The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Sgt. Gene F. Clark, U.S. Army, of Muncie, Ind. He will be buried June 28 in Muncie.
Representatives from the Army met with Clark's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the secretary of the Army.
In September 1950, Clark was assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division then occupying a defensive position along the Nammyon River near a bend known as the "Camel's Head." On Nov. 1, 1950, parts of two Chinese Communist divisions struck the 1st Cavalry Division's lines, collapsing the perimeter and forcing a withdrawal. Clark was reported missing on Nov. 2, 1950, and was one of the more than 350 servicemen unaccounted-for from the battle at Unsan.
Between 1991-94, North Korea turned over to the United States 208 boxes of remains believed to contain the remains of 200-400 U.S. servicemen. Among several boxes turned over in 1993, one contained a dog tag for Clark, and the accompanying North Korean documents indicated that the remains were exhumed near Chonsung-Ri, Unsan County, North Pyongan Province. This location correlates with where Clark's unit fought during the battle at Unsan.
Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA and dental comparisons in the identification of Clark's remains.
For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Pentagon Officials Testify on Chinese Military Buildup
By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
June 25, 2008 - Though the Defense Department doesn't see China as a strategic adversary, the country's military buildup and lack of openness in how it's going about it has officials wondering about Chinese leaders' intentions, senior Pentagon officials told the House Armed Services Committee today. James J. Shinn, assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific security affairs, and Air Force Maj. Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, vice director for strategic plans and policy for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified on the topic. Their testimony revolved around three key questions from the Defense Department's recently submitted China Military Power Report:
-- What are the Chinese doing in terms of their military modernization and buildup?
-- What does it mean for the United States and its allies in the region?
-- What are the Defense Department and the U.S. government doing to react?
According to the report, the Chinese have engaged in a sizeable and sustained increase in military expenditures over the past few years. Their official budget is reported to be about $60 billion, but the Defense Department estimates that it's twice that, Shinn said.
The buildup is across all of China's services, Shinn added. "It's comprehensive in the sea, land and air forces. It's also particularly significant that it includes its nuclear as well as the conventional forces," he continued.
Shinn noted China's heavy investment in personnel, recruiting and training, which in previous years was not as big a factor as the overall numbers of its forces. The Chinese also are devoting much effort into logistics and the command and control apparatus, he said.
China's buildup reflects a deliberate and well-thought-through strategy to invest in asymmetric warfare, cyber warfare, and counter-space capabilities, Shinn told the House panel, and also has sophisticated cruise missile and under-sea warfare programs.
The buildup means the United States and its allies in the region could be at risk, because the increasing capabilities may alter China's intentions, which currently seem to be peaceful, Shinn said. The increasing capacity may present the Chinese leadership with more options, he noted.
"As the Chinese nuclear forces increase their size and survivability, we don't know if [their intention] is going to alter," he explained. "We are very careful about inferring intent as to expanding capability. Part of the reason for the deep seriousness of the report is that one must always plan for the worst."
Therefore, he said, DoD will continue pressing intelligence collection and analysis to understand Chinese leaders' intentions for their country's increased capabilities. The United States will continue to train, equip and posture Pacific forces and work closely with regional allies to strengthen their capabilities, he said.
Shinn also stressed the importance of U.S. forces engaging and maintaining dialogue with the Chinese government and leaders of the People's Liberation Army to learn more about them and their intentions. The Defense Department does not currently see China as a strategic adversary, but rather as a competitor in some respects and a partner in others, he said.
"China's rise certainly presents a variety of opportunities and challenges, but the Chinese are definitely not destined to be an adversary," he told the committee.
Breedlove affirmed Shinn's comments, noting that cooperation continues to progress between the United States and China in areas of mutual interest such as humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and military environmental protection.
"An encouraging sign [of cooperation] was China's reception of relief supplies delivered to the needy Chinese by our military aircraft during this past winter's storms and most recent earthquake," Breedlove said.
China's military modernization is no surprise, given the country's impressive economic growth, the general said.
"[The United States] continues to communicate to China that our desire for greater transparency and openness is to gain a better understanding of their strategic intent," he said. "We believe it is clearly in the interest of all to avoid any misunderstanding or miscalculation. We continue to watch the situation closely and respond in a matter that brings peace and stability."
American Forces Press Service
June 25, 2008 - Though the Defense Department doesn't see China as a strategic adversary, the country's military buildup and lack of openness in how it's going about it has officials wondering about Chinese leaders' intentions, senior Pentagon officials told the House Armed Services Committee today. James J. Shinn, assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific security affairs, and Air Force Maj. Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, vice director for strategic plans and policy for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified on the topic. Their testimony revolved around three key questions from the Defense Department's recently submitted China Military Power Report:
-- What are the Chinese doing in terms of their military modernization and buildup?
-- What does it mean for the United States and its allies in the region?
-- What are the Defense Department and the U.S. government doing to react?
According to the report, the Chinese have engaged in a sizeable and sustained increase in military expenditures over the past few years. Their official budget is reported to be about $60 billion, but the Defense Department estimates that it's twice that, Shinn said.
The buildup is across all of China's services, Shinn added. "It's comprehensive in the sea, land and air forces. It's also particularly significant that it includes its nuclear as well as the conventional forces," he continued.
Shinn noted China's heavy investment in personnel, recruiting and training, which in previous years was not as big a factor as the overall numbers of its forces. The Chinese also are devoting much effort into logistics and the command and control apparatus, he said.
China's buildup reflects a deliberate and well-thought-through strategy to invest in asymmetric warfare, cyber warfare, and counter-space capabilities, Shinn told the House panel, and also has sophisticated cruise missile and under-sea warfare programs.
The buildup means the United States and its allies in the region could be at risk, because the increasing capabilities may alter China's intentions, which currently seem to be peaceful, Shinn said. The increasing capacity may present the Chinese leadership with more options, he noted.
"As the Chinese nuclear forces increase their size and survivability, we don't know if [their intention] is going to alter," he explained. "We are very careful about inferring intent as to expanding capability. Part of the reason for the deep seriousness of the report is that one must always plan for the worst."
Therefore, he said, DoD will continue pressing intelligence collection and analysis to understand Chinese leaders' intentions for their country's increased capabilities. The United States will continue to train, equip and posture Pacific forces and work closely with regional allies to strengthen their capabilities, he said.
Shinn also stressed the importance of U.S. forces engaging and maintaining dialogue with the Chinese government and leaders of the People's Liberation Army to learn more about them and their intentions. The Defense Department does not currently see China as a strategic adversary, but rather as a competitor in some respects and a partner in others, he said.
"China's rise certainly presents a variety of opportunities and challenges, but the Chinese are definitely not destined to be an adversary," he told the committee.
Breedlove affirmed Shinn's comments, noting that cooperation continues to progress between the United States and China in areas of mutual interest such as humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and military environmental protection.
"An encouraging sign [of cooperation] was China's reception of relief supplies delivered to the needy Chinese by our military aircraft during this past winter's storms and most recent earthquake," Breedlove said.
China's military modernization is no surprise, given the country's impressive economic growth, the general said.
"[The United States] continues to communicate to China that our desire for greater transparency and openness is to gain a better understanding of their strategic intent," he said. "We believe it is clearly in the interest of all to avoid any misunderstanding or miscalculation. We continue to watch the situation closely and respond in a matter that brings peace and stability."
MILITARY CONTRACTS June 24, 2008
ARMY
SHAW Environmental & Infrastructure, Inc., Alexandria, Va., was awarded on June 20, 2008, a $53,029,251 cost-plus award fee contract for base operations and support services for the directorate of public works and directorate of logistics. Work will be performed at Fort Rucker, Ala., and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Oct. 24, 2007, and seven bids were received. Southern Regional Contracting Center, Installation Contracting Center, Fort McPherson, Ga., is the contracting activity (W911SE-08-C-0021).
Head, Inc., Columbus, Ohio, was awarded on June 20, 2008, a $12,695,353 firm-fixed price contract for demolition of airfields and replacement. Work will be performed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., and is expected to be completed by May 20, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Sept. 31, 2007, and ten bids were received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity (W91278-08-C-0036).
Archer Western Contractors, LTD, Phoenix, Ariz., was awarded on June 23, 2008, a $9,000,000 firm-fixed price contract for the Tres Rios environmental restoration project flow regulating wetlands. Work will be performed in Tolleson, Maricopa County, Ariz., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 6, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on April 29, 2008, and six bids were received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles, Calif., is the contracting activity (W912PL-08-C-0011).
Bell Aerospace Services, Inc., Ozark, Ala., was awarded on June 20, 2008, a $7,781,781 firm-fixed price contract for refurbishment of UH-1 aircraft for the Philippines. Work will be performed in Ozark, Ala., and is expected to be completed by Aug. 31, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on July 10, 2007. U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-08-C-0139).
Telford Aviation Inc., Bangor, Maine, was awarded on June 23, 2008, a $7,395,486 time and materials contract for modification for the procurement of DeHavilland Dash-7 aircraft to be designated as the Multi-Sensor Airborne Reconnaissance Surveillance Systems. Work will be performed in Hagerstown, Md., and is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on May 29, 2008. CECOM Acquisition Center, Fort Monmouth, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15P7T-07-C-W009).
NAVY
McDonnell Douglas Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded a not to exceed ceiling price $45,700,000 modification #0012 to a previously awarded contract (N00383-06-D-001J, order number 0004) for the purchase of initial spares in support of the E/A-18 G Growler. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo., and work will be completed July 2010. Contract funds will not expire before the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Inventory Control Point (NAVICP) in Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity.
DRS EW & Network Systems, Inc., Buffalo, N.Y., is being awarded a $6,909,165 fixed-price, time and materials contract for a Gigabit Ethernet Data Multiplex System (GEDMS) for the DDG53, a land-based GEDMS trainer, EDMS hardware, and installation and checkout repair for the DDG53 GEDMS. The GEDMS is a shipboard network for DDG51 Class Destroyers. GEDMS is a ship wide data transfer network for a ship's machinery, steering, navigation, combat, alarm and indicating, and damage control systems. It was designed to replace the miles of point-to-point cabling, signal converters, junction boxes, and switchboards associated with conventional ship's cabling. This contract includes an option which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $7,009,165. Work will be performed in Johnstown, Pa. (80 percent) and Buffalo, N.Y. (20 percent), and is expected to be completed by December 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was procured on a limited competition basis with two proposals solicited and two offers received via the Federal Business Opportunities website. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, Va., is the contracting activity (N00178-08-C-2001).
Raytheon Systems Co.,McKinney, Texas, is being awarded a $6,055,004 firm-fixed-price contract for Multi-spectral Targets Systems (MTS). The MTS is a forward looking infrared system for the aircraft. The MTS provides real-time imagery selectable between infrared and day TV as well as a laser designation capability. Work will be performed in McKinney, Texas and is expected to be completed by September 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $6,055,004 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity (N00164-06-G-8555) (Job Order 0042).
AIR FORCE
L-3 Communications EO/ERs, Inc. of Santa Rosa, Calif., is being awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract for a maximum of $34,000,000. The contractor shall furnish the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Directed Energy Directorate with the necessary qualified personnel, materials facilities, supplies, and travel to provide and deliver airborne ISR imaging turrets of 20" diameter and 15" diameter, in accordance with the list of technical requirements below. The turrets will be compatible with Persistent Threat Detection System (PTDS) and Airborne Reconnaissance Low (PM AR-L) airborne turret systems installations, and meet the following Technical Requirements: (CLIN 0001) Qty 6 twenty-inch (20"); (CLIN 0002) Qty 10 Fifteen-inch (15") class airborne ISR turret system; (CLIN 0006). The contractor will propose maintenance for 3 of the 20" turrets, and for 5 of the 15" turrets. The contractor shall propose complete spare parts kits for these units as well, with turnaround repair times of 10 days between turret arrival at, and shipping from, the contractor's facilities. Or, alternately, a specific best timetable as established by currently available maintenance scheduling methods as practiced in their business; (CLIN 0003). The contractor will propose upgrades to the turrets requiring approximately 10,000 engineering and manufacturing hours, for the engineering and adding of the following technology areas; High Definition Television sensors, improved MWIR sensors, fiber optic or other high bandwidth slip-ring capabilities, larger or more versatile apertures for any classes of turrets the produce, SWIR and laser technology additions to sensor suites, and upgraded pointing, tracking, operator interfaces, turret stabilization, image processing and communications. At this time $3,135,000 has been obligated. Det 8 Air Force Research laboratory/PKDB, Directed Energy Contracts Division, Directorate of Contracting, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., is the contracting activity (FA9451-08-D-0242).
International Business Machines Corp., of Yorktown Heights, N.Y., is being awarded a cost type contract for $2,390,799. The goal of the Wafer-Scale Graphene RF Nanoelectronics effort is to investigate two challenges that are fundamental to development of high performance carbon electronics for RF applications in military systems. At this time $2,390,799 has been obligated. AFRL/PKDA, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-08-C-7838).
SHAW Environmental & Infrastructure, Inc., Alexandria, Va., was awarded on June 20, 2008, a $53,029,251 cost-plus award fee contract for base operations and support services for the directorate of public works and directorate of logistics. Work will be performed at Fort Rucker, Ala., and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Oct. 24, 2007, and seven bids were received. Southern Regional Contracting Center, Installation Contracting Center, Fort McPherson, Ga., is the contracting activity (W911SE-08-C-0021).
Head, Inc., Columbus, Ohio, was awarded on June 20, 2008, a $12,695,353 firm-fixed price contract for demolition of airfields and replacement. Work will be performed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., and is expected to be completed by May 20, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Sept. 31, 2007, and ten bids were received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity (W91278-08-C-0036).
Archer Western Contractors, LTD, Phoenix, Ariz., was awarded on June 23, 2008, a $9,000,000 firm-fixed price contract for the Tres Rios environmental restoration project flow regulating wetlands. Work will be performed in Tolleson, Maricopa County, Ariz., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 6, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on April 29, 2008, and six bids were received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles, Calif., is the contracting activity (W912PL-08-C-0011).
Bell Aerospace Services, Inc., Ozark, Ala., was awarded on June 20, 2008, a $7,781,781 firm-fixed price contract for refurbishment of UH-1 aircraft for the Philippines. Work will be performed in Ozark, Ala., and is expected to be completed by Aug. 31, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on July 10, 2007. U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-08-C-0139).
Telford Aviation Inc., Bangor, Maine, was awarded on June 23, 2008, a $7,395,486 time and materials contract for modification for the procurement of DeHavilland Dash-7 aircraft to be designated as the Multi-Sensor Airborne Reconnaissance Surveillance Systems. Work will be performed in Hagerstown, Md., and is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on May 29, 2008. CECOM Acquisition Center, Fort Monmouth, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15P7T-07-C-W009).
NAVY
McDonnell Douglas Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded a not to exceed ceiling price $45,700,000 modification #0012 to a previously awarded contract (N00383-06-D-001J, order number 0004) for the purchase of initial spares in support of the E/A-18 G Growler. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo., and work will be completed July 2010. Contract funds will not expire before the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Inventory Control Point (NAVICP) in Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity.
DRS EW & Network Systems, Inc., Buffalo, N.Y., is being awarded a $6,909,165 fixed-price, time and materials contract for a Gigabit Ethernet Data Multiplex System (GEDMS) for the DDG53, a land-based GEDMS trainer, EDMS hardware, and installation and checkout repair for the DDG53 GEDMS. The GEDMS is a shipboard network for DDG51 Class Destroyers. GEDMS is a ship wide data transfer network for a ship's machinery, steering, navigation, combat, alarm and indicating, and damage control systems. It was designed to replace the miles of point-to-point cabling, signal converters, junction boxes, and switchboards associated with conventional ship's cabling. This contract includes an option which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $7,009,165. Work will be performed in Johnstown, Pa. (80 percent) and Buffalo, N.Y. (20 percent), and is expected to be completed by December 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was procured on a limited competition basis with two proposals solicited and two offers received via the Federal Business Opportunities website. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, Va., is the contracting activity (N00178-08-C-2001).
Raytheon Systems Co.,McKinney, Texas, is being awarded a $6,055,004 firm-fixed-price contract for Multi-spectral Targets Systems (MTS). The MTS is a forward looking infrared system for the aircraft. The MTS provides real-time imagery selectable between infrared and day TV as well as a laser designation capability. Work will be performed in McKinney, Texas and is expected to be completed by September 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $6,055,004 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity (N00164-06-G-8555) (Job Order 0042).
AIR FORCE
L-3 Communications EO/ERs, Inc. of Santa Rosa, Calif., is being awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract for a maximum of $34,000,000. The contractor shall furnish the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Directed Energy Directorate with the necessary qualified personnel, materials facilities, supplies, and travel to provide and deliver airborne ISR imaging turrets of 20" diameter and 15" diameter, in accordance with the list of technical requirements below. The turrets will be compatible with Persistent Threat Detection System (PTDS) and Airborne Reconnaissance Low (PM AR-L) airborne turret systems installations, and meet the following Technical Requirements: (CLIN 0001) Qty 6 twenty-inch (20"); (CLIN 0002) Qty 10 Fifteen-inch (15") class airborne ISR turret system; (CLIN 0006). The contractor will propose maintenance for 3 of the 20" turrets, and for 5 of the 15" turrets. The contractor shall propose complete spare parts kits for these units as well, with turnaround repair times of 10 days between turret arrival at, and shipping from, the contractor's facilities. Or, alternately, a specific best timetable as established by currently available maintenance scheduling methods as practiced in their business; (CLIN 0003). The contractor will propose upgrades to the turrets requiring approximately 10,000 engineering and manufacturing hours, for the engineering and adding of the following technology areas; High Definition Television sensors, improved MWIR sensors, fiber optic or other high bandwidth slip-ring capabilities, larger or more versatile apertures for any classes of turrets the produce, SWIR and laser technology additions to sensor suites, and upgraded pointing, tracking, operator interfaces, turret stabilization, image processing and communications. At this time $3,135,000 has been obligated. Det 8 Air Force Research laboratory/PKDB, Directed Energy Contracts Division, Directorate of Contracting, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., is the contracting activity (FA9451-08-D-0242).
International Business Machines Corp., of Yorktown Heights, N.Y., is being awarded a cost type contract for $2,390,799. The goal of the Wafer-Scale Graphene RF Nanoelectronics effort is to investigate two challenges that are fundamental to development of high performance carbon electronics for RF applications in military systems. At this time $2,390,799 has been obligated. AFRL/PKDA, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-08-C-7838).
Guard Aircraft, Crews Battle California Wildfires
By Air Force Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2008 - Army and Air National Guard members from California and North Carolina are supporting firefighting efforts in Northern California today following a state active-duty call-up by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and a request for airborne firefighting assets by the Interagency Fire Center. The governor's office reported yesterday that a "swarm of dry lighting cells over the last 16 hours sparked nearly 400 new fires across the state, spanning from Monterey and Fresno counties to the Oregon-California border."
Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency June 22 for Monterey and Trinity counties. The governor made similar declarations for Butte and Santa Cruz counties June 11 and 12. At least 30 Guard members were operating in Redding, Napa and Stockton.
The Interagency Fire Center reported more than 33,000 wild land fires in the United States this year. More than 1,000 new fires have been reported in California since June 21.
Two specially equipped C-130 Hercules aircraft, aircrews and support assets from the North Carolina Air Guard's 145th Airlift Wing arrived in Chico, Calif., yesterday, adding to 10 other Army and Air National Guard aircraft and aircrews performing firefighting missions in the state.
Four Air Guard C-130s carry special mobile airborne firefighting systems that can drop 3,000 gallons of an orange-colored water and fire-retardant mixture. In addition, four Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and one CH-47 Chinook helicopter equipped with helibuckets also are suppressing wildfires from a staging area at the Stockton Flight Facility.
Two Army Guard OH-58 Kiowa observation helicopters from Los Alamitos are performing fire-spotting missions out of Mather Air Field, and one RC-26 Metroliner is performing aerial reconnaissance missions. Officials reported additional requests for at least eight Army Guard aircraft from Nevada, Washington and Oregon.
(Air Force Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith serves with the National Guard Bureau.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2008 - Army and Air National Guard members from California and North Carolina are supporting firefighting efforts in Northern California today following a state active-duty call-up by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and a request for airborne firefighting assets by the Interagency Fire Center. The governor's office reported yesterday that a "swarm of dry lighting cells over the last 16 hours sparked nearly 400 new fires across the state, spanning from Monterey and Fresno counties to the Oregon-California border."
Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency June 22 for Monterey and Trinity counties. The governor made similar declarations for Butte and Santa Cruz counties June 11 and 12. At least 30 Guard members were operating in Redding, Napa and Stockton.
The Interagency Fire Center reported more than 33,000 wild land fires in the United States this year. More than 1,000 new fires have been reported in California since June 21.
Two specially equipped C-130 Hercules aircraft, aircrews and support assets from the North Carolina Air Guard's 145th Airlift Wing arrived in Chico, Calif., yesterday, adding to 10 other Army and Air National Guard aircraft and aircrews performing firefighting missions in the state.
Four Air Guard C-130s carry special mobile airborne firefighting systems that can drop 3,000 gallons of an orange-colored water and fire-retardant mixture. In addition, four Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and one CH-47 Chinook helicopter equipped with helibuckets also are suppressing wildfires from a staging area at the Stockton Flight Facility.
Two Army Guard OH-58 Kiowa observation helicopters from Los Alamitos are performing fire-spotting missions out of Mather Air Field, and one RC-26 Metroliner is performing aerial reconnaissance missions. Officials reported additional requests for at least eight Army Guard aircraft from Nevada, Washington and Oregon.
(Air Force Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith serves with the National Guard Bureau.)
America Supports You: Lake Michigan Cruise Recognizes Veterans
By Meghan Vittrup
American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2008 - Veterans can once again enjoy an afternoon cruising Lake Michigan, sharing tributes and building relationships thanks to one Illinois group. Kup's Purple Heart Cruises began in 1945 when Irv Kupcinet also known as "Kup," a Chicago Sun Times columnist, wanted to do something for servicemembers coming back from World War Two.
The 50-year tradition ended with its last cruise in 1995. Twelve years later, David Kupcinet decided to re-launch his grandfather's renowned Kup's Purple Heart Cruises.
After fours year of planning the successfully re-launched cruise took place July 31, 2007.
Kupcinet said the cruise is a way to show appreciation to veterans for their service to the country.
Kup's Purple Heart Cruise is an "effort to highlight citizen support for our military men and women and communicate that support to the members of our armed forces at home and abroad," according to a news release from the group.
Last year, Kupcinet said, it took three and a half months to fill the 500 spots on the cruise, but "it was so successful last year it took three and a half weeks to hit capacity this year."
The cruise is not only for veterans but also active-duty servicemembers. Kupcinet said veterans range in age from 19 to 91.
"The most interesting thing was seeing the relationships built between old time veterans and [Afghanistan and Iraq] veterans," Kupcinet said. "The connection between ... veterans in their 20s and a guy from World War Two, for example, is really a pretty amazing thing to see."
"These relationships are long-lasting relationships," said Dan Casara, a Purple Heart recipient and participant in Kup's Purple Heart Cruise. He was wounded Sept. 23, 2005, when a roadside bomb flipped his tank. He said he tries to use such events to network, meet new people, and build lasting relationships that will turn into friendships.
Kupcinet said it is a great experience to see both young and older veterans interacting and still holding on to deep military ties and traditions, including the playful arguments over which branch of the military is the strongest.
"It's also very funny to see the branches still mess with each other even so many years after they've been in service," Kupcinet said. "We had an 89-year-old Marine and 90-year-old sailor in the Navy, and at those ages they were still messing with each other about who was tougher."
The Purple Heart Cruise event takes place in two parts. The first part is the pierside send-off ceremony that includes presentations and speeches from the honorary chairman as well as dignitaries. There also are military and Defense Department tributes to the veterans, Kupcinet said.
The cruise itself is the second part of the event; it is a four-hour cruise on Lake Michigan that includes of food, entertainment and camaraderie.
"It was really nice," Casara said. "It was refreshing to see other Purple Heart recipients, ... whether they were of this conflict or prior conflicts, to come out and enjoy themselves."
This year's Kup's Purple Heart Cruise will take place July 31 at Navy Pier in Chicago.
Kup's Purple Heart Foundation is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program that seeks to focus public support for the men and women in the military.
American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2008 - Veterans can once again enjoy an afternoon cruising Lake Michigan, sharing tributes and building relationships thanks to one Illinois group. Kup's Purple Heart Cruises began in 1945 when Irv Kupcinet also known as "Kup," a Chicago Sun Times columnist, wanted to do something for servicemembers coming back from World War Two.
The 50-year tradition ended with its last cruise in 1995. Twelve years later, David Kupcinet decided to re-launch his grandfather's renowned Kup's Purple Heart Cruises.
After fours year of planning the successfully re-launched cruise took place July 31, 2007.
Kupcinet said the cruise is a way to show appreciation to veterans for their service to the country.
Kup's Purple Heart Cruise is an "effort to highlight citizen support for our military men and women and communicate that support to the members of our armed forces at home and abroad," according to a news release from the group.
Last year, Kupcinet said, it took three and a half months to fill the 500 spots on the cruise, but "it was so successful last year it took three and a half weeks to hit capacity this year."
The cruise is not only for veterans but also active-duty servicemembers. Kupcinet said veterans range in age from 19 to 91.
"The most interesting thing was seeing the relationships built between old time veterans and [Afghanistan and Iraq] veterans," Kupcinet said. "The connection between ... veterans in their 20s and a guy from World War Two, for example, is really a pretty amazing thing to see."
"These relationships are long-lasting relationships," said Dan Casara, a Purple Heart recipient and participant in Kup's Purple Heart Cruise. He was wounded Sept. 23, 2005, when a roadside bomb flipped his tank. He said he tries to use such events to network, meet new people, and build lasting relationships that will turn into friendships.
Kupcinet said it is a great experience to see both young and older veterans interacting and still holding on to deep military ties and traditions, including the playful arguments over which branch of the military is the strongest.
"It's also very funny to see the branches still mess with each other even so many years after they've been in service," Kupcinet said. "We had an 89-year-old Marine and 90-year-old sailor in the Navy, and at those ages they were still messing with each other about who was tougher."
The Purple Heart Cruise event takes place in two parts. The first part is the pierside send-off ceremony that includes presentations and speeches from the honorary chairman as well as dignitaries. There also are military and Defense Department tributes to the veterans, Kupcinet said.
The cruise itself is the second part of the event; it is a four-hour cruise on Lake Michigan that includes of food, entertainment and camaraderie.
"It was really nice," Casara said. "It was refreshing to see other Purple Heart recipients, ... whether they were of this conflict or prior conflicts, to come out and enjoy themselves."
This year's Kup's Purple Heart Cruise will take place July 31 at Navy Pier in Chicago.
Kup's Purple Heart Foundation is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program that seeks to focus public support for the men and women in the military.
African Nations Working for Maritime Security
By Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Scott Cohen
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2008 - Representatives from 10 East African nations, along with coalition partners from the United Kingdom, France and the United States participated in a week-long working group to help lay a foundation for great partnership in the realm of maritime security. Speakers from the various organizations covered a wide range of topics, including strategies for short- and long-term planning, pooling resources, regional cooperation, and security considerations at sea.
The team from Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa organized the event and was the catalyst for bringing these countries together to discuss issues pertaining to the region.
Navy Rear Adm. Philip H. Greene Jr., commander of CJTF-HOA, spoke first about the implication for why maritime security is vital to regional success.
"This is a wonderful opportunity to bring people together to develop partnerships, as well as to share information and knowledge about our path to improving maritime security and safety in the Horn and Eastern Africa," he said.
The desired end state is regional security and cooperation to help create a prosperous East Africa, Greene said.
"The importance of maritime security and safety in this region is driven because of the economic challenges that the region faces," the admiral said. "This is due to criminal activities at sea, trafficking of drugs, smuggling of illegal cargo, trafficking of people, as well as armed robbery and piracy at sea.
"Every country has limited resources to combat these many issues, including the United States," he continued. "Whether it is money, people or ships, the resources are finite, and talking about the issues candidly allows all of us to tackle the problems within the confines of what we have."
Navy Capt. James R. Burke, director of the plans and policy directorate for CJTF-HOA, was one of the driving forces behind this workshop. One of the goals he said he hopes eventually will come from these meetings is organizing and pooling resources throughout the region.
"Whenever you build some type of maritime capacity, it is never cheap, and there are limited resources," Burke said. "What is required is to determine what the threats are and what the nation may need to combat these threats.
"It is not just about equipment, it is also a supporting legal structure," he continued. "It may also span several agencies -- it could be the military, it could be the navy, its port authorities -- and bringing all those agencies together. It is complex environment, not a simple problem, but one that needs to be tackled."
A team from the Naval War College, in Newport, R.I., facilitated the small working groups, allowing delegates from the partner nations to discuss openly and candidly the problems each nation faces. Some challenges were common among the region's nations, but others presented were unique.
One delegate brought up the issue of having an uninformed populace regarding the laws surrounding smuggling. "If they do not know it is wrong, how can you expect them to refrain from doing illegal activities?" was a question posed by one of the attendees.
"Seeing the issues each nation is up against sets a framework for finding solutions in the future," Burke said. "Because of the limited resources involved, and the overlapping challenges the countries in the region encounter, if they can start thinking about working together to improve the overall security situation, this region in Africa will be one step closer to achieving the goals of the working group."
Concern for maritime security is not limited to coastal nations, Burke noted. Any nation with waterways has to consider how to provide security on them, he said.
Uganda is a prime example of a land-locked country with maritime security concerns. Lt. Col. Michael Nyayrwa, head of the Uganda People's Defense Force Maritime Forces, said even though his country is in the interior of Africa, maritime security still plays a role in the overall security of his country.
"We looked at how maritime security and safety strategies could be developed in the workshop, and we came to understand these strategies are not about navies, but about maritime domain awareness," Nyayrwa said. "It is about partnership, it is about cooperation, it is about countries pooling their resources, sharing information, and all of this is for the economic benefit for the people in this region of Africa."
He went on to say the problems of piracy and illegal fishing have an untold cost to the people as a whole and it is in the interests of everyone to work together to battle these forces.
"High crimes on our water bodies have transcended national borders, and coming together of various countries will engender prosperity of all the peoples in eastern Africa," he said.
"The framework is being laid for better regional maritime safety and security in the region," Burke said. "Ultimately, it will be up to everyone to step up and deliver on the goals talked about here."
(Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Scott Cohen serves with Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2008 - Representatives from 10 East African nations, along with coalition partners from the United Kingdom, France and the United States participated in a week-long working group to help lay a foundation for great partnership in the realm of maritime security. Speakers from the various organizations covered a wide range of topics, including strategies for short- and long-term planning, pooling resources, regional cooperation, and security considerations at sea.
The team from Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa organized the event and was the catalyst for bringing these countries together to discuss issues pertaining to the region.
Navy Rear Adm. Philip H. Greene Jr., commander of CJTF-HOA, spoke first about the implication for why maritime security is vital to regional success.
"This is a wonderful opportunity to bring people together to develop partnerships, as well as to share information and knowledge about our path to improving maritime security and safety in the Horn and Eastern Africa," he said.
The desired end state is regional security and cooperation to help create a prosperous East Africa, Greene said.
"The importance of maritime security and safety in this region is driven because of the economic challenges that the region faces," the admiral said. "This is due to criminal activities at sea, trafficking of drugs, smuggling of illegal cargo, trafficking of people, as well as armed robbery and piracy at sea.
"Every country has limited resources to combat these many issues, including the United States," he continued. "Whether it is money, people or ships, the resources are finite, and talking about the issues candidly allows all of us to tackle the problems within the confines of what we have."
Navy Capt. James R. Burke, director of the plans and policy directorate for CJTF-HOA, was one of the driving forces behind this workshop. One of the goals he said he hopes eventually will come from these meetings is organizing and pooling resources throughout the region.
"Whenever you build some type of maritime capacity, it is never cheap, and there are limited resources," Burke said. "What is required is to determine what the threats are and what the nation may need to combat these threats.
"It is not just about equipment, it is also a supporting legal structure," he continued. "It may also span several agencies -- it could be the military, it could be the navy, its port authorities -- and bringing all those agencies together. It is complex environment, not a simple problem, but one that needs to be tackled."
A team from the Naval War College, in Newport, R.I., facilitated the small working groups, allowing delegates from the partner nations to discuss openly and candidly the problems each nation faces. Some challenges were common among the region's nations, but others presented were unique.
One delegate brought up the issue of having an uninformed populace regarding the laws surrounding smuggling. "If they do not know it is wrong, how can you expect them to refrain from doing illegal activities?" was a question posed by one of the attendees.
"Seeing the issues each nation is up against sets a framework for finding solutions in the future," Burke said. "Because of the limited resources involved, and the overlapping challenges the countries in the region encounter, if they can start thinking about working together to improve the overall security situation, this region in Africa will be one step closer to achieving the goals of the working group."
Concern for maritime security is not limited to coastal nations, Burke noted. Any nation with waterways has to consider how to provide security on them, he said.
Uganda is a prime example of a land-locked country with maritime security concerns. Lt. Col. Michael Nyayrwa, head of the Uganda People's Defense Force Maritime Forces, said even though his country is in the interior of Africa, maritime security still plays a role in the overall security of his country.
"We looked at how maritime security and safety strategies could be developed in the workshop, and we came to understand these strategies are not about navies, but about maritime domain awareness," Nyayrwa said. "It is about partnership, it is about cooperation, it is about countries pooling their resources, sharing information, and all of this is for the economic benefit for the people in this region of Africa."
He went on to say the problems of piracy and illegal fishing have an untold cost to the people as a whole and it is in the interests of everyone to work together to battle these forces.
"High crimes on our water bodies have transcended national borders, and coming together of various countries will engender prosperity of all the peoples in eastern Africa," he said.
"The framework is being laid for better regional maritime safety and security in the region," Burke said. "Ultimately, it will be up to everyone to step up and deliver on the goals talked about here."
(Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Scott Cohen serves with Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa.)
Bush Commits Navy Support Following Philippines Typhoon
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2008 - U.S. Pacific Command is moving quickly to support President Bush's promise to provide naval assets in the wake of a deadly typhoon in the Philippines that left more than 150 dead and hundreds missing. Bush expressed condolences to Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during their White House meeting today and assured her the United States will move Navy assets to the area to assist. "We're happy to do it. We want to help our friends in time of need," Bush said.
The official death toll from the June 21 Typhoon Fengshen stands at 163, with about 800 more missing after the ferry Princess of the Stars capsized off Sibyauan. The typhoon also damaged more than 600,000 acres of farmland.
After her session with Bush, Arroyo met with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates at the Pentagon and also visited Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte.
Arroyo expressed thanks to the United States for its willingness to provide emergency aid to the Philippines "in this hour of need" during a news conference with Negroponte. "We are deeply grateful for the response by the U.S. government, including the U.S. Navy," she said.
Talking to reporters after their meeting, Bush said he congratulated Arroyo on her strong, effective stand on counterterrorism and her vision of peace for the region.
American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2008 - U.S. Pacific Command is moving quickly to support President Bush's promise to provide naval assets in the wake of a deadly typhoon in the Philippines that left more than 150 dead and hundreds missing. Bush expressed condolences to Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during their White House meeting today and assured her the United States will move Navy assets to the area to assist. "We're happy to do it. We want to help our friends in time of need," Bush said.
The official death toll from the June 21 Typhoon Fengshen stands at 163, with about 800 more missing after the ferry Princess of the Stars capsized off Sibyauan. The typhoon also damaged more than 600,000 acres of farmland.
After her session with Bush, Arroyo met with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates at the Pentagon and also visited Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte.
Arroyo expressed thanks to the United States for its willingness to provide emergency aid to the Philippines "in this hour of need" during a news conference with Negroponte. "We are deeply grateful for the response by the U.S. government, including the U.S. Navy," she said.
Talking to reporters after their meeting, Bush said he congratulated Arroyo on her strong, effective stand on counterterrorism and her vision of peace for the region.
Face of Defense: Soldier Applies Leadership Lessons
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Chris Seaton
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 23, 2008 - June 20 was a special day for Army 1st Sgt. Anthony Farinosi. A quick ceremony on a flight line in the middle of a combat zone marked his first day as a full-fledged, diamond-wearing first sergeant. His new job with Company C, 3rd Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment, isn't his first time filling the role as a company's top enlisted soldier. During a previous deployment in Iraq, Farinosi held the position in the aviation intermediate maintenance company for 412th Aviation Support Battalion when he was a sergeant first class.
It was an experience, the Irvine, Calif., native said, that he has yearned for ever since.
"My best time in the Army has been when I worked as a first sergeant," Farinosi said. "I had 235 soldiers who were just like my kids. If I can influence one kid or keep him on the right track, then I feel like I was successful."
"First sergeant" is one of several titles Farinosi is proud of. Farinosi also is "Dad" to two teenage boys, but he's most proud of another title that he said fits all areas of his life: "coach."
Since his arrival in Germany in 2003, Farinosi has been coaching for a German community soccer club, Sportverein Oberreichenbach. Farinosi's team now competes in the 17- to 18-year-old bracket.
"Coaching is amazing because of the influence you can have on a kid," he said. "For a lot of them, the happiest time of their day is when they're playing soccer. They're training hard, learning and getting better. It's a great thing to be around."
During his time as a coach, three of the athletes he's helped mentor have been recruited to play at the Division 1 level, the highest in a country where soccer is the national sport. One of his players has even played for the German national team for his age group.
Farinosi said cultural differences are no longer an issue, as the players are older and have become used to him and his sons, who also play for the club.
"The German kids have really accepted us," he said. "I see them around town and they smile and they get excited to see me, because I take the time to work with them. That makes me feel really good. I don't have all the answers, but I can show them what they're doing wrong and help them find the right way to do it."
His new commander, Capt. Barbara Burger, who also worked with him in 412th Aviation Support Battalion, said Farinosi's ability to mentor and motivate transcends the soccer field.
"He teaches his soldiers what he expects of them and then lets them make their own decisions," she said.
Farinosi said the jobs go hand in hand and that doing one often helps him with the other.
"Coaching helps with patience, and the first sergeant job teaches me a lot of structure that I can apply toward coaching," he said. "As the kids on my team get older, they like to joke around and get a little lippy sometimes – just like soldiers. Some of my soldiers are only a couple of years older than the kids on my team."
Because he's been deployed for nearly a year, Farinosi has missed a full season of soccer. He'll be back in Germany in time for one more season before it's time to leave Europe. Ultimately though, he said he wants to return to Germany someday with a new title: "teacher."
"I'm going to get my teaching certificate and become a teacher and coach, hopefully at a Department of Defense school in Germany," Farinosi said. "My dad always told me that if you always do the right thing, you never have to worry about things going wrong. My goal has always been to take care of people, no matter who they are."
(Army Sgt. 1st Class Chris Seaton serves in Multinational Division Baghdad with the Task Force 12 Public Affairs Office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 23, 2008 - June 20 was a special day for Army 1st Sgt. Anthony Farinosi. A quick ceremony on a flight line in the middle of a combat zone marked his first day as a full-fledged, diamond-wearing first sergeant. His new job with Company C, 3rd Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment, isn't his first time filling the role as a company's top enlisted soldier. During a previous deployment in Iraq, Farinosi held the position in the aviation intermediate maintenance company for 412th Aviation Support Battalion when he was a sergeant first class.
It was an experience, the Irvine, Calif., native said, that he has yearned for ever since.
"My best time in the Army has been when I worked as a first sergeant," Farinosi said. "I had 235 soldiers who were just like my kids. If I can influence one kid or keep him on the right track, then I feel like I was successful."
"First sergeant" is one of several titles Farinosi is proud of. Farinosi also is "Dad" to two teenage boys, but he's most proud of another title that he said fits all areas of his life: "coach."
Since his arrival in Germany in 2003, Farinosi has been coaching for a German community soccer club, Sportverein Oberreichenbach. Farinosi's team now competes in the 17- to 18-year-old bracket.
"Coaching is amazing because of the influence you can have on a kid," he said. "For a lot of them, the happiest time of their day is when they're playing soccer. They're training hard, learning and getting better. It's a great thing to be around."
During his time as a coach, three of the athletes he's helped mentor have been recruited to play at the Division 1 level, the highest in a country where soccer is the national sport. One of his players has even played for the German national team for his age group.
Farinosi said cultural differences are no longer an issue, as the players are older and have become used to him and his sons, who also play for the club.
"The German kids have really accepted us," he said. "I see them around town and they smile and they get excited to see me, because I take the time to work with them. That makes me feel really good. I don't have all the answers, but I can show them what they're doing wrong and help them find the right way to do it."
His new commander, Capt. Barbara Burger, who also worked with him in 412th Aviation Support Battalion, said Farinosi's ability to mentor and motivate transcends the soccer field.
"He teaches his soldiers what he expects of them and then lets them make their own decisions," she said.
Farinosi said the jobs go hand in hand and that doing one often helps him with the other.
"Coaching helps with patience, and the first sergeant job teaches me a lot of structure that I can apply toward coaching," he said. "As the kids on my team get older, they like to joke around and get a little lippy sometimes – just like soldiers. Some of my soldiers are only a couple of years older than the kids on my team."
Because he's been deployed for nearly a year, Farinosi has missed a full season of soccer. He'll be back in Germany in time for one more season before it's time to leave Europe. Ultimately though, he said he wants to return to Germany someday with a new title: "teacher."
"I'm going to get my teaching certificate and become a teacher and coach, hopefully at a Department of Defense school in Germany," Farinosi said. "My dad always told me that if you always do the right thing, you never have to worry about things going wrong. My goal has always been to take care of people, no matter who they are."
(Army Sgt. 1st Class Chris Seaton serves in Multinational Division Baghdad with the Task Force 12 Public Affairs Office.)
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
MILITARY CONTRACTS June 23, 2008
NAVY
Helix Electric, Inc., San Diego, Calif.,is being awarded a $52,687,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the FY08 MCON P-494, Harden Electrical System, Main Base, Agana, Guam. This design-build project will include the design and construction to the primary electrical distribution system serving critical operational facilities on the main base to mitigate damage caused by typhoons. Work will be performed in Guam, and is expected to be complete July 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with 48 proposals solicited and six offers received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-08-C-1305).
Boeing Aerospace Operations, Oklahoma City, Okla., is being awarded a $28,873,959 cost-plus fixed-fee contract for non-recurring engineering, installation, and test of the Internet Protocol and Bandwidth Expansion (IPBE) Phase 1 on one E-6B aircraft. The purpose of the IPBE Phase 1 is to install commercial satellite and line of sight radio equipment to allow for increased data capabilities and global communications/Navigation, Surveillance and Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) on the E-6B aircraft. Work will be performed in Wichita, Kan. (84 percent); Oklahoma City, Okla. (14 percent); and Seattle, Wash. (2 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-08-C-0053).
REDCOM Laboratories, Inc.,* Victor, N.Y., is being awarded a $16,758,760 firm-fixed-price contract to provide HDX-C Switching upgrade equipment and spares. Work will be performed in Victor, N.Y., and is expected to be completed by June 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $50,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured because it is a sole source procurement. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Charleston, S.C., is the contracting activity (N65236-08-D-3064).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
U.S. Foodservice Lexington, Lexington, S.C. is being awarded a maximum $37,500,000.00firm fixed price, prime vendor contract for food and beverage support. Other location of performance is in South Carolina. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Bamberg job Corp. The original proposal was Dibbs solicited with four responses. This contract is exercising the fourth option period. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is June 19, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP, Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM300-08-D-3057).
ARMY
General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, Burlington, Vt., was awarded on June 20, 2008, a $37,330,000 firm-fixed price contract for 387 Bradley reactive armor side skirts for the Bradley fighting vehicle system. Work will be performed in McHenry, Miss., and Burlington, Vt., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on June 4, 2008. U.S. Army Joint Munitions & Lethality, Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15QKN-06-C-0143).
Harper Construction Company, Inc., San Diego, Calif., was awarded on June 19, 2008, a $12,497,265 firm-fixed price contract for the design and construction of battalion and brigade headquarters for a 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade Complex. Work will be performed at Fort Sill, Okla., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 7, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Eight bids were solicited on Sept. 21, 2007, and six bids were received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Savannah, Ga., is the contracting activity (W912HN-08-D-0028).
FFEB JV, Metaire, La. was awarded on June 19, 2008, a $9,565,416 firm-fixed price contract for GeoTechnical Investigation and Report with soil borings and testing in support of hurricane protection office construction projects. Work will be performed in Plaquemines Parish, La., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 20, 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Bids were solicited on March 21, 2008, and one bid was received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, La., is the contracting activity (W912P8-07-D-0022).
International Business Machines Corp., Yorktown Heights, N.Y., was awarded on June 19, 2008, a $9,445,000 contract for research activities for language processing applications such as translation and distillation capabilities. Work will be performed in locations across the United States and is expected to be completed by June 19, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Bids were solicited on June 25, 2007, and 21 bids were received. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va., is the contracting activity (HR0011-08-C-0110).
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is modifying a firm fixed price contract with Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics of Fort Worth, Texas, not to exceed $18 million. This action will update the current Peace Onyx III contract/baseline, which is a comprehensive hardware and software aircraft modernization to the Turkish Block 30 C/D, 40 C/D, and 50 C/D aircraft. This effort supports foreign military sales to Turkey. At this time $9,000,000 (FMS Funds) has been obligated. Aeronautical Systems Center, 312 AESG/PKA, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8615-05-C-6002 P00021).
The Boeing Co., of Wichita, Kan., is being awarded a cost plus fixed fee contract for $14,983,252. This action will accomplish aircraft integration system engineering studies to support development of critical technology required to enable airborne stand-off electronic attack. The technologies include low-band, high-power transmitting phased arrays, mid-band high-power transmitting phased arrays, and advanced exciters. At this time $4,050,000 has been obligated. AFRL/PKSE, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-08-C-1304).
Helix Electric, Inc., San Diego, Calif.,is being awarded a $52,687,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the FY08 MCON P-494, Harden Electrical System, Main Base, Agana, Guam. This design-build project will include the design and construction to the primary electrical distribution system serving critical operational facilities on the main base to mitigate damage caused by typhoons. Work will be performed in Guam, and is expected to be complete July 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with 48 proposals solicited and six offers received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-08-C-1305).
Boeing Aerospace Operations, Oklahoma City, Okla., is being awarded a $28,873,959 cost-plus fixed-fee contract for non-recurring engineering, installation, and test of the Internet Protocol and Bandwidth Expansion (IPBE) Phase 1 on one E-6B aircraft. The purpose of the IPBE Phase 1 is to install commercial satellite and line of sight radio equipment to allow for increased data capabilities and global communications/Navigation, Surveillance and Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) on the E-6B aircraft. Work will be performed in Wichita, Kan. (84 percent); Oklahoma City, Okla. (14 percent); and Seattle, Wash. (2 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-08-C-0053).
REDCOM Laboratories, Inc.,* Victor, N.Y., is being awarded a $16,758,760 firm-fixed-price contract to provide HDX-C Switching upgrade equipment and spares. Work will be performed in Victor, N.Y., and is expected to be completed by June 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $50,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured because it is a sole source procurement. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Charleston, S.C., is the contracting activity (N65236-08-D-3064).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
U.S. Foodservice Lexington, Lexington, S.C. is being awarded a maximum $37,500,000.00firm fixed price, prime vendor contract for food and beverage support. Other location of performance is in South Carolina. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Bamberg job Corp. The original proposal was Dibbs solicited with four responses. This contract is exercising the fourth option period. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is June 19, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP, Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM300-08-D-3057).
ARMY
General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, Burlington, Vt., was awarded on June 20, 2008, a $37,330,000 firm-fixed price contract for 387 Bradley reactive armor side skirts for the Bradley fighting vehicle system. Work will be performed in McHenry, Miss., and Burlington, Vt., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on June 4, 2008. U.S. Army Joint Munitions & Lethality, Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15QKN-06-C-0143).
Harper Construction Company, Inc., San Diego, Calif., was awarded on June 19, 2008, a $12,497,265 firm-fixed price contract for the design and construction of battalion and brigade headquarters for a 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade Complex. Work will be performed at Fort Sill, Okla., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 7, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Eight bids were solicited on Sept. 21, 2007, and six bids were received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Savannah, Ga., is the contracting activity (W912HN-08-D-0028).
FFEB JV, Metaire, La. was awarded on June 19, 2008, a $9,565,416 firm-fixed price contract for GeoTechnical Investigation and Report with soil borings and testing in support of hurricane protection office construction projects. Work will be performed in Plaquemines Parish, La., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 20, 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Bids were solicited on March 21, 2008, and one bid was received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, La., is the contracting activity (W912P8-07-D-0022).
International Business Machines Corp., Yorktown Heights, N.Y., was awarded on June 19, 2008, a $9,445,000 contract for research activities for language processing applications such as translation and distillation capabilities. Work will be performed in locations across the United States and is expected to be completed by June 19, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Bids were solicited on June 25, 2007, and 21 bids were received. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va., is the contracting activity (HR0011-08-C-0110).
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is modifying a firm fixed price contract with Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics of Fort Worth, Texas, not to exceed $18 million. This action will update the current Peace Onyx III contract/baseline, which is a comprehensive hardware and software aircraft modernization to the Turkish Block 30 C/D, 40 C/D, and 50 C/D aircraft. This effort supports foreign military sales to Turkey. At this time $9,000,000 (FMS Funds) has been obligated. Aeronautical Systems Center, 312 AESG/PKA, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8615-05-C-6002 P00021).
The Boeing Co., of Wichita, Kan., is being awarded a cost plus fixed fee contract for $14,983,252. This action will accomplish aircraft integration system engineering studies to support development of critical technology required to enable airborne stand-off electronic attack. The technologies include low-band, high-power transmitting phased arrays, mid-band high-power transmitting phased arrays, and advanced exciters. At this time $4,050,000 has been obligated. AFRL/PKSE, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-08-C-1304).
America Supports You: Group Helps Family Members With Education
By Jamie Findlater
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 23, 2008 - Military family members looking to further their education have a friend in a support organization called Thanks USA. "So many spouses appreciate the opportunity to go back to school and finish their education," explained Carolyn Ferek, Thanks USA's board secretary, said in an "ASY Live" interview on BlogTalkRadio.
"ASY Live" is part of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad. Thanks USA is an America Supports You supporter.
Ferek said the focus of Thanks USA is different from that of many other scholarship-based organizations, because while it does focus on providing assistance to military dependents, it also uniquely gears a lot of its funding toward spouses.
"It's not just for dependents," she said. "It's for spouses, because we feel like so many times the spouses are at home taking care of the families, and they are forced to put their career on hold."
When the organization was founded, Ferek explained, she could not find many organizations that focused on providing for spouses and dependents of current servicemembers based on their need. "Some offered them to military families if there was a death or an injury, but ours isn't like that," she said. "We offer it as a need-based scholarship; we have educational scholarships for any branch of the military for college, technical and vocational schools."
Ferek cited a couple of people the organization has helped.
"I remember one person that wrote to us saying that she would be the first one in her family to have a college education thanks to our program," Ferek said. "Another woman we helped down in Florida had just had a lung transplant, and still really wanted to go to college. She was just trying to get herself healthy, but she was just so positive and optimistic about her future and wanting to make a difference. So many of the scholarship winners want to give back to the community."
The organization has raised nearly $4 million and we has awarded more than 1,350 scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 dollars. "We have given scholarships to military families all across the United States in all 50 states," Ferek said.
(Jamie Findlater, host of "ASY Live," works in the New Media directorate of the Defense Media Activity.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 23, 2008 - Military family members looking to further their education have a friend in a support organization called Thanks USA. "So many spouses appreciate the opportunity to go back to school and finish their education," explained Carolyn Ferek, Thanks USA's board secretary, said in an "ASY Live" interview on BlogTalkRadio.
"ASY Live" is part of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad. Thanks USA is an America Supports You supporter.
Ferek said the focus of Thanks USA is different from that of many other scholarship-based organizations, because while it does focus on providing assistance to military dependents, it also uniquely gears a lot of its funding toward spouses.
"It's not just for dependents," she said. "It's for spouses, because we feel like so many times the spouses are at home taking care of the families, and they are forced to put their career on hold."
When the organization was founded, Ferek explained, she could not find many organizations that focused on providing for spouses and dependents of current servicemembers based on their need. "Some offered them to military families if there was a death or an injury, but ours isn't like that," she said. "We offer it as a need-based scholarship; we have educational scholarships for any branch of the military for college, technical and vocational schools."
Ferek cited a couple of people the organization has helped.
"I remember one person that wrote to us saying that she would be the first one in her family to have a college education thanks to our program," Ferek said. "Another woman we helped down in Florida had just had a lung transplant, and still really wanted to go to college. She was just trying to get herself healthy, but she was just so positive and optimistic about her future and wanting to make a difference. So many of the scholarship winners want to give back to the community."
The organization has raised nearly $4 million and we has awarded more than 1,350 scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 dollars. "We have given scholarships to military families all across the United States in all 50 states," Ferek said.
(Jamie Findlater, host of "ASY Live," works in the New Media directorate of the Defense Media Activity.)
Chairman Calls Homeless Veterans 'Hugely Important Issue'
By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
June 23, 2008 - Calling the issue "hugely important," the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff today said the nation must fully integrate efforts to help homeless veterans. "How do we reach out to them, and how do we create opportunities?" Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen asked an audience of about 200 members of various organizations that make up the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans in a speech at the Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel here.
"I consider [homeless veterans] to be a hugely important issue," Mullen said. "We need to do everything we can, as a country, to fully integrate our efforts to understand and help those – our veterans – who have given so much."
The coalition, which is holding its annual convention this week, is dedicated to strengthening and increasing funding for homeless veteran assistance programs, ranging from employment to housing issues. It provides information about program development and administration, as well as governance and funding guidance to all of the nation's homeless veteran service providers, according to the organization's Web site.
Mullen shared his appreciation for the coalition and its work.
"I am incredibly grateful for what you do and keeping [homeless veteran] issues bubbling; not just based on homeless veterans of [the war on terror], but of the entire population and past wars," he said.
Mullen spoke about his generation of servicemembers and serving during the Vietnam War era. Vietnam veterans make up a large percentage of the homeless veterans in the country, said Mullen, who received his commission in 1968.
He expressed his sympathy for the many homeless Vietnam veterans who weren't aware of post-traumatic stress syndrome and who have battled unemployment for years because of the disability. He also revealed his concern for veterans of more recent and current conflicts.
"One of the things I said when [operations in Iraq] started in 2003, 'As we go back to war and put so many people in harm's way, I would do all I can not to generate another generation of homeless veterans as we did when I was growing up with Vietnam,'" he said. "I had no clue in 2003 that I would eventually be in the position I am in now, but now that I am, I'm anxious to help."
Mullen reiterated his point that tackling the homeless veterans issue has to be a collective and integrated effort at the local and national levels among the government, society and nonprofit organizations, such as the coalition.
"The vision isn't anything without execution," Mullen said. "It has to be a team effort, and I'm truly grateful for what [the coalition] is doing."
The coalition's convention features workshops about issues such as public policy and current legislation pertaining to homeless veteran issues, reporting and regulation requirements for federal grants, and legal issues veterans may face.
The convention also will provide training groups focused on issues including employment resources for veterans, women veterans, early intervention and prevention of homelessness for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, incarcerated veterans.
American Forces Press Service
June 23, 2008 - Calling the issue "hugely important," the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff today said the nation must fully integrate efforts to help homeless veterans. "How do we reach out to them, and how do we create opportunities?" Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen asked an audience of about 200 members of various organizations that make up the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans in a speech at the Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel here.
"I consider [homeless veterans] to be a hugely important issue," Mullen said. "We need to do everything we can, as a country, to fully integrate our efforts to understand and help those – our veterans – who have given so much."
The coalition, which is holding its annual convention this week, is dedicated to strengthening and increasing funding for homeless veteran assistance programs, ranging from employment to housing issues. It provides information about program development and administration, as well as governance and funding guidance to all of the nation's homeless veteran service providers, according to the organization's Web site.
Mullen shared his appreciation for the coalition and its work.
"I am incredibly grateful for what you do and keeping [homeless veteran] issues bubbling; not just based on homeless veterans of [the war on terror], but of the entire population and past wars," he said.
Mullen spoke about his generation of servicemembers and serving during the Vietnam War era. Vietnam veterans make up a large percentage of the homeless veterans in the country, said Mullen, who received his commission in 1968.
He expressed his sympathy for the many homeless Vietnam veterans who weren't aware of post-traumatic stress syndrome and who have battled unemployment for years because of the disability. He also revealed his concern for veterans of more recent and current conflicts.
"One of the things I said when [operations in Iraq] started in 2003, 'As we go back to war and put so many people in harm's way, I would do all I can not to generate another generation of homeless veterans as we did when I was growing up with Vietnam,'" he said. "I had no clue in 2003 that I would eventually be in the position I am in now, but now that I am, I'm anxious to help."
Mullen reiterated his point that tackling the homeless veterans issue has to be a collective and integrated effort at the local and national levels among the government, society and nonprofit organizations, such as the coalition.
"The vision isn't anything without execution," Mullen said. "It has to be a team effort, and I'm truly grateful for what [the coalition] is doing."
The coalition's convention features workshops about issues such as public policy and current legislation pertaining to homeless veteran issues, reporting and regulation requirements for federal grants, and legal issues veterans may face.
The convention also will provide training groups focused on issues including employment resources for veterans, women veterans, early intervention and prevention of homelessness for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, incarcerated veterans.
Bush Commits Navy Support Following Philippines Typhoon
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2008 - U.S. Pacific Command is moving quickly to support President Bush's promise to provide naval assets in the wake of a deadly typhoon in the Philippines that left more than 150 dead and hundreds missing. Bush expressed condolences to Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during their White House meeting today and assured her the United States will move Navy assets to the area to assist. "We're happy to do it. We want to help our friends in time of need," Bush said.
The official death toll from the June 21 Typhoon Fengshen stands at 163, with about 800 more missing after the ferry Princess of the Stars capsized off Sibyauan. The typhoon also damaged more than 600,000 acres of farmland.
After her session with Bush, Arroyo met with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates at the Pentagon and also visited Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte.
Arroyo expressed thanks to the United States for its willingness to provide emergency aid to the Philippines "in this hour of need" during a news conference with Negroponte. "We are deeply grateful for the response by the U.S. government, including the U.S. Navy," she said.
Talking to reporters after their meeting, Bush said he congratulated Arroyo on her strong, effective stand on counterterrorism and her vision of peace for the region.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Guard Ratchets Up Efforts in Midwestern Flooding
By Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 23, 2008 - Missouri is the latest Midwestern state to see increasing numbers of National Guard citizen-soldiers and –airmen on duty in the face of the region's worst flooding in 15 years. "Our priority is to protect the lives of Missouri's residents and their property," Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt said during a visit to flood-affected areas with National Guard officials. "Then we will focus on recovery efforts."
"As Missourians continue to face the rising waters of the Mississippi, their Missouri National Guard stands beside them in the fight," Army Maj. Gen. King Sidwell, the state's adjutant general, said.
More than 5,700 National Guard members were responding to flooding in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin on June 19, a peak since the Guard started deploying troops in the face of rising waters on June 7.
A response that began in Indiana spread with the water to Wisconsin on June 9, Iowa the next day, and Illinois and Missouri on June 14. Indiana operations wound down on June 18 after 11 days.
But the threat was far from winding down, as sandbagging continues in towns along the Mississippi River in the face of cresting waters.
Residents in towns already flooded faced weeks of cleanup and mounds of trash to dispose of. Twenty-four people have died and 148 have been injured during June's storms and flooding, the Associated Press reported. Damages are estimated in the billions of dollars.
Fourteen Missouri counties were affected, National Guard Bureau officials reported.
Guard officials were monitoring both the Mississippi and Missouri rivers as more than 700 troops responded, focusing on Clarksville and Wentzville. Water had crested or breached levees, and more were threatened.
"We have troops doing work on the ground from Alexandria to Winfield," said Army Capt. Tammy Spicer, a Missouri Guard spokeswoman. Alexandria is in the north. Winfield is just north of St. Louis.
The Guard was monitoring the situation the length of the Mississippi in Missouri, she said. The Missouri Guard has established a Northeast Task Force overseeing seven units supporting communities facing rising water, officials reported this week.
Army Lt. Col. William McKinney, the task force commander, said the Guard is working hard to protect the local population and has deployed every necessary resource available.
Missouri National Guard members are mobilized in the communities of Hannibal, the boyhood home of famed American writer Mark Twain, and Clarksville, Canton, West Quincy, LaGrange and Alexandria, assisting with sandbagging operations, levee monitoring, and limited security operations.
To combat future flooding threats, the Guard has established a quick-reaction force in Louisiana, Mo. The Guard also has posted liaison officers to work with state and local officials in Clark, Lewis, Marion, Ralls, Pike and Lincoln counties.
Among the units deployed is 1438th Engineer Company from Macon. Several members from that unit were deployed to the area after returning from a two-week annual training exercise in South Dakota.
Army Spc. John Crawford of St. Louis said that though the flooding has kept him from returning to work, his employers know the importance of his mission.
"It is a great thing the Guard is doing up here," Crawford said. "I have been helping fill and transport sandbags to the levees."
The Guard was sandbagging, monitoring levees and securing evacuated areas and providing command and control, communications and tactical operations support to civilian authorities. The latest operations were similar to Guard actions throughout the Midwest this month:
-- Illinois: More than 1,100 Guard members assisted with communications and sandbagging.
-- Indiana: Operation Noah's Ark concluded June 19. The height of the mission saw more than 1,400 Guard members on duty sandbagging, providing security, conducting search and rescue missions, and distributing water.
-- Iowa: More than 4,200 Guard members remained on duty as the state faced a public health emergency caused by lost water supplies. Massive flooding rendered 83 of the state's 99 counties under state disaster declarations. Guard members focused on preventing more flooding; providing drinking water, generators, security and transportation; conducting aerial damage assessment; and other operations.
-- Wisconsin: About 230 Guard members provided communications, generators, security and transport. The Guard also assisted with conducting aerial damage assessments, filling and grading washed-out roads, and removing debris, National Guard Bureau officials reported.
Meanwhile, Guard members were on duty assisting Border Patrol agents in four Southwestern border states, tackling wildfires, ferrying drinking water to residents of several New Mexico towns, supporting Louisiana police, providing critical infrastructure protection in Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York, flying critical air sovereignty missions nationwide, and running counterdrug operations.
National Guard members also are on duty on a variety of missions in many foreign countries, including combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
(Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill serves with the National Guard Bureau. Robert Seyller of the Missouri National Guard Public Affairs Office contributed to this report.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 23, 2008 - Missouri is the latest Midwestern state to see increasing numbers of National Guard citizen-soldiers and –airmen on duty in the face of the region's worst flooding in 15 years. "Our priority is to protect the lives of Missouri's residents and their property," Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt said during a visit to flood-affected areas with National Guard officials. "Then we will focus on recovery efforts."
"As Missourians continue to face the rising waters of the Mississippi, their Missouri National Guard stands beside them in the fight," Army Maj. Gen. King Sidwell, the state's adjutant general, said.
More than 5,700 National Guard members were responding to flooding in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin on June 19, a peak since the Guard started deploying troops in the face of rising waters on June 7.
A response that began in Indiana spread with the water to Wisconsin on June 9, Iowa the next day, and Illinois and Missouri on June 14. Indiana operations wound down on June 18 after 11 days.
But the threat was far from winding down, as sandbagging continues in towns along the Mississippi River in the face of cresting waters.
Residents in towns already flooded faced weeks of cleanup and mounds of trash to dispose of. Twenty-four people have died and 148 have been injured during June's storms and flooding, the Associated Press reported. Damages are estimated in the billions of dollars.
Fourteen Missouri counties were affected, National Guard Bureau officials reported.
Guard officials were monitoring both the Mississippi and Missouri rivers as more than 700 troops responded, focusing on Clarksville and Wentzville. Water had crested or breached levees, and more were threatened.
"We have troops doing work on the ground from Alexandria to Winfield," said Army Capt. Tammy Spicer, a Missouri Guard spokeswoman. Alexandria is in the north. Winfield is just north of St. Louis.
The Guard was monitoring the situation the length of the Mississippi in Missouri, she said. The Missouri Guard has established a Northeast Task Force overseeing seven units supporting communities facing rising water, officials reported this week.
Army Lt. Col. William McKinney, the task force commander, said the Guard is working hard to protect the local population and has deployed every necessary resource available.
Missouri National Guard members are mobilized in the communities of Hannibal, the boyhood home of famed American writer Mark Twain, and Clarksville, Canton, West Quincy, LaGrange and Alexandria, assisting with sandbagging operations, levee monitoring, and limited security operations.
To combat future flooding threats, the Guard has established a quick-reaction force in Louisiana, Mo. The Guard also has posted liaison officers to work with state and local officials in Clark, Lewis, Marion, Ralls, Pike and Lincoln counties.
Among the units deployed is 1438th Engineer Company from Macon. Several members from that unit were deployed to the area after returning from a two-week annual training exercise in South Dakota.
Army Spc. John Crawford of St. Louis said that though the flooding has kept him from returning to work, his employers know the importance of his mission.
"It is a great thing the Guard is doing up here," Crawford said. "I have been helping fill and transport sandbags to the levees."
The Guard was sandbagging, monitoring levees and securing evacuated areas and providing command and control, communications and tactical operations support to civilian authorities. The latest operations were similar to Guard actions throughout the Midwest this month:
-- Illinois: More than 1,100 Guard members assisted with communications and sandbagging.
-- Indiana: Operation Noah's Ark concluded June 19. The height of the mission saw more than 1,400 Guard members on duty sandbagging, providing security, conducting search and rescue missions, and distributing water.
-- Iowa: More than 4,200 Guard members remained on duty as the state faced a public health emergency caused by lost water supplies. Massive flooding rendered 83 of the state's 99 counties under state disaster declarations. Guard members focused on preventing more flooding; providing drinking water, generators, security and transportation; conducting aerial damage assessment; and other operations.
-- Wisconsin: About 230 Guard members provided communications, generators, security and transport. The Guard also assisted with conducting aerial damage assessments, filling and grading washed-out roads, and removing debris, National Guard Bureau officials reported.
Meanwhile, Guard members were on duty assisting Border Patrol agents in four Southwestern border states, tackling wildfires, ferrying drinking water to residents of several New Mexico towns, supporting Louisiana police, providing critical infrastructure protection in Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York, flying critical air sovereignty missions nationwide, and running counterdrug operations.
National Guard members also are on duty on a variety of missions in many foreign countries, including combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
(Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill serves with the National Guard Bureau. Robert Seyller of the Missouri National Guard Public Affairs Office contributed to this report.)
Guard Ratchets Up Efforts in Midwestern Flooding
By Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 23, 2008 - Missouri is the latest Midwestern state to see increasing numbers of National Guard citizen-soldiers and –airmen on duty in the face of the region's worst flooding in 15 years. "Our priority is to protect the lives of Missouri's residents and their property," Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt said during a visit to flood-affected areas with National Guard officials. "Then we will focus on recovery efforts."
"As Missourians continue to face the rising waters of the Mississippi, their Missouri National Guard stands beside them in the fight," Army Maj. Gen. King Sidwell, the state's adjutant general, said.
More than 5,700 National Guard members were responding to flooding in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin on June 19, a peak since the Guard started deploying troops in the face of rising waters on June 7.
A response that began in Indiana spread with the water to Wisconsin on June 9, Iowa the next day, and Illinois and Missouri on June 14. Indiana operations wound down on June 18 after 11 days.
But the threat was far from winding down, as sandbagging continues in towns along the Mississippi River in the face of cresting waters.
Residents in towns already flooded faced weeks of cleanup and mounds of trash to dispose of. Twenty-four people have died and 148 have been injured during June's storms and flooding, the Associated Press reported. Damages are estimated in the billions of dollars.
Fourteen Missouri counties were affected, National Guard Bureau officials reported.
Guard officials were monitoring both the Mississippi and Missouri rivers as more than 700 troops responded, focusing on Clarksville and Wentzville. Water had crested or breached levees, and more were threatened.
"We have troops doing work on the ground from Alexandria to Winfield," said Army Capt. Tammy Spicer, a Missouri Guard spokeswoman. Alexandria is in the north. Winfield is just north of St. Louis.
The Guard was monitoring the situation the length of the Mississippi in Missouri, she said. The Missouri Guard has established a Northeast Task Force overseeing seven units supporting communities facing rising water, officials reported this week.
Army Lt. Col. William McKinney, the task force commander, said the Guard is working hard to protect the local population and has deployed every necessary resource available.
Missouri National Guard members are mobilized in the communities of Hannibal, the boyhood home of famed American writer Mark Twain, and Clarksville, Canton, West Quincy, LaGrange and Alexandria, assisting with sandbagging operations, levee monitoring, and limited security operations.
To combat future flooding threats, the Guard has established a quick-reaction force in Louisiana, Mo. The Guard also has posted liaison officers to work with state and local officials in Clark, Lewis, Marion, Ralls, Pike and Lincoln counties.
Among the units deployed is 1438th Engineer Company from Macon. Several members from that unit were deployed to the area after returning from a two-week annual training exercise in South Dakota.
Army Spc. John Crawford of St. Louis said that though the flooding has kept him from returning to work, his employers know the importance of his mission.
"It is a great thing the Guard is doing up here," Crawford said. "I have been helping fill and transport sandbags to the levees."
The Guard was sandbagging, monitoring levees and securing evacuated areas and providing command and control, communications and tactical operations support to civilian authorities. The latest operations were similar to Guard actions throughout the Midwest this month:
-- Illinois: More than 1,100 Guard members assisted with communications and sandbagging.
-- Indiana: Operation Noah's Ark concluded June 19. The height of the mission saw more than 1,400 Guard members on duty sandbagging, providing security, conducting search and rescue missions, and distributing water.
-- Iowa: More than 4,200 Guard members remained on duty as the state faced a public health emergency caused by lost water supplies. Massive flooding rendered 83 of the state's 99 counties under state disaster declarations. Guard members focused on preventing more flooding; providing drinking water, generators, security and transportation; conducting aerial damage assessment; and other operations.
-- Wisconsin: About 230 Guard members provided communications, generators, security and transport. The Guard also assisted with conducting aerial damage assessments, filling and grading washed-out roads, and removing debris, National Guard Bureau officials reported.
Meanwhile, Guard members were on duty assisting Border Patrol agents in four Southwestern border states, tackling wildfires, ferrying drinking water to residents of several New Mexico towns, supporting Louisiana police, providing critical infrastructure protection in Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York, flying critical air sovereignty missions nationwide, and running counterdrug operations.
National Guard members also are on duty on a variety of missions in many foreign countries, including combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
(Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill serves with the National Guard Bureau. Robert Seyller of the Missouri National Guard Public Affairs Office contributed to this report.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 23, 2008 - Missouri is the latest Midwestern state to see increasing numbers of National Guard citizen-soldiers and –airmen on duty in the face of the region's worst flooding in 15 years. "Our priority is to protect the lives of Missouri's residents and their property," Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt said during a visit to flood-affected areas with National Guard officials. "Then we will focus on recovery efforts."
"As Missourians continue to face the rising waters of the Mississippi, their Missouri National Guard stands beside them in the fight," Army Maj. Gen. King Sidwell, the state's adjutant general, said.
More than 5,700 National Guard members were responding to flooding in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin on June 19, a peak since the Guard started deploying troops in the face of rising waters on June 7.
A response that began in Indiana spread with the water to Wisconsin on June 9, Iowa the next day, and Illinois and Missouri on June 14. Indiana operations wound down on June 18 after 11 days.
But the threat was far from winding down, as sandbagging continues in towns along the Mississippi River in the face of cresting waters.
Residents in towns already flooded faced weeks of cleanup and mounds of trash to dispose of. Twenty-four people have died and 148 have been injured during June's storms and flooding, the Associated Press reported. Damages are estimated in the billions of dollars.
Fourteen Missouri counties were affected, National Guard Bureau officials reported.
Guard officials were monitoring both the Mississippi and Missouri rivers as more than 700 troops responded, focusing on Clarksville and Wentzville. Water had crested or breached levees, and more were threatened.
"We have troops doing work on the ground from Alexandria to Winfield," said Army Capt. Tammy Spicer, a Missouri Guard spokeswoman. Alexandria is in the north. Winfield is just north of St. Louis.
The Guard was monitoring the situation the length of the Mississippi in Missouri, she said. The Missouri Guard has established a Northeast Task Force overseeing seven units supporting communities facing rising water, officials reported this week.
Army Lt. Col. William McKinney, the task force commander, said the Guard is working hard to protect the local population and has deployed every necessary resource available.
Missouri National Guard members are mobilized in the communities of Hannibal, the boyhood home of famed American writer Mark Twain, and Clarksville, Canton, West Quincy, LaGrange and Alexandria, assisting with sandbagging operations, levee monitoring, and limited security operations.
To combat future flooding threats, the Guard has established a quick-reaction force in Louisiana, Mo. The Guard also has posted liaison officers to work with state and local officials in Clark, Lewis, Marion, Ralls, Pike and Lincoln counties.
Among the units deployed is 1438th Engineer Company from Macon. Several members from that unit were deployed to the area after returning from a two-week annual training exercise in South Dakota.
Army Spc. John Crawford of St. Louis said that though the flooding has kept him from returning to work, his employers know the importance of his mission.
"It is a great thing the Guard is doing up here," Crawford said. "I have been helping fill and transport sandbags to the levees."
The Guard was sandbagging, monitoring levees and securing evacuated areas and providing command and control, communications and tactical operations support to civilian authorities. The latest operations were similar to Guard actions throughout the Midwest this month:
-- Illinois: More than 1,100 Guard members assisted with communications and sandbagging.
-- Indiana: Operation Noah's Ark concluded June 19. The height of the mission saw more than 1,400 Guard members on duty sandbagging, providing security, conducting search and rescue missions, and distributing water.
-- Iowa: More than 4,200 Guard members remained on duty as the state faced a public health emergency caused by lost water supplies. Massive flooding rendered 83 of the state's 99 counties under state disaster declarations. Guard members focused on preventing more flooding; providing drinking water, generators, security and transportation; conducting aerial damage assessment; and other operations.
-- Wisconsin: About 230 Guard members provided communications, generators, security and transport. The Guard also assisted with conducting aerial damage assessments, filling and grading washed-out roads, and removing debris, National Guard Bureau officials reported.
Meanwhile, Guard members were on duty assisting Border Patrol agents in four Southwestern border states, tackling wildfires, ferrying drinking water to residents of several New Mexico towns, supporting Louisiana police, providing critical infrastructure protection in Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York, flying critical air sovereignty missions nationwide, and running counterdrug operations.
National Guard members also are on duty on a variety of missions in many foreign countries, including combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
(Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill serves with the National Guard Bureau. Robert Seyller of the Missouri National Guard Public Affairs Office contributed to this report.)
President Nominates Woman Army General for Fourth Star
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
June 23, 2008 - President Bush today nominated Army Lt. Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody for promotion, which, pending Senate approval, would make her the first woman to be a four-star officer in U.S. history. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced the president's nomination of Dunwoody as the commander of Army Materiel Command at Fort Belvoir, Va., in a news release published today by the Defense Department.
Dunwoody, who has served in several command positions since her Army commission in 1975, including her current role as the Army's deputy chief of staff for logistics, is one of five women now fulfilling three-star flag officer duties.
In 1970, Col. Anna Mae Hays blazed the trail when she became chief of the Army Nurse Corps, achieving the highest rank -- brigadier general -- of any woman servicemember at the time. But as Dunwoody's pending promotion underscores, the role of women in the U.S. military has expanded significantly since then.
Fifty-seven active-duty women and 47 female reservists wear stars on their shoulders in the armed forces. Moreover, roughly 194,000 women make up 14 percent of all active duty forces. Since Sept. 11, 2001, more than 193,400 women have deployed in support of U.S. operations.
The casualty figures of current conflicts provide a thumbnail sketch of a force structure that increasingly depends on women in combat zones. Ninety-seven women have died in Iraq, and 585 others have suffered injuries there, according to Defense Department statistics.
If confirmed by the Senate, Dunwoody would command the teams of soldiers, civilians and contractors responsible for providing materiel readiness and development, new technology, acquisition support and logistics.
American Forces Press Service
June 23, 2008 - President Bush today nominated Army Lt. Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody for promotion, which, pending Senate approval, would make her the first woman to be a four-star officer in U.S. history. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced the president's nomination of Dunwoody as the commander of Army Materiel Command at Fort Belvoir, Va., in a news release published today by the Defense Department.
Dunwoody, who has served in several command positions since her Army commission in 1975, including her current role as the Army's deputy chief of staff for logistics, is one of five women now fulfilling three-star flag officer duties.
In 1970, Col. Anna Mae Hays blazed the trail when she became chief of the Army Nurse Corps, achieving the highest rank -- brigadier general -- of any woman servicemember at the time. But as Dunwoody's pending promotion underscores, the role of women in the U.S. military has expanded significantly since then.
Fifty-seven active-duty women and 47 female reservists wear stars on their shoulders in the armed forces. Moreover, roughly 194,000 women make up 14 percent of all active duty forces. Since Sept. 11, 2001, more than 193,400 women have deployed in support of U.S. operations.
The casualty figures of current conflicts provide a thumbnail sketch of a force structure that increasingly depends on women in combat zones. Ninety-seven women have died in Iraq, and 585 others have suffered injuries there, according to Defense Department statistics.
If confirmed by the Senate, Dunwoody would command the teams of soldiers, civilians and contractors responsible for providing materiel readiness and development, new technology, acquisition support and logistics.
America Supports You: 'Good Grief Camp' Helps Children Overcome Loss
American Forces Press Service
June 23, 2008 - Losing a parent or sibling who served in the military can be devastating to children, but they don't have to cope alone. Thanks to the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, more than 300 of war's youngest survivors attended the TAPS "Good Grief Camp" over Memorial Day weekend. Many of them have lost a father or brother serving with the military in Iraq or Afghanistan.
TAPS is a veterans service organization providing peer-based emotional support, grief and trauma resources, seminars, case work assistance, and 24/7 crisis intervention care for all those affected by a death of a loved one in military service. The organization has held its Good Grief Camps for 14 years.
"We've found that children who have attended the Good Grief Camp felt a closeness to each other like many have never experienced, as they are surrounded by others their age who have [suffered] a similar loss," said Heather Campagna, director of the 2008 Good Grief Camp. "There is a comfort when someone says they understand, ... and for the first time, in many instances, they know it is true."
While attending the camp, children are paired one on one with a military mentor who becomes their "big brother" or "big sister" for the weekend. They gain their own age-appropriate peer support network and learn coping strategies for dealing with loss through educational activities.
The campers also connect their own family's experience with a national legacy of military service, learning how the nation honors those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the country as they visit memorials and participate in ceremonies.
Organizers say the depth of loss children experience may not be fully recognized.
"When a child loses a parent or another relative in the military, often they suffer secondary losses that are not acknowledged in their lives," Campagna said. "They might move away from a home, be away from a military base when that is the only thing they have known, have to attend a new school, notice the ... empty chair at Thanksgiving dinner, and miss their confidante. Connecting with a mentor can be an empowering experience for a child who has already lost so much."
Mentors said the experience is rewarding.
"I loved working with the kids," said Marine Cpl. Phillip Vilkas. "The first time, I was exhausted at the end of each day, but I never felt more proud to be in uniform than when a child who has lost a loved one looks up at me."
TAPS will hold Good Grief Camps with a one-day curriculum in conjunction with an adult survivor seminar in nine locations around the United States this summer and fall. The events are planned for July 12 in Philadelphia, July 26 in Alabama, and Aug. 2 in Indiana. Dates for events in Ohio and Hawaii, as well as at Fort Lewis, Wash; Fort Stewart, Ga.; and Fort Bliss, Texas, are currently being scheduled.
A special camp and seminar designed for families who have lost contractors and U.S. government civilians working with the military will be held in Dallas on Aug. 23.
TAPS is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.
June 23, 2008 - Losing a parent or sibling who served in the military can be devastating to children, but they don't have to cope alone. Thanks to the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, more than 300 of war's youngest survivors attended the TAPS "Good Grief Camp" over Memorial Day weekend. Many of them have lost a father or brother serving with the military in Iraq or Afghanistan.
TAPS is a veterans service organization providing peer-based emotional support, grief and trauma resources, seminars, case work assistance, and 24/7 crisis intervention care for all those affected by a death of a loved one in military service. The organization has held its Good Grief Camps for 14 years.
"We've found that children who have attended the Good Grief Camp felt a closeness to each other like many have never experienced, as they are surrounded by others their age who have [suffered] a similar loss," said Heather Campagna, director of the 2008 Good Grief Camp. "There is a comfort when someone says they understand, ... and for the first time, in many instances, they know it is true."
While attending the camp, children are paired one on one with a military mentor who becomes their "big brother" or "big sister" for the weekend. They gain their own age-appropriate peer support network and learn coping strategies for dealing with loss through educational activities.
The campers also connect their own family's experience with a national legacy of military service, learning how the nation honors those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the country as they visit memorials and participate in ceremonies.
Organizers say the depth of loss children experience may not be fully recognized.
"When a child loses a parent or another relative in the military, often they suffer secondary losses that are not acknowledged in their lives," Campagna said. "They might move away from a home, be away from a military base when that is the only thing they have known, have to attend a new school, notice the ... empty chair at Thanksgiving dinner, and miss their confidante. Connecting with a mentor can be an empowering experience for a child who has already lost so much."
Mentors said the experience is rewarding.
"I loved working with the kids," said Marine Cpl. Phillip Vilkas. "The first time, I was exhausted at the end of each day, but I never felt more proud to be in uniform than when a child who has lost a loved one looks up at me."
TAPS will hold Good Grief Camps with a one-day curriculum in conjunction with an adult survivor seminar in nine locations around the United States this summer and fall. The events are planned for July 12 in Philadelphia, July 26 in Alabama, and Aug. 2 in Indiana. Dates for events in Ohio and Hawaii, as well as at Fort Lewis, Wash; Fort Stewart, Ga.; and Fort Bliss, Texas, are currently being scheduled.
A special camp and seminar designed for families who have lost contractors and U.S. government civilians working with the military will be held in Dallas on Aug. 23.
TAPS is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.
Joint Conference Exhibits Showcase Support for U.S. Warfighters
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
June 21, 2008 - Members of the military services, Defense Department civilian employees and military contractors showcased how they harness technology to provide support for U.S. warfighters at the 2008 Joint Warfighter Conference held here June 17-19. U.S. Joint Forces Command, based at nearby Norfolk, Va., was one of the sponsors of the conference, which featured more than 300 vendors of defense equipment.
Marine Gen. James N. Mattis, U.S. Joint Forces Command's chief, reminded attendees during his June 19 speech that although technology is important to warfighters, it isn't a panacea, and that war remains primarily a human endeavor.
"We want to make certain that we keep technology in an enabling role, not in some kind of dominant role," Mattis said. "We do want high (technological) capability ... I want the highest capability we can bring to our troops in the field."
Hannah R. Jones, a technical analyst for Trident Systems based in Fairfax, Va., displayed some of that capability. Jones modeled a tiny, lightweight computer screen that can be worn on a servicemember's forearm that replaces a bulky laptop display.
She also pointed to a group of foot-long, cylindrical sensor nodes that can serve as silent electronic sentinels for troops deployed in harm's way.
"Let's say you have a group of soldiers and you need them to go to sleep," Jones explained. The sensors, she said, can be buried in a perimeter pattern, while one of the soldiers stays awake to watch the radio-monitor screen.
"If something should 'trip' the motion detectors, which are located in the product, you'd find it on the radio and it would come up as a yellow flower (symbol), so you can know exactly where it 'tripped,'" Jones said.
At another booth, Navy civilian employee Phil Love patted an orange-painted, 13-foot-long, jet-propelled aerial target device built by Northrop Grumman that can replicate the speed and maneuverability of enemy cruise-type missiles.
The remote-controlled rockets "are for training for the fleet," explained Love, who works with the U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center-Aircraft Division at Norfolk. "The ships will either shoot them down, or not. If they are not destroyed, we recover them, recondition them, and we can have them ready to go the next day." The target devices, he noted, can be launched from a ship or land.
A model of the Boeing Company's Transformational Satellite Communications System that's under development garnered a lot of interest among conference attendees. According to a company official, the new system is designed to be the "Cadillac" of communications satellites. Old-style satellites "bounce" their signals earthward and back up to other satellites by ground controllers several times while transmitting trans-global messages, the official noted. The new satellite system, he said, can "think" for itself and transmit signals to other satellites without ground-control assistance. This saves considerable time, and money, the official said.
Meanwhile, Fernando Del Angel showed off a group of special universal serial bus "flash" computer data storage drives that can carry encrypted information that cannot be retrieved without a password. The robust, aluminum-cased thumb-drives are made by Kanguru Solutions based in Millis, Mass., Del Angel said, noting they are used throughout the federal government and by private industry.
"Encrypted means protected," Del Angel explained. "So, if you lose that USB drive you'd bought at Office Depot or Wal-Mart and it has vital information on it, Joe Schmoe can pick it up off the street and sell it or use it to breach your network."
During his June 18 address, Army Lt. Gen. Thomas F. Metz, director of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization based in Arlington, Va., urged defense contractors to help his agency find ways to train troops how to detect and defeat deadly improvised explosive devices before they explode.
Metz said he believes simulators could be developed to train U.S. troops how to contend with roadside bombs before they're deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.
"I think the simulation business could help us tremendously ... come give me your good ideas, help these soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines -- those who are doing the fighting for us -- to beat this weapon system," Metz said.
American Forces Press Service
June 21, 2008 - Members of the military services, Defense Department civilian employees and military contractors showcased how they harness technology to provide support for U.S. warfighters at the 2008 Joint Warfighter Conference held here June 17-19. U.S. Joint Forces Command, based at nearby Norfolk, Va., was one of the sponsors of the conference, which featured more than 300 vendors of defense equipment.
Marine Gen. James N. Mattis, U.S. Joint Forces Command's chief, reminded attendees during his June 19 speech that although technology is important to warfighters, it isn't a panacea, and that war remains primarily a human endeavor.
"We want to make certain that we keep technology in an enabling role, not in some kind of dominant role," Mattis said. "We do want high (technological) capability ... I want the highest capability we can bring to our troops in the field."
Hannah R. Jones, a technical analyst for Trident Systems based in Fairfax, Va., displayed some of that capability. Jones modeled a tiny, lightweight computer screen that can be worn on a servicemember's forearm that replaces a bulky laptop display.
She also pointed to a group of foot-long, cylindrical sensor nodes that can serve as silent electronic sentinels for troops deployed in harm's way.
"Let's say you have a group of soldiers and you need them to go to sleep," Jones explained. The sensors, she said, can be buried in a perimeter pattern, while one of the soldiers stays awake to watch the radio-monitor screen.
"If something should 'trip' the motion detectors, which are located in the product, you'd find it on the radio and it would come up as a yellow flower (symbol), so you can know exactly where it 'tripped,'" Jones said.
At another booth, Navy civilian employee Phil Love patted an orange-painted, 13-foot-long, jet-propelled aerial target device built by Northrop Grumman that can replicate the speed and maneuverability of enemy cruise-type missiles.
The remote-controlled rockets "are for training for the fleet," explained Love, who works with the U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center-Aircraft Division at Norfolk. "The ships will either shoot them down, or not. If they are not destroyed, we recover them, recondition them, and we can have them ready to go the next day." The target devices, he noted, can be launched from a ship or land.
A model of the Boeing Company's Transformational Satellite Communications System that's under development garnered a lot of interest among conference attendees. According to a company official, the new system is designed to be the "Cadillac" of communications satellites. Old-style satellites "bounce" their signals earthward and back up to other satellites by ground controllers several times while transmitting trans-global messages, the official noted. The new satellite system, he said, can "think" for itself and transmit signals to other satellites without ground-control assistance. This saves considerable time, and money, the official said.
Meanwhile, Fernando Del Angel showed off a group of special universal serial bus "flash" computer data storage drives that can carry encrypted information that cannot be retrieved without a password. The robust, aluminum-cased thumb-drives are made by Kanguru Solutions based in Millis, Mass., Del Angel said, noting they are used throughout the federal government and by private industry.
"Encrypted means protected," Del Angel explained. "So, if you lose that USB drive you'd bought at Office Depot or Wal-Mart and it has vital information on it, Joe Schmoe can pick it up off the street and sell it or use it to breach your network."
During his June 18 address, Army Lt. Gen. Thomas F. Metz, director of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization based in Arlington, Va., urged defense contractors to help his agency find ways to train troops how to detect and defeat deadly improvised explosive devices before they explode.
Metz said he believes simulators could be developed to train U.S. troops how to contend with roadside bombs before they're deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.
"I think the simulation business could help us tremendously ... come give me your good ideas, help these soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines -- those who are doing the fighting for us -- to beat this weapon system," Metz said.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Center Develops Partnerships to Create Cutting-Edge Medical Technology
By Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 22, 2008 - The U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command's Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center is dedicated to advancing the discovery of new and novel medical technologies and research and following them through to implementation, said the center's director. Col. (Dr.) Karl Friedl, who leads the center on Fort Detrick, Md., discussed the center's mission during an interview on the "Dot Mil Docs" program on BlogTalkRadio.com on Thursday.
"TATRC is about connecting strategic partnerships and trying to facilitate the novel cutting-edge import of medical technologies and research that are going to make a difference for the DOD, especially in those areas that fall outside of our planned programs that weren't necessary in the president's budget," Friedl said.
Friedl pointed out that the center has the ability to be both agile and responsive.
"We're both sort of a catcher's mitt as well as a forward recon group for military medical research, and we ... [serve] in a function as a primer or an incubator for innovative medical research," he said.
TATRC has been exploring and implementing telemedicine and other advanced medical technology solutions for over 15 years. Today, TATRC supports approximately 500 ongoing research projects.
TATRC works with industry, academia and the government to research and find solutions to medical advancements in numerous areas, to include diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's and gynecological cancers.
These solutions provide models with dual use applications, providing the DOD with new approaches for physiological monitoring, glycemic control of casualties, neuropsychological monitoring tools, and interventions to protect against effects of head injury and neurotoxic chemical exposures. They also create a network for DOD patient care and personalized medicine.
He added that osteoporosis research funding has produced new discoveries and understanding that, if implemented, could nearly eliminate stress fracture from initial entry training. Additionally, TATRC is researching other avenues, such as teleneurosurgery projects by using new robotic technologies to bridge the "distance" gap between the patient and the doctor.
"A clinician can manipulate this robot with a screen, so people at the other end can see the clinician and respond to him," Friedl said.
Friedl said TATRC is exploring the usage of robotic technologies through the RP-7 Remote Presence Robotic System, which is a wireless, mobile, remote presence robot that allows a doctor to be in two places at once. TATRC is exploring the use of remote presence robots at a handful of Army medical facilities.
He added that the camera enables the clinician to move the robot around to see the patients to get the best view. "It wasn't something that required new research or discovery of something new, but was to show that these things would work in that environment and refine how they might work and to overcome those barriers to implementing a great solution," Friedl said.
Friedl said that TATRC has been working on various significant military medical research,including computational biology predictive modeling, electronic health records and outcomes-based research, and neurosciences.
"The most significant pieces for the future of our military medical research that we are invested in right now, we are focused on computational biology, which contributes to predictive modeling and tools for decision support systems, everything from how we would interpret the sensors that we might put on a casualty from the evacuation all the way through to their rehabilitation in some remote area ... where we would need to monitor how they are doing," he said.
Another key technology is electronic health records and outcomes-based research to enable the mining of medical records to detect such items as health ailments or identifying supplements that people in the Defense Department are taking that might have adverse outcomes.
"DOD has the largest single electronic health record collection in the world," said Friedl. "Imagine if we now have a good pharmaceutical vigilance system built into this so you could monitor closely any adverse outcomes that we would be the first to detect."
He added that having a pharmaceutical vigilance system built into an electronic health record, would allow early detection.
"Electronic health records is key to our future ... if we make it work right; it's going to change the way we do business," said Friedl.
Friedl added that another significant military medical research area deals with neurosciences.
"Every one of these projects that come in, we consider how it's going to contribute to some piece of our neurosciences interest, the watchword of the day is mild TBI and PTSD," said Friedl.
However, there are some 40 main areas in medical technology that TATRC are currently working on. In addition to research, TATRC is also working on another 20 key medical initiatives.
"The DOD has the opportunity to be in the leadership role, because of the kinds of models and problems that we have," said Friedl. "We are here to try solving problems."
Friedl said one of the 20 key initiatives that TATRC is exploring is the concept of the "hospital of the future," which TATRC works on harnessing and gathering up the technology, advancements and research from the Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT) in Boston and the Center for Advanced Surgical and Interventional Technology at the University of California Los Angeles medical center, for example, and connecting these with the Army Health Facility Planning Agency.
"When we open up a new facility, we actually open it up with new technology and cutting-edge concepts instead of something that is already 10 years old," Friedl said.
CIMIT involves interaction of science and engineering to promote innovative medical research advances such as autonomous medical training manikins, medical device plug-and-play standards, and medical equipment for austere environments such as a neonatal incubator composed exclusively of Toyota car parts.
Friedl added that TATRC is committed to their strategic partnering and collaboration-building activities with universities, such as University of Texas Health Sciences Center Houston and the South Carolina academic consortium.
TATRC is also working with the University of Texas on the Nanohealth Alliance, encephalitis surveillance, radioprotection, and medical emergency response. In addition the center addresses systems wellness and integrative healthcare studies with new recruits and biobehavioral factors at the South Carolina academic consortium.
(Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg works in the New Media directorate of the Defense Media Activity.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 22, 2008 - The U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command's Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center is dedicated to advancing the discovery of new and novel medical technologies and research and following them through to implementation, said the center's director. Col. (Dr.) Karl Friedl, who leads the center on Fort Detrick, Md., discussed the center's mission during an interview on the "Dot Mil Docs" program on BlogTalkRadio.com on Thursday.
"TATRC is about connecting strategic partnerships and trying to facilitate the novel cutting-edge import of medical technologies and research that are going to make a difference for the DOD, especially in those areas that fall outside of our planned programs that weren't necessary in the president's budget," Friedl said.
Friedl pointed out that the center has the ability to be both agile and responsive.
"We're both sort of a catcher's mitt as well as a forward recon group for military medical research, and we ... [serve] in a function as a primer or an incubator for innovative medical research," he said.
TATRC has been exploring and implementing telemedicine and other advanced medical technology solutions for over 15 years. Today, TATRC supports approximately 500 ongoing research projects.
TATRC works with industry, academia and the government to research and find solutions to medical advancements in numerous areas, to include diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's and gynecological cancers.
These solutions provide models with dual use applications, providing the DOD with new approaches for physiological monitoring, glycemic control of casualties, neuropsychological monitoring tools, and interventions to protect against effects of head injury and neurotoxic chemical exposures. They also create a network for DOD patient care and personalized medicine.
He added that osteoporosis research funding has produced new discoveries and understanding that, if implemented, could nearly eliminate stress fracture from initial entry training. Additionally, TATRC is researching other avenues, such as teleneurosurgery projects by using new robotic technologies to bridge the "distance" gap between the patient and the doctor.
"A clinician can manipulate this robot with a screen, so people at the other end can see the clinician and respond to him," Friedl said.
Friedl said TATRC is exploring the usage of robotic technologies through the RP-7 Remote Presence Robotic System, which is a wireless, mobile, remote presence robot that allows a doctor to be in two places at once. TATRC is exploring the use of remote presence robots at a handful of Army medical facilities.
He added that the camera enables the clinician to move the robot around to see the patients to get the best view. "It wasn't something that required new research or discovery of something new, but was to show that these things would work in that environment and refine how they might work and to overcome those barriers to implementing a great solution," Friedl said.
Friedl said that TATRC has been working on various significant military medical research,including computational biology predictive modeling, electronic health records and outcomes-based research, and neurosciences.
"The most significant pieces for the future of our military medical research that we are invested in right now, we are focused on computational biology, which contributes to predictive modeling and tools for decision support systems, everything from how we would interpret the sensors that we might put on a casualty from the evacuation all the way through to their rehabilitation in some remote area ... where we would need to monitor how they are doing," he said.
Another key technology is electronic health records and outcomes-based research to enable the mining of medical records to detect such items as health ailments or identifying supplements that people in the Defense Department are taking that might have adverse outcomes.
"DOD has the largest single electronic health record collection in the world," said Friedl. "Imagine if we now have a good pharmaceutical vigilance system built into this so you could monitor closely any adverse outcomes that we would be the first to detect."
He added that having a pharmaceutical vigilance system built into an electronic health record, would allow early detection.
"Electronic health records is key to our future ... if we make it work right; it's going to change the way we do business," said Friedl.
Friedl added that another significant military medical research area deals with neurosciences.
"Every one of these projects that come in, we consider how it's going to contribute to some piece of our neurosciences interest, the watchword of the day is mild TBI and PTSD," said Friedl.
However, there are some 40 main areas in medical technology that TATRC are currently working on. In addition to research, TATRC is also working on another 20 key medical initiatives.
"The DOD has the opportunity to be in the leadership role, because of the kinds of models and problems that we have," said Friedl. "We are here to try solving problems."
Friedl said one of the 20 key initiatives that TATRC is exploring is the concept of the "hospital of the future," which TATRC works on harnessing and gathering up the technology, advancements and research from the Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT) in Boston and the Center for Advanced Surgical and Interventional Technology at the University of California Los Angeles medical center, for example, and connecting these with the Army Health Facility Planning Agency.
"When we open up a new facility, we actually open it up with new technology and cutting-edge concepts instead of something that is already 10 years old," Friedl said.
CIMIT involves interaction of science and engineering to promote innovative medical research advances such as autonomous medical training manikins, medical device plug-and-play standards, and medical equipment for austere environments such as a neonatal incubator composed exclusively of Toyota car parts.
Friedl added that TATRC is committed to their strategic partnering and collaboration-building activities with universities, such as University of Texas Health Sciences Center Houston and the South Carolina academic consortium.
TATRC is also working with the University of Texas on the Nanohealth Alliance, encephalitis surveillance, radioprotection, and medical emergency response. In addition the center addresses systems wellness and integrative healthcare studies with new recruits and biobehavioral factors at the South Carolina academic consortium.
(Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg works in the New Media directorate of the Defense Media Activity.)
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