Testimony of Rear Admiral Vincent Atkins, U.S. Coast Guard, before the House Subcommittee on Homeland Security, on Department of Homeland Security Air and Marine Operations and Investments
April 19, 2010
Washington, D.C.
Good morning Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the subcommittee. I am honored to appear before you today to speak about Coast Guard cooperation with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Air and Marine. I will discuss our current cooperation in the areas of maritime drug and alien migrant interdiction as well as joint capabilities under development.
The Coast Guard is a military service and a branch of the armed forces of the United States. We are the only service given statutory responsibility and authority for direct law enforcement action. Since the founding of the Revenue Cutter Service in 1790, Congress has granted our Service expansive authority to board and inspect vessels at sea. After the Civil War, Congress removed geographic limitations on our boarding authority, directing the Revenue Cutter Service to enforce or assist in the enforcement of all applicable federal laws on, under, and over the high seas, in addition to waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. This worldwide boarding authority, codified in 14 U.S.C. § 2 and 89, is the foundation of the Coast Guard’s maritime law enforcement mission, and specifically maritime drug and migrant interdiction. Today’s boarding officers lead teams of two or more uniformed officers to “make inquiries, examinations, inspections, searches, seizures, and arrests upon the high seas and waters over which the United States has jurisdiction, for the prevention, detection, and suppression of violations of laws of the United States.”
As a component within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Coast Guard plans and coordinates mission execution closely with other DHS components including Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This partnership is most prominent in the execution of our shared counterdrug mission.
Maritime Drug Interdiction
The Eastern Pacific and Western Caribbean serve as the principal maritime threat vectors, followed by the Central and Eastern Caribbean vectors. Non-commercial maritime conveyances such as go-fast vessels, self-propelled semi-submersibles (SPSS) and fishing vessels are the drug smuggling conveyances of choice. Go-fasts and SPSSs account for approximately 47 percent and 27 percent, respectively, of the maritime movement of cocaine toward the United States.
The Coast Guard, in cooperation with our partners in CBP Office of Air and Marine, plays a pivotal role implementing the U.S. government’s strategy for disrupting the flow of illicit drugs. The Coast Guard is the lead federal agency for maritime drug interdiction in the transit zone, which covers a six million square mile area—roughly twice the size of the continental United States—including the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and Eastern Pacific. The Coast Guard strives to reduce the supply of drugs by denying smugglers the use of maritime routes and conveyances, principally from South American source countries. To cover these large maritime areas, the Coast Guard and CBP Office of Air and Marine deploy maritime patrol aircraft. We assign our largest cutters, which carry helicopters, small boats, and boarding teams, to the transit zone. Additionally, we deploy our law enforcement boarding teams (LEDETS) onboard US and allied naval ships as a force multiplier in the transit zone
The Coast Guard maintains its interdiction posture from the transit zone through the arrival zone with tactics integrated and focused on end-game prosecution. In the transit zone, maritime patrol aircraft survey large expanses of ocean and key geographical chokepoints for suspect vessels. Detecting a vessel of interest, the maritime patrol aircraft engages our cutter forces to initiate the critical interdiction phase. An armed helicopter launched from a cutter flight deck responds to intercept the suspect vessel and, with warning and disabling shots, brings it to a halt. Boarding teams from cutter-launched small boats then board the vessel, confiscate the drugs, and place the suspects in custody.
The arrival zone encompasses the coastal regions of the Southeast U.S., the Gulf of Mexico, and the coastal regions of southern California. From shore, fixed-wing patrol aircraft and helicopters, as well as patrol and interceptor boats, lay surveillance net to intercept smugglers on the last leg of their transit to U.S. shores.
This interdiction model has resulted in great success. In 2009, the Coast Guard experienced one of its most successful years, intercepting and preventing more than $5 billion worth of illegal drugs from reaching American shores. The Coast Guard armed helicopter interdiction squadron (HITRON), in fact, interdicted a record number of vessels – 32 – and is on an even stronger pace in FY 2010.
Though the Coast Guard is the lead federal agency for maritime drug interdiction in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean transit zone, we could not do our job without the tremendous interagency and international cooperation that comes together under unified command and control at Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF South). This Task Force includes components from Coast Guard, CBP Office of Air and Marine P-3 airborne early warning and long range tracker aircraft, the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the National Security Agency, as well as liaison officers from 11 different countries to facilitate transnational cooperative counterdrug efforts. JIATF South is responsible for directing interagency detection, monitoring, and sorting of air and maritime drug smuggling events; fusing intelligence and law enforcement information; and planning and conducting flexible operations that enable the Coast Guard to interdict and disrupt drug smuggling throughout the transit zone.
The coordinated function of JIATF South is best described by an example. A typical case begins when JIATF South receives actionable law enforcement information from the Drug Enforcement Administration. This prompts cueing of a maritime patrol aircraft, either a CBP Office of Air and Marine P-3 or a Coast Guard C-130 aircraft, to detect and monitor a foreign flagged suspect vessel. JIATF South then vectors a Coast Guard cutter, U.S. Navy, or allied surface ship with an embarked Law Enforcement Detachment to intercept. When the ship arrives on scene with the suspect vessel, the operation transitions from the detection and monitoring phase to the interdiction and apprehension phase; tactical control is then shifted from JIATF South to the appropriate Coast Guard District (the Eleventh Coast Guard District for operations in the Eastern Pacific or the Seventh Coast Guard District for operations in the Caribbean). For a foreign flag vessel, the Coast Guard tactical commander implements a bilateral agreement or arrangement in force with the vessel’s flag state to confirm registry and to stop, board, and search the vessel for drugs. If drugs are found, jurisdiction and disposition over the vessel, drugs, and crew are coordinated with the State Department, DOJ, and the flag state. This process plays out every day with amazing effectiveness and efficiency, largely due to the unified command and control that JIATF South exercises across multiple partner agency assets.
In FY 2009, Coast Guard provided 4,036 hours, and CBP Office of Air and Marine provided 6,497 hours, of maritime patrol aircraft coverage to support JIATF South operations. In FY 2009, these hours of coverage resulted in surface assets being vectored to intercept 105 suspect targets of interest, resulting in the removal of over 156,876 kg of cocaine. For FY 2010, the Coast Guard has allocated 4,700 hours of maritime patrol aircraft coverage to support JIATF South operations.
Coast Guard and CBP Office of Air and Marine cooperation on maritime patrol coverage in the illicit drug smuggling transit zone is only one facet of our effort to produce efficiencies in areas of mutual responsibility. From leadership to the front line, Coast Guard and CBP Office of Air and Marine have engaged as partners to create a more unified purpose in operational, logistical, and administrative efforts. Coast Guard and CBP Office of Air and Marine executives meet quarterly as part of the DHS Senior Guidance Team to discuss agency-level issues, which include: small vessel strategy, joint unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), joint targeting, joint logistics cooperation, joint budget development and justification, joint specialized forces, mass migration coordination, and interagency operations centers.
Known as the “One DHS Air” initiative, the Coast Guard and CBP Office of Air and Marine staffs have developed over the last year a project team to specifically address potential economic efficiencies in departmental aviation operations. Subject matter experts in each agency are cooperating to study the costs and benefits of collocating nearby operational units. Business case analyses are ongoing for Puerto Rico and Sacramento and are scheduled for four additional locations. A unified information management system for existing aviation assets of both agencies is also being studied. Our goal is to have interoperable training, operations, safety standards, and information management for all of our aviation forces within the next several years.
We have initiated joint acquisition review of critical assets to evaluate them from a complementary perspective. A successful demonstration of this partnership is the UAS program. Cooperating in the development of requirements, our two agencies have created a joint operational program. As the Coast Guard continues to develop its cutter-based UAS program to address our specific capability gaps, we will build upon the knowledge gained in our joint land-based UAS program.
Interdicting Migrants at Sea
Illegal drugs are not the only threat to our national security moving via maritime means. Every year, people try to enter this country illegally via maritime routes, many utilizing organized smuggling operations. They often transit in dangerously overloaded, unseaworthy, or otherwise unsafe craft. This maritime flow of undocumented migrants onto America’s shores is both a threat to the lives of those who attempt the voyage and in violation of U.S. and international law. Coast Guard migrant interdiction operations are as much humanitarian efforts as they are law enforcement actions. Many of the migrant interdiction cases handled by the Coast Guard involve search and rescue actions, usually on the high seas rather than in U.S. coastal waters. The Coast Guard maintains a persistent presence of deepwater cutters and aircraft in the Florida Straits, Windward Passage, and Mona Passage to deter illegal immigration and conduct interdiction operations. Frequent pulse operations with these assets prepare us to respond during periods of heightened migrant flow.
Between 2004 and 2006, Dominican citizens represented the largest nationality group trying to enter the United States illegally. During this period, an estimated average of over 8,600 migrants per year entered Puerto Rico across the Mona Passage, the 90 mile expanse of water that separates the east coast of the Dominican Republic from the west coast of Puerto Rico. This rate dropped precipitously to only 1,268 migrants last year. Through constant, effective patrol presence, the Coast Guard estimates it has been able to interdict over 50 percent of those attempting to use the Mona Passage route.
Just as we do in drug interdiction, we rely on technological innovation, unified command and control, and partnerships with other agencies, such as CBP Office of Air and Marine, to counter alien smuggling. In Coast Guard Sector San Juan, the effective interdiction of smuggling vessels in the Mona Passage and the deployment of a mobile biometrics capability on 110-foot patrol boats, combined with interagency support for prosecution, has proven extremely effective in reducing the flow of illegal migration in that location.
In 2006, the Coast Guard approached US-VISIT with a proposal to undertake a joint Proof of Concept in partnership with CBP that focused on collecting biometrics at sea. Since Nov. 17, 2006, the Coast Guard has been using biometrics to make positive identification of migrants interdicted within the Mona Passage. On April 15, 2008, the Coast Guard expanded the use of this capability to include biometrics collection aboard patrol boats operating in and around South Florida. Prior to biometric collection, there were very few prosecutions for illegal migrant activity across the Mona Passage. The Coast Guard’s use of biometric technology, in cooperation with our key partners (CBP, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), DOJ, and the Dominican Navy) has significantly improved the success for the migrant interdiction mission. We have seen an 80 percent reduction in the maritime migrant flow through the Mona Passage, collected over 2,700 biometric signatures, of which over 700 were found to have criminal records. Approximately 330 successful prosecutions have resulted from this program.
This impact would not have been possible without our partners, including CBP Office of Air and Marine, participating in a unified command and control concept now called the Caribbean Border Interagency Group (CBIG). CBIG works because each agency involved has committed its intelligence, maritime, and air assets to the unified command at Coast Guard Sector San Juan. It is the Coast Guard’s experience that a unified command across a specified joint operations area, such as the Mona Passage, with integration of intelligence, situational awareness, operational picture, and enforcement functions, will result in maximum effectiveness from available resources. This unified operating concept, coupled with coordinated detention, removal, repatriation, and prosecutions ashore, indeed has proven very effective. These partnerships also exist in other locations to counter other threats. The South Florida Maritime Border Interagency Group is similar in organizational structure, with the same outstanding results combating smugglers that operate in and around the Florida Straits. Both efforts are similar in concept, though smaller in scale, to JIATFs South and West.
Like drug traffickers, migrant smugglers have also profited from technological innovations, particularly high-speed, multi-engine, go-fast boats. Go-fast smuggling vessels have replaced rafts and rusticas as the preferred mode of transportation due to their increased probability of success. We estimate that the rate of success for a raft or rustica is never better than 50 percent and generally 25 percent or lower. By comparison, the rate of success for a go-fast vessel operated by a migrant smuggling organization is estimated at 70 percent. Migrant smuggling via go-fast vessels is a multi-million dollar enterprise that brings thousands of undocumented aliens to the U.S. at prices of up to $10,000 per person.
To address this threat, the DHS Boat Commodity Council jointly procured and deployed high speed pursuit boats, with crews trained in employing warning shots and disabling fire against non-compliant smuggling vessels. The Boat Commodity Council was established shortly after DHS was formed to foster a close working relationship between DHS components that operate boats, and to develop procedures to optimize efficiencies. The Boat Commodity Council is co-chaired by the Coast Guard and CBP Office of Air and Marine.
The Boat Commodity Council has facilitated a number of cooperative initiatives:
1.Through an Interagency Support Agreement, CBP provides contracted preventative maintenance and casualty repair for the aforementioned high speed interceptor boat and conducts depot level maintenance on over 1,600 Coast Guard outboard engines. As a result, outboard engines are no longer one of the Coast Guard’s top operational degraders.
2.CBP Office of Air and Marine and the Coast Guard share joint maintenance facilities at seven locations, thereby reducing expenses.
3.Joint procurement of boats, parts, and personnel protective equipment allows the Department to leverage greater buying power in the marketplace.
4.These initiatives have saved DHS approximately $9 million in procurement and maintenance costs since the Department’s formation.
The key to effective employment of Coast Guard and CBP Office of Air and Marine assets is unified command, control, communications, planning, and mission execution. This is well illustrated by the San Diego Maritime Unified Command. The Unified Command includes the leadership of the Coast Guard, CBPs Office of Air and Marine and Office of Border Patrol, the San Diego Harbor Police, and other port partners. Members of the San Diego Maritime Unified Command attend weekly Operational Planning Cell meetings, where the Operational Action Plan (OAP) is finalized and published for the following week. Senior managers receive a joint intelligence brief, provide strategic guidance, and then depart, leaving the agency tacticians to formulate an operational plan that supports the mission requirements, and is responsive to cued intelligence. Prior to the establishment of a unified command and the joint planning process, there was very little coordination among DHS components in San Diego, often resulting in overlapping operational areas and gaps in the maritime approaches that could be exploited by criminal organizations. The OAP has eliminated the parallel tasking which resulted in these gaps, and has maximized the widespread deployment of forces in a logical and organized manner. The OAP has also exploited the strengths of the assets that each agency brings to bear: the Coast Guard’s unique ability to both supply persistent offshore surface and rotary presence; CBP Office of Air and Marine’s interceptor boats and land side rotary capability; and CBP Office of Border Patrol’s ground forces. The OAP weaves these forces into a multi-layered defense in depth for the San Diego area of operations.
As a result of the successes of the unified command and the Coast Guard’s ability to relevantly function in both the DoD and the civil law enforcement arenas, Coast Guard Sector San Diego has become the point of integration for Joint Task Force North and its Defense Support to Civil Authorities law enforcement support. Recognizing the validity and success of unified operations, Commander for the Navy’s Third Fleet, based in San Diego, has directed his forces to establish a continuing relationship with the Coast Guard, primarily providing persistent detection and monitoring westward of the international sea boundary. In addition to our civil law enforcement port partners, the San Diego Maritime Unified Command now integrates U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, and DoD special forces into homeland security and law enforcement operations. The success of the joint planning process has been recognized as a best practice. Coast Guard Sector San Diego planning officers have exported the process to both Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles / Long Beach and to CBP Office of Border Patrol Yuma Sector.
The following case is illustrative of multi-agency coordination in a Coast Guard unified command and control structure.
On the evening of Feb. 5, 2010, a U.S. Navy aircraft located a suspect panga vessel with its lights out in the Pacific Ocean approximately 30 nautical miles west of La Jolla, CA. The naval aircraft tracked the suspect panga until a CBP Office of Air and Marine vessel was able to intercept it near Oceanside, CA. After a brief pursuit, the CBP marine asset fired warning shots, after which the suspect vessel stopped. The subsequent CBP Office of Air and Marine boarding resulted in the apprehension of 23 illegal aliens and seizure of the vessel. The alien migrants were transferred onto a Coast Guard patrol boat and transported back to shore for removal by Office of Border Patrol agents. The vessel's Mexican national operator was interviewed and detained by ICE for possible prosecution. The panga vessel was towed back to the San Diego Marine Unit for seizure. The Coast Guard Sector Command Center in San Diego coordinated the entire case across the Navy, Coast Guard, CBP, and ICE, under the governance of the established maritime unified command.
Whether operating thousands of miles down range off South and Central America, or operating in our nation’s littorals, the Coast Guard is playing a critical maritime border security role countering a broad range of illicit activities in established smuggling routes throughout the maritime domain.
There are several key principles that leverage success with our partners such as CBP Office of Air and Marine:
•Unified command, control and communications across defined joint operating areas;
•Integrated intelligence, situational awareness, planning, and operational response; and
•Common platforms, doctrine, tactics, and training.
The successes I have described in the Eastern Pacific, Mona Passage, and off Southern California demonstrate the effectiveness of the Interagency Operations Center (IOC) concept that is being developed and deployed around the country by the Coast Guard. The San Diego center is a prototype wherein multiple port partners from DHS, DoD, state, and local agencies work in unity to coordinate mission planning, execution, and monitoring. Directed by the SAFE Port Act of 2006, the Coast Guard is the Department’s executive agent for the establishment of IOCs in high priority ports. These IOCs will have the mission and capability to improve unified command and control, and execute integrated situational awareness and response, among all DHS components and other port partners. Critical elements of IOCs include a concept of operations where relevant partners have established protocols to achieve interagency planning, coordination and operations; direct access to the WatchKeeper IOC information management tool, or other similar displays in order for IOC member agencies to achieve enhanced situational awareness; joint awareness and coordination of planned vessel inspection activities between Coast Guard and CBP; operation under a unified command structure; and adherence to the best practices described in the Maritime Port Operations Handbook and IOC Concept of Operations, as appropriate.
I have focused on the interdiction of drugs and migrants, because these are the missions in which we have significant synergy with CBP Office of Air and Marine. However, those missions are but two of the eleven missions the Coast Guard conducts daily for the safety and security of the American public. Day and night, in good weather and bad, 24-hours a day and 365 days a year, for over 219 years, our young men and women are on watch, ever-vigilant, always ready. The Coast Guard actively seeks to defeat those who would do harm to our great nation, rescues mariners in distress, facilitates safe travel and trade by maintaining our marine transportation system, and ensures effective stewardship of our marine resources.
It is our unique authorities, capabilities, competencies, and partnerships, both foreign and domestic, which enable the Coast Guard, along with our fellow DHS components and the other branches of the armed forces, to consistently and effectively execute our mission as America’s maritime guardian.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today. I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Reflections from Tanzania: President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief
Eda Mutale Lifuka, a resident of Zambia, is a Department of Defense HIV/AIDS program manager. This is the final blog post in a series written from the 2010 International HIV/AIDS Conference in Tanzania.
April 18, 2010 - For me, the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has not only provided hope for a new “HIV free” era but also gratitude for an intervention. My only wish is that it would have come earlier because it would have saved, or at least prolonged, the lives of those near and dear to me. In Zambia, we use a term that goes like, “we are all either affected or infected;” no one can say they have not felt the impact of the scourge.
I am extremely passionate about the efforts of PEPFAR and the significant impact that it has had on the lives of Zambians. With more people receiving life-saving drugs, people are able to contribute to building the economy and they live longer, have more time to spend with their families, and are able to contribute to society. When people living with HIV/AIDS become change agents or actors in their society, it really goes a long way and encourages others to not only get tested but to also access services.
Since receiving aid from PEPFAR, we have had many success stories. I love these because they show that progress is being made and that we are moving in the right direction. Some examples of these successes include seeing a man, who was almost dying, standing up and saying, “I would not be here had it not been for the American People,” or seeing an HIV positive mother giving birth to twins who are negative. Both stories give a sense of hope for the future.
Being Zambian and a part of this initiative gives me a sense of pride and lets me know that the situation can be better. The service delivery and infrastructure improvements benefit the military and the surrounding communities that access base health services.
The military-specific program is great because it provides an opportunity for the Department of Defense (DoD) to train host country militaries on how to interact. DoD can relate because they face similar challenges and constraints during deployment. This interaction, collaboration and success can be seen at gatherings such as the 2010 International Military HIV/AIDS Conference in Arusha, Tanzania. This forum brings together countries from all around the globe and provides an opportunity for sharing lessons learned and best practices. Militaries tap into initiatives from other countries to learn new strategies and their efforts are reenergized, which motivates them to do better.
At the conference, there is a sense of camaraderie, the poster presentation is lively and there is energy in the room as people move around to see the displays. As you reach each country station, there is a sense of pride as the representatives’ talk about their programs. There is also an exchange of materials as well as ideas and long lasting contacts are made, which are not only a source of friendship but also a source for technical assistance for the future. The American people are making a difference in the lives of people all over the world.
April 18, 2010 - For me, the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has not only provided hope for a new “HIV free” era but also gratitude for an intervention. My only wish is that it would have come earlier because it would have saved, or at least prolonged, the lives of those near and dear to me. In Zambia, we use a term that goes like, “we are all either affected or infected;” no one can say they have not felt the impact of the scourge.
I am extremely passionate about the efforts of PEPFAR and the significant impact that it has had on the lives of Zambians. With more people receiving life-saving drugs, people are able to contribute to building the economy and they live longer, have more time to spend with their families, and are able to contribute to society. When people living with HIV/AIDS become change agents or actors in their society, it really goes a long way and encourages others to not only get tested but to also access services.
Since receiving aid from PEPFAR, we have had many success stories. I love these because they show that progress is being made and that we are moving in the right direction. Some examples of these successes include seeing a man, who was almost dying, standing up and saying, “I would not be here had it not been for the American People,” or seeing an HIV positive mother giving birth to twins who are negative. Both stories give a sense of hope for the future.
Being Zambian and a part of this initiative gives me a sense of pride and lets me know that the situation can be better. The service delivery and infrastructure improvements benefit the military and the surrounding communities that access base health services.
The military-specific program is great because it provides an opportunity for the Department of Defense (DoD) to train host country militaries on how to interact. DoD can relate because they face similar challenges and constraints during deployment. This interaction, collaboration and success can be seen at gatherings such as the 2010 International Military HIV/AIDS Conference in Arusha, Tanzania. This forum brings together countries from all around the globe and provides an opportunity for sharing lessons learned and best practices. Militaries tap into initiatives from other countries to learn new strategies and their efforts are reenergized, which motivates them to do better.
At the conference, there is a sense of camaraderie, the poster presentation is lively and there is energy in the room as people move around to see the displays. As you reach each country station, there is a sense of pride as the representatives’ talk about their programs. There is also an exchange of materials as well as ideas and long lasting contacts are made, which are not only a source of friendship but also a source for technical assistance for the future. The American people are making a difference in the lives of people all over the world.
She Wolf
Editor's Note: The author is a former servicemember.
I learned to hate Sunday mornings. It wasn’t getting up at 4:30AM to deliver the Sunday paper. The problem was the dogs. In the early 1970s, when I was a paperboy, the newspaper came on weekday evenings, Saturday afternoons and Sunday Mornings. People’s dogs were much better behaved Monday through Saturday. At first, I thought the dogs were better behaved because during the week their owners were home. But it was more than that. I have often seen that painting of dogs playing cards. I was convinced that the dogs did indeed get together on Saturday nights and got all liquored up. They were mean, hung-over drunks on Sunday morning. I devised ways to avoid most, but there was one dog - a huge German Shepard I called She Wolf who had taken my delivery of the paper personally.
Read On
http://www.police-writers.com/articles/she_wolf.html
I learned to hate Sunday mornings. It wasn’t getting up at 4:30AM to deliver the Sunday paper. The problem was the dogs. In the early 1970s, when I was a paperboy, the newspaper came on weekday evenings, Saturday afternoons and Sunday Mornings. People’s dogs were much better behaved Monday through Saturday. At first, I thought the dogs were better behaved because during the week their owners were home. But it was more than that. I have often seen that painting of dogs playing cards. I was convinced that the dogs did indeed get together on Saturday nights and got all liquored up. They were mean, hung-over drunks on Sunday morning. I devised ways to avoid most, but there was one dog - a huge German Shepard I called She Wolf who had taken my delivery of the paper personally.
Read On
http://www.police-writers.com/articles/she_wolf.html
Statement by Secretary Robert M. Gates
The New York Times sources who revealed my January memo to the National Security Advisor mischaracterized its purpose and content. With the Administration's pivot to a pressure track on Iran earlier this year, the memo identified next steps in our defense planning process where further interagency discussion and policy decisions would be needed in the months and weeks ahead. The memo was not intended as a "wake up call" or received as such by the President's national security team. Rather, it presented a number of questions and proposals intended to contribute to an orderly and timely decision making process. There should be no confusion by our allies and adversaries that the United States is properly and energetically focused on this question and prepared to act across a broad range of contingencies in support of our interests.
Decommissioned Battleship USS Wisconsin (BB-64) Relieved of Duty
By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Scott Pittman, Navy Public Affairs Support Element-East
April 18, 2010 - NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- The city of Norfolk officially took over stewardship of the decommissioned Iowa-class battleship, USS Wisconsin (BB-64), during a ceremony at The National Maritime Center on April 16.
The ceremony took place 65 years after the ship was first commissioned into naval service April 16, 1944.
"As we incrementally open up this Navy icon for public viewing, it will be our awesome responsibility to bring this grand ship's history to life," said Hank Lynch, Executive Director of Nauticus.
Wisconsin has been berthed at Nauticus, a maritime-themed science center, since Dec. 7, 2000, but still maintained by the Navy until this ceremony. As part of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2006, battleships must be maintained in case it must be recommissioned for Navy usage. Transfer of the ship to Norfolk ends that requirement for the Wisconsin. The Navy had paid approximately $2.8 million to the city of Norfolk to maintain the ship between 2000-2009.
Audio tours lead guests through decks of the ship to demonstrate the workings of one of the Navy's last and largest battleships.
"Our responsibility is to preserve and protect your ship; to insure that your legacy of duty, honor and country endures and inspires future generations of Americans," said Paul D. Fraim, Mayor of Norfolk.
Several former crew members were in attendance for the ceremony, along with distinguished guests and active duty Sailors.
Wisconsin served in Adm. William F. Halsey's 3rd Fleet during the liberation of the Philippines, supported the amphibious landings on Iwo Jima and Okinawa and transported GIs back to the United States during Operation Magic Carpet at the end of World War II.
April 18, 2010 - NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- The city of Norfolk officially took over stewardship of the decommissioned Iowa-class battleship, USS Wisconsin (BB-64), during a ceremony at The National Maritime Center on April 16.
The ceremony took place 65 years after the ship was first commissioned into naval service April 16, 1944.
"As we incrementally open up this Navy icon for public viewing, it will be our awesome responsibility to bring this grand ship's history to life," said Hank Lynch, Executive Director of Nauticus.
Wisconsin has been berthed at Nauticus, a maritime-themed science center, since Dec. 7, 2000, but still maintained by the Navy until this ceremony. As part of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2006, battleships must be maintained in case it must be recommissioned for Navy usage. Transfer of the ship to Norfolk ends that requirement for the Wisconsin. The Navy had paid approximately $2.8 million to the city of Norfolk to maintain the ship between 2000-2009.
Audio tours lead guests through decks of the ship to demonstrate the workings of one of the Navy's last and largest battleships.
"Our responsibility is to preserve and protect your ship; to insure that your legacy of duty, honor and country endures and inspires future generations of Americans," said Paul D. Fraim, Mayor of Norfolk.
Several former crew members were in attendance for the ceremony, along with distinguished guests and active duty Sailors.
Wisconsin served in Adm. William F. Halsey's 3rd Fleet during the liberation of the Philippines, supported the amphibious landings on Iwo Jima and Okinawa and transported GIs back to the United States during Operation Magic Carpet at the end of World War II.
Sailors Visit Children During San Antonio Navy Week
By Chief Mass Communication Specialist L.A. Shively, Navy Office of Community Outreach
April 18, 2010 - SAN ANTONIO (NNS) -- Navy units around San Antonio visited children and teens as part as San Antonio Navy Week, which started April 14.
Sailors from Navy Recruiting District (NRD) San Antonio delivered ball caps, toy bears and told sea stories brightening the rainy morning for several children and their families at Christus Santa Rosa Children's Hospital, as part of the Caps for Kids program.
Later in the afternoon, conversation about school and the future mingled with laughter and music at the Boys and Girls Club of San Antonio, where Sailors from NRD, Naval Medical Research Unit - San Antonio (NMRUSA), and Naval Medical Training Command (NMTC), Ft. Sam Houston, visited teens at the teen center.
"I was surprised" said 13-year-old Venus Perez who admitted never seeing a Sailor in uniform before.
Traditionally San Antonio has been an Army and Air Force town, but with the opening of the Medical Education and Training Center on Ft. Sam Houston, an influx of several thousand Sailors is expected to continue over the next two years.
Now that she's met several Sailors, Perez said she liked the Navy, but was leaning toward basketball. Several teens said they were surprised that careers in flying and music were available in the Navy.
"I think it's a wonderful thing," said Chief Hospital Corpsman Ferdinand Ajel, who is currently with NMTC. He said visiting teens was also surprising for him.
"At first I didn't know what we were going to do," he thought he was volunteering to build or paint – a more typical project. "I like that we can interact with the kids."
He said he talked about traveling and seeing places outside of his hometown as a Sailor and that the time he spent with these teens will help him at home.
"I have to talk to my own kids too. They are going to be real-life stories and that's what we've got going on here. I'm finding ways to reach [teens at the center] and it will be good for my own family," Ajel said.
Coming into the community and seeing Sailors gives kids an opportunity to think about their options in life said Capt. Vincent DeInnocentiis, commanding officer for NMRUSA.
"It helps them know they can do anything they want to do and that the Navy is an option. They don't have to stay in one place or listen to others telling them they can't do this or that."
A lot of us came from similar backgrounds DeInnocentiis stressed, and bringing Sailors into the community shows kids they can get an education and grow up to be somebody.
After visiting with teens, Sailors then spent the afternoon playing games with the younger set at the nearby game center.
Raucous squeals of delight erupted when a basket ball dropped into a hoop, or a foosball slammed into the goal, and it didn't matter what the score or who was winning.
Everyone was excited and enjoying each other's company simply playing carpet bowling, hoops or video games.
"[Play] helps put you in the moment instead of [worrying] about the future all the time," said Capt. R.G. Craigmiles, commanding officer of NMTC.
"It helps development. It also helps them interact with other human beings. Most importantly, it teaches teamwork and cooperation – everything you need to succeed."
April 18, 2010 - SAN ANTONIO (NNS) -- Navy units around San Antonio visited children and teens as part as San Antonio Navy Week, which started April 14.
Sailors from Navy Recruiting District (NRD) San Antonio delivered ball caps, toy bears and told sea stories brightening the rainy morning for several children and their families at Christus Santa Rosa Children's Hospital, as part of the Caps for Kids program.
Later in the afternoon, conversation about school and the future mingled with laughter and music at the Boys and Girls Club of San Antonio, where Sailors from NRD, Naval Medical Research Unit - San Antonio (NMRUSA), and Naval Medical Training Command (NMTC), Ft. Sam Houston, visited teens at the teen center.
"I was surprised" said 13-year-old Venus Perez who admitted never seeing a Sailor in uniform before.
Traditionally San Antonio has been an Army and Air Force town, but with the opening of the Medical Education and Training Center on Ft. Sam Houston, an influx of several thousand Sailors is expected to continue over the next two years.
Now that she's met several Sailors, Perez said she liked the Navy, but was leaning toward basketball. Several teens said they were surprised that careers in flying and music were available in the Navy.
"I think it's a wonderful thing," said Chief Hospital Corpsman Ferdinand Ajel, who is currently with NMTC. He said visiting teens was also surprising for him.
"At first I didn't know what we were going to do," he thought he was volunteering to build or paint – a more typical project. "I like that we can interact with the kids."
He said he talked about traveling and seeing places outside of his hometown as a Sailor and that the time he spent with these teens will help him at home.
"I have to talk to my own kids too. They are going to be real-life stories and that's what we've got going on here. I'm finding ways to reach [teens at the center] and it will be good for my own family," Ajel said.
Coming into the community and seeing Sailors gives kids an opportunity to think about their options in life said Capt. Vincent DeInnocentiis, commanding officer for NMRUSA.
"It helps them know they can do anything they want to do and that the Navy is an option. They don't have to stay in one place or listen to others telling them they can't do this or that."
A lot of us came from similar backgrounds DeInnocentiis stressed, and bringing Sailors into the community shows kids they can get an education and grow up to be somebody.
After visiting with teens, Sailors then spent the afternoon playing games with the younger set at the nearby game center.
Raucous squeals of delight erupted when a basket ball dropped into a hoop, or a foosball slammed into the goal, and it didn't matter what the score or who was winning.
Everyone was excited and enjoying each other's company simply playing carpet bowling, hoops or video games.
"[Play] helps put you in the moment instead of [worrying] about the future all the time," said Capt. R.G. Craigmiles, commanding officer of NMTC.
"It helps development. It also helps them interact with other human beings. Most importantly, it teaches teamwork and cooperation – everything you need to succeed."
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Confessions of a Black Conservative
Editor's Note: The guest is a former servicemember.
On April 23, 2010, Conversations with American Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a conversation with former US Army Soldier Lloyd Marcus, the author of Confessions of a Black Conservative.
Program Date: April 23, 2010
Program Time: 2100 hours Pacific
Topic: Confessions of a Black Conservative
Listen Live: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lawenforcement/2010/04/24/confessions-of-a-black-conservative
About the Guest
Lloyd Marcus “was drafted almost immediately and served two years in the Army. Although he didn’t quit his hedonistic lifestyle, he found outlets for his creativity while serving at Fort Bragg, N.C. He designed artwork for Army brochures and, despite not being a Green Beret, he sang first tenor in the Green Beret chorus.” Lloyd Marcus is the author of Confessions of a Black Conservative.
According to the book description of Confessions of a Black Conservative, “Lloyd Marcus, (black) Unhyphenated American, Tea Party Spokesperson and Troubadour, releases his much anticipated book; Confessions of a Black Conservative: How the Left has shattered the dreams of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Black America. Mr. Marcus travels extensively singing his originals, American Tea Party Anthem and Twenty Ten, Vote Them Out to thousands in audiences across America. At each event Marcus receives raucous applause for his signature statement, “I am NOT an African American, I am Lloyd Marcus, AMERICAN.”
About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is Police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. American Heroes Radio brings you to the watering hole, where it is Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.
About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Public Safety Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.
Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lawenforcement/2010/04/24/confessions-of-a-black-conservative
Archive:
http://www.americanheroesradio.com/confessions_black_conservative.html
Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530
On April 23, 2010, Conversations with American Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a conversation with former US Army Soldier Lloyd Marcus, the author of Confessions of a Black Conservative.
Program Date: April 23, 2010
Program Time: 2100 hours Pacific
Topic: Confessions of a Black Conservative
Listen Live: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lawenforcement/2010/04/24/confessions-of-a-black-conservative
About the Guest
Lloyd Marcus “was drafted almost immediately and served two years in the Army. Although he didn’t quit his hedonistic lifestyle, he found outlets for his creativity while serving at Fort Bragg, N.C. He designed artwork for Army brochures and, despite not being a Green Beret, he sang first tenor in the Green Beret chorus.” Lloyd Marcus is the author of Confessions of a Black Conservative.
According to the book description of Confessions of a Black Conservative, “Lloyd Marcus, (black) Unhyphenated American, Tea Party Spokesperson and Troubadour, releases his much anticipated book; Confessions of a Black Conservative: How the Left has shattered the dreams of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Black America. Mr. Marcus travels extensively singing his originals, American Tea Party Anthem and Twenty Ten, Vote Them Out to thousands in audiences across America. At each event Marcus receives raucous applause for his signature statement, “I am NOT an African American, I am Lloyd Marcus, AMERICAN.”
About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is Police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. American Heroes Radio brings you to the watering hole, where it is Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.
About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Public Safety Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.
Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lawenforcement/2010/04/24/confessions-of-a-black-conservative
Archive:
http://www.americanheroesradio.com/confessions_black_conservative.html
Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530
National Naval Medical Center Promotes STD Prevention, Education
By Sarah Fortney, National Naval Medical Center Public Affairs
April 17, 2010 - BETHESDA, Md. (NNS) -- In light of staggering statistics dealing with the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), April is STD Awareness Month and health care providers are raising awareness about the consequences of unprotected sex and the impact STDs have on overall health.
An estimated 19 million new cases of STDs are reported in the U.S. every year, almost half of which are among people under age 25, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
At the National Naval Medical Center, health care practitioners educate service members and patients about STDs not just during the month of April, but throughout the year. In the Infectious Diseases clinic, providers help patients identify modes of treatment and offer referrals for treatment, said Lynn Johnson, a counselor in the Infectious Diseases clinic.
Johnson, who gives weekly lectures in the OB/GYN clinic, said the Infectious Diseases Clinic also provides counseling for patients who have contracted an STD, noting it is more common today for people who have contracted an STD to have more than one at a time.
Those who seek treatment for an STD are often, but not always, found to be engaging in risky lifestyles and, therefore, might need counseling for an underlying mental health issue. Johnson added that alcohol and drug use are also common factors in the equation, as they alter a person's sense of security and impair judgment. He encourages individuals to recognize these factors and to practice safe sex.
"Get to know your partner, and don't let emotions get in the way," Johnson said. "You are responsible for your actions."
At NNMC, he said, health practitioners see patients with various types of STDs, but there are a few that seem to be more prevalent.
"Chlamydia is the most common STD we see, then gonorrhea, then syphilis," he said.
Unlike gonorrhea and syphilis, which are associated with symptoms that are painful and discomforting, symptoms of chlamydia are usually mild or absent, he said. Thus, many individuals who have the disease may not know they have it and are likely to continue spreading it.
According to the CDC, chlamydia is one of the most common STDs in the country, especially among young women. It can potentially cause damage to their reproductive organs, infertility and pregnancy complications.
Johnson added that people who have contracted an STD are at an increased risk of becoming HIV positive. Those who are sexually active in the D.C. area should be especially cautious, as the area has the highest number of people infected with HIV in the country, he said.
In the military, he said, there is a common misconception that service members are "safe" against STDs when, in fact, they are just as at risk and should be just as careful.
In the Navy, Sailors are required to be tested for HIV every two years, but are not limited to that requirement – they can be tested more often if they so choose.
April 17, 2010 - BETHESDA, Md. (NNS) -- In light of staggering statistics dealing with the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), April is STD Awareness Month and health care providers are raising awareness about the consequences of unprotected sex and the impact STDs have on overall health.
An estimated 19 million new cases of STDs are reported in the U.S. every year, almost half of which are among people under age 25, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
At the National Naval Medical Center, health care practitioners educate service members and patients about STDs not just during the month of April, but throughout the year. In the Infectious Diseases clinic, providers help patients identify modes of treatment and offer referrals for treatment, said Lynn Johnson, a counselor in the Infectious Diseases clinic.
Johnson, who gives weekly lectures in the OB/GYN clinic, said the Infectious Diseases Clinic also provides counseling for patients who have contracted an STD, noting it is more common today for people who have contracted an STD to have more than one at a time.
Those who seek treatment for an STD are often, but not always, found to be engaging in risky lifestyles and, therefore, might need counseling for an underlying mental health issue. Johnson added that alcohol and drug use are also common factors in the equation, as they alter a person's sense of security and impair judgment. He encourages individuals to recognize these factors and to practice safe sex.
"Get to know your partner, and don't let emotions get in the way," Johnson said. "You are responsible for your actions."
At NNMC, he said, health practitioners see patients with various types of STDs, but there are a few that seem to be more prevalent.
"Chlamydia is the most common STD we see, then gonorrhea, then syphilis," he said.
Unlike gonorrhea and syphilis, which are associated with symptoms that are painful and discomforting, symptoms of chlamydia are usually mild or absent, he said. Thus, many individuals who have the disease may not know they have it and are likely to continue spreading it.
According to the CDC, chlamydia is one of the most common STDs in the country, especially among young women. It can potentially cause damage to their reproductive organs, infertility and pregnancy complications.
Johnson added that people who have contracted an STD are at an increased risk of becoming HIV positive. Those who are sexually active in the D.C. area should be especially cautious, as the area has the highest number of people infected with HIV in the country, he said.
In the military, he said, there is a common misconception that service members are "safe" against STDs when, in fact, they are just as at risk and should be just as careful.
In the Navy, Sailors are required to be tested for HIV every two years, but are not limited to that requirement – they can be tested more often if they so choose.
Navy Region Southeast Raises Sexual Assault Awareness
By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Monica R. Nelson, Commander, Navy Region Southeast Public Affairs
April 17, 2010 - JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- Commander, Navy Region Southeast underscored the region's initiatives against sexual assault by signing a Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) proclamation Apr. 15.
Rear. Adm. Townsend "Tim" Alexander signed the proclamation while the Region's Executive Director Bruce Cwalina and nine members of the Southeast Region's family readiness program looked on.
"This proclamation is a springboard for education and awareness," said Alexander. "Effort from every individual is necessary to ensure safety and quality of life for our shipmates and in our communities. Sexual assault is an affront to mission readiness because it undermines the health and dignity of individuals. The well-being of the Navy is dependent upon the well-being of its people. I urge all personnel to reach out to victims, learn more about this crime, speak out against it, and intervene to prevent it."
According to Commander, Navy Installations Command, the Navy recorded approximately 600 reports of sexual assault in fiscal year 2009. A sexual assault is an attack that can reverberate throughout a unit and beyond, degrading readiness by harming the life of the victim and the ability of a unit to work effectively as a team.
"This is a pivotal time in Navy history surrounding sexual assault awareness and prevention, with the highest level of attention from Navy leadership on the issue that I have seen in my 10 years experience working for the Navy," said Julie Mooney, Southeast Region credentialing and programs manager. "Leadership and those on the front lines working in sexual assault prevention and response have called for a culture change within the Navy where sexual intimidation, harassment and assault are not tolerated."
Alexander's proclamation echoes the Department of Defense 2010 SAAM theme of "Hurts one. Affects all."
Installations within the Southeast are already responding by hosting leadership training, 5k walk/runs, setting up information booths and conducting training in civilian sexual assault and rape crisis centers.
April 17, 2010 - JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- Commander, Navy Region Southeast underscored the region's initiatives against sexual assault by signing a Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) proclamation Apr. 15.
Rear. Adm. Townsend "Tim" Alexander signed the proclamation while the Region's Executive Director Bruce Cwalina and nine members of the Southeast Region's family readiness program looked on.
"This proclamation is a springboard for education and awareness," said Alexander. "Effort from every individual is necessary to ensure safety and quality of life for our shipmates and in our communities. Sexual assault is an affront to mission readiness because it undermines the health and dignity of individuals. The well-being of the Navy is dependent upon the well-being of its people. I urge all personnel to reach out to victims, learn more about this crime, speak out against it, and intervene to prevent it."
According to Commander, Navy Installations Command, the Navy recorded approximately 600 reports of sexual assault in fiscal year 2009. A sexual assault is an attack that can reverberate throughout a unit and beyond, degrading readiness by harming the life of the victim and the ability of a unit to work effectively as a team.
"This is a pivotal time in Navy history surrounding sexual assault awareness and prevention, with the highest level of attention from Navy leadership on the issue that I have seen in my 10 years experience working for the Navy," said Julie Mooney, Southeast Region credentialing and programs manager. "Leadership and those on the front lines working in sexual assault prevention and response have called for a culture change within the Navy where sexual intimidation, harassment and assault are not tolerated."
Alexander's proclamation echoes the Department of Defense 2010 SAAM theme of "Hurts one. Affects all."
Installations within the Southeast are already responding by hosting leadership training, 5k walk/runs, setting up information booths and conducting training in civilian sexual assault and rape crisis centers.
Military Networking Key to Eliminating HIV/AIDS: Hormazd Sethna
Hormazd Sethna is a desk officer for countries in the US Pacific Command region, including India, Indonesia, and Vietnam. This is the third blog post in a series written from the 2010 International HIV/AIDS Conference in Tanzania.
April 17, 2010 - I joined the Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program (DHAPP) in February 2009 as a desk officer for countries in the US Pacific Command (USPACOM) region. I came to DHAPP with a background in medical anthropology and public health, and some experience working on HIV/AIDS projects, both in the U.S., as well as my native India.
My first reaction to seeing the job posting for DHAPP was, “What does the U.S. Department of Defense have to do with HIV prevention?”, followed quickly by, “Why would they want to hire a civilian like me, whose military experience extends only as far as being a fan of the television show ‘MASH’?”
As I learned, HIV/AIDS poses a threat to militaries as much as, if not more so, than the civilian population. This, in turn, poses a threat to national security.
DHAPP plays a leadership role in working with the militaries of over eighty countries across the globe to eliminate this threat by developing and strengthening sustainable programs in prevention, care, and treatment. These programs form the cornerstone of military-to-military diplomatic engagement between the U.S. and the militaries of the host countries. Militaries also often serve as a change agent for the broader society, so it stands to reason that they are actively involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
My duties as desk officer have extended me the privilege of traveling to countries like Indonesia and Laos to assess their military HIV/AIDS programs and work with them in developing strategies to strengthen these programs and ensure their sustainability. I have also attended an international conference in Botswana, and collaborated with U.S. Government colleagues at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in providing technical assistance in HIV prevention to civilian and military partners in Kenya.
That’s a lot of frequent flyer miles!
I write this blog from Arusha, Tanzania where DHAPP has organized the Third Annual International Military HIV/AIDS Conference. The Tanzania People’s Defense Force (TPDF) is playing host to delegates from over sixty countries, including India, Indonesia, Nepal and Vietnam from the USPACOM area of responsibility. In addition. the guest list also boasts invitees from the Combatant Commands, the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, the United Nations Joint Program on HIV/AIDS, and (drum roll please!) the President of Tanzania, Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete.
The level of seriousness with which militaries view the HIV/AIDS threat is demonstrated by the attendee list. Flag officers, heads of military medical services, and directors of HIV/AIDS services are all in attendance, using the opportunity to share their expertise, ideas, and best practices with each other.
April 17, 2010 - I joined the Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program (DHAPP) in February 2009 as a desk officer for countries in the US Pacific Command (USPACOM) region. I came to DHAPP with a background in medical anthropology and public health, and some experience working on HIV/AIDS projects, both in the U.S., as well as my native India.
My first reaction to seeing the job posting for DHAPP was, “What does the U.S. Department of Defense have to do with HIV prevention?”, followed quickly by, “Why would they want to hire a civilian like me, whose military experience extends only as far as being a fan of the television show ‘MASH’?”
As I learned, HIV/AIDS poses a threat to militaries as much as, if not more so, than the civilian population. This, in turn, poses a threat to national security.
DHAPP plays a leadership role in working with the militaries of over eighty countries across the globe to eliminate this threat by developing and strengthening sustainable programs in prevention, care, and treatment. These programs form the cornerstone of military-to-military diplomatic engagement between the U.S. and the militaries of the host countries. Militaries also often serve as a change agent for the broader society, so it stands to reason that they are actively involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
My duties as desk officer have extended me the privilege of traveling to countries like Indonesia and Laos to assess their military HIV/AIDS programs and work with them in developing strategies to strengthen these programs and ensure their sustainability. I have also attended an international conference in Botswana, and collaborated with U.S. Government colleagues at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in providing technical assistance in HIV prevention to civilian and military partners in Kenya.
That’s a lot of frequent flyer miles!
I write this blog from Arusha, Tanzania where DHAPP has organized the Third Annual International Military HIV/AIDS Conference. The Tanzania People’s Defense Force (TPDF) is playing host to delegates from over sixty countries, including India, Indonesia, Nepal and Vietnam from the USPACOM area of responsibility. In addition. the guest list also boasts invitees from the Combatant Commands, the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, the United Nations Joint Program on HIV/AIDS, and (drum roll please!) the President of Tanzania, Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete.
The level of seriousness with which militaries view the HIV/AIDS threat is demonstrated by the attendee list. Flag officers, heads of military medical services, and directors of HIV/AIDS services are all in attendance, using the opportunity to share their expertise, ideas, and best practices with each other.
National Naval Medical Center to Conduct Alcohol Screening
By Sarah Fortney, National Naval Medical Center Public Affairs
April 17, 2010 - BETHESDA, Md. (NNS) -- The National Naval Medical Center's (NNMC) Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program (SARP) and Health Promotion/Wellness Clinic will conduct a free, command-wide alcohol screening Apr. 19-21.
This screening will help individuals assess how well they know the affects of alcohol and help them understand the signs of a drinking problem.
During the screening, which will take place Monday through Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the hallway outside of the morale, welfare and recreation office, counselors will be available to answer questions and provide information. Private booths will be set up for individuals to fill out an anonymous questionnaire about their drinking habits and how alcohol affects their health.
Every year, SARP aims to conduct this command-wide alcohol screening in April as part of Alcohol Awareness Month, said Chief Operations Specialist Sharon Rogers, senior enlisted leader directorate for mental health at NNMC. The questionnaire will help people learn about alcohol consumption and better understand how it affects their overall health.
According to Rogers, the screening is an opportunity to reach out to individuals who might be struggling with alcohol and help them recognize the potential consequences before their drinking becomes a problem, be it violence, an injury or a drunk driving charge.
"We're here to help them," Rogers said.
Alcohol use disorders include alcoholism, also known as alcohol dependence; and alcohol abuse, characterized by significant impairment but not necessarily physical dependence, according to Military Pathways, a voluntary mental health and alcohol self assessment program for military service members and their families. Through Defense Department funding, the program created the questionnaire that will be used at NNMC next week.
In addition, both alcohol abuse and dependence are more common among men than women and decrease with aging, according to Military Pathways.
Alcoholism is characterized by a number of symptoms. Rogers said one indication of a problem is when a person's alcohol tolerance increases. For example, when a person who usually drinks four beers suddenly needs eight beers to feel satisfied.
The signs to look for, Rogers said, are when drinking impacts a person's lifestyle, work, or family and they're not able to function normally.
It's important for people to understand their "alcohol IQ," she said - being able to identify the warning signs and recognize their drinking habits.
"If you drink an excessive amount [of alcohol], do you know how it will affect your health?" Rogers asked.
"We know about our other health [problems], blood pressure, cholesterol, but we hardly ever think about our drinking," said Shellie Spadaro, SARP department head and counselor.
SARP offers a variety of services to help people coping with alcohol disorders or who have been in trouble because of an incident related to alcohol, Spadaro said. SARP counselors assess individuals with potential drinking problems and work closely with the command drug and alcohol program advisor and the hospital wards.
The program also has a continuing care group for those who have been diagnosed with alcohol dependence, she said, and an early intervention class for those who have not been diagnosed with alcohol dependence or alcohol abuse, but have gotten in trouble because of alcohol.
For the first time, SARP is working with NNMC's Health Promotion/Wellness Clinic to conduct the command-wide screening.
"We're really excited about it," said Lauren Thomas, department head of the Health Promotion/ Wellness Clinic.
The department promotes health, fitness, nutrition, stress management and tobacco cessation, Thomas said, and has been focusing more on educating staff about the affects of drinking, making it a more comprehensive program.
With the screening, she added, individuals are able to be proactive and seek treatment before they begin to suffer the consequences.
"Don't wait until it's on your record," she said. "We want to help identify the risks of problem drinking ahead of time."
April 17, 2010 - BETHESDA, Md. (NNS) -- The National Naval Medical Center's (NNMC) Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program (SARP) and Health Promotion/Wellness Clinic will conduct a free, command-wide alcohol screening Apr. 19-21.
This screening will help individuals assess how well they know the affects of alcohol and help them understand the signs of a drinking problem.
During the screening, which will take place Monday through Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the hallway outside of the morale, welfare and recreation office, counselors will be available to answer questions and provide information. Private booths will be set up for individuals to fill out an anonymous questionnaire about their drinking habits and how alcohol affects their health.
Every year, SARP aims to conduct this command-wide alcohol screening in April as part of Alcohol Awareness Month, said Chief Operations Specialist Sharon Rogers, senior enlisted leader directorate for mental health at NNMC. The questionnaire will help people learn about alcohol consumption and better understand how it affects their overall health.
According to Rogers, the screening is an opportunity to reach out to individuals who might be struggling with alcohol and help them recognize the potential consequences before their drinking becomes a problem, be it violence, an injury or a drunk driving charge.
"We're here to help them," Rogers said.
Alcohol use disorders include alcoholism, also known as alcohol dependence; and alcohol abuse, characterized by significant impairment but not necessarily physical dependence, according to Military Pathways, a voluntary mental health and alcohol self assessment program for military service members and their families. Through Defense Department funding, the program created the questionnaire that will be used at NNMC next week.
In addition, both alcohol abuse and dependence are more common among men than women and decrease with aging, according to Military Pathways.
Alcoholism is characterized by a number of symptoms. Rogers said one indication of a problem is when a person's alcohol tolerance increases. For example, when a person who usually drinks four beers suddenly needs eight beers to feel satisfied.
The signs to look for, Rogers said, are when drinking impacts a person's lifestyle, work, or family and they're not able to function normally.
It's important for people to understand their "alcohol IQ," she said - being able to identify the warning signs and recognize their drinking habits.
"If you drink an excessive amount [of alcohol], do you know how it will affect your health?" Rogers asked.
"We know about our other health [problems], blood pressure, cholesterol, but we hardly ever think about our drinking," said Shellie Spadaro, SARP department head and counselor.
SARP offers a variety of services to help people coping with alcohol disorders or who have been in trouble because of an incident related to alcohol, Spadaro said. SARP counselors assess individuals with potential drinking problems and work closely with the command drug and alcohol program advisor and the hospital wards.
The program also has a continuing care group for those who have been diagnosed with alcohol dependence, she said, and an early intervention class for those who have not been diagnosed with alcohol dependence or alcohol abuse, but have gotten in trouble because of alcohol.
For the first time, SARP is working with NNMC's Health Promotion/Wellness Clinic to conduct the command-wide screening.
"We're really excited about it," said Lauren Thomas, department head of the Health Promotion/ Wellness Clinic.
The department promotes health, fitness, nutrition, stress management and tobacco cessation, Thomas said, and has been focusing more on educating staff about the affects of drinking, making it a more comprehensive program.
With the screening, she added, individuals are able to be proactive and seek treatment before they begin to suffer the consequences.
"Don't wait until it's on your record," she said. "We want to help identify the risks of problem drinking ahead of time."
Enterprise Departs for Sea Trials
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark Meredith
April 17, 2010 - NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (NNS) -- USS Enterprise (CVN 65) departed Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipyard April 17 to conduct sea trials.
The ship will be testing equipment, running system checks and making certain that Enterprise is ready to be delivered to the fleet.
"It's kind of like buying a car," said Cmdr. Edward M. Galvin, Enterprise's operations officer. "You have to take the car out for a test drive to try out all of its systems. That's what we'll be doing with sea trials: taking the keys from Northrop Grumman and trying the ship out."
Also getting underway with Enterprise during the trials are key members of Northrop Grumman who will help make sure the ship is ready for the open water.
"I am very confident and hopeful that the next place we'll be pulling into will be Naval Station Norfolk," said Galvin. "I think everyone is ready to get back out to sea."
Upon the successful completion of sea trials, Northrop Grumman will deliver the ship to the fleet, and Enterprise will begin preparing for deployment.
"This will mark the culmination of our shipyard work," said Galvin. "At that point, we'll be able to shift our focus from fixing the ship to combat presence, our real job."
After the completion of sea trials, Enterprise will begin preparing for full-scale flight operations.
"The next time we go out will be for flight deck certification," said Galvin.
The end of every day marks another step closer to Enterprise beginning her 21st deployment in her 48 years of service.
Enterprise is currently conducting sea trials in preparation for her return to the fleet.
April 17, 2010 - NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (NNS) -- USS Enterprise (CVN 65) departed Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipyard April 17 to conduct sea trials.
The ship will be testing equipment, running system checks and making certain that Enterprise is ready to be delivered to the fleet.
"It's kind of like buying a car," said Cmdr. Edward M. Galvin, Enterprise's operations officer. "You have to take the car out for a test drive to try out all of its systems. That's what we'll be doing with sea trials: taking the keys from Northrop Grumman and trying the ship out."
Also getting underway with Enterprise during the trials are key members of Northrop Grumman who will help make sure the ship is ready for the open water.
"I am very confident and hopeful that the next place we'll be pulling into will be Naval Station Norfolk," said Galvin. "I think everyone is ready to get back out to sea."
Upon the successful completion of sea trials, Northrop Grumman will deliver the ship to the fleet, and Enterprise will begin preparing for deployment.
"This will mark the culmination of our shipyard work," said Galvin. "At that point, we'll be able to shift our focus from fixing the ship to combat presence, our real job."
After the completion of sea trials, Enterprise will begin preparing for full-scale flight operations.
"The next time we go out will be for flight deck certification," said Galvin.
The end of every day marks another step closer to Enterprise beginning her 21st deployment in her 48 years of service.
Enterprise is currently conducting sea trials in preparation for her return to the fleet.
Flag Officer Assignments
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead announced today the following assignments:
Rear Adm. (lower half) Samuel J. Cox will be assigned as director, National Maritime Intelligence Center, Washington, D.C. Cox last served as director, plans, policy, and intelligence integration, Naval Network Warfare Command, Norfolk, Va.
Rear Adm. (lower half) Samuel Perez Jr. will be assigned as commander, Carrier Strike Group Three, Bremerton, Wash. Perez is currently serving as deputy commander, Joint Interagency Task Force, U.S. Southern Command, Key West, Fla.
Rear Adm. (lower half) Samuel J. Cox will be assigned as director, National Maritime Intelligence Center, Washington, D.C. Cox last served as director, plans, policy, and intelligence integration, Naval Network Warfare Command, Norfolk, Va.
Rear Adm. (lower half) Samuel Perez Jr. will be assigned as commander, Carrier Strike Group Three, Bremerton, Wash. Perez is currently serving as deputy commander, Joint Interagency Task Force, U.S. Southern Command, Key West, Fla.
Navy Signs Mentoring Agreement with Arlington Public Schools
By Lt. j.g. Laura K. Stegherr, Diversity Directorate Public Affairs
ARLINGTON, Va. (NNS) -- The Navy signed a formal partnership agreement April 14 with the Arlington, Va. Career Center (ACC) that will bring together Navy volunteers and mentors with ACC students.
The Personal Excellence Partnership Agreement, signed by Steffanie Easter, assistant deputy chief of naval operations for manpower, personnel, training and education, and Dr. Jerry Caputo, principal of ACC, establishes a link between the Navy and ACC through which ACC students will have the opportunity to work with Naval professionals in the Washington, D.C. area in several classroom and extra-curricular activities.
The ACC is a program of the Arlington Public Schools system which provides high-school level students with career and technical education programs and educational certificates. The center serves more than 1,100 students a day.
With this agreement, Navy volunteers will serve as classroom aides and tutors, volunteers for special events, and provide one-on-one mentoring for ACC students, with the goal of equipping students with the necessary skills to be life-ready and college-bound.
Before signing the agreement, Easter expressed confidence that the Navy volunteers will make a positive and life-changing impact on ACC's students.
"I'm very excited about the opportunity we have today to forge this relationship with the ACC," said Easter. "The Navy is committed to providing professional, well-prepared and disciplined sailors and civilians to help out in this effort, and they are all committed to making this program a success. The Navy's core values of honor, courage and commitment will form the foundation of the services and support that we are here to offer to you."
Chris Pagliaro, assistant principal at ACC, also expressed his thoughts on the partnership.
"It's no secret that having volunteers helps students and schools in so many ways," said Pagliaro. "The collaboration between the Navy and the career center will have as its chief goal to provide role models for academic success and civic responsibility. It is my hope that our new volunteers reach that threshold of enjoyment in an academic classroom, a field trip, working on a project in class, or chaperoning, or developing a relationship with a student that evokes fond memories of a community adult who gained as much from the students and the students gained from them."
The Navy has historically provided volunteers and mentors to work with local schools within the Washington, D.C. area. Opportunities to volunteer with the ACC ar open to uniformed and civilian Naval personnel.
ARLINGTON, Va. (NNS) -- The Navy signed a formal partnership agreement April 14 with the Arlington, Va. Career Center (ACC) that will bring together Navy volunteers and mentors with ACC students.
The Personal Excellence Partnership Agreement, signed by Steffanie Easter, assistant deputy chief of naval operations for manpower, personnel, training and education, and Dr. Jerry Caputo, principal of ACC, establishes a link between the Navy and ACC through which ACC students will have the opportunity to work with Naval professionals in the Washington, D.C. area in several classroom and extra-curricular activities.
The ACC is a program of the Arlington Public Schools system which provides high-school level students with career and technical education programs and educational certificates. The center serves more than 1,100 students a day.
With this agreement, Navy volunteers will serve as classroom aides and tutors, volunteers for special events, and provide one-on-one mentoring for ACC students, with the goal of equipping students with the necessary skills to be life-ready and college-bound.
Before signing the agreement, Easter expressed confidence that the Navy volunteers will make a positive and life-changing impact on ACC's students.
"I'm very excited about the opportunity we have today to forge this relationship with the ACC," said Easter. "The Navy is committed to providing professional, well-prepared and disciplined sailors and civilians to help out in this effort, and they are all committed to making this program a success. The Navy's core values of honor, courage and commitment will form the foundation of the services and support that we are here to offer to you."
Chris Pagliaro, assistant principal at ACC, also expressed his thoughts on the partnership.
"It's no secret that having volunteers helps students and schools in so many ways," said Pagliaro. "The collaboration between the Navy and the career center will have as its chief goal to provide role models for academic success and civic responsibility. It is my hope that our new volunteers reach that threshold of enjoyment in an academic classroom, a field trip, working on a project in class, or chaperoning, or developing a relationship with a student that evokes fond memories of a community adult who gained as much from the students and the students gained from them."
The Navy has historically provided volunteers and mentors to work with local schools within the Washington, D.C. area. Opportunities to volunteer with the ACC ar open to uniformed and civilian Naval personnel.
San Antonio's Fiesta Spirit Welcomes Sailors During Navy Week
By Chief Mass Communication Specialist L.A. Shively, Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs
SAN ANTONIO (NNS) -- San Antonio Navy Week officially kicked off with the commander Naval Medicine Center (NMC), Portsmouth Va., speaking before the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee April 14.
Rear Adm. William R. Kiser commander NMC will be the inaugural commanding officer for the new Medical Education Training Campus (METC) at Ft. Sam Houston which will combine medical training for the Navy, Army and Air Force.
METC is the largest consolidation of service training in Department of Defense history and will be the world's principal military medical education and training institution.
Though traditionally an Army and Air Force town and often referred to as Military City USA; Navy presence in San Antonio is growing rapidly as a result of the 2005 Base Realignment Act (BRAC).
Kiser's presentation to the Military Affairs Committee described METC and the benefits of a joint training center.
According to Kiser, under BRAC standardized training for medical enlisted specialties will enhance tri-service interoperability and joint deployment opportunities, while cutting redundant curricula, streamlining system capacity and reducing infrastructure.
"In the coming months, San Antonio will see a huge influx of Sailors moving here with the establishment of METC, the joint Medical Education Training Campus," said Kiser.
"Navy Weeks are a great opportunity for us to travel to non-fleet concentrated areas and tell our Navy story to people who don't traditionally hear it," said Kiser. "The San Antonio Navy Week is a wonderful way for us to get in front of their [METC] arrival and explain to the people who live here who we are and what we do.
The San Antonio Navy Week began April 14 and runs through April 25 during which Sailors will be celebrating Fiesta at the Riverwalk, visiting sick children and swapping sea stories with veterans.
The U.S. Naval Academy band Electric Brigade will visit Ft. Sam Houston during the Army's Fiesta celebration. Sailors from USS San Antonio (LPD 17) are speaking to youth and Navy flag officers are visiting area universities and businesses to communicate support and engender a sense of partnership with the BRAC endeavor.
Sailors will be on board for the Navy Day at the Alamo, the Battle of Flowers and Texas Cavaliers River Parades.
Students at area high schools will get a chance to experience the flight simulator and have fun in the Navy Suburban, an SUV loaded with Navy interactive video games.
SAN ANTONIO (NNS) -- San Antonio Navy Week officially kicked off with the commander Naval Medicine Center (NMC), Portsmouth Va., speaking before the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee April 14.
Rear Adm. William R. Kiser commander NMC will be the inaugural commanding officer for the new Medical Education Training Campus (METC) at Ft. Sam Houston which will combine medical training for the Navy, Army and Air Force.
METC is the largest consolidation of service training in Department of Defense history and will be the world's principal military medical education and training institution.
Though traditionally an Army and Air Force town and often referred to as Military City USA; Navy presence in San Antonio is growing rapidly as a result of the 2005 Base Realignment Act (BRAC).
Kiser's presentation to the Military Affairs Committee described METC and the benefits of a joint training center.
According to Kiser, under BRAC standardized training for medical enlisted specialties will enhance tri-service interoperability and joint deployment opportunities, while cutting redundant curricula, streamlining system capacity and reducing infrastructure.
"In the coming months, San Antonio will see a huge influx of Sailors moving here with the establishment of METC, the joint Medical Education Training Campus," said Kiser.
"Navy Weeks are a great opportunity for us to travel to non-fleet concentrated areas and tell our Navy story to people who don't traditionally hear it," said Kiser. "The San Antonio Navy Week is a wonderful way for us to get in front of their [METC] arrival and explain to the people who live here who we are and what we do.
The San Antonio Navy Week began April 14 and runs through April 25 during which Sailors will be celebrating Fiesta at the Riverwalk, visiting sick children and swapping sea stories with veterans.
The U.S. Naval Academy band Electric Brigade will visit Ft. Sam Houston during the Army's Fiesta celebration. Sailors from USS San Antonio (LPD 17) are speaking to youth and Navy flag officers are visiting area universities and businesses to communicate support and engender a sense of partnership with the BRAC endeavor.
Sailors will be on board for the Navy Day at the Alamo, the Battle of Flowers and Texas Cavaliers River Parades.
Students at area high schools will get a chance to experience the flight simulator and have fun in the Navy Suburban, an SUV loaded with Navy interactive video games.
San Diego Padres' Host Military Opening Night
By Chief Mass Communication Specialist Daniel Sanford, Combat Camera Group Pacific
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Thousands of service members were recognized during the San Diego Padres' Military Opening Night game at Petco Park April 14.
Prior to the start of the game, 16 service members, recognized as service-wide front-runners in the Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force and Coast Guard, were honored on the field.
The Padres' announcer also asked each individual active duty, Reserve and retired service member to stand so they could be acknowledged for their service.
Following the presentation, the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3MAW) Band from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar played the national anthem, while Edwards Air Force Base Color Guard presented the colors. During the national anthem, a procession of Sailors from Naval Base San Diego carried the 50 U.S. state flags.
As the anthem concluded, a Coast Guard HH-60J Jayhawk helicopter performed a flyover of the stadium.
"I'm glad it's a ceremonial pitch because I'm certainly not trying out for the Padres," said Marine Corps Major Gen. Thomas Conant, 3MAW commanding general and guest of honor, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
However, the game didn't officially begin until Jacob and Jeremiah Bruce said "play ball."
The two young boys, along with their sister, Aleah, and mother, Legalman 1st Class Jessica Bruce, were brought onto the field so the boys could kick off the game.
But before Jacob and Jeremiah could officially begin the game, a video greeting from their father, Chief Master-at-Arms Todd Bruce, three months into a one-year deployment to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, played on the Petco Park big screen.
"My daughter cried, the boys were excited. I'm still shaking," said Bruce. "I'd like to thank Navy Region Southwest and the Padres organization for making this happen. It was awesome."
Logistics Specialist 1st Class Lonny Wedell, who returned from a seven-month deployment to Qatar April 9, arrived in uniform to take advantage of the Padre's half-price tickets for uniformed service members.
"I got a front row seat behind the visitors' dugout," he said. "I think the Padres' are known for supporting the military more than any other team and what they're doing for us is pretty awesome."
Master-at-Arms Seaman Apprentice Hannah Sutton, who carried the Montana state flag during the procession, was also excited to attend.
"I think it's nice because sometimes people don't seem to appreciate what we do so it's really great when you see something like this," said Sutton, from Shepherd, Mont. "When all the service members stood up to be recognized, it was nice to hear the applause."
Master-at-Arms Seaman Apprentice Samantha Riker, from Luther, Mich., carried the Idaho state flag and this was the first professional baseball game she attended.
"The field was really big and I'd never been on such a large area where everyone was staring at me," she said. "I was really nervous."
Members of the Wounded Warrior Battalion Detachment from Naval Medical Center (NMC) San Diego enjoyed the game in hospitality suites.
Marine Gunnery Sgt. David Rohde, a 17-year veteran originally from Sandy, Utah, enjoyed watching the game from the suite.
"This is my first time at the stadium," said Rohde, who suffered injuries from an improvised explosive device. "I enjoyed seeing all the state flags and hearing the Marine Corps Band. It was well put together and a good show. It's great that Northrop Grumman could host this suite for us."
The Padres wore their desert camouflage uniforms to honor service members and although losing 6-1 to the Atlanta Braves, Padres' All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez had a broader perspective on the night's meaning.
"We're able to play this game here because of what the military does out there," he said. "We just want to thank the military for all our freedom. Today is our way of giving them a little bit of recognition."
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Thousands of service members were recognized during the San Diego Padres' Military Opening Night game at Petco Park April 14.
Prior to the start of the game, 16 service members, recognized as service-wide front-runners in the Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force and Coast Guard, were honored on the field.
The Padres' announcer also asked each individual active duty, Reserve and retired service member to stand so they could be acknowledged for their service.
Following the presentation, the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3MAW) Band from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar played the national anthem, while Edwards Air Force Base Color Guard presented the colors. During the national anthem, a procession of Sailors from Naval Base San Diego carried the 50 U.S. state flags.
As the anthem concluded, a Coast Guard HH-60J Jayhawk helicopter performed a flyover of the stadium.
"I'm glad it's a ceremonial pitch because I'm certainly not trying out for the Padres," said Marine Corps Major Gen. Thomas Conant, 3MAW commanding general and guest of honor, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
However, the game didn't officially begin until Jacob and Jeremiah Bruce said "play ball."
The two young boys, along with their sister, Aleah, and mother, Legalman 1st Class Jessica Bruce, were brought onto the field so the boys could kick off the game.
But before Jacob and Jeremiah could officially begin the game, a video greeting from their father, Chief Master-at-Arms Todd Bruce, three months into a one-year deployment to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, played on the Petco Park big screen.
"My daughter cried, the boys were excited. I'm still shaking," said Bruce. "I'd like to thank Navy Region Southwest and the Padres organization for making this happen. It was awesome."
Logistics Specialist 1st Class Lonny Wedell, who returned from a seven-month deployment to Qatar April 9, arrived in uniform to take advantage of the Padre's half-price tickets for uniformed service members.
"I got a front row seat behind the visitors' dugout," he said. "I think the Padres' are known for supporting the military more than any other team and what they're doing for us is pretty awesome."
Master-at-Arms Seaman Apprentice Hannah Sutton, who carried the Montana state flag during the procession, was also excited to attend.
"I think it's nice because sometimes people don't seem to appreciate what we do so it's really great when you see something like this," said Sutton, from Shepherd, Mont. "When all the service members stood up to be recognized, it was nice to hear the applause."
Master-at-Arms Seaman Apprentice Samantha Riker, from Luther, Mich., carried the Idaho state flag and this was the first professional baseball game she attended.
"The field was really big and I'd never been on such a large area where everyone was staring at me," she said. "I was really nervous."
Members of the Wounded Warrior Battalion Detachment from Naval Medical Center (NMC) San Diego enjoyed the game in hospitality suites.
Marine Gunnery Sgt. David Rohde, a 17-year veteran originally from Sandy, Utah, enjoyed watching the game from the suite.
"This is my first time at the stadium," said Rohde, who suffered injuries from an improvised explosive device. "I enjoyed seeing all the state flags and hearing the Marine Corps Band. It was well put together and a good show. It's great that Northrop Grumman could host this suite for us."
The Padres wore their desert camouflage uniforms to honor service members and although losing 6-1 to the Atlanta Braves, Padres' All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez had a broader perspective on the night's meaning.
"We're able to play this game here because of what the military does out there," he said. "We just want to thank the military for all our freedom. Today is our way of giving them a little bit of recognition."
Charleston Celebrates Navy Day and USS Yorktown Birthday
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. (NNS) -- Sailors, World War II veterans, guests and the public celebrated Navy Day at Patriots Point, home of the USS Yorktown (CV 10) museum on April 15. Yorktown's 67th birthday celebration coincided with Charleston Navy Week, April 12-18.
"This day is a highlight for me because it brings back so many memories and thoughts from the past," said Rev. Harold Syfrett, USS Yorktown plankowner and an original crew member. "I have lived in Charleston for more than 40 years, and I have seen the good things that the Navy has done here. I'm a Navy man."
Syfrett proudly showed his plankowner certificate to Rear Adm. Bill Goodwin, assistant chief of naval operations for the Next Generation Enterprise Network (NGEN), the Navy's official representative during Charleston Navy Week.
"This ship [Yorktown] helped to restore order to a chaotic world. Her Sailors hoped for the best, but were prepared for the worst," said Goodwin. "They transitioned from peace time, steaming to wartime combat operations dozens of times. They conducted humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. And because of Yorktown, and especially the sacrifices of the Sailors who served aboard her, the world is a better place."
The day celebrated all things Navy, showcasing the SEAL Tour, the U.S. Navy's F-18 flight simulator and the Navy Rock Band Southeast Pride, which greeted the public as they entered Patriots Point. USS Yorktown's 67th birthday celebration recognized veterans that served in America's wars from World War II to those currently fighting the Global War on Terror.
Charleston Navy Week is one of 20 Navy Weeks planned across America in 2010. Navy Weeks are designed to show Americans the investment they have made in their Navy and increase awareness in cities that do not have a significant Navy presence
"This day is a highlight for me because it brings back so many memories and thoughts from the past," said Rev. Harold Syfrett, USS Yorktown plankowner and an original crew member. "I have lived in Charleston for more than 40 years, and I have seen the good things that the Navy has done here. I'm a Navy man."
Syfrett proudly showed his plankowner certificate to Rear Adm. Bill Goodwin, assistant chief of naval operations for the Next Generation Enterprise Network (NGEN), the Navy's official representative during Charleston Navy Week.
"This ship [Yorktown] helped to restore order to a chaotic world. Her Sailors hoped for the best, but were prepared for the worst," said Goodwin. "They transitioned from peace time, steaming to wartime combat operations dozens of times. They conducted humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. And because of Yorktown, and especially the sacrifices of the Sailors who served aboard her, the world is a better place."
The day celebrated all things Navy, showcasing the SEAL Tour, the U.S. Navy's F-18 flight simulator and the Navy Rock Band Southeast Pride, which greeted the public as they entered Patriots Point. USS Yorktown's 67th birthday celebration recognized veterans that served in America's wars from World War II to those currently fighting the Global War on Terror.
Charleston Navy Week is one of 20 Navy Weeks planned across America in 2010. Navy Weeks are designed to show Americans the investment they have made in their Navy and increase awareness in cities that do not have a significant Navy presence
World War II Veterans Honored at Charleston Riverdogs Baseball Game
From Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs
April 17, 2010 - CHARLESTON, S.C. (NNS) -- Sailors and World War II veterans were honored at the Charleston Riverdogs baseball game April 13 as part of Charleston Navy Week.
"Our Navy is still very present here in Charleston," said retired Rear Adm. James H. Flatley III, who enjoyed the game along with more than 20 World War II veterans. "I think the Navy gave us a lot of foresight in choosing Charleston as one of the Navy Week cities."
Navy Band Southeast "Pride" sang the national anthem and Rear Adm. Bill Goodwin, assistant chief of Naval Operations for the Next Generation Enterprise Network (NGEN) threw out the game's first pitch.
"It's always fun to be at a ballpark to enjoy America's favorite pastime – baseball," said Goodwin. "Tonight was especially a treat to be with members of the 'Greatest Generation,' our World War II veterans."
Sailors from the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney (DDG 91) were recognized during the seventh inning stretch. They were driven around the bases, arriving at home plate to cheers from the crowd.
"I live for this," said L. "Lee" Allison, U.S. Submarine Veterans of World War II, South Carolina State Commander. "I am so glad to have seen this dedication to the Navy to let people know they are well protected."
Charleston Navy Week is one of 20 Navy Weeks scheduled during 2010. Navy weeks are designed to increase awareness and show communities the investment they have made in their Navy and increase awareness in cities that do not have a significant Navy presence.
April 17, 2010 - CHARLESTON, S.C. (NNS) -- Sailors and World War II veterans were honored at the Charleston Riverdogs baseball game April 13 as part of Charleston Navy Week.
"Our Navy is still very present here in Charleston," said retired Rear Adm. James H. Flatley III, who enjoyed the game along with more than 20 World War II veterans. "I think the Navy gave us a lot of foresight in choosing Charleston as one of the Navy Week cities."
Navy Band Southeast "Pride" sang the national anthem and Rear Adm. Bill Goodwin, assistant chief of Naval Operations for the Next Generation Enterprise Network (NGEN) threw out the game's first pitch.
"It's always fun to be at a ballpark to enjoy America's favorite pastime – baseball," said Goodwin. "Tonight was especially a treat to be with members of the 'Greatest Generation,' our World War II veterans."
Sailors from the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney (DDG 91) were recognized during the seventh inning stretch. They were driven around the bases, arriving at home plate to cheers from the crowd.
"I live for this," said L. "Lee" Allison, U.S. Submarine Veterans of World War II, South Carolina State Commander. "I am so glad to have seen this dedication to the Navy to let people know they are well protected."
Charleston Navy Week is one of 20 Navy Weeks scheduled during 2010. Navy weeks are designed to increase awareness and show communities the investment they have made in their Navy and increase awareness in cities that do not have a significant Navy presence.
DOD Announces Recruiting and Retention Numbers for March 2010
The Department of Defense announced today its recruiting and retention statistics for the active and reserve components for March 2010.
• Active Component.
• Recruiting. All four active services met or exceeded their accession goals for March 2010.
o Army – 6,615 accessions with a goal of 6,389; 104 percent
o Navy – 2,886 accessions with a goal of 2,886; 100 percent
o Marine Corps – 1,118 accessions with a goal of 1,116; 100 percent
o Air Force – 2,835 accessions with a goal of 2,835; 100 percent
• Retention. All service retention accomplishments are above the fiscal year-to-date goals for the first six months of the year.
• Reserve Component.
• Recruiting. All six reserve components met or exceeded their accession goals for March 2010.
o Army National Guard – 6,774 accessions with a goal of 5,150; 132 percent
o Army Reserve – 3,010 accessions with a goal of 2,706; 111 percent
o Navy Reserve – 348 accessions with a goal of 348; 100 percent
o Marine Corps Reserve – 772 accessions with a goal 523; 148 percent
o Air National Guard – 583 accessions with a goal of 540; 108 percent
o Air Force Reserve – 983 accessions with a goal of 949; 104 percent
• Attrition. Losses in all reserve components are within acceptable limits.
Detailed information on specific recruiting data can be obtained by contacting the individual military recruiting commands at 502-626-0164 for Army, 210-565-4678 for Air Force, 703-784-9454 for Marine Corps and 901-874-9049 for Navy. The reserve components can be reached at the following numbers: National Guard Bureau 703-607-2586; Army Reserve 404-464-8490; Air Force Reserve 703-697-1761; Navy Reserve 757-322-5652; and Marine Corps Reserve 504-678-6535.
• Active Component.
• Recruiting. All four active services met or exceeded their accession goals for March 2010.
o Army – 6,615 accessions with a goal of 6,389; 104 percent
o Navy – 2,886 accessions with a goal of 2,886; 100 percent
o Marine Corps – 1,118 accessions with a goal of 1,116; 100 percent
o Air Force – 2,835 accessions with a goal of 2,835; 100 percent
• Retention. All service retention accomplishments are above the fiscal year-to-date goals for the first six months of the year.
• Reserve Component.
• Recruiting. All six reserve components met or exceeded their accession goals for March 2010.
o Army National Guard – 6,774 accessions with a goal of 5,150; 132 percent
o Army Reserve – 3,010 accessions with a goal of 2,706; 111 percent
o Navy Reserve – 348 accessions with a goal of 348; 100 percent
o Marine Corps Reserve – 772 accessions with a goal 523; 148 percent
o Air National Guard – 583 accessions with a goal of 540; 108 percent
o Air Force Reserve – 983 accessions with a goal of 949; 104 percent
• Attrition. Losses in all reserve components are within acceptable limits.
Detailed information on specific recruiting data can be obtained by contacting the individual military recruiting commands at 502-626-0164 for Army, 210-565-4678 for Air Force, 703-784-9454 for Marine Corps and 901-874-9049 for Navy. The reserve components can be reached at the following numbers: National Guard Bureau 703-607-2586; Army Reserve 404-464-8490; Air Force Reserve 703-697-1761; Navy Reserve 757-322-5652; and Marine Corps Reserve 504-678-6535.
MILITARY CONTRACTS April 17, 2010
ARMY
Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems & Sensors, Akron, Ohio, was awarded on April 14 a $142,100,000 firm-fixed-price contract. This contract is for procuring 17 fully integrated persistent threat detection systems, support equipment, and initial spares, to provide a responsive, dedicated day/night netted sensor capability that enables U.S. and coalition forces to detect, locate, characterize, identify, track, and target forces in their battle space. Work is to be performed in Akron, Ohio, with an estimated completion date of April 14, 2011. One sole-source bid solicited with one bid received. CECOM Acquisition Center, Fort Monmouth, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15P7T-10-C- American International Contractors, Inc., Arlington, Va., was awarded on April 14 a $55,883,898 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of a close air support parking apron at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. Work is to be performed in Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 21, 2011. Thirty-four bids were solicited with 13 bids received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Middle East District, CETAM-CT-M, Winchester, Va., is the contracting activity (W912ER-10-C-0012).
The Boeing Co., Ridley Park, Pa., was awarded on April 12 a $30,219,105 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to exercise option for 145,480 hours in the amount of $30,219,105 for engineering services. Work is to be performed in Ridley Park, Pa., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2011. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Aviation and Missile Command Contracting Center, CCAM-CH-A, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-04-G-0023).
Global Strategies Group North America Inc., Frederick, Md., was awarded on April 14 a $26,753,153 firm-fixed-price contract for 147 containerized kitchen and spare parts kits. Work is to be performed in Frederick, Md., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2012. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with six bids received. U.S. Army Research, Development & Engineering Command Contracting Center, Natick Contracting Office, Natick, Mass., is the contracting activity (W911QY-05-D-0004).
Davila Construction, San Antonio, Texas, was awarded on April 14 an $8,360,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of one soldier and family assistance cSenter for the Warrior in Transition Complex located at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Work is to be performed in Fort Sam Houston, Texas, with an estimated completion date of May 28, 2011. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with 10 bids received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-10-C-0031).
The Boeing Co., Ridley Park, Pa., was awarded on April 12 a $7,999,920 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to exercise option for 38,513 hours in the amount of $7,999,920 for engineering services. Work is to be performed in Ridley Park, Pa., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2011. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Aviation and Missile Command Contracting Center, CCAM-CH-A, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-04-G-0023).
CDM Constructors Inc., Denver, Colo., was awarded on April 13 a $7,051,653 firm-fixed-price contract for the design/build of various elements to provide a clean potable water system, to include installation and replacement of domestic water lines; replacement of transmission main; addition and replacement of fire hydrants; construction of new looped water line arrangement; construction of a new treatment plant building for filtration including transmission main; and renovation of existing pump station at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. Work is to be performed in Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, with an estimated completion date of May 14, 2012. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with 10 bids received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Sacramento, Calif., is the contracting activity (W91238-10-C-0026).
Badger Truck Center, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., was awarded on April 14 a $6,258,564 firm-fixed-price contract to disassemble M915A1 trucks, repair/refurbish, replace parts, and deliver to Red River Army Depot in the form of kits for assembly. Work is to be performed in West Allis, Wis., with an estimated completion date of Oct. 22, 2010. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with six bids received. Red River Army Depot, Texarkana, Texas, is the contracting activity (W911RQ-08-D-0006).
NAVY
Boeing Co., Integrated Defense Systems, Phantom Works, Huntington Beach, Calif., is being awarded a $32,988,112 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) enterprise network manager software support for the network enterprise domain under the Joint Program Executive Office, JTRS. This two-year contract includes three one-year options which, if exercised, would bring the potential value of this contract to $54,880,000. Work will be performed in Huntington Beach, Calif., and is expected to be completed April 15, 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via publication on the Federal Business Opportunities and SPAWAR e-Commerce Central Web sites, with three offers received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-10-D-0069).
Michael Baker, Jr., Inc., Virginia Beach, Va., is being awarded $6,147,294 for firm-fixed price task order #0004 under a previously awarded architect-engineering contract (N62470-10-D-3000) for multimedia environmental compliance engineering support at various Navy and Department of Defense installations worldwide. The work provides for environmental compliance reports and plans, fuel pipeline pressure testing, bulk fuel storage integrity testing, and annual equipment certifications. The work to be performed is for engineering testing and evaluation of fuel systems at various Navy, Marine Corps and Defense Energy Support Center facilities inside and outside the contiguous United States, and is expected to be completed by April 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity.
General Dynamics C4 Systems, Scottsdale, Ariz., is being awarded a $5,803,648 modification to previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (M67854-02-C-2052) to purchase one Combat Operations Center (COC) Capability Set II system, 10 duct plenum adapter kits and 10 generator environmental control unit tent-trailers. The COC is an integrated, mobile package of shelter, trailers, power, cabling, and communication and network processing systems. This integrated package provides software and interface to current Marine Corps communications assets. Work will be performed in Scottsdale, Ariz., and is expected to be completed by Sept. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Anham, LLC, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is being awarded a maximum $6,469,092,827 fixed-price with economic price adjustment contract for full-line food and beverage support to authorized ordering facilities in Iraq, Kuwait, and Jordan. The original proposal was a full and open solicitation with four responses. This contract provides for one 18-month option and three one-year periods. The date of performance completion is 18 months post first delivery order. The Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (SPM300-10-D-3373).
Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems & Sensors, Akron, Ohio, was awarded on April 14 a $142,100,000 firm-fixed-price contract. This contract is for procuring 17 fully integrated persistent threat detection systems, support equipment, and initial spares, to provide a responsive, dedicated day/night netted sensor capability that enables U.S. and coalition forces to detect, locate, characterize, identify, track, and target forces in their battle space. Work is to be performed in Akron, Ohio, with an estimated completion date of April 14, 2011. One sole-source bid solicited with one bid received. CECOM Acquisition Center, Fort Monmouth, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15P7T-10-C- American International Contractors, Inc., Arlington, Va., was awarded on April 14 a $55,883,898 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of a close air support parking apron at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. Work is to be performed in Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 21, 2011. Thirty-four bids were solicited with 13 bids received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Middle East District, CETAM-CT-M, Winchester, Va., is the contracting activity (W912ER-10-C-0012).
The Boeing Co., Ridley Park, Pa., was awarded on April 12 a $30,219,105 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to exercise option for 145,480 hours in the amount of $30,219,105 for engineering services. Work is to be performed in Ridley Park, Pa., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2011. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Aviation and Missile Command Contracting Center, CCAM-CH-A, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-04-G-0023).
Global Strategies Group North America Inc., Frederick, Md., was awarded on April 14 a $26,753,153 firm-fixed-price contract for 147 containerized kitchen and spare parts kits. Work is to be performed in Frederick, Md., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2012. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with six bids received. U.S. Army Research, Development & Engineering Command Contracting Center, Natick Contracting Office, Natick, Mass., is the contracting activity (W911QY-05-D-0004).
Davila Construction, San Antonio, Texas, was awarded on April 14 an $8,360,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of one soldier and family assistance cSenter for the Warrior in Transition Complex located at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Work is to be performed in Fort Sam Houston, Texas, with an estimated completion date of May 28, 2011. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with 10 bids received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-10-C-0031).
The Boeing Co., Ridley Park, Pa., was awarded on April 12 a $7,999,920 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to exercise option for 38,513 hours in the amount of $7,999,920 for engineering services. Work is to be performed in Ridley Park, Pa., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2011. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Aviation and Missile Command Contracting Center, CCAM-CH-A, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-04-G-0023).
CDM Constructors Inc., Denver, Colo., was awarded on April 13 a $7,051,653 firm-fixed-price contract for the design/build of various elements to provide a clean potable water system, to include installation and replacement of domestic water lines; replacement of transmission main; addition and replacement of fire hydrants; construction of new looped water line arrangement; construction of a new treatment plant building for filtration including transmission main; and renovation of existing pump station at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. Work is to be performed in Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, with an estimated completion date of May 14, 2012. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with 10 bids received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Sacramento, Calif., is the contracting activity (W91238-10-C-0026).
Badger Truck Center, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., was awarded on April 14 a $6,258,564 firm-fixed-price contract to disassemble M915A1 trucks, repair/refurbish, replace parts, and deliver to Red River Army Depot in the form of kits for assembly. Work is to be performed in West Allis, Wis., with an estimated completion date of Oct. 22, 2010. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with six bids received. Red River Army Depot, Texarkana, Texas, is the contracting activity (W911RQ-08-D-0006).
NAVY
Boeing Co., Integrated Defense Systems, Phantom Works, Huntington Beach, Calif., is being awarded a $32,988,112 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) enterprise network manager software support for the network enterprise domain under the Joint Program Executive Office, JTRS. This two-year contract includes three one-year options which, if exercised, would bring the potential value of this contract to $54,880,000. Work will be performed in Huntington Beach, Calif., and is expected to be completed April 15, 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via publication on the Federal Business Opportunities and SPAWAR e-Commerce Central Web sites, with three offers received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-10-D-0069).
Michael Baker, Jr., Inc., Virginia Beach, Va., is being awarded $6,147,294 for firm-fixed price task order #0004 under a previously awarded architect-engineering contract (N62470-10-D-3000) for multimedia environmental compliance engineering support at various Navy and Department of Defense installations worldwide. The work provides for environmental compliance reports and plans, fuel pipeline pressure testing, bulk fuel storage integrity testing, and annual equipment certifications. The work to be performed is for engineering testing and evaluation of fuel systems at various Navy, Marine Corps and Defense Energy Support Center facilities inside and outside the contiguous United States, and is expected to be completed by April 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity.
General Dynamics C4 Systems, Scottsdale, Ariz., is being awarded a $5,803,648 modification to previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (M67854-02-C-2052) to purchase one Combat Operations Center (COC) Capability Set II system, 10 duct plenum adapter kits and 10 generator environmental control unit tent-trailers. The COC is an integrated, mobile package of shelter, trailers, power, cabling, and communication and network processing systems. This integrated package provides software and interface to current Marine Corps communications assets. Work will be performed in Scottsdale, Ariz., and is expected to be completed by Sept. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Anham, LLC, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is being awarded a maximum $6,469,092,827 fixed-price with economic price adjustment contract for full-line food and beverage support to authorized ordering facilities in Iraq, Kuwait, and Jordan. The original proposal was a full and open solicitation with four responses. This contract provides for one 18-month option and three one-year periods. The date of performance completion is 18 months post first delivery order. The Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (SPM300-10-D-3373).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
