pick up where casualty assistance officers leave off, she said.
"John was always all about people and helping soldiers," she said of her husband. "That's what the Army is -- taking care of people. I think we just overlooked what the care and support is that we give to our survivors. We can do better; we can do a lot better.
"The Army never promised me anything; they promised him," she added. "They promised that warfighter if he gives the ultimate sacrifice, his family is going to be taken care of, and I want to hold them to that. Chief would want to know that his soldiers and their families are taken care of."
Each military service depends on well-trained casualty assistance officers to notify the families of fallen servicemembers. Their focus is to help the families understand their entitlements and provide them with accurate and compassionate services.
Although each of the military branches has its own approach and system, all work to provide the necessary information survivors need to obtain government benefits as well as local community services. Casualty assistance officers are available to the survivors through funeral arrangements and the initial entitlements and benefits process.
Military survivors learn their financial benefits and their access to military facilities and what services they're entitled to receive, such as post commissaries and exchanges, tuition assistance programs and health care services. Casualty assistance and survivor outreach specialists provide survivors with information for Department of Veterans Affairs bereavement counselors and other VA benefits as well.
Survivors also learn about local support groups and other helpful organizations outside of the military that survivors may not know about, such as the American Gold Star Mothers and the Tragedy Assistant Program for Survivors, also known as TAPS.
The Gold Star Mothers, TAPS and other private outreach organizations have local chapters all across the United States to help survivors grieve. Such groups are equally committed to reminding survivors that they're not forgotten in the military community, Engeman said.
Nearly three years have passed since Engeman became a widow. The support systems and programs aren't perfect, but they're making a difference with renewed commitments from the Pentagon, VA, individual units as well as civilian organizations, she said.
"Losing a loved one is probably the most devastating thing you'll ever have to go through in life, but you can rebuild and you can go forward," Engeman said. "My hope is that five years, eight years down the road, when a survivor is unfortunately talking about their experiences, they'll mention how they had great support from a great casualty assistance officer. I think we can do that."
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 16, 2009 - Donna Engeman always had faith in her military community and its support. When her children were sick, they were cared for by the best doctors the military could offer. And when her husband deployed on several occasions during his nearly three decades of service, someone always was nearby who understood what her family was going through, she said.
She was a dedicated Army spouse for 23 years and loved the camaraderie that even spouses enjoyed. "The Army, especially, tells us that when our loved ones go into the Army, we're part of the Army too," she said of Army spouses. "We don't sign on the line, but it's our career, too."
But in May 2006, the military support system she knew and loved temporarily faded away when she lost her husband to a roadside bomb in Iraq. The death of her husband, Army Chief Warrant Officer John Engeman, and a lack of immediate support from his unit and the Army left her feeling alone and abandoned, she said, making her transition from Army wife to widow more difficult than she ever could have imagined.
"One of the things you feel right away is a sense of alienation," she said. "You not only lose a loved one; for many of us, we lost a way of life. You've lost the Army culture, and there's a real sense that our [Army] family abandoned us."
The sense of abandonment Engeman felt is something the Army and the other military branches have been working to fix for nearly eight years. Since military families began sacrificing their loved ones after the 9/11 attacks, the Defense Department and a host of other organizations have worked tirelessly to establish a culture of support for those like her, and they've come a long way, she said.
"One of the key components in our Army [survivor outreach program] is that we stress to the survivors that they are part of the Army family, and they can be apart of it as long as they want," said Engeman, now a survivor outreach and services advisor for the Army. "For as long as they want us around, we're going to be there to support them."
Engeman's transition from Army wife to widow was unique, because her husband was assigned as a National Guard liaison in West Virginia. He split his work between there and Fort Bragg, N.C., where he helped to train part-time soldiers for deployments. When he was killed, there was no family support group, and the National Guard public affairs and casualty assistance officers assigned to her case weren't familiar with how to care for her. No clear-cut process of support was in place for her and her family, she said.
"It was so overwhelming with all the paperwork," she said. "You're just stunned. You're still trying to wrap your head around the fact that he's dead, and the fact that I'd just talked to him two days ago and now he's gone.
"There was no coordination for families, and it was a mix of Army reservists, Guardsman and active-duty support," she continued. "There were a lot of communication issues, and no one really knew who was taking care of whom."
Engeman and the Army have worked hard to learn from the mistakes made then and the additional stress caused to her and others, she said. The Army has even gone so far as to establish a servicewide program called Survivor Outreach Services, which began in April. The program is made up of special coordinators at each Army installation to pick up where casualty assistance officers leave off, she said.
"John was always all about people and helping soldiers," she said of her husband. "That's what the Army is -- taking care of people. I think we just overlooked what the care and support is that we give to our survivors. We can do better; we can do a lot better.
"The Army never promised me anything; they promised him," she added. "They promised that warfighter if he gives the ultimate sacrifice, his family is going to be taken care of, and I want to hold them to that. Chief would want to know that his soldiers and their families are taken care of."
Each military service depends on well-trained casualty assistance officers to notify the families of fallen servicemembers. Their focus is to help the families understand their entitlements and provide them with accurate and compassionate services.
Although each of the military branches has its own approach and system, all work to provide the necessary information survivors need to obtain government benefits as well as local community services. Casualty assistance officers are available to the survivors through funeral arrangements and the initial entitlements and benefits process.
Military survivors learn their financial benefits and their access to military facilities and what services they're entitled to receive, such as post commissaries and exchanges, tuition assistance programs and health care services. Casualty assistance and survivor outreach specialists provide survivors with information for Department of Veterans Affairs bereavement counselors and other VA benefits as well.
Survivors also learn about local support groups and other helpful organizations outside of the military that survivors may not know about, such as the American Gold Star Mothers and the Tragedy Assistant Program for Survivors, also known as TAPS.
The Gold Star Mothers, TAPS and other private outreach organizations have local chapters all across the United States to help survivors grieve. Such groups are equally committed to reminding survivors that they're not forgotten in the military community, Engeman said.
Nearly three years have passed since Engeman became a widow. The support systems and programs aren't perfect, but they're making a difference with renewed commitments from the Pentagon, VA, individual units as well as civilian organizations, she said.
"Losing a loved one is probably the most devastating thing you'll ever have to go through in life, but you can rebuild and you can go forward," Engeman said. "My hope is that five years, eight years down the road, when a survivor is unfortunately talking about their experiences, they'll mention how they had great support from a great casualty assistance officer. I think we can do that."
MILITARY CONTRACTS September 16, 2009
NAVY
Goldbelt Hawk LLC, Newport News, Va., is being awarded a $33,562,450 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with cost-plus-fixed-fee pricing to support the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and the U.S. Strategic Command, Joint Information Operations Warfare Command (JIOWC). The services to be provided under this contract will support the Strategic Planning and Technology Integration Program focused on improving capabilities on a tactical, operational and strategic level that includes evaluation and implementation of a broad range of communication tools, techniques and systems supporting the full range of IO requirements. Work will be performed in Newport News, Va., and work is expected to be completed Sept. 15, 2014. Contract funds in the amount of $125,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured: this will be a sole-source contract awarded to an SBA-certified 8(a) Alaskan Native Corporation in accordance with FAR 19.805-1(b)(2). The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific) is the contracting activity (N66001-09-D-0108).
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $22,227,453 modification to definitize a previously awarded undefinitized contract action (N68936-09-C-0097) to a cost-plus fixed-fee contract. This contract provides for the design, development, fabrication, installation, and integration of an all-inclusive Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) hardware in the loop simulation system for military construction project P710 at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., in accordance with the 2005 BRAC Act. Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz. (75 percent) and China Lake, Calif. (25 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., is the contracting activity.
Raytheon Co., El Segundo, Calif., is being awarded an $8,503,460 modification to a previously awarded delivery order against a basic order agreement (N00019-05-G-0008) for incorporation of the integrated logistics support portion of Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) 0035, entitled Electro Optical (EO) Daylight Operations Improvements Step 2. ECP 0035 will bring EO sensor performance on F-18 aircraft within specification compliance for laser designation accuracy, geo-point targeting, tracker performance, and weapons delivery through hardware and software retrofits. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo. (75 percent) and McKinney, Texas (25 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2012. Contract funds in the amount of $8,270,037 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Arnold Defense & Electronics*, Arnold, Mo. is being awarded a $6,473,875 firm-fixed- price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the manufacture and delivery of seven tube and 19 tube 2.75 inch rocket launchers to support the Navy and Air Force. The rocket launchers will be used to launch rockets off rotary wing and fixed wing aircraft. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (64.0 percent), Air Force (28.0 percent), and the government of Mexico (8.0 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $15,223,063. Work will be performed in Arnold, Mo., and is expected to be completed by September 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $1,050,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via Federal Business Opportunities website, with nineproposals solicited and two offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Division, Indian Head, Md. is the contracting activity for N00174-09-D-0034.
HDR Engineering, Inc., Colorado Springs, Colo., is being awarded a $6,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract modification under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N69450-09-D-0090) to increase the maximum dollar value of the base period for Professional Facilities Planning Services for various project types throughout the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast area of responsibility (AOR). After award of this modification, the total cumulative contract value will be $7,500,000. Work will be performed in the NAVFAC Southeast AOR, and is expected to be completed by Aug. 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity.
AIR FORCE
EMC Corp., of McLean, Va, was awarded a $24,900,000 contract which will furnish the design, implementation, and testing of all storage and replication or architectural equipment at various sites throughout the Department of Defense Intelligence Information System and Air Force intelligence community. At this time, $4,558,003 has been obligated. AFRL/RIKO, Rome, N.Y., is the contracting activity. (FA8751-09-D-0007)
InDyne Inc., of Reston, Va., was awarded a $24,582,896 was awarded a $24,582,896 contract to provide infrastructure operations and maintenance services contract is for non-personal services involving operation and maintenance of the facilities, systems, equipment, utilities and infrastructure primarily for Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and several Florida annexes in support of the 45th Space Wing and its mission partners. At this time, no money has been obligated. 45 CONS/LGCZC, Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (FA2521-08-C-0006,P00017)
Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. of Herndon, Va., was awarded a $21,255,976 contract to provide Marine Forces Reserve survivable conventional force requirements and technical analysis of combat operations for Commanding General Marine Forces Reserve. At this time, $1,040,000 has been obligated. 55 CONS, LGCD, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska is the contracting activity. (SP0700-03-D-1380, DO:0331)
Booz Allen Hamilton of Herndon, Va., was awarded a $19,322,574 contract to provide situational awareness and command and control technical analysis for Headquarters Air Force Space Command. At this time $19,322,574 has been obligated. 55 CONS, LGCD, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska is the contracting activity. (SP0700-03-D-1380,DO:0334)
Booz Allen Hamilton of Herndon, Va., was awarded a $13,526,284 contract which will provide technical analyses and Assessment of the survivability, vulnerabilities, and lethality for the combat air forces weapons systems. At this time, $947,835 has been obligated. 55 CONS, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, is the contracting activity. (SP0700-03-D-1380, DO:0332)
Booz Allen Hamilton of Herndon, Va., was awarded a $9,661,604 contract which will provide United States Pacific Command mission assurance development. At this time, $404,811 has been obligated. 55 CONS, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska is the contracting activity. (SP0700-03-D-1380, DO:0333)
Sparta, Inc. of Lake Forest, Calif., was awarded an $8,400,936 contract which will provide Comprehensive Routing Security Development and Deployment for the Internet. At this time, $825,000 has been obligated. AFRL/RIKD, Rome, N.Y. is the contracting activity. (FA8750-09-C-0192)
ARMY
Pine Bluff Sand & Gravel Co., Pine Bluff, Ark., was awarded on Sept. 14, 2009 a $14,500,000 firm-fixed-price contract for federal funds, emergency supplemental for Hurricane Ike. Work is to be performed in Jefferson County, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2011. Eleven bids were solicited with six bids received. U.S.A. Engineer District, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W912HY-09-C-0031).
Conrad Shipyard, L.L.C., Morgan City, La., was awarded on Sept. 14, 2009 a $13,059,975 firm-fixed-price contract to acquire a welded steel, split-hull type shallow draft dredge conforming to commercial standards. The vessel is intended to serve the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, South Atlantic Division, Wilmington District, in support of the Wilmington District dredging mission. Work is to be performed in Morgan City, L.A., with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2011. Thirty-six bids solicited with seven bids received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (W912BU-09-C-0053).
Northrop Grumman Space & Mission Systems, Redondo Beach, Calif., was awarded on Sept. 14, 2009 a $12,386,591 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. This project is for research on the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Nitride Electronic Next Generation Technology Program. The Northrop Grumman team will develop device and integration technologies necessary to realize enhancement and depletion mode nitride transistors that simultaneously provide extremely high-speed and high-voltage operation in a process consistent with large scale integration in circuits of 1,000 or more transistors. Work is to be performed in Redondo Beach, Calif., (67.48 percent), Santa Barbara, Calif., (18.77 percent), Linthieum, Md., (4.99 percent), Tempe, Ariz., (5.53 percent), University Park, Pa., (3.23 percent) with an estimated completion date of Sept. 13, 2011. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with six bids received. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va., is the contracting activity (HR0011-09-C-0132).
Iron Bridge Construction Inc., Chesterfield, Va., was awarded on Sept. 14, 2009 a $12,273,879 firm-fixed-price contract for the design / build for Special Operations Forces Battalion Headquarters Facility for 112th Signal Battalion. Primary facilities include a 61,500 square foot two story group headquarters building, organizational classroom, language laboratory, sensitive compartmented information facility, arms room, and conference rooms. The work will include commissioning, installation of intrusion detection system and connection to the energy monitoring and control system. Supporting facilities includes related site-work and utilities, lighting, information systems, protected distribution systems between buildings for communication, parking lot, walks, curbs and gutters, storm drainage, fencing, site accessories, landscaping and other site improvements. Work is to be performed in Fort Bragg, N.C., with an estimated completion date of Mar. 7, 2011. Five bids solicited with five bids received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Savannah, Ga., is the contracting activity (W912HN-09-C-0046).
Caterpillar, Inc., Mossville, Ill., was awarded on Sept. 14, 2009 a $11,056,965 firm-fixed-price contract for the replacement of equipment for the USACE dredge wheeler. Equipment consists of a propulsion engine and gearbox assembly systems (twin shaft), dredge pump generator system (two diesel generator engines), control system interface components and integration, propulsion and dredge pump generator controls, control wiring harnesses, installation support technical services, and technical and design services for overall control and functionality. Work is to be performed in Lafayette, Ind., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2011. Ten bids were solicited with two bids received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Philadelphia District, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (W912BU-09-C-0052).
Adira Construction Inc., Chesapeake, Va., was awarded on Sept. 14, 2009 a $5,938,957 firm-fixed-price contract for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning repairs and improvements projects in support of Veterans Administration at Salem Medical Campus. Work is to be performed in Salem, Va., with an estimated completion date of May 30, 2010. Bids were solicited via FedBizOpps with four bids received. U.S. Army Corp of Engineer, Norfolk District, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (W91236-09-C-0078).
Green, Inc., / W.G. Yates & Son Construction Co., A Joint, Biloxi, Miss., was awarded on Sept. 11, 2009 a $25,763,348 firm-fixed-price contract. This project includes work which will reduce the moisture infiltration in 24 Volar Barracks building. Specific items of work consist of installing roof over each courtyard, conditioning hallways and vestibules, enclosing vestibules and entrances and stair towers, enclosing vestibules at courtyards, repairing exterior brick walls, installing aluminum stair treads, insulating mechanical duets, insulation, chilled water piping in the mechanical rooms, and weatherproofing mechanical room doors. Work is to be performed in Fort Stewart, Ga., with an estimated completion date of Mar. 2, 2010. Seven bids were solicited with six bids received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Savannah, Ga., is the contracting activity (W91278-07-D-0045).
Cato, LP., Cleburne, Texas., was awarded on Sept. 11, 2009 a $24,474,850 firm-fixed-price contract for Southwest Pass Pike dike repairs from Baton Rouge to the Gulf of Mexico. Work is to be performed in Plaquemines Parish, L.A., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 5, 2010. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with one bids received. U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, New Orleans, L.A., is the contracting activity (W912P8-09-C-0112).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Navistar Defense, Warrenville, Ill. is being awarded a maximum $8,803,516 firm fixed price, sole source contract for axel assembly parts. Other locations of performance are North Carolina, Ohio and Illinois. Using service is Army and Air Force. There was originally one proposal solicited with one response. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is January 14, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Warren (DSCC-ZG), Warren, Mich. (SPRDL1-09-C-0118).
Released on August 26, 2009 – Correction:
Caterpillar, Inc., Mossville, Ill. is being awarded a maximum $13,952,224 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for adverse terrain forklifts. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Air Force. There were originally three proposals solicited with two responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is March 18, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM500-01-D-0036).
Goldbelt Hawk LLC, Newport News, Va., is being awarded a $33,562,450 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with cost-plus-fixed-fee pricing to support the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and the U.S. Strategic Command, Joint Information Operations Warfare Command (JIOWC). The services to be provided under this contract will support the Strategic Planning and Technology Integration Program focused on improving capabilities on a tactical, operational and strategic level that includes evaluation and implementation of a broad range of communication tools, techniques and systems supporting the full range of IO requirements. Work will be performed in Newport News, Va., and work is expected to be completed Sept. 15, 2014. Contract funds in the amount of $125,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured: this will be a sole-source contract awarded to an SBA-certified 8(a) Alaskan Native Corporation in accordance with FAR 19.805-1(b)(2). The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific) is the contracting activity (N66001-09-D-0108).
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $22,227,453 modification to definitize a previously awarded undefinitized contract action (N68936-09-C-0097) to a cost-plus fixed-fee contract. This contract provides for the design, development, fabrication, installation, and integration of an all-inclusive Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) hardware in the loop simulation system for military construction project P710 at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., in accordance with the 2005 BRAC Act. Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz. (75 percent) and China Lake, Calif. (25 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., is the contracting activity.
Raytheon Co., El Segundo, Calif., is being awarded an $8,503,460 modification to a previously awarded delivery order against a basic order agreement (N00019-05-G-0008) for incorporation of the integrated logistics support portion of Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) 0035, entitled Electro Optical (EO) Daylight Operations Improvements Step 2. ECP 0035 will bring EO sensor performance on F-18 aircraft within specification compliance for laser designation accuracy, geo-point targeting, tracker performance, and weapons delivery through hardware and software retrofits. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo. (75 percent) and McKinney, Texas (25 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2012. Contract funds in the amount of $8,270,037 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Arnold Defense & Electronics*, Arnold, Mo. is being awarded a $6,473,875 firm-fixed- price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the manufacture and delivery of seven tube and 19 tube 2.75 inch rocket launchers to support the Navy and Air Force. The rocket launchers will be used to launch rockets off rotary wing and fixed wing aircraft. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (64.0 percent), Air Force (28.0 percent), and the government of Mexico (8.0 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $15,223,063. Work will be performed in Arnold, Mo., and is expected to be completed by September 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $1,050,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via Federal Business Opportunities website, with nineproposals solicited and two offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Division, Indian Head, Md. is the contracting activity for N00174-09-D-0034.
HDR Engineering, Inc., Colorado Springs, Colo., is being awarded a $6,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract modification under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N69450-09-D-0090) to increase the maximum dollar value of the base period for Professional Facilities Planning Services for various project types throughout the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast area of responsibility (AOR). After award of this modification, the total cumulative contract value will be $7,500,000. Work will be performed in the NAVFAC Southeast AOR, and is expected to be completed by Aug. 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity.
AIR FORCE
EMC Corp., of McLean, Va, was awarded a $24,900,000 contract which will furnish the design, implementation, and testing of all storage and replication or architectural equipment at various sites throughout the Department of Defense Intelligence Information System and Air Force intelligence community. At this time, $4,558,003 has been obligated. AFRL/RIKO, Rome, N.Y., is the contracting activity. (FA8751-09-D-0007)
InDyne Inc., of Reston, Va., was awarded a $24,582,896 was awarded a $24,582,896 contract to provide infrastructure operations and maintenance services contract is for non-personal services involving operation and maintenance of the facilities, systems, equipment, utilities and infrastructure primarily for Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and several Florida annexes in support of the 45th Space Wing and its mission partners. At this time, no money has been obligated. 45 CONS/LGCZC, Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (FA2521-08-C-0006,P00017)
Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. of Herndon, Va., was awarded a $21,255,976 contract to provide Marine Forces Reserve survivable conventional force requirements and technical analysis of combat operations for Commanding General Marine Forces Reserve. At this time, $1,040,000 has been obligated. 55 CONS, LGCD, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska is the contracting activity. (SP0700-03-D-1380, DO:0331)
Booz Allen Hamilton of Herndon, Va., was awarded a $19,322,574 contract to provide situational awareness and command and control technical analysis for Headquarters Air Force Space Command. At this time $19,322,574 has been obligated. 55 CONS, LGCD, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska is the contracting activity. (SP0700-03-D-1380,DO:0334)
Booz Allen Hamilton of Herndon, Va., was awarded a $13,526,284 contract which will provide technical analyses and Assessment of the survivability, vulnerabilities, and lethality for the combat air forces weapons systems. At this time, $947,835 has been obligated. 55 CONS, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, is the contracting activity. (SP0700-03-D-1380, DO:0332)
Booz Allen Hamilton of Herndon, Va., was awarded a $9,661,604 contract which will provide United States Pacific Command mission assurance development. At this time, $404,811 has been obligated. 55 CONS, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska is the contracting activity. (SP0700-03-D-1380, DO:0333)
Sparta, Inc. of Lake Forest, Calif., was awarded an $8,400,936 contract which will provide Comprehensive Routing Security Development and Deployment for the Internet. At this time, $825,000 has been obligated. AFRL/RIKD, Rome, N.Y. is the contracting activity. (FA8750-09-C-0192)
ARMY
Pine Bluff Sand & Gravel Co., Pine Bluff, Ark., was awarded on Sept. 14, 2009 a $14,500,000 firm-fixed-price contract for federal funds, emergency supplemental for Hurricane Ike. Work is to be performed in Jefferson County, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2011. Eleven bids were solicited with six bids received. U.S.A. Engineer District, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W912HY-09-C-0031).
Conrad Shipyard, L.L.C., Morgan City, La., was awarded on Sept. 14, 2009 a $13,059,975 firm-fixed-price contract to acquire a welded steel, split-hull type shallow draft dredge conforming to commercial standards. The vessel is intended to serve the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, South Atlantic Division, Wilmington District, in support of the Wilmington District dredging mission. Work is to be performed in Morgan City, L.A., with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2011. Thirty-six bids solicited with seven bids received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (W912BU-09-C-0053).
Northrop Grumman Space & Mission Systems, Redondo Beach, Calif., was awarded on Sept. 14, 2009 a $12,386,591 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. This project is for research on the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Nitride Electronic Next Generation Technology Program. The Northrop Grumman team will develop device and integration technologies necessary to realize enhancement and depletion mode nitride transistors that simultaneously provide extremely high-speed and high-voltage operation in a process consistent with large scale integration in circuits of 1,000 or more transistors. Work is to be performed in Redondo Beach, Calif., (67.48 percent), Santa Barbara, Calif., (18.77 percent), Linthieum, Md., (4.99 percent), Tempe, Ariz., (5.53 percent), University Park, Pa., (3.23 percent) with an estimated completion date of Sept. 13, 2011. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with six bids received. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va., is the contracting activity (HR0011-09-C-0132).
Iron Bridge Construction Inc., Chesterfield, Va., was awarded on Sept. 14, 2009 a $12,273,879 firm-fixed-price contract for the design / build for Special Operations Forces Battalion Headquarters Facility for 112th Signal Battalion. Primary facilities include a 61,500 square foot two story group headquarters building, organizational classroom, language laboratory, sensitive compartmented information facility, arms room, and conference rooms. The work will include commissioning, installation of intrusion detection system and connection to the energy monitoring and control system. Supporting facilities includes related site-work and utilities, lighting, information systems, protected distribution systems between buildings for communication, parking lot, walks, curbs and gutters, storm drainage, fencing, site accessories, landscaping and other site improvements. Work is to be performed in Fort Bragg, N.C., with an estimated completion date of Mar. 7, 2011. Five bids solicited with five bids received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Savannah, Ga., is the contracting activity (W912HN-09-C-0046).
Caterpillar, Inc., Mossville, Ill., was awarded on Sept. 14, 2009 a $11,056,965 firm-fixed-price contract for the replacement of equipment for the USACE dredge wheeler. Equipment consists of a propulsion engine and gearbox assembly systems (twin shaft), dredge pump generator system (two diesel generator engines), control system interface components and integration, propulsion and dredge pump generator controls, control wiring harnesses, installation support technical services, and technical and design services for overall control and functionality. Work is to be performed in Lafayette, Ind., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2011. Ten bids were solicited with two bids received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Philadelphia District, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (W912BU-09-C-0052).
Adira Construction Inc., Chesapeake, Va., was awarded on Sept. 14, 2009 a $5,938,957 firm-fixed-price contract for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning repairs and improvements projects in support of Veterans Administration at Salem Medical Campus. Work is to be performed in Salem, Va., with an estimated completion date of May 30, 2010. Bids were solicited via FedBizOpps with four bids received. U.S. Army Corp of Engineer, Norfolk District, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (W91236-09-C-0078).
Green, Inc., / W.G. Yates & Son Construction Co., A Joint, Biloxi, Miss., was awarded on Sept. 11, 2009 a $25,763,348 firm-fixed-price contract. This project includes work which will reduce the moisture infiltration in 24 Volar Barracks building. Specific items of work consist of installing roof over each courtyard, conditioning hallways and vestibules, enclosing vestibules and entrances and stair towers, enclosing vestibules at courtyards, repairing exterior brick walls, installing aluminum stair treads, insulating mechanical duets, insulation, chilled water piping in the mechanical rooms, and weatherproofing mechanical room doors. Work is to be performed in Fort Stewart, Ga., with an estimated completion date of Mar. 2, 2010. Seven bids were solicited with six bids received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Savannah, Ga., is the contracting activity (W91278-07-D-0045).
Cato, LP., Cleburne, Texas., was awarded on Sept. 11, 2009 a $24,474,850 firm-fixed-price contract for Southwest Pass Pike dike repairs from Baton Rouge to the Gulf of Mexico. Work is to be performed in Plaquemines Parish, L.A., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 5, 2010. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with one bids received. U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, New Orleans, L.A., is the contracting activity (W912P8-09-C-0112).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Navistar Defense, Warrenville, Ill. is being awarded a maximum $8,803,516 firm fixed price, sole source contract for axel assembly parts. Other locations of performance are North Carolina, Ohio and Illinois. Using service is Army and Air Force. There was originally one proposal solicited with one response. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is January 14, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Warren (DSCC-ZG), Warren, Mich. (SPRDL1-09-C-0118).
Released on August 26, 2009 – Correction:
Caterpillar, Inc., Mossville, Ill. is being awarded a maximum $13,952,224 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for adverse terrain forklifts. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Air Force. There were originally three proposals solicited with two responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is March 18, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM500-01-D-0036).
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Citizen-soldiers Need Greater Stability, Reserve Chief Says
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 15, 2009 - As the Army draws down in Iraq and focuses increasingly on Afghanistan, the Army Reserve chief said he's preparing his troops for the demands likely to be made of them -- and urging Army leadership to give them the predictability their dual citizen-soldier lives demand. "We have to be very careful that we don't jerk reserve soldiers around," Army Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz told American Forces Press Service, adding that he's been adamant in reminding Army leadership about that.
Because they have obligations to their civilian employers as well as the military, reservists can't be asked to do abrupt about-faces without sufficient planning time, Stultz said, whether it's dedicating them to a deployment or making a mission change.
Ideally, Stultz said, deploying units should know when and where they are going, and what mission they'll be conducting, six months out.
"In other words, don't have me put a unit in place, getting ready to go to Iraq, and at the last minute say, 'No, we don't need them,' and turn them off," he said. "Those soldiers are preparing their civilian lives, their jobs, their apartment leases, etc. You have to be very careful as you look out ahead and say, 'If we look like we are going to off-ramp a unit, you've got plenty of time to let them know, to get their lives together.'
"Likewise," he continued, "don't off-ramp them for Iraq and then a month later on-ramp them for Afghanistan. Let's be smart enough to say, 'If we are not going to need this capability here, do we need it somewhere else?'"
Whenever he meets with Army reservists, whether stateside or in the combat theater, Stultz said he cautions them not to assume the drawdown in Iraq will have an immediate impact on them.
"I don't want to set false expectations," he said.
Army reservists will continue to have an important mission in Iraq, even as combat forces draw down, he said. "We are the enablers, the combat support and service support forces," he said. "We are always the first to go in. We are always the last to go out.
"So even if you have a drawdown of forces in Iraq, you are going to have to have some kind of force there to draw it down. And you are going to have some kind of force there to maintain a footprint for what is going behind," he said. "So that is going to be the enablers."
Similarly, Stultz said, Army reservists will have a key responsibility for supporting any force buildup in Afghanistan.
"One of the first requirements you have is for the enablers to get in there and establish the footprint for the combat forces to fall in on," he said.
Stultz was here for the Sept. 12 ribbon cutting of a new Army Strong Community Center to serve reserve-component as well as active-duty families who don't live near a major military installation. The center, the first of what Stultz said he hopes will be many community-based "virtual installations," will support families he calls critical to Reserve soldiers' readiness.
Stultz used his visit here as an opportunity to highlight the role not only families, but also communities and employers, play in the Army Reserve's success.
The military signed a community covenant with the city of Rochester to galvanize community support. Stultz also welcomed two new members into the Army Reserve's Employer Partnership Initiative, which helps the Army Reserve and civilian employers share the same skilled work force. The Builders Exchange of Rochester and Monroe County Sheriff's Department both signed on to the program, joining more than 500 other employers around the country now participating.
Stultz said he's been amazed by the "overwhelming" response to the employer partnership. More employers who learn about the program contact the Army Reserve every week, asking how they, too, can tap into the skills Army reservists offer, he said.
"It's kind of like the perfect storm," Stultz said of bringing together Reserve soldiers, their families, local employers and community leaders in a single event.
"We did the community covenant signing, so the community said, 'We're here for you.' We cut the ribbon on the Army Strong Community Center that says, 'Here is where the community can plug in [and provide support].'"
Meanwhile, the ribbon cutting demonstrated to families that the military is going to take care of them, and to reservists that if they're deployed, they know their families have that support system in place, he said.
"What a great day for the Army," he said.
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 15, 2009 - As the Army draws down in Iraq and focuses increasingly on Afghanistan, the Army Reserve chief said he's preparing his troops for the demands likely to be made of them -- and urging Army leadership to give them the predictability their dual citizen-soldier lives demand. "We have to be very careful that we don't jerk reserve soldiers around," Army Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz told American Forces Press Service, adding that he's been adamant in reminding Army leadership about that.
Because they have obligations to their civilian employers as well as the military, reservists can't be asked to do abrupt about-faces without sufficient planning time, Stultz said, whether it's dedicating them to a deployment or making a mission change.
Ideally, Stultz said, deploying units should know when and where they are going, and what mission they'll be conducting, six months out.
"In other words, don't have me put a unit in place, getting ready to go to Iraq, and at the last minute say, 'No, we don't need them,' and turn them off," he said. "Those soldiers are preparing their civilian lives, their jobs, their apartment leases, etc. You have to be very careful as you look out ahead and say, 'If we look like we are going to off-ramp a unit, you've got plenty of time to let them know, to get their lives together.'
"Likewise," he continued, "don't off-ramp them for Iraq and then a month later on-ramp them for Afghanistan. Let's be smart enough to say, 'If we are not going to need this capability here, do we need it somewhere else?'"
Whenever he meets with Army reservists, whether stateside or in the combat theater, Stultz said he cautions them not to assume the drawdown in Iraq will have an immediate impact on them.
"I don't want to set false expectations," he said.
Army reservists will continue to have an important mission in Iraq, even as combat forces draw down, he said. "We are the enablers, the combat support and service support forces," he said. "We are always the first to go in. We are always the last to go out.
"So even if you have a drawdown of forces in Iraq, you are going to have to have some kind of force there to draw it down. And you are going to have some kind of force there to maintain a footprint for what is going behind," he said. "So that is going to be the enablers."
Similarly, Stultz said, Army reservists will have a key responsibility for supporting any force buildup in Afghanistan.
"One of the first requirements you have is for the enablers to get in there and establish the footprint for the combat forces to fall in on," he said.
Stultz was here for the Sept. 12 ribbon cutting of a new Army Strong Community Center to serve reserve-component as well as active-duty families who don't live near a major military installation. The center, the first of what Stultz said he hopes will be many community-based "virtual installations," will support families he calls critical to Reserve soldiers' readiness.
Stultz used his visit here as an opportunity to highlight the role not only families, but also communities and employers, play in the Army Reserve's success.
The military signed a community covenant with the city of Rochester to galvanize community support. Stultz also welcomed two new members into the Army Reserve's Employer Partnership Initiative, which helps the Army Reserve and civilian employers share the same skilled work force. The Builders Exchange of Rochester and Monroe County Sheriff's Department both signed on to the program, joining more than 500 other employers around the country now participating.
Stultz said he's been amazed by the "overwhelming" response to the employer partnership. More employers who learn about the program contact the Army Reserve every week, asking how they, too, can tap into the skills Army reservists offer, he said.
"It's kind of like the perfect storm," Stultz said of bringing together Reserve soldiers, their families, local employers and community leaders in a single event.
"We did the community covenant signing, so the community said, 'We're here for you.' We cut the ribbon on the Army Strong Community Center that says, 'Here is where the community can plug in [and provide support].'"
Meanwhile, the ribbon cutting demonstrated to families that the military is going to take care of them, and to reservists that if they're deployed, they know their families have that support system in place, he said.
"What a great day for the Army," he said.
World War II Fighter Pilot
Hello, My name is Jerry Yellin, I flew P-515’s during the war and am the author of two published books, Of War and Weddings and The Blackened Canteen. I am a member of the Military Writers Society of America and an essay I wrote is a finalist in the Peoples Choice Award. I would appreciate it if you watch it on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/jerryellin
then go to
http://www.militarywriters.com/2009ConferencePeoplesChoice.html#VoteNow
and vote for me. It would be great if you sent this to all of your friends and family and ask them to pass it along too. I really would like to get this message out around the Globe.
Jerry was a guest on American Heroes Radio, Episode No. 59.
Captain Jerry Yellin, USA “enlisted in the Army Air Corps on Feb. 15, 1942, his 18th birthday and graduated from Luke Field in August, 1943 as a fighter pilot. He was in combat in the Pacific Theater and Iwo Jima with the 78th Fighter Squadron and participated in the first land based fighter mission over Japan on April 7, 1945 and the last mission of the war on August 14, 1945. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with an Oak Leaf cluster and the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf clusters. He was discharged a Captain in December 1945.” Captain Jerry Yellin is the author of Of War & Weddings: A Legacy of Two Fathers and The Blackened Canteen.
Listen to the Interview
http://www.hitechcj.com/americanheroesradio/world_war_ii_fighter_pilot.html
then go to
http://www.militarywriters.com/2009ConferencePeoplesChoice.html#VoteNow
and vote for me. It would be great if you sent this to all of your friends and family and ask them to pass it along too. I really would like to get this message out around the Globe.
Jerry was a guest on American Heroes Radio, Episode No. 59.
Captain Jerry Yellin, USA “enlisted in the Army Air Corps on Feb. 15, 1942, his 18th birthday and graduated from Luke Field in August, 1943 as a fighter pilot. He was in combat in the Pacific Theater and Iwo Jima with the 78th Fighter Squadron and participated in the first land based fighter mission over Japan on April 7, 1945 and the last mission of the war on August 14, 1945. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with an Oak Leaf cluster and the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf clusters. He was discharged a Captain in December 1945.” Captain Jerry Yellin is the author of Of War & Weddings: A Legacy of Two Fathers and The Blackened Canteen.
Listen to the Interview
http://www.hitechcj.com/americanheroesradio/world_war_ii_fighter_pilot.html
Memorial Calls for Photos of Vietnam Vets
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 15, 2009 - The National Call for Photos, a campaign to gather images of the more than 58,000 men and women whose names are on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, will be launched Sept. 17 at a Newseum event here hosted by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund and FedEx Office. FedEx Office will use its locations across the country to help in gathering photos.
Established in 1979, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial here, promoting healing and educating people about the impact of the Vietnam War.
The fund's latest initiative is The Education Center at The Wall, an underground facility near the memorial that is being designed to help visitors discover the stories of those named on The Wall and celebrate the values embodied by servicemembers from all of America's wars.
Exhibits will include a wall of photographs of people whose names are on The Wall, a selection of the more than 100,000 items that have been left at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, a timeline of key military events of the Vietnam War and a history of the memorial.
The center also will celebrate the values embodied by America's servicemembers: loyalty, duty, respect, service, honor, integrity and courage, officials said. An exit exhibit will show images of those who have served in America's conflicts, from the Revolutionary War to Iraq.
More than $20 million has been raised for the education center, including a $10 million gift from Time Warner. It is estimated that the center will cost $85 million to build.
Other Memorial Fund initiatives include educational programs for students and teachers, a traveling Wall replica that honors veterans and a humanitarian and mine-action program in Vietnam.
Sept. 15, 2009 - The National Call for Photos, a campaign to gather images of the more than 58,000 men and women whose names are on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, will be launched Sept. 17 at a Newseum event here hosted by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund and FedEx Office. FedEx Office will use its locations across the country to help in gathering photos.
Established in 1979, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial here, promoting healing and educating people about the impact of the Vietnam War.
The fund's latest initiative is The Education Center at The Wall, an underground facility near the memorial that is being designed to help visitors discover the stories of those named on The Wall and celebrate the values embodied by servicemembers from all of America's wars.
Exhibits will include a wall of photographs of people whose names are on The Wall, a selection of the more than 100,000 items that have been left at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, a timeline of key military events of the Vietnam War and a history of the memorial.
The center also will celebrate the values embodied by America's servicemembers: loyalty, duty, respect, service, honor, integrity and courage, officials said. An exit exhibit will show images of those who have served in America's conflicts, from the Revolutionary War to Iraq.
More than $20 million has been raised for the education center, including a $10 million gift from Time Warner. It is estimated that the center will cost $85 million to build.
Other Memorial Fund initiatives include educational programs for students and teachers, a traveling Wall replica that honors veterans and a humanitarian and mine-action program in Vietnam.
Face of Defense: Airman Sheds Pounds, Gains Health
By Air Force Master Sgt. Stephen Delgado
Special to American Forces Press Service
Sept. 15, 2009 - As last Thanksgiving passed and the leftovers were all gone, Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Ken Holcomb had an epiphany about his portly self. Nearly a year later and 70 pounds lighter, Holcomb is getting ready to run the Air Force Marathon Sept. 19 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He plans to blog about the race along the way.
"I hadn't failed a physical fitness test, but I wasn't excelling. I ran a marathon in 2007, but with my job, it was getting harder to get out for regular runs," said Holcomb, superintendent of the Air Force Media Center at the Air Force Public Affairs Agency.
"There aren't a lot of areas around my office in Arlington to run, and it was hard to find someone to run with," he said. "I realized that I was getting way too heavy and was not in the physical shape I wanted to be in," Holcomb said. He decided to answer the "wake-up call" that meeting the standard wasn't enough.
The new standards of the Air Force fitness program require airmen to test twice per year, which Holcomb thinks is a good idea. "I used to procrastinate when it came to fitness," he said. "The new standards will help someone stay in shape as a way of life instead of just trying to pass a test."
Holcomb said he wanted to lead by example, so he started to set short-term goals. "I had a physical fitness test coming up," he explained, "and I wanted to do well."
Through his "Fat Sergeant's Blog," the newly inspired athlete describes what has become his strict regimen of running, weightlifting and eating right.
"Vegetables and fruit are a major part of my diet," he said. "I enjoy vegetables a lot more now than I used to." Holcomb cut down on processed foods, simple sugars and white flour.
"I've learned that my body was made to process food, not to eat food that is processed," he said.
Holcomb joined a running club to help him train and to work out with other people. He also goes to the gym with his 15-year-old son to lift weights and do strength training.
"I just celebrated my 25th anniversary in the military, so I set a trifecta of goals," he said. By sticking with his regimen, Holcomb has reached two of his three goals: attending his 25th high school reunion weighing the same as he did when he graduated, and getting a perfect score on his physical fitness test for the first time in his career.
"I was very pleased with the time [in which] I accomplished the 1.5-mile run. I did it in 9 minutes and 27 seconds, which is a good enough time for an 18-year-old airman to get max points," the 43-year-old noncommissioned officer said.
Holcomb's third goal is to run and finish the 26.2-mile Air Force Marathon – although he says running marathons can be humbling.
"I'll be running and think I'm doing well, and then a 75-year-old person will pass me. I want to be that person when I'm older," he said. "I do take satisfaction in realizing that I'm running faster at age 43 than I did when I was 18."
(Air Force Master Sgt. Stephen Delgado serves with the Air Force Public Affairs Agency.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Sept. 15, 2009 - As last Thanksgiving passed and the leftovers were all gone, Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Ken Holcomb had an epiphany about his portly self. Nearly a year later and 70 pounds lighter, Holcomb is getting ready to run the Air Force Marathon Sept. 19 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He plans to blog about the race along the way.
"I hadn't failed a physical fitness test, but I wasn't excelling. I ran a marathon in 2007, but with my job, it was getting harder to get out for regular runs," said Holcomb, superintendent of the Air Force Media Center at the Air Force Public Affairs Agency.
"There aren't a lot of areas around my office in Arlington to run, and it was hard to find someone to run with," he said. "I realized that I was getting way too heavy and was not in the physical shape I wanted to be in," Holcomb said. He decided to answer the "wake-up call" that meeting the standard wasn't enough.
The new standards of the Air Force fitness program require airmen to test twice per year, which Holcomb thinks is a good idea. "I used to procrastinate when it came to fitness," he said. "The new standards will help someone stay in shape as a way of life instead of just trying to pass a test."
Holcomb said he wanted to lead by example, so he started to set short-term goals. "I had a physical fitness test coming up," he explained, "and I wanted to do well."
Through his "Fat Sergeant's Blog," the newly inspired athlete describes what has become his strict regimen of running, weightlifting and eating right.
"Vegetables and fruit are a major part of my diet," he said. "I enjoy vegetables a lot more now than I used to." Holcomb cut down on processed foods, simple sugars and white flour.
"I've learned that my body was made to process food, not to eat food that is processed," he said.
Holcomb joined a running club to help him train and to work out with other people. He also goes to the gym with his 15-year-old son to lift weights and do strength training.
"I just celebrated my 25th anniversary in the military, so I set a trifecta of goals," he said. By sticking with his regimen, Holcomb has reached two of his three goals: attending his 25th high school reunion weighing the same as he did when he graduated, and getting a perfect score on his physical fitness test for the first time in his career.
"I was very pleased with the time [in which] I accomplished the 1.5-mile run. I did it in 9 minutes and 27 seconds, which is a good enough time for an 18-year-old airman to get max points," the 43-year-old noncommissioned officer said.
Holcomb's third goal is to run and finish the 26.2-mile Air Force Marathon – although he says running marathons can be humbling.
"I'll be running and think I'm doing well, and then a 75-year-old person will pass me. I want to be that person when I'm older," he said. "I do take satisfaction in realizing that I'm running faster at age 43 than I did when I was 18."
(Air Force Master Sgt. Stephen Delgado serves with the Air Force Public Affairs Agency.)
MILITARY CONTRACTS September 15, 2009
AIR FORCE
CSC Applied Technologies, LLC of Fort Worth, Texas was awarded a $70,504,014 contract for base operating support and aircraft maintenance for Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma in support of undergraduate pilot training for its first year option. At this time, no money has been obligated. AETC/CONS/LGCK, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas is the contracting activity (FA3002-08-C-0007,P00025).
General Dynamics Information Technology, Inc. of Dayton, Ohio was awarded a $49,998,000 contract to perform technical efforts to specialized studies using unique subject matter experts and innovative solutions for the purpose of conducting research and advancing the current state-of-the-art in materials technologies, interactions, or applications in several program areas within the survivability portfolio. At this time, $408,000 has been obligated. Det 1 AFRL/PKMM, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity (FA8650-09-D-5430).
BAE Systems Technical Services of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was awarded a $39,553,260 contract to manage, operate, maintain, and logistically support the solid state phased array radar system at Beale, Air Force Base, Calif., Thule Air Base, Greenland, Clear Air Force Station, Alaska, and Royal Air Force Flyingdales, United Kingdom. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 21 CONS/LGCZG, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado is the contracting activity (FA2517-06-C-8001, P00165).
ARCTEC, Alaska of Elmendorf, Air Force Base, Alaska was awarded a $35,549,366 contract which will provide for operation and maintenance of the Alaska Radar System consisting of 15 remote radar sites for a twelve-month period. At this time no money has been obligated. 3d CONS, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska is the contracting activity (FA5000-04-C-0011).
Secureboration, Inc. of Melbourne, Fla., was awarded a $32,000,000 contract which will provide transition and development command and control ontology-based semantic interoperability framework technologies to enable the passing of vital pieces of information between operationa systems in a timely manner and to allow for critical linkage of data between the entities that require them as a step in achieving DoD net centric compliance.. At this time $780,000 has been obligated. AFRL/RIKD, Rome, New York is the contracting activity (FA8750-09-D-0195).
Rehabilitation Services of Madison, Miss., was awarded a $19,547,353 contract to provide a full food service contract at Keesler, Air Force Base, Mississippi. At this time $11,581,103 has been obligated. 81 CONS, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi is the contracting activity (FA3010-08-C-0002,P00024).
NAVY
Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $35,786,526 cost-plus fixed-fee delivery order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-06-G-0001) to provide Phase 2 non-recurring engineering for the AH-1Z build new helicopter airframe, and to develop an engineering change proposal for incorporation of the T700-401C engine. Work will be performed in Ft. Worth, Texas (50 percent) and Amarillo, Texas (50 percent), and is expected to be completed in April 2013. Contract funds in the amount of $38,786,526 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
CDM Federal Programs Corp., Newport News, Va., is being awarded a maximum $25,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect/engineering contract for water and wastewater system inspection, testing and analyses. Projects can include inspection, testing, evaluation and analyzing water supply, transmission, treatment, and distribution systems; and wastewater collection and treatment systems; development and implementation of asset management systems for Navy utilities. Work will be performed at various government facilities under the cognizance of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic. The services are required for Department of Defense facilities that receive support services from the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic including, but not limited to, the following areas: the continental United States, Alaska, Caribbean, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via Navy Electronic Commerce Online and Federal Business Opportunities websites, on an unrestricted basis with four proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (N62470-09-D-9037).
Square D Company, Palatine, Ill., is being awarded $23,081,337 for 11 firm-fixed priced task orders under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62583-08-D-0137) for design and installation of electric, gas, steam, and water metering to provide utility and energy monitoring at various locations throughout the Navy Region Southeast. The work to be performed includes the design, procurement, installation, and testing of building level advanced metering solutions in support of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 at the Navy Region Southeast. This will allow the Navy to cost-effectively allocate and manage electricity, natural gas, and water commodities. Work will be performed in Fla. (50 percent), Texas (25 percent), and Miss. (25 percent), and is expected to be completed by September, 2011. Funds are provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Three proposals were received for the above task orders in response to a single task order solicitation. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Specialty Center Acquisitions, Port Hueneme, Calif., is the contracting activity.
CACI Systems, Inc., Chantilly, Va., is being awarded a $19,706,909 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee contract (N00421-06-C-0074) to exercise an option for technical support, engineering services and supplies in support of the Special Communications Requirements Division of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division. This modification provides support for various Navy, Army, and Air Force, Special Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance electronic systems. The estimated level of effort for this option is 286,000 man-hours. Work will be performed in Lexington Park, Md., (80 percent) and St. Inigoes, Md., (20 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Milpower Inc., El Cajon, Calif., is being awarded an estimated $17,656,250 multiple award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-priced contract to provide 100W and 200W power amplifiers (PA) for the Digital Modular Radio (DMR) program. SPAWAR is awarding 100W and 200W DMR PA contract on behalf of its organizational partner, the Navy's Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence Systems. Work will be performed in El Cajon, Calif, and work is expected to be completed September 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Commerce Business Daily's Federal Business Opportunities website and the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central website, with an unlimited number of proposals solicited and two offers received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N00039-09-D-0135).
Guardian Technology Group, Crawfordsville, Ind. (N00164-09-D-JN14); Northside Machine Company, Dugger, Ind. (N00164-09-D-JN60); MCD Machine Inc., Bloomington, Ind. (N00164-09-D-JN61); C&S Machine, Plainville, Ind. (N00164-09-D-JN62), Precision Laser Services, Inc., Fort Wayne, Ind. (N00164-09-D-JN63); and Colbert Mfg, Co., Inc, Lavergn, Tenn. (N00164-09-D-JN64), are being awarded firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite -quantity multiple award contract with a maximum value of $14,000,000. The aforementioned contract awardees will compete for delivery orders for various types of gun-mount components. MH-60 Sierra, MH-60 Romeo, and V-22 gun mount components along with bore sight kits are being procured to be implemented in various combat situations. The multiple gun mounts will be used to support a wide array of military personnel as well as branches. Work will be performed at the following sites which is dependent upon which contractor receives each competitive order: Crawfordsville, Ind., Dugger, Ind., Bloomington, Ind.; Plainville, Ind., Fort Wayne, Ind., and Lavergn, Tenn., and is expected to be completed by September 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online and Federal Business Opportunities websites, with 14 proposals being received. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity.
PDI-HSW Joint Venture, Seattle, Washington, is being awarded a $13,034,000 firm-fixed price contract for the construction of a central utility plant at the Naval Hospital, Guam. The work includes exterior reinforced concrete walls, windows, roofing, mechanical and electrical systems that is compatible with tropical environmental and seismic conditions. Support facilities include a primary water distribution system, other required installed utility systems and modifications, sidewalks, and related site improvements. Work will be performed in Guam, Marianas Island, and is expected to be completed by February 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with five proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-09-C-1308).
Veraxx Engineering Corp.*, Chantilly, Va., is being awarded a $12,147,957 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N61339-07-D-0002) for the design, implementation, test, and delivery of the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) Aviation Training Systems (ATS) aviation distributed virtual training environment. Work will be performed in New River, N.C., (25 percent); Cherry Point, N.C., (20 percent); Miramar, Calif., (15 percent); Camp Pendleton, Calif., (15 percent); Chantilly, Va., (10 percent); Beaufort, S.C., (5 percent); Yuma, Ariz., (5 percent); and Twenty-nine Palms, Calif., (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Fla., is the contracting activity.
Talla-Com Tallahassee, Tallahassee Fla., is being awarded an estimated $11,406,250 multiple award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-priced contract, to provide 100W power amplifiers (PA) for the Digital Modular Radio (DMR) program. SPAWAR is awarding 100W DMR PA contract on behalf of its organizational partner, the Navy's Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence Systems. Work will be performed in Tallahassee Fla., and work is expected to be completed September 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Commerce Business Daily's Federal Business Opportunities website and the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central website, with an unlimited number of proposals solicited and two offers received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N00039-09-D-0136).
Data Management Services Joint Venture*, Silver Spring, Md., is being awarded a $10,240,174 modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N61339-07-D-0014) to provide training to include instructional, management, administrative and technical training services in support of the Center for Security Forces training programs. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Va., (30 percent); Camp Lejuene, N.C., (20 percent); San Diego, Calif., (14 percent); Brunswick, Mass., (13 percent); Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, (6 percent); Lackland, Texas, (6 percent); Gulfport, Miss., (6 percent); Bangor, Wash., (2 percent); Yokosuka, Japan, (2 percent); and Mayport, Fla., (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in May 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Fla., is the contracting activity.
Omega Aerial Refueling Services, Inc., Alexandria, Va., is being awarded a $6,899,580 modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-07-D-0009) to exercise an option for contractor owned and operated aircraft in support of the Commercial Air Services (CAS) Program. The CAS Program provides aerial refueling tanking for Navy, other Department of Defense and government agencies, and Foreign Military Sales cases aircraft. This option provides for an additional 54,000 flight minutes, which equates to 900 flight hours. Work will be performed at various CONUS locations (45 percent East Coast and 35 percent West Coast); and at various OCONUS locations (20 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Sustainable Oils, LLC, Seattle, Wash.*, is being awarded a maximum $6,680,000 firm fixed price, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contract for fuel. Other location of performance is in Texas. Using service is Air Force. There were originally 211 proposals solicited with seven responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Oct. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0520).
UOP, LLC – A Honeywell Co., (UOP), Des Plaines, Ill., is being awarded a maximum $6,400,000 firm fixed price, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contract for fuel. Other location of performance is in Texas. Using service is Air Force. There were originally 211 proposals solicited with seven responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Oct. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0517).
CSC Applied Technologies, LLC of Fort Worth, Texas was awarded a $70,504,014 contract for base operating support and aircraft maintenance for Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma in support of undergraduate pilot training for its first year option. At this time, no money has been obligated. AETC/CONS/LGCK, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas is the contracting activity (FA3002-08-C-0007,P00025).
General Dynamics Information Technology, Inc. of Dayton, Ohio was awarded a $49,998,000 contract to perform technical efforts to specialized studies using unique subject matter experts and innovative solutions for the purpose of conducting research and advancing the current state-of-the-art in materials technologies, interactions, or applications in several program areas within the survivability portfolio. At this time, $408,000 has been obligated. Det 1 AFRL/PKMM, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity (FA8650-09-D-5430).
BAE Systems Technical Services of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was awarded a $39,553,260 contract to manage, operate, maintain, and logistically support the solid state phased array radar system at Beale, Air Force Base, Calif., Thule Air Base, Greenland, Clear Air Force Station, Alaska, and Royal Air Force Flyingdales, United Kingdom. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 21 CONS/LGCZG, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado is the contracting activity (FA2517-06-C-8001, P00165).
ARCTEC, Alaska of Elmendorf, Air Force Base, Alaska was awarded a $35,549,366 contract which will provide for operation and maintenance of the Alaska Radar System consisting of 15 remote radar sites for a twelve-month period. At this time no money has been obligated. 3d CONS, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska is the contracting activity (FA5000-04-C-0011).
Secureboration, Inc. of Melbourne, Fla., was awarded a $32,000,000 contract which will provide transition and development command and control ontology-based semantic interoperability framework technologies to enable the passing of vital pieces of information between operationa systems in a timely manner and to allow for critical linkage of data between the entities that require them as a step in achieving DoD net centric compliance.. At this time $780,000 has been obligated. AFRL/RIKD, Rome, New York is the contracting activity (FA8750-09-D-0195).
Rehabilitation Services of Madison, Miss., was awarded a $19,547,353 contract to provide a full food service contract at Keesler, Air Force Base, Mississippi. At this time $11,581,103 has been obligated. 81 CONS, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi is the contracting activity (FA3010-08-C-0002,P00024).
NAVY
Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $35,786,526 cost-plus fixed-fee delivery order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-06-G-0001) to provide Phase 2 non-recurring engineering for the AH-1Z build new helicopter airframe, and to develop an engineering change proposal for incorporation of the T700-401C engine. Work will be performed in Ft. Worth, Texas (50 percent) and Amarillo, Texas (50 percent), and is expected to be completed in April 2013. Contract funds in the amount of $38,786,526 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
CDM Federal Programs Corp., Newport News, Va., is being awarded a maximum $25,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect/engineering contract for water and wastewater system inspection, testing and analyses. Projects can include inspection, testing, evaluation and analyzing water supply, transmission, treatment, and distribution systems; and wastewater collection and treatment systems; development and implementation of asset management systems for Navy utilities. Work will be performed at various government facilities under the cognizance of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic. The services are required for Department of Defense facilities that receive support services from the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic including, but not limited to, the following areas: the continental United States, Alaska, Caribbean, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via Navy Electronic Commerce Online and Federal Business Opportunities websites, on an unrestricted basis with four proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (N62470-09-D-9037).
Square D Company, Palatine, Ill., is being awarded $23,081,337 for 11 firm-fixed priced task orders under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62583-08-D-0137) for design and installation of electric, gas, steam, and water metering to provide utility and energy monitoring at various locations throughout the Navy Region Southeast. The work to be performed includes the design, procurement, installation, and testing of building level advanced metering solutions in support of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 at the Navy Region Southeast. This will allow the Navy to cost-effectively allocate and manage electricity, natural gas, and water commodities. Work will be performed in Fla. (50 percent), Texas (25 percent), and Miss. (25 percent), and is expected to be completed by September, 2011. Funds are provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Three proposals were received for the above task orders in response to a single task order solicitation. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Specialty Center Acquisitions, Port Hueneme, Calif., is the contracting activity.
CACI Systems, Inc., Chantilly, Va., is being awarded a $19,706,909 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee contract (N00421-06-C-0074) to exercise an option for technical support, engineering services and supplies in support of the Special Communications Requirements Division of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division. This modification provides support for various Navy, Army, and Air Force, Special Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance electronic systems. The estimated level of effort for this option is 286,000 man-hours. Work will be performed in Lexington Park, Md., (80 percent) and St. Inigoes, Md., (20 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Milpower Inc., El Cajon, Calif., is being awarded an estimated $17,656,250 multiple award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-priced contract to provide 100W and 200W power amplifiers (PA) for the Digital Modular Radio (DMR) program. SPAWAR is awarding 100W and 200W DMR PA contract on behalf of its organizational partner, the Navy's Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence Systems. Work will be performed in El Cajon, Calif, and work is expected to be completed September 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Commerce Business Daily's Federal Business Opportunities website and the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central website, with an unlimited number of proposals solicited and two offers received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N00039-09-D-0135).
Guardian Technology Group, Crawfordsville, Ind. (N00164-09-D-JN14); Northside Machine Company, Dugger, Ind. (N00164-09-D-JN60); MCD Machine Inc., Bloomington, Ind. (N00164-09-D-JN61); C&S Machine, Plainville, Ind. (N00164-09-D-JN62), Precision Laser Services, Inc., Fort Wayne, Ind. (N00164-09-D-JN63); and Colbert Mfg, Co., Inc, Lavergn, Tenn. (N00164-09-D-JN64), are being awarded firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite -quantity multiple award contract with a maximum value of $14,000,000. The aforementioned contract awardees will compete for delivery orders for various types of gun-mount components. MH-60 Sierra, MH-60 Romeo, and V-22 gun mount components along with bore sight kits are being procured to be implemented in various combat situations. The multiple gun mounts will be used to support a wide array of military personnel as well as branches. Work will be performed at the following sites which is dependent upon which contractor receives each competitive order: Crawfordsville, Ind., Dugger, Ind., Bloomington, Ind.; Plainville, Ind., Fort Wayne, Ind., and Lavergn, Tenn., and is expected to be completed by September 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online and Federal Business Opportunities websites, with 14 proposals being received. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity.
PDI-HSW Joint Venture, Seattle, Washington, is being awarded a $13,034,000 firm-fixed price contract for the construction of a central utility plant at the Naval Hospital, Guam. The work includes exterior reinforced concrete walls, windows, roofing, mechanical and electrical systems that is compatible with tropical environmental and seismic conditions. Support facilities include a primary water distribution system, other required installed utility systems and modifications, sidewalks, and related site improvements. Work will be performed in Guam, Marianas Island, and is expected to be completed by February 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with five proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-09-C-1308).
Veraxx Engineering Corp.*, Chantilly, Va., is being awarded a $12,147,957 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N61339-07-D-0002) for the design, implementation, test, and delivery of the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) Aviation Training Systems (ATS) aviation distributed virtual training environment. Work will be performed in New River, N.C., (25 percent); Cherry Point, N.C., (20 percent); Miramar, Calif., (15 percent); Camp Pendleton, Calif., (15 percent); Chantilly, Va., (10 percent); Beaufort, S.C., (5 percent); Yuma, Ariz., (5 percent); and Twenty-nine Palms, Calif., (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Fla., is the contracting activity.
Talla-Com Tallahassee, Tallahassee Fla., is being awarded an estimated $11,406,250 multiple award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-priced contract, to provide 100W power amplifiers (PA) for the Digital Modular Radio (DMR) program. SPAWAR is awarding 100W DMR PA contract on behalf of its organizational partner, the Navy's Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence Systems. Work will be performed in Tallahassee Fla., and work is expected to be completed September 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Commerce Business Daily's Federal Business Opportunities website and the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central website, with an unlimited number of proposals solicited and two offers received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N00039-09-D-0136).
Data Management Services Joint Venture*, Silver Spring, Md., is being awarded a $10,240,174 modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N61339-07-D-0014) to provide training to include instructional, management, administrative and technical training services in support of the Center for Security Forces training programs. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Va., (30 percent); Camp Lejuene, N.C., (20 percent); San Diego, Calif., (14 percent); Brunswick, Mass., (13 percent); Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, (6 percent); Lackland, Texas, (6 percent); Gulfport, Miss., (6 percent); Bangor, Wash., (2 percent); Yokosuka, Japan, (2 percent); and Mayport, Fla., (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in May 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Fla., is the contracting activity.
Omega Aerial Refueling Services, Inc., Alexandria, Va., is being awarded a $6,899,580 modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-07-D-0009) to exercise an option for contractor owned and operated aircraft in support of the Commercial Air Services (CAS) Program. The CAS Program provides aerial refueling tanking for Navy, other Department of Defense and government agencies, and Foreign Military Sales cases aircraft. This option provides for an additional 54,000 flight minutes, which equates to 900 flight hours. Work will be performed at various CONUS locations (45 percent East Coast and 35 percent West Coast); and at various OCONUS locations (20 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Sustainable Oils, LLC, Seattle, Wash.*, is being awarded a maximum $6,680,000 firm fixed price, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contract for fuel. Other location of performance is in Texas. Using service is Air Force. There were originally 211 proposals solicited with seven responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Oct. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0520).
UOP, LLC – A Honeywell Co., (UOP), Des Plaines, Ill., is being awarded a maximum $6,400,000 firm fixed price, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contract for fuel. Other location of performance is in Texas. Using service is Air Force. There were originally 211 proposals solicited with seven responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Oct. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0517).
Asia-Pacific Importance Increasing, Commander Says
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 15, 2009 - The Asia-Pacific region will become even more important to U.S. defense and economic interests in the future, the top commander in the region said today. And the United States has become an indispensible partner in the region on both accounts, said Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating, commander of U.S. Pacific Command.
Keating spoke here today at The Center for Strategic and International Studies, a foreign policy "think tank," offering up what he called a "retrospective" look at U.S. progress in the region.
The career sailor relinquishes his command next month and will retire after 42 years of service, most spent serving within the command.
"On a daily basis I'm convinced that we are in better shape in the Asia-Pacific than we were 25 years ago," Keating said of the U.S. military's oldest and largest combatant command.
The command's geographic responsibility covers about half the Earth's surface, stretching from the waters off the west coast of the United States to the western border of India, and from Antarctica to the North Pole.
Thirty-six nations make up the Asia-Pacific region, and it is home to more than half of the world's population.
Keating said that the United States trades $1 trillion annually with countries in Asia-Pacific, and 20 million containers of goods course the Indian or Pacific oceans annually. Fifteen of the 20 largest ports are in the region, with nine in China alone.
On the military front, five of the largest armies in the world are in the region, and the United States has five standing treaties there with Japan, Australia, Thailand, the Philippines and South Korea.
As China continues to build its military capabilities in the region, Keating said he is not worried.
"Some folks might think that we at U.S. Pacific Command might spend every waking moment worrying ... concerned about the People's Republic of China. We don't," Keating said. "We're watching them. We're paying close attention. But I don't view China as a threat. We don't want them to view us as a threat."
Some of the asymmetric capabilities the country is developing are of interest to the United States, he said, such as anti-satellite, cyber and submarine warfare efforts.
"They're building some pretty good capability," he said. "We're watching it."
But, Keating said the United States has recently resumed military-to-military dialogue with China. Those efforts were suspended by China in 2008 after the United States announced an arms sale package with Taiwan.
Officials from both countries now have restored those talks, and about three weeks ago the dialogue were resumed. Keating said he hopes to continue the dialogue and has encouraged the Chinese to participate in humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and search and rescue exercises, hoping to grow the relationship from there.
Keating said he was "cautiously optimistic" about the way ahead with China and has invited them to observe recent military exercises in the region.
"We want to draw the Chinese out," Keating said. "We want to ask them to manifest their intention for peaceful rise and harmonious integration by exercising, not just with the United States of America, but with as many nations as they ... we could agree could participate."
Keating said the United States still seeks North Korea's return to the Six-Party talks, with the overarching goal being a "certifiable, denuclearized peninsula."
"We are a ways from the Six-Party talks and we at U.S. Pacific Command remain firmly in support of the State Department efforts ...," Keating said.
More than 28,000 troops are stationed in South Korea. Keating said commanders are working to make the tours there longer so troops can bring their families. They want to continue building better housing and schools. In the past two decades, the tours typically have been unaccompanied for one year.
Keating called Japan a "powerful ally" and the United States has about 50,000 troops stationed there. As the country's newly elected government transitions into power, Keating said he anticipates no significant change to the U.S.-Japan military relationship.
Keating will travel to Japan next week, he said. He has already had conversations with senior defense staff there about the transition.
Keating said he recently visited India, home of the world's largest democracy. He said officials there have committed to increasing the military relationship between the country and the United States, as well as increasing the number of joint training exercises and personnel exchanges.
"I'm convinced India is and will remain a very important partner of ours in a critical part of the world for all of us," Keating said.
Keating said that he spends the majority of his time in command traveling the diverse region and support continues to grow, he said.
"The support worldwide has never been better," Keating said. "Our role is instrumental in continuing to assure peace to maintain stability so as to enhance economic prosperity all throughout the Asia-Pacific region."
The key to this support is maintaining the U.S. presence there, he said. About 325,000 servicemembers and civilians are assigned to the command, about one-fifth of total U.S. military strength.
"Nothing beats American forces being in a foreign country working with the men and women of that country, developing an appreciation for the culture, emphasizing at the end of the day the partnership ... in the Asia-Pacific region," he said.
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 15, 2009 - The Asia-Pacific region will become even more important to U.S. defense and economic interests in the future, the top commander in the region said today. And the United States has become an indispensible partner in the region on both accounts, said Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating, commander of U.S. Pacific Command.
Keating spoke here today at The Center for Strategic and International Studies, a foreign policy "think tank," offering up what he called a "retrospective" look at U.S. progress in the region.
The career sailor relinquishes his command next month and will retire after 42 years of service, most spent serving within the command.
"On a daily basis I'm convinced that we are in better shape in the Asia-Pacific than we were 25 years ago," Keating said of the U.S. military's oldest and largest combatant command.
The command's geographic responsibility covers about half the Earth's surface, stretching from the waters off the west coast of the United States to the western border of India, and from Antarctica to the North Pole.
Thirty-six nations make up the Asia-Pacific region, and it is home to more than half of the world's population.
Keating said that the United States trades $1 trillion annually with countries in Asia-Pacific, and 20 million containers of goods course the Indian or Pacific oceans annually. Fifteen of the 20 largest ports are in the region, with nine in China alone.
On the military front, five of the largest armies in the world are in the region, and the United States has five standing treaties there with Japan, Australia, Thailand, the Philippines and South Korea.
As China continues to build its military capabilities in the region, Keating said he is not worried.
"Some folks might think that we at U.S. Pacific Command might spend every waking moment worrying ... concerned about the People's Republic of China. We don't," Keating said. "We're watching them. We're paying close attention. But I don't view China as a threat. We don't want them to view us as a threat."
Some of the asymmetric capabilities the country is developing are of interest to the United States, he said, such as anti-satellite, cyber and submarine warfare efforts.
"They're building some pretty good capability," he said. "We're watching it."
But, Keating said the United States has recently resumed military-to-military dialogue with China. Those efforts were suspended by China in 2008 after the United States announced an arms sale package with Taiwan.
Officials from both countries now have restored those talks, and about three weeks ago the dialogue were resumed. Keating said he hopes to continue the dialogue and has encouraged the Chinese to participate in humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and search and rescue exercises, hoping to grow the relationship from there.
Keating said he was "cautiously optimistic" about the way ahead with China and has invited them to observe recent military exercises in the region.
"We want to draw the Chinese out," Keating said. "We want to ask them to manifest their intention for peaceful rise and harmonious integration by exercising, not just with the United States of America, but with as many nations as they ... we could agree could participate."
Keating said the United States still seeks North Korea's return to the Six-Party talks, with the overarching goal being a "certifiable, denuclearized peninsula."
"We are a ways from the Six-Party talks and we at U.S. Pacific Command remain firmly in support of the State Department efforts ...," Keating said.
More than 28,000 troops are stationed in South Korea. Keating said commanders are working to make the tours there longer so troops can bring their families. They want to continue building better housing and schools. In the past two decades, the tours typically have been unaccompanied for one year.
Keating called Japan a "powerful ally" and the United States has about 50,000 troops stationed there. As the country's newly elected government transitions into power, Keating said he anticipates no significant change to the U.S.-Japan military relationship.
Keating will travel to Japan next week, he said. He has already had conversations with senior defense staff there about the transition.
Keating said he recently visited India, home of the world's largest democracy. He said officials there have committed to increasing the military relationship between the country and the United States, as well as increasing the number of joint training exercises and personnel exchanges.
"I'm convinced India is and will remain a very important partner of ours in a critical part of the world for all of us," Keating said.
Keating said that he spends the majority of his time in command traveling the diverse region and support continues to grow, he said.
"The support worldwide has never been better," Keating said. "Our role is instrumental in continuing to assure peace to maintain stability so as to enhance economic prosperity all throughout the Asia-Pacific region."
The key to this support is maintaining the U.S. presence there, he said. About 325,000 servicemembers and civilians are assigned to the command, about one-fifth of total U.S. military strength.
"Nothing beats American forces being in a foreign country working with the men and women of that country, developing an appreciation for the culture, emphasizing at the end of the day the partnership ... in the Asia-Pacific region," he said.
Monday, September 14, 2009
National Guard Faces New Challenges, Chief Says
By Army Staff Sgt. Jim GreenhillSpecial to American Forces Press Service
Sept. 14, 2009 - The National Guard proved its relevance, value and accessibility after the manmade disaster of Sept. 11, 2001, and after the natural disaster named Hurricane Katrina that hit almost four years later, the Guard's senior officer said. "These last eight years have been a testimonial to your service, to your patriotism, to the respect that the nation has for what the National Guard can contribute," Air Force Gen. Craig R. McKinley told the audience Sept. 11 at the 131st National Guard Association of the United States General Conference here.
Speaking on the eighth anniversary of the terrorist attacks, the 26th chief of the National Guard Bureau recalled, "I was in the Pentagon. I watched Secretary of Defense [Donald] Rumsfeld go out ... and help people. ... A lot of Guardsmen did the same thing."
McKinley said the Air National Guard was flying patrols over the Pentagon within minutes, and other Guardsmen around the country vowed to never let another attack happen on their watch again. "That's what I go to sleep with at night," he said.
McKinley said the National Guard now must rise to a smorgasbord of new challenges he outlined for the more than 4,000 active and retired Guard members and their guests attending the conference, including military and political leaders from each of the 54 states and territories and the District of Columbia.
And with economic challenges come tighter budgets.
"The budget will be a No. 1 issue" for Defense Department leaders, McKinley predicted. "We're going to go through a period of time of contracting resources. ... We're also going to be involved in an era of persistent conflict. [Army Chief of Staff] Gen. [George] Casey thinks we'll have between 10 and 15 brigades constantly deployed for the next 10 to 15 years. So how do you balance it out -- era of persistent conflict and beginning an era of dwindling resources?
"Every chief and every director ... and every adjutant general ... has had to play their part in how you balance the risk associated with resourcing and being prepared to do your mission at home and your mission abroad," he said.
McKinley made a pledge on behalf of the National Guard Bureau and its directorates: "We ... will do everything we can to balance risk and make sure we get the most that we can for the National Guard that has served so well," he said. "We can't let [the Guard] slide back as we did after World War II."
But this, too, will be a challenge. The National Guard has relied on a cascade of equipment that was purchased new for the active components, then passed on to a Guard that was famous for wringing extraordinary life from used equipment.
"In many cases, the cascading equipment that served this great Guard for 60 years following World War II ... is no more," McKinley said. "We can build new. We can put good money against maintaining old equipment, or we can wait for the concurrent and proportional status."
McKinley was referring to the emerging concept that the National Guard will receive new equipment concurrently and proportionally with the active components.
"We need to have a strategy for both the Air and the Army National Guard that continues to keep faith with the soldiers and the airmen who have stuck with us through eight years of persistent conflict, and who ... will stay with us for the next decade if we do our job right," McKinley said.
McKinley stressed the importance of mentors for soldiers and airmen, listing his own -- many of whom were present, including former chiefs of the National Guard Bureau and directors of both components. "You have to go out and find mentors," McKinley said. "You can't wait for mentors to come to you."
Those leaders were responsible for the birth of some of the National Guard's most successful and enduring programs, he noted, such as the State Partnership Program, Counterdrug and Youth ChalleNGe.
And the Guard's agribusiness development teams now at work in Afghanistan seem destined to emulate those successes. Recently, he said, 355 Arkansas Guard members volunteered for an agribusiness team that required 58 members.
"It's not about 'Whose gotta go?'" McKinley said. "It's they're fighting to go. ... These agribusiness development teams may be the turning point to bring ... Afghanistan around and bring it to a point where we can actually see progress."
The nation and the Guard rose to the challenge of 9/11, McKinley said.
"We can be a better country because of this," he said. "We grieve for the families who lost members because of 9/11, but we are a better nation and we are a kinder nation, and we've liberated a country from a despotic dictator, and we're trying to help a country turn itself around and come from the 15th century into a new world order.
"The 21st century will be tough for all of us, but the National Guard is resilient," he continued. "It will take the challenge, it will do its job, it will be there when its nation needs it, and I can't thank you all enough for the jobs you do, for the sacrifices you make and for the commitment you have to your states and to this nation."
(Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill serves in the National Guard Bureau.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
