By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
April 24, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates welcomed a group of recently appointed senior defense civilian officials during a Pentagon ceremony today. Gates welcomed Michele A. Flournoy, undersecretary of defense for policy; Robert F. Hale, undersecretary of defense, comptroller; James N. Miller, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy; Alexander R. Vershbow, assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, and Jeh C. Johnson, general counsel of the Department of Defense.
"I'm pleased to officially welcome five senior officials to the Department of Defense -- dedicated professionals, all," Gates said before a mixed military-civilian audience that filled the Pentagon's auditorium.
The new officials, Gates said, possess "a wide range of experience in strategic and international affairs, management, finance and law."
Gates also announced that Ashton Carter last night received U.S. Senate confirmation to become the next undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics.
The defense secretary said he and his senior management team "look forward to working closely" with these newly appointed leaders "on a host of critical decisions in the months and years ahead."
Flournoy "has been on the job now for some time," Gates said, noting that she has been busy addressing Afghanistan and Pakistan issues. He saluted Flournoy's expertise in strategic defense matters and said she's a leading expert on how to apply and integrate the military and civilian elements of national power and international cooperation during unexpected contingency operations.
"It is truly an honor to be standing with you all here today," Flournoy said during her remarks. Flournoy said she looks forward to providing "the best possible support to the men and women who serve" in America's military.
Turning to Hale, Gates praised the Pentagon's new top money manager for his "decades of financial and business management experience in the public and private sectors, much of that in the military setting."
During his remarks, Hale noted that he enjoys crunching numbers while managing the Pentagon's financial affairs in support of America's servicemembers and defense civilians. He added that he appreciates the work of the 50,000 members of the Defense Department's financial community, noting their efforts "are the key to making all of this work."
Miller is another accomplished defense expert, Gates said, who as Flournoy's top deputy "will provide advice on a wide range of national security issues likely to confront the department in the coming years," including assisting with the Quadrennial Defense Review process that's now under way.
"It is a great privilege," Miller said, to work with "talented civilian workers and with the men and women in uniform who put themselves in harm's way."
Vershbow, a former U.S. ambassador to NATO, the Russian Federation and South Korea, brings his impeccable credentials in international security affairs, Gates said. The secretary also saluted Vershbow's multiple talents and his "great dedication and patriotism."
"I've come to respect the courage, the vision and the dedication of our armed forces and become a true believer in the importance of close civil-military coordination in meeting today's threats," Vershbow said during his remarks.
Johnson, the Pentagon's new senior lawyer, brings "a wealth of legal experience and expertise" as well as "an affinity for public service," Gates said of the former top lawyer for the Air Force. The secretary said he'll rely on Johnson's legal expertise and advice as the department closes the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, while it continues to safeguard the American people.
"I know you want to help our men and women in uniform accomplish their missions for the American people," Gates told the new officials. "I also know that your talents and your persistence will be great assets to this department and our country."
Friday, April 24, 2009
Group to Honor Vets' Caregivers During National Nurses Week
By Sharon Foster
American Forces Press Service
April 24, 2009 - Helping veterans with physical and emotional problems can be overwhelming for caregivers, but despite the long hours and magnified stress, nurses continue to provide quality care to wounded warriors across the country. To recognize their commitment to wounded servicemembers, a Maryland-based wellness center will provide free acupuncture and therapeutic bodywork sessions to nurses at the Veterans Affairs medical center here May 5 as a prelude to National Nurses Week, May 6-12.
"These nurses tend to the long-term consequences of war," Alaine D. Duncan, executive director of Crossings Healingworks, said. "They help young veterans with missing limbs, head injuries and traumatic stress reactions. They help older veterans who carry some of the heaviest burdens in life. We believe helping caregivers with stress-reduction services will enhance their wellness [and] maximize their skills, performance and job satisfaction."
Fourteen acupuncturists and "bodyworkers" from Crossings Healingworks will work in three shifts from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., providing services such as ear acupuncture, acupressure, holistic body and mind therapy and massages, Duncan said.
"Through these services, we hope to bring ancient healing traditions that restore and renew the body, mind [and] spirit of people touched by trauma," Duncan said. "Soldiers bring the trauma of war home with them. Their families, their caregivers and the institutions that serve them are impacted. We are hoping to bring a sense of internal order and coherence, as well as balance and harmony to these nurses that they can pass on to the patients."
This will be the second year Crossings Healingworks has provided free wellness services to VA nurses here. Last year, members of the medical center's Nurses Week committee heard about the wellness clinic that Crossings Healingworks has offered at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here since 2005, and asked the group to bring the stress-reduction services to them. Crossings Healingworks treated 151 nurses in a 12-hour day at the medical center last year.
"The nurses here were so grateful last year, stating it was the best ever," Donna King, chairwoman of the Nurses Week committee at the VA medical center, said. "You could literally see the changes in the nurses as they came from their 'encounter' with Healingworks. We are so grateful for their generosity."
The Crossings Healingworks Restore and Renew Wellness Clinic at Walter Reed provides free services weekly to all staff year-round, on a walk-in basis.
American Forces Press Service
April 24, 2009 - Helping veterans with physical and emotional problems can be overwhelming for caregivers, but despite the long hours and magnified stress, nurses continue to provide quality care to wounded warriors across the country. To recognize their commitment to wounded servicemembers, a Maryland-based wellness center will provide free acupuncture and therapeutic bodywork sessions to nurses at the Veterans Affairs medical center here May 5 as a prelude to National Nurses Week, May 6-12.
"These nurses tend to the long-term consequences of war," Alaine D. Duncan, executive director of Crossings Healingworks, said. "They help young veterans with missing limbs, head injuries and traumatic stress reactions. They help older veterans who carry some of the heaviest burdens in life. We believe helping caregivers with stress-reduction services will enhance their wellness [and] maximize their skills, performance and job satisfaction."
Fourteen acupuncturists and "bodyworkers" from Crossings Healingworks will work in three shifts from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., providing services such as ear acupuncture, acupressure, holistic body and mind therapy and massages, Duncan said.
"Through these services, we hope to bring ancient healing traditions that restore and renew the body, mind [and] spirit of people touched by trauma," Duncan said. "Soldiers bring the trauma of war home with them. Their families, their caregivers and the institutions that serve them are impacted. We are hoping to bring a sense of internal order and coherence, as well as balance and harmony to these nurses that they can pass on to the patients."
This will be the second year Crossings Healingworks has provided free wellness services to VA nurses here. Last year, members of the medical center's Nurses Week committee heard about the wellness clinic that Crossings Healingworks has offered at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here since 2005, and asked the group to bring the stress-reduction services to them. Crossings Healingworks treated 151 nurses in a 12-hour day at the medical center last year.
"The nurses here were so grateful last year, stating it was the best ever," Donna King, chairwoman of the Nurses Week committee at the VA medical center, said. "You could literally see the changes in the nurses as they came from their 'encounter' with Healingworks. We are so grateful for their generosity."
The Crossings Healingworks Restore and Renew Wellness Clinic at Walter Reed provides free services weekly to all staff year-round, on a walk-in basis.
New Mexico Guard Builds Relationship in Costa Rica
American Forces Press ServiceApril 24, 2009 - The New Mexico National Guard transported several Costa Rican dignitaries, including the vice minister of public security and the U.S. ambassador to Costa Rica, via UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter yesterday so they could observe the progress of exercise Fuerzas Aliadas Humanitarias 2009. The exercise is designed to test and improve regional and national disaster response capabilities within Central America and the Caribbean Basin.
New Mexico National Guardsmen are heavily involved in the exercise, performing search-and-rescue rehearsal missions, exchanging disaster response techniques and procedures with Costa Rican emergency officials, performing remote-location medical treatment and interacting with residents all over the country.
In an interagency meeting to assess the simulated disaster in Costa Rica, Coast Guard Cmdr. Mark Camacho, the military group advisor for the U.S. ambassador, said this is the first time the National Guard's State Partnership Program has been used in a disaster relief exercise in a foreign country. It also is the first time helicopter assets have been transported and used in a state partnership country.
The military group has been working on putting the exercise together for more than a year.
"It's very exciting to see this realized," Camacho said. "We are really pleased with everything that's going on."
The State Partnership Program is a national diplomatic program that links the National Guard with foreign nations to promote regional security, peacekeeping and humanitarian operations, counterdrug operations, and to promote open trade markets. It is instrumental in building worldwide stability by nurturing collaborative relationships with foreign countries around the globe, officials said.
(From a New Mexico National Guard news release.)
Air Sovereignty Mission Needs Attention, Air Guard Chief Tells Congress
By Air Force Master Sgt. Mike R. SmithSpecial to American Forces Press Service
April 24, 2009 - New commitments need to be made to the nation's airmen and others who defend North America from threats to its air sovereignty, the Air National Guard's senior officer told members of Congress here April 22. Air Force Lt. Gen. Harry M. Wyatt III, director of the Air Guard, testified before the House Armed Services Committee's readiness subcommittee in a hearing on the nation's Air Sovereignty Alert operations.
The Air Guard operates 16 of the 18 ASA sites located across the United States to protect its airspace. ASA relies on a host of agencies, including U.S. Northern Command, North American Aerospace Defense Command and the Federal Aviation Administration.
"Their service displays a commitment to job No. 1: defense of the homeland," Wyatt said. "Our reluctance to treat Air Sovereignty Alert as an enduring mission continues to impact the men and women serving in this very important mission area."
The general explained that past funding for the mission has been inconsistent, and that equipment quickly is nearing the end of its service life.
About 80 percent of the Air Guard's F-16 Fighting Falcons, which fly the largest portion of the nation's ASA missions, will reach the end of their life span in eight years. Officials also said the average age of Air Guard aircraft is more than 25 years, with KC-135 Stratotankers being the oldest at 49 years. KC-135s support the ASA mission through aerial refueling.
If Air Guard units received the "fifth-generation" fighters, such as the F-22 and F-35 sooner rather than later, the readiness issues could be avoided, Wyatt said.
"Every day without a solution, this situation becomes more and more urgent," he told the subcommittee. "The risk of doing nothing is unacceptable, and we are examining all options to address recapitalization of these aircraft."
In addition to equipment, Wyatt pointed out the need to recognize ASA as a steady-state mission, which would provide predictability to Guard members serving on year-to-year state active duty tours to support it.
"I think many falsely believe this mission only includes a handful of fighter pilots," he said. "They forget about the maintainers, communicators, command and control, life support, intelligence officers, security forces, and others who are also critical components to the execution of this mission."
In total, excluding tanker support, more than 3,000 airmen are responsible for the Air Sovereignty Alert mission, officials said.
The issue also affects retention, readiness, and employer and family support, Wyatt said.
"Recognition that Air Sovereignty Alert is within the steady-state portion of the global defense posture, requiring long-range planning and consistent funding, is extremely important to providing predictability to the units supporting this mission area," he said.
"Our airmen are leaning forward, standing side by side with their joint and coalition partners, to maintain the safety of our skies and our borders," the general continued. "We -- all of us -- have a responsibility to add stability to their funding and to bridge the equipment capability gaps that exist on the horizon."
(Air Force Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith serves at the National Guard Bureau.)
By Army Sgt. Ann KnudsonSpecial to American Forces Press Service
April 24, 2009 - The North Dakota National Guard finished pulling out two barrier systems that proved to be useful new tools in the fight against recent flooding in the state. The flood threat has gone away, and the rapid-deployment flood walls, known as RDFWs, that National Guard members has installed south of Minot are no longer needed, officials said.
RDFWs act as a flood barrier through a series of interlocking plastic dividers. The dividers lie flat for shipping, and when used, unfold into a grid of square cells, much like the grid on a fluorescent light. The 4-by-4-foot cells interlock end to end to form a line, and up and down to form a wall. The grids are 11 inches high per layer. The internal cells line up with each other vertically, forming a column, so sand can be poured in after several layers are in place.
"It all holds together throughout," Army Sgt. Aaron Wall, the noncommissioned officer in charge for the first RDFW project, said. "The ends are capped with sandbags, and we'll put sandbags two high on the upstream side." Wall is a member of the 164th Engineer Battalion's Forward Support Company and an officer in the Minot Police Department.
Wall and nine other soldiers put up the first RDFW south of Minot, on the upstream side of the bridge over First Larson Coulee. The bridge is in an area called Crystal Springs. The RDFW was a precautionary measure to keep the bridge passable in case the stream in the coulee rose to road level.
As it turned out, the water did not get that high, but the exercise did show how much training was needed to use the RDFW, how many soldiers it took, and how fast it could be done. Soldiers said the RDFW didn't take a lot of training to put up. "We read the directions out of the box and watched a five-minute video clip," Wall said.
It didn't take much time, either. About 10 soldiers started the project at 10 a.m. By 7 p.m., they had a wall 400 feet long, 4 feet across and 33 inches high filled with sand and leveled off. They also had placed sandbags at the ends and on the upstream side for reinforcement.
"We could have been done even sooner, but we spent a little time waiting for sand and sandbags," said Army Spc. Paul F. Vining of Minot, a member of the 164th Engineer Battalion's Forward Support Company. Vining is an emergency room nurse at Trinity Hospital.
Here's the math: A filled sandbag weighs about 40 pounds. A cubic foot of sand weighs 100 pounds. The RDFW was the equivalent of about 12,000 sandbags. A two-person team can fill and tie one sandbag a minute, so a team of 10 would take a little more than three 12-hour days to fill and tie 12,000 sandbags.
As a very rough estimate, it takes as many work hours to palletize, load, drive, unload and heave sandbags into place as it does to fill them. Thus, it would have taken about a week to equal the RDFW with sandbags, officials said.
"It went pretty well overall," Wall said. "The most time-consuming part was that you need equipment to finish it up, but you'd need that with [Hesco barriers], too. We used a payloader on the first RDFW and a cement truck for the second."
"Those [RDFWs] were nice," Vining said. "We used them on 35th Avenue Southwest, which turns into County Road 14. Water was across the road about 40 feet wide. We didn't want to put the RDFW in the middle, in case the water washed it away before we got the sand in, so we used sandbags in the middle and the RDFW on the ends. It worked real well."
Sandbags are cheap, and better for use on bumpy ground, steep slopes, or when there are more people than equipment. However, like Hesco barriers, the RDFW can save time on flat surfaces, officials said.
(Army Sgt. Ann Knudson serves with the North Dakota National Guard.)
MILITARY CONTRACTS April 24, 2009
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is awarding an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract to BAE Systems of Herndon, Va., for a maximum of $49,900,000. This action will provide systems engineering and evaluation, systems analysis for Worldwide five. This work will provide life cycle software development engineering to the Department of Defense Intelligence Information System and the US Intelligence Community worldwide. At this time, $120,000 has been obligated. AFRL/RIKF, Rome, New York is the contracting activity (FA8750-09-D-0214).
NAVY
BAE Systems Tactical Vehicle Systems LLP (BAE-TVS), Sealy, Texas, is being awarded a $19,036,693 firm fixed priced modification to a previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5030) delivery order #0005, for the purchase of Capability Insertion Engineering change proposals for the 1,800 MRAP vehicles procured under this contract. Work will be performed at Kuwait Refurbishment Facility, and the final deliveries associated with this delivery order are expected to be completed by Jul. 30, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Healy Tibbitts Builders, Inc., Aiea, Hawaii, is being awarded a $10,629,904 firm fixed price task order #0023 under a multiple award construction contract (N62742-04-D-1300) for design and construction to repair Wharf S1 at Naval Submarine Base Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The work to be performed includes but is not limited to all labor, supervision, tools, materials, and equipment necessary for wharf repairs. Work consists of repairs to the concrete support piles, concrete superstructure, mooring hardware, and timber/concrete/plastic fender system based on the Underwater Facilities Inspection and Assessments report of Aug. 2000. Replace deteriorated under deck utility hangers which support conduits and bracing for suspended service scaffolding, mooring hardware, 10 foot diameter floating fenders, and installing oil containment flotation device (Perma Boom). Work will be performed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 2010. Funds provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Three proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Hawaii, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii is the contracting activity.
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Hutchinson Industries, Inc., Trenton, N.J., is being awarded a maximum $17,825,617 firm fixed price, sole source contract for pneumatic tires and wheels. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Army. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Sept. 21, 2009. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency (DSCC-ZG), Warren, Mich., (SPRDL1-09-C-0047).
The Air Force is awarding an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract to BAE Systems of Herndon, Va., for a maximum of $49,900,000. This action will provide systems engineering and evaluation, systems analysis for Worldwide five. This work will provide life cycle software development engineering to the Department of Defense Intelligence Information System and the US Intelligence Community worldwide. At this time, $120,000 has been obligated. AFRL/RIKF, Rome, New York is the contracting activity (FA8750-09-D-0214).
NAVY
BAE Systems Tactical Vehicle Systems LLP (BAE-TVS), Sealy, Texas, is being awarded a $19,036,693 firm fixed priced modification to a previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5030) delivery order #0005, for the purchase of Capability Insertion Engineering change proposals for the 1,800 MRAP vehicles procured under this contract. Work will be performed at Kuwait Refurbishment Facility, and the final deliveries associated with this delivery order are expected to be completed by Jul. 30, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Healy Tibbitts Builders, Inc., Aiea, Hawaii, is being awarded a $10,629,904 firm fixed price task order #0023 under a multiple award construction contract (N62742-04-D-1300) for design and construction to repair Wharf S1 at Naval Submarine Base Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The work to be performed includes but is not limited to all labor, supervision, tools, materials, and equipment necessary for wharf repairs. Work consists of repairs to the concrete support piles, concrete superstructure, mooring hardware, and timber/concrete/plastic fender system based on the Underwater Facilities Inspection and Assessments report of Aug. 2000. Replace deteriorated under deck utility hangers which support conduits and bracing for suspended service scaffolding, mooring hardware, 10 foot diameter floating fenders, and installing oil containment flotation device (Perma Boom). Work will be performed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 2010. Funds provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Three proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Hawaii, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii is the contracting activity.
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Hutchinson Industries, Inc., Trenton, N.J., is being awarded a maximum $17,825,617 firm fixed price, sole source contract for pneumatic tires and wheels. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Army. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Sept. 21, 2009. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency (DSCC-ZG), Warren, Mich., (SPRDL1-09-C-0047).
Thursday, April 23, 2009
MILITARY CONTRACTS April 23, 2009
NAVY
Raytheon Co., Integrated Defense Systems, Tewksbury, Mass., is being awarded a $217,000,000 cost plus fixed fee modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-05-C-5346) for the procurement of two Volume Search Radar (VSR) for the Zumwalt Class Destroyer Program and USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). Work will be performed in Moorestown, N.J. (95 percent) and Sudbury, Mass. (5 percent), and is to be completed by March 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C. is the contracting activity.
Oshkosh Corp., Oshkosh, Wis., is being awarded for $11,606,652 for modification to a fixed price delivery order #0041 under existing previously awarded indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract (M67854-06-D-5028). This delivery order is issued against exercised priced options for the purchase of an additional 30 Logistic Vehicle System Replacement (LVSR) production cargo vehicles. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wis., and work for this delivery order is expected to be completed by June 30, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps System Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Northrop Grumman Corp., Integrated Systems Western Region, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded an $8,743,239 modification to a previously awarded cost plus fixed fee contract (N00019-05-C-0057) to provide additional operations and maintenance support for the Global Hawk Maritime Demonstration (GHMD), including operation and sustainment, logistics support and sustaining engineering throughout the demonstration. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Md. (90 percent) and San Diego, Calif. (10 percent), and is expected to be completed in November 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $8,743,239 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Lockheed Martin Systems Integration – Oswego, Oswego, N.Y., is being awarded a $5,553,093 cost plus fixed fee, firm fixed price, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract for engineering and technical support in the integration of Organic Airborne Mine Countermeasures (OAMCM) Systems into a MH-60S helicopter. The effort is in support of Carrier Battle Groups and Amphibious Readiness Groups. The five OAMCM systems to be incorporated in the MH-60S are the AN/AQS-20A Advanced Sonar System; Airborne Mine Neutralization System (AMNS); Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS); Rapid Airborne Mine Clearance System (RAMICS); and Organic Airborne and Surface Influence Sweep (OASIS). This acquisition supports the fundamental effort of integrating this entire suite of Airborne Mine Countermeasures (AMCM) systems with the helicopter structurally and with the helicopter Command, Control, Communication, Computer and Intelligence (C4I) systems. Work will be performed in Oswego, N.Y. (50 percent) and Panama City, Fla. (50 percent), and is expected to be completed by April 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City, Fla., is the contracting activity (N61331-09-D-0009).
ARMY
Rockwell Collins, Cedar Rapids, Iowa was awarded on Apr. 22, 2009 a $ 10,200,000 firm fixed price with time and material CLIN contract for the upgrading for the functionality of the Stryker Hull Hots trainer and incorporating new upgrades on three (3) Infant Carrier Vehicle (ICV) configuration vehicles. Work is to be performed in Binghamton, N.Y. with an estimated completion date of Feb. 17, 2011. One bid was solicited and one bid received. PEO Simulation, Training and Instrumentation, Orlando, Fla. Is the contracting activity (N61339-01-D-0722).
The Boeing Co., Ridley Park, Pa. was awarded on Apr. 21, 2009 a $ 141,962,130 firm fixed price contract for CH-47F multiyear contract for second year, production lot 7, Seven (7) each CH-47F new build aircrafts. Work is to be performed in Ridley Park, Pa with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2013. One bid was solicited and one bid received. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aviation and Missiles, CCAM-CH-A, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. Is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-08-C-0098).
BAE Systems information and Electronic Systems Integration, Washington DC was awarded on Apr. 21, 2009 a $ 15,984,010 firm fixed price indefinitzed contractual action with 12month period of performance contract for two (2) Bar Armor kits prototypes (1 each) for the RG-31 and Cougar CAT I Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles. This contract also includes 325 production Bar Armor Kits for the Cougar CAT I. Work is to be performed in Washington, DC with an estimated completion date of May 1, 2009. One bid was solicited and one bid received TACOM Contracting Center, Detroit Arsenal, Warren, Mich. Is the contracting activity (W56HZV-09-C-0311).
Raytheon Co., Andover, Mass. was awarded on Apr. 20, 2009 a $28,732,203 cost plus fixed fee contract that provides mission support and system sustainment for various configurations of Rapid Aerostat Initial Deployment (RAID) tower systems. Work is to be performed in Andover, MA with an estimated completion date of Dec, 31, 2009. One bid was solicited and one bid received. U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, Contracting and Management Office, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. Is the contracting activity (W9113M-08-C-0153).
Ceres Environmental, Inc., Brooklyn Park, Minn. was awarded on Apr. 16, 2009 a $13,814,973 firm fixed price contract that the contractor will be primarily responsible for constructing a floodwall protection system, which will include gatewell, sluice, outlet, and four sandbag closures and riprap for erosion control. Work is to be performed in Munster, IN and Hammond, IN with an estimated completion date of Apr. 30, 2011. Proposals were solicited using the wed and 10 bid were received. USACE, Chicago District, Chicago, III is the contracting activity (W912P6-09-C-0003).
General Dynamics, Ordnance and tactical System (GD-OTS), St. Petersburg, Fl a.was awarded on Apr. 16, 2009 a $ 6,049,164 firm fixed price contract for 105mm M1130 High Explosives (HE), Pre-formed Fragmentation (PFF) Base Bleed (BB) Cartridge Production, quantity 1,500. Work is to be performed in St. Petersburg, Fl, Quebec, Canada, and South Africa with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2011. One bid was solicited and one bid received. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Joint Munitions & Lethality Contracting Center, Picatinny Arsenal, N.J. is the contracting activity (W15QKN-09-C-0055).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Florida Ordnance Corp., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.* is being awarded a maximum $7,017,384 firm fixed price, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contract for cylinder head. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Army. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is April 30, 2014. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency (DSCC-ZG), Warren, Mich. (SPRDL1-09-D-0017).
L-3 Communications, Muskegon, Mich. Is being awarded a maximum $6,880,579 firm fixed price, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contract for cylinder head. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Army. There were originally 2 proposals solicited with 2 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is April 30, 2014. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency (DSCC-ZG), Warren, Mich. (SPRDL1-09-D-0016).
Raytheon Co., Integrated Defense Systems, Tewksbury, Mass., is being awarded a $217,000,000 cost plus fixed fee modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-05-C-5346) for the procurement of two Volume Search Radar (VSR) for the Zumwalt Class Destroyer Program and USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). Work will be performed in Moorestown, N.J. (95 percent) and Sudbury, Mass. (5 percent), and is to be completed by March 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C. is the contracting activity.
Oshkosh Corp., Oshkosh, Wis., is being awarded for $11,606,652 for modification to a fixed price delivery order #0041 under existing previously awarded indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract (M67854-06-D-5028). This delivery order is issued against exercised priced options for the purchase of an additional 30 Logistic Vehicle System Replacement (LVSR) production cargo vehicles. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wis., and work for this delivery order is expected to be completed by June 30, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps System Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Northrop Grumman Corp., Integrated Systems Western Region, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded an $8,743,239 modification to a previously awarded cost plus fixed fee contract (N00019-05-C-0057) to provide additional operations and maintenance support for the Global Hawk Maritime Demonstration (GHMD), including operation and sustainment, logistics support and sustaining engineering throughout the demonstration. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Md. (90 percent) and San Diego, Calif. (10 percent), and is expected to be completed in November 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $8,743,239 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Lockheed Martin Systems Integration – Oswego, Oswego, N.Y., is being awarded a $5,553,093 cost plus fixed fee, firm fixed price, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract for engineering and technical support in the integration of Organic Airborne Mine Countermeasures (OAMCM) Systems into a MH-60S helicopter. The effort is in support of Carrier Battle Groups and Amphibious Readiness Groups. The five OAMCM systems to be incorporated in the MH-60S are the AN/AQS-20A Advanced Sonar System; Airborne Mine Neutralization System (AMNS); Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS); Rapid Airborne Mine Clearance System (RAMICS); and Organic Airborne and Surface Influence Sweep (OASIS). This acquisition supports the fundamental effort of integrating this entire suite of Airborne Mine Countermeasures (AMCM) systems with the helicopter structurally and with the helicopter Command, Control, Communication, Computer and Intelligence (C4I) systems. Work will be performed in Oswego, N.Y. (50 percent) and Panama City, Fla. (50 percent), and is expected to be completed by April 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City, Fla., is the contracting activity (N61331-09-D-0009).
ARMY
Rockwell Collins, Cedar Rapids, Iowa was awarded on Apr. 22, 2009 a $ 10,200,000 firm fixed price with time and material CLIN contract for the upgrading for the functionality of the Stryker Hull Hots trainer and incorporating new upgrades on three (3) Infant Carrier Vehicle (ICV) configuration vehicles. Work is to be performed in Binghamton, N.Y. with an estimated completion date of Feb. 17, 2011. One bid was solicited and one bid received. PEO Simulation, Training and Instrumentation, Orlando, Fla. Is the contracting activity (N61339-01-D-0722).
The Boeing Co., Ridley Park, Pa. was awarded on Apr. 21, 2009 a $ 141,962,130 firm fixed price contract for CH-47F multiyear contract for second year, production lot 7, Seven (7) each CH-47F new build aircrafts. Work is to be performed in Ridley Park, Pa with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2013. One bid was solicited and one bid received. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aviation and Missiles, CCAM-CH-A, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. Is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-08-C-0098).
BAE Systems information and Electronic Systems Integration, Washington DC was awarded on Apr. 21, 2009 a $ 15,984,010 firm fixed price indefinitzed contractual action with 12month period of performance contract for two (2) Bar Armor kits prototypes (1 each) for the RG-31 and Cougar CAT I Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles. This contract also includes 325 production Bar Armor Kits for the Cougar CAT I. Work is to be performed in Washington, DC with an estimated completion date of May 1, 2009. One bid was solicited and one bid received TACOM Contracting Center, Detroit Arsenal, Warren, Mich. Is the contracting activity (W56HZV-09-C-0311).
Raytheon Co., Andover, Mass. was awarded on Apr. 20, 2009 a $28,732,203 cost plus fixed fee contract that provides mission support and system sustainment for various configurations of Rapid Aerostat Initial Deployment (RAID) tower systems. Work is to be performed in Andover, MA with an estimated completion date of Dec, 31, 2009. One bid was solicited and one bid received. U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, Contracting and Management Office, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. Is the contracting activity (W9113M-08-C-0153).
Ceres Environmental, Inc., Brooklyn Park, Minn. was awarded on Apr. 16, 2009 a $13,814,973 firm fixed price contract that the contractor will be primarily responsible for constructing a floodwall protection system, which will include gatewell, sluice, outlet, and four sandbag closures and riprap for erosion control. Work is to be performed in Munster, IN and Hammond, IN with an estimated completion date of Apr. 30, 2011. Proposals were solicited using the wed and 10 bid were received. USACE, Chicago District, Chicago, III is the contracting activity (W912P6-09-C-0003).
General Dynamics, Ordnance and tactical System (GD-OTS), St. Petersburg, Fl a.was awarded on Apr. 16, 2009 a $ 6,049,164 firm fixed price contract for 105mm M1130 High Explosives (HE), Pre-formed Fragmentation (PFF) Base Bleed (BB) Cartridge Production, quantity 1,500. Work is to be performed in St. Petersburg, Fl, Quebec, Canada, and South Africa with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2011. One bid was solicited and one bid received. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Joint Munitions & Lethality Contracting Center, Picatinny Arsenal, N.J. is the contracting activity (W15QKN-09-C-0055).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Florida Ordnance Corp., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.* is being awarded a maximum $7,017,384 firm fixed price, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contract for cylinder head. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Army. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is April 30, 2014. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency (DSCC-ZG), Warren, Mich. (SPRDL1-09-D-0017).
L-3 Communications, Muskegon, Mich. Is being awarded a maximum $6,880,579 firm fixed price, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contract for cylinder head. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Army. There were originally 2 proposals solicited with 2 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is April 30, 2014. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency (DSCC-ZG), Warren, Mich. (SPRDL1-09-D-0016).
DoD Announces Winners of the Commander In Chief''s Annual Award for Installation Excellence
Secretary of Defense Gates announced today the winners of the 2009 Commander in Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence. They are:
Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield, Hinesville, Ga.
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Jacksonville, N.C.
Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Yokosuka, Japan
Hurlburt Field, Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
Defense Distribution Depot San Joaquin, Tracy, Calif.
The Commander in Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence recognizes the outstanding and innovative efforts of the people who operate and maintain U.S. military installations. The five recipients of this highly competitive Presidential award were selected for their exemplary support of Department of Defense missions.
Excellent installations enable better mission performance and enhance the quality of life for military men and women and their families. Each winning installation succeeded in providing excellent working, housing and recreational conditions.
An award ceremony honoring the recipients of this year's award will be announced in the near future. The ceremony will be open for media coverage.
Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield, Hinesville, Ga.
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Jacksonville, N.C.
Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Yokosuka, Japan
Hurlburt Field, Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
Defense Distribution Depot San Joaquin, Tracy, Calif.
The Commander in Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence recognizes the outstanding and innovative efforts of the people who operate and maintain U.S. military installations. The five recipients of this highly competitive Presidential award were selected for their exemplary support of Department of Defense missions.
Excellent installations enable better mission performance and enhance the quality of life for military men and women and their families. Each winning installation succeeded in providing excellent working, housing and recreational conditions.
An award ceremony honoring the recipients of this year's award will be announced in the near future. The ceremony will be open for media coverage.
Tiger Woods Plans Fourth of July Weekend Treat for Troops
By Tim Hipps
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 23, 2009 - Golfer Tiger Woods vowed April 20 to dedicate his AT&T National PGA Tour event to the men and women of the U.S. armed forces for the third consecutive year. The AT&T National hosted by Tiger Woods will donate 30,000 tickets for retired veterans, active-duty troops, reserve-component servicemembers and their families to attend the tournament July 2-5 at Congressional Country Club.
Woods, who missed the tournament last year while recovering from knee surgery, will play the Earl Woods Memorial Pro-Am on July 1 with a foursome completed by servicemen and women, as he did in 2007, the tournament's first year.
The Military Caddie Program again will feature troops serving as caddies for the pros on the seventh hole. Two years ago at that hole, Woods handed his putter to Army Sgt. Michael Woods, who knocked down a 12-footer for the play of the day at Congressional.
Wounded warriors will serve as honorary starters on the first tee box for the tournament's opening ceremony July 1 at 11 a.m.
"Hopefully people come out, not only to watch the players, but also to say thank you to all of the servicemen and women that are coming out here," Woods said. "If it wasn't for them, what they are doing overseas, things might be different here."
Early commitments to play in the 2009 AT&T National have been received from past tournament champions K.J. Choi and Anthony Kim, along with tourney newcomer Ernie Els, who won the 1997 U.S. Open at Congressional.
European Ryder Cup team member Paul Casey, Jim Furyk and Danny Lee also have committed, said Greg McLaughlin, president of the Tiger Woods Foundation.
"There are various other military initiatives we will be doing during the week," McLaughlin said. "Again, we want to continue our support of the military in this great community, and we plan on really making a nice showing here in 2009."
Woods said he hopes to bring the buzz back to the nation's capital.
"To have the military there and to have everyone support the event like they did the first year, ... having the players just rave about it, having all the fans rave about it, it was just such a huge success," he said. "We are just trying to build on that momentum that we created the first year."
(Tim Hipps works at the Army's Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command public affairs office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 23, 2009 - Golfer Tiger Woods vowed April 20 to dedicate his AT&T National PGA Tour event to the men and women of the U.S. armed forces for the third consecutive year. The AT&T National hosted by Tiger Woods will donate 30,000 tickets for retired veterans, active-duty troops, reserve-component servicemembers and their families to attend the tournament July 2-5 at Congressional Country Club.
Woods, who missed the tournament last year while recovering from knee surgery, will play the Earl Woods Memorial Pro-Am on July 1 with a foursome completed by servicemen and women, as he did in 2007, the tournament's first year.
The Military Caddie Program again will feature troops serving as caddies for the pros on the seventh hole. Two years ago at that hole, Woods handed his putter to Army Sgt. Michael Woods, who knocked down a 12-footer for the play of the day at Congressional.
Wounded warriors will serve as honorary starters on the first tee box for the tournament's opening ceremony July 1 at 11 a.m.
"Hopefully people come out, not only to watch the players, but also to say thank you to all of the servicemen and women that are coming out here," Woods said. "If it wasn't for them, what they are doing overseas, things might be different here."
Early commitments to play in the 2009 AT&T National have been received from past tournament champions K.J. Choi and Anthony Kim, along with tourney newcomer Ernie Els, who won the 1997 U.S. Open at Congressional.
European Ryder Cup team member Paul Casey, Jim Furyk and Danny Lee also have committed, said Greg McLaughlin, president of the Tiger Woods Foundation.
"There are various other military initiatives we will be doing during the week," McLaughlin said. "Again, we want to continue our support of the military in this great community, and we plan on really making a nice showing here in 2009."
Woods said he hopes to bring the buzz back to the nation's capital.
"To have the military there and to have everyone support the event like they did the first year, ... having the players just rave about it, having all the fans rave about it, it was just such a huge success," he said. "We are just trying to build on that momentum that we created the first year."
(Tim Hipps works at the Army's Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command public affairs office.)
Pentagon Begins New Quadrennial Defense Review, Nuclear Posture Review
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
April 23, 2009 - Pentagon officials today kicked off the Defense Department's 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review and Nuclear Posture Review processes to determine what types of capabilities will be required to maintain U.S. national security now and in the coming years, senior officials said. "The QDR takes a long-term, strategic view of the Department of Defense and will explore ways to balance achieving success in current conflicts with preparing for long-term challenges," Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III stated in a Defense Department news release issued today.
The QDR "will also look at ways to institutionalize irregular warfare capabilities while maintaining the United States' existing strategic and technological edge in traditional warfare," Lynn said in the release.
The NPR establishes the nation's nuclear deterrence posture, policies and strategies for the next five to 10 years. It will be conducted in consultation with the U.S. departments of Energy and State.
Both reviews will be conducted over the summer into fall, officials said. Final reports from both reviews will be provided to Congress early next year. Recommendations provided by the 2010 QDR and NPR will be employed in developing the Pentagon's fiscal year 2011 budget.
The QDR is performed every four years; previous QDRs were conducted in 1997, 2001, and 2006. The most-recent NPR was completed in 2002.
Other senior defense officials today briefed reporters on QDR and NPR issues and procedures at a Pentagon news conference.
The 2010 QDR, a senior defense civilian official told reporters, will delve into questions such as, "What's the world going to look like? What are the challenges going to look like? What are the military missions going to look like?" in the near- and long-term.
Then, the civilian official continued, the QDR and NPR reports will identify the types of capabilities required to deter potential threats to U.S. national security.
"Throughout the QDR processes, we will be seeking to capture and institutionalize the lessons we've learned from Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere," the civilian defense official said, "and we're going to seek to further adapt our forces and capabilities to asymmetric and irregular forms of warfare."
The 2010 QDR and NPR will employ a "whole-of-government" approach, the civilian official said, noting that other U.S. government agencies, allies, as well as nongovernmental agencies and "think-tanks," would be consulted during the process.
The 2010 NPR will reflect the Obama administration's pledge to confront global nuclear weapons proliferation, the senior civilian defense official said. Consequently, the civilian official said, the United States will seek talks with the Russians to further reduce both countries' nuclear-weapons arsenals by reaching a follow-on agreement to replace the strategic arms reduction treaty of 1993, known as START II.
"In the NPR, we'll be seeking to ensure that our nuclear policies help deter our enemies, reassure our allies and also further our nonproliferation agenda," the senior civilian official said.
A key QDR challenge, the civilian official said, involves balancing investment for capabilities required by today's warfighters against investing in capabilities that tomorrow's troops might need.
"Sometimes we're lucky and there's good overlap between those two, and sometimes those things pull us in different directions and there's some hard tradeoffs and choices to be made," the civilian official said. "So, I think that is something we've been struggling [with], frankly, since the end of the Cold War."
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates addressed that issue during a March 10 appearance on National Public Radio's "All Things Considered" program.
American military planning, going back at least two decades during the twilight of the Cold-War, has been predicated on fighting two major combat operations simultaneously, Gates said on the radio program.
"I think one of the central questions that this department will face in the Quadrennial Defense Review, which will begin shortly, is whether that model makes any sense in the 21st century, and whether what may have fit in a Cold War environment or an immediately post-Cold War environment really has application in today's world," Gates said.
Gates will provide direction for the QDR and NPR reviews, as well as Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a senior military official told reporters.
The purpose of the QDR, Cartwright said in the news release issued today, is "to assess the threats and capabilities the nation faces, and then integrate strategies, resources, forces, and capabilities necessary to prevent conflict or conclude it on terms that are favorable to the nation now and in the future."
Lynn will be paired with Cartwright to provide direct oversight for the QDR, the senior military official said. Service chiefs and combatant commanders, the military official added, will be consulted to provide input into the QDR and NPR.
Much of the 2010 QDR and NPR process, the senior military official said, could be described as finding balance "between near- and long-term risk" and achieving balance between procuring expensive, "exquisite" weapons systems and having "high-quantity, lower-cost-type" systems and equipment.
American Forces Press Service
April 23, 2009 - Pentagon officials today kicked off the Defense Department's 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review and Nuclear Posture Review processes to determine what types of capabilities will be required to maintain U.S. national security now and in the coming years, senior officials said. "The QDR takes a long-term, strategic view of the Department of Defense and will explore ways to balance achieving success in current conflicts with preparing for long-term challenges," Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III stated in a Defense Department news release issued today.
The QDR "will also look at ways to institutionalize irregular warfare capabilities while maintaining the United States' existing strategic and technological edge in traditional warfare," Lynn said in the release.
The NPR establishes the nation's nuclear deterrence posture, policies and strategies for the next five to 10 years. It will be conducted in consultation with the U.S. departments of Energy and State.
Both reviews will be conducted over the summer into fall, officials said. Final reports from both reviews will be provided to Congress early next year. Recommendations provided by the 2010 QDR and NPR will be employed in developing the Pentagon's fiscal year 2011 budget.
The QDR is performed every four years; previous QDRs were conducted in 1997, 2001, and 2006. The most-recent NPR was completed in 2002.
Other senior defense officials today briefed reporters on QDR and NPR issues and procedures at a Pentagon news conference.
The 2010 QDR, a senior defense civilian official told reporters, will delve into questions such as, "What's the world going to look like? What are the challenges going to look like? What are the military missions going to look like?" in the near- and long-term.
Then, the civilian official continued, the QDR and NPR reports will identify the types of capabilities required to deter potential threats to U.S. national security.
"Throughout the QDR processes, we will be seeking to capture and institutionalize the lessons we've learned from Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere," the civilian defense official said, "and we're going to seek to further adapt our forces and capabilities to asymmetric and irregular forms of warfare."
The 2010 QDR and NPR will employ a "whole-of-government" approach, the civilian official said, noting that other U.S. government agencies, allies, as well as nongovernmental agencies and "think-tanks," would be consulted during the process.
The 2010 NPR will reflect the Obama administration's pledge to confront global nuclear weapons proliferation, the senior civilian defense official said. Consequently, the civilian official said, the United States will seek talks with the Russians to further reduce both countries' nuclear-weapons arsenals by reaching a follow-on agreement to replace the strategic arms reduction treaty of 1993, known as START II.
"In the NPR, we'll be seeking to ensure that our nuclear policies help deter our enemies, reassure our allies and also further our nonproliferation agenda," the senior civilian official said.
A key QDR challenge, the civilian official said, involves balancing investment for capabilities required by today's warfighters against investing in capabilities that tomorrow's troops might need.
"Sometimes we're lucky and there's good overlap between those two, and sometimes those things pull us in different directions and there's some hard tradeoffs and choices to be made," the civilian official said. "So, I think that is something we've been struggling [with], frankly, since the end of the Cold War."
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates addressed that issue during a March 10 appearance on National Public Radio's "All Things Considered" program.
American military planning, going back at least two decades during the twilight of the Cold-War, has been predicated on fighting two major combat operations simultaneously, Gates said on the radio program.
"I think one of the central questions that this department will face in the Quadrennial Defense Review, which will begin shortly, is whether that model makes any sense in the 21st century, and whether what may have fit in a Cold War environment or an immediately post-Cold War environment really has application in today's world," Gates said.
Gates will provide direction for the QDR and NPR reviews, as well as Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a senior military official told reporters.
The purpose of the QDR, Cartwright said in the news release issued today, is "to assess the threats and capabilities the nation faces, and then integrate strategies, resources, forces, and capabilities necessary to prevent conflict or conclude it on terms that are favorable to the nation now and in the future."
Lynn will be paired with Cartwright to provide direct oversight for the QDR, the senior military official said. Service chiefs and combatant commanders, the military official added, will be consulted to provide input into the QDR and NPR.
Much of the 2010 QDR and NPR process, the senior military official said, could be described as finding balance "between near- and long-term risk" and achieving balance between procuring expensive, "exquisite" weapons systems and having "high-quantity, lower-cost-type" systems and equipment.
Army, Marine Corps Juggle High Demands for Ground Forces
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
April 23, 2009 - With U.S. military members serving in more than 120 countries throughout the world as well as meeting requirements for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, ground forces are stretched thin, senior military officials told Congress here yesterday. The Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli told the Senate Armed Services Committee's subcommittee on readiness and management that unless "tough decisions" are made, the Army cannot continue to meet current demands for deployed forces while maintaining the amount of time troops need to re-train and rest at their home station.
"What has to change for us is the demand for forces," Chiarelli said. "And right now, the demand for forces is as high as it's ever been with our continued commitment to Iraq and the increase in Afghanistan."
Currently, the Army is rotating troops in Iraq and Afghanistan on one-year rotations with one year of time at home. The Marine Corps deploys under a seven month cycle.
The past seven years have been extremely busy for military members and their families. Some soldiers have as many as five yearlong deployments between Iraq and Afghanistan under their belt. And despite consistently meeting their retention and recruitment goals, the demand for ground forces still surpasses the supply, he said.
"We are consuming our readiness as fast as we are building it," the general said.
Meanwhile, the overall numbers of available personnel for deployments consistently grows smaller. More than 30,000 troops across the Army are not able to deploy for medical conditions suffered on previous deployments or training events.
The effect that high demand and reduced numbers have on soldiers and their families has been increased deployments, shorter dwell time at home stations, and insufficient recovery time for soldiers, their families and their equipment, he said.
Also, despite the military's anticipated drawdown and eventual withdrawal from Iraq, military officials still remain concerned about the readiness of their ground forces and their ability to engage in future possible conflicts, the general said.
Chiarelli said if the drawdown and withdrawal efforts continue as planned, the Army can maintain its current tempo until mid-2010 and then begin to give soldiers more time at home. But if a sudden conflict arises and were to cause demand to remain as it is today or greater, "it becomes very, very difficult for the United States Army to meet those requirements," he said.
"My concern is we cannot fully predict what the derivative affects will be in the future," he said. "It is my personal opinion that we simply cannot continue to meet the current demands, expand our agility and focus, and sustain the force, including our soldiers and equipment, without making some corresponding adjustments."
Until recently, the Army was in the process of growing its forces to accommodate 47 brigade combat teams. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced recently that the Army would stop at 45 to ensure each brigade is fully manned and equipped. The Army currently has 43 brigade combat teams deployed or ready to deploy.
Chiarelli said he agrees with Gates' decision, and believes that for the Army to be ready for future conflicts while keeping focus on current ones, it needs to continue its growth plan.
"It's very important that we grow those brigades, because this is a question of supply and demand," he said.
The same supply-and-demand dilemma applies to Marine Corps ground forces, Assistant Commandant Gen. James Amos told the panel.
"This sustained effort does not come without cost to the institution, to our equipment, to our strategic programs and, most importantly, to our Marines and their families," Amos said.
Deployed Marine units in Iraq and Afghanistan are equipped with the best manpower, equipment and training available, he said. But those Marine units preparing to deploy or standing by for strategic responses, such as to a new war or conflict, aren't so fortunate.
For the Marine Corps to meet manning, equipment and training requirements for the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade to deploy to Afghanistan next month, assets were taken from nondeploying units. Weapons, vehicles and even Marines were "cobbled up" from other units to meet President Barack Obama's request to build up forces in Afghanistan, Amos said.
"To ensure our deployed and next-to-deploy forces maintain this high state of readiness, we have taxed our nondeployed forces and strategic programs for equipment and personnel," the general said. "As a result, the majority of our nondeployed forces are reporting degraded readiness levels."
Like the Army, the Marines are not as ready as they'd hope to be to respond to other national security threats, he said. "This degraded state of readiness within our nondeployed forces presents risks to our ability to rapidly respond to other unexpected contingencies around the globe.
"It would be very difficult and challenging, in the case of the Marine Corps, if something happened in Iran or North Korea," Amos said.
However, responding to a North Korean or Iranian attack with ground forces would not be impossible, Amos said. He explained that forces already deployed would "freeze" in place, while new forces would be built at home stations. But it would take several months and global sourcing on the part of the Marines, and it would "emasculate" strategic reserves, he said.
"Is it possible? Yes," Amos said. "Your Marine Corps and your Army and Navy and Air Force would come together and make it happen. But it would be painful."
American Forces Press Service
April 23, 2009 - With U.S. military members serving in more than 120 countries throughout the world as well as meeting requirements for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, ground forces are stretched thin, senior military officials told Congress here yesterday. The Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli told the Senate Armed Services Committee's subcommittee on readiness and management that unless "tough decisions" are made, the Army cannot continue to meet current demands for deployed forces while maintaining the amount of time troops need to re-train and rest at their home station.
"What has to change for us is the demand for forces," Chiarelli said. "And right now, the demand for forces is as high as it's ever been with our continued commitment to Iraq and the increase in Afghanistan."
Currently, the Army is rotating troops in Iraq and Afghanistan on one-year rotations with one year of time at home. The Marine Corps deploys under a seven month cycle.
The past seven years have been extremely busy for military members and their families. Some soldiers have as many as five yearlong deployments between Iraq and Afghanistan under their belt. And despite consistently meeting their retention and recruitment goals, the demand for ground forces still surpasses the supply, he said.
"We are consuming our readiness as fast as we are building it," the general said.
Meanwhile, the overall numbers of available personnel for deployments consistently grows smaller. More than 30,000 troops across the Army are not able to deploy for medical conditions suffered on previous deployments or training events.
The effect that high demand and reduced numbers have on soldiers and their families has been increased deployments, shorter dwell time at home stations, and insufficient recovery time for soldiers, their families and their equipment, he said.
Also, despite the military's anticipated drawdown and eventual withdrawal from Iraq, military officials still remain concerned about the readiness of their ground forces and their ability to engage in future possible conflicts, the general said.
Chiarelli said if the drawdown and withdrawal efforts continue as planned, the Army can maintain its current tempo until mid-2010 and then begin to give soldiers more time at home. But if a sudden conflict arises and were to cause demand to remain as it is today or greater, "it becomes very, very difficult for the United States Army to meet those requirements," he said.
"My concern is we cannot fully predict what the derivative affects will be in the future," he said. "It is my personal opinion that we simply cannot continue to meet the current demands, expand our agility and focus, and sustain the force, including our soldiers and equipment, without making some corresponding adjustments."
Until recently, the Army was in the process of growing its forces to accommodate 47 brigade combat teams. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced recently that the Army would stop at 45 to ensure each brigade is fully manned and equipped. The Army currently has 43 brigade combat teams deployed or ready to deploy.
Chiarelli said he agrees with Gates' decision, and believes that for the Army to be ready for future conflicts while keeping focus on current ones, it needs to continue its growth plan.
"It's very important that we grow those brigades, because this is a question of supply and demand," he said.
The same supply-and-demand dilemma applies to Marine Corps ground forces, Assistant Commandant Gen. James Amos told the panel.
"This sustained effort does not come without cost to the institution, to our equipment, to our strategic programs and, most importantly, to our Marines and their families," Amos said.
Deployed Marine units in Iraq and Afghanistan are equipped with the best manpower, equipment and training available, he said. But those Marine units preparing to deploy or standing by for strategic responses, such as to a new war or conflict, aren't so fortunate.
For the Marine Corps to meet manning, equipment and training requirements for the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade to deploy to Afghanistan next month, assets were taken from nondeploying units. Weapons, vehicles and even Marines were "cobbled up" from other units to meet President Barack Obama's request to build up forces in Afghanistan, Amos said.
"To ensure our deployed and next-to-deploy forces maintain this high state of readiness, we have taxed our nondeployed forces and strategic programs for equipment and personnel," the general said. "As a result, the majority of our nondeployed forces are reporting degraded readiness levels."
Like the Army, the Marines are not as ready as they'd hope to be to respond to other national security threats, he said. "This degraded state of readiness within our nondeployed forces presents risks to our ability to rapidly respond to other unexpected contingencies around the globe.
"It would be very difficult and challenging, in the case of the Marine Corps, if something happened in Iran or North Korea," Amos said.
However, responding to a North Korean or Iranian attack with ground forces would not be impossible, Amos said. He explained that forces already deployed would "freeze" in place, while new forces would be built at home stations. But it would take several months and global sourcing on the part of the Marines, and it would "emasculate" strategic reserves, he said.
"Is it possible? Yes," Amos said. "Your Marine Corps and your Army and Navy and Air Force would come together and make it happen. But it would be painful."
Coast Guard Adopts Environmental Initiatives
By Carlos Diaz
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 23, 2009 - Known around the world by its emblematic orange and blue, the U.S. Coast Guard added "green" to its operations as part of yesterday's celebration of Earth Day. Thomas Granito, from the Coast Guard's environmental management office, discussed ongoing green initiatives adopted by the service in a "DoD Live" bloggers roundtable April 21.
"I have been with the Coast Guard for more than 25 years, and I've seen how the service is becoming greener, as is much of the rest of the world these days," Granito said. "In the past, the Coast Guard was more concerned about maintaining compliance with federal regulations. Currently, the Coast Guard continues to shift from compliance to sustainability -- basically 'greening up' the Coast Guard."
Only environmental personnel participated in site cleanups in the past, Granito said, but today things are different. Changes in management, organization styles and a more responsive and flexible attitude, similar to what the Defense Department has done in recent years, have led to changes in the way the Coast Guard operates, he added.
Many of the Coast Guard's roughly 600 facilities are going green, Granito said.
"For example, the Coast Guard Academy at New London, Conn., developed a sustainability initiatives network for recycling and using electronics and related items," he said. "This initiative helped them win a White House award for reducing electronics materials. The Coast Guard Academy was also the first military academy to participate in a program called recycle-mania, in which colleges get together to come up with recycling initiatives."
Granito also cited initiatives adopted at Station Emerald Isle, N.C., where recycled products such as gypsum board have been used in the station's renovation project. This unit also has replaced traditional air-conditioning systems with more-efficient geothermal HVAC systems, he noted.
Other services have helped the Coast Guard in its search for green initiatives, Granito said.
"As far as following what some of the other agencies are doing, we've always got an eye out to see what they're doing," he said. "I know that our vessel folks are usually keyed in to what the Navy is doing, and our aviation folks are always clued in to Air Force and what they're doing."
(Carlos Diaz works for the U.S. Coast Guard.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 23, 2009 - Known around the world by its emblematic orange and blue, the U.S. Coast Guard added "green" to its operations as part of yesterday's celebration of Earth Day. Thomas Granito, from the Coast Guard's environmental management office, discussed ongoing green initiatives adopted by the service in a "DoD Live" bloggers roundtable April 21.
"I have been with the Coast Guard for more than 25 years, and I've seen how the service is becoming greener, as is much of the rest of the world these days," Granito said. "In the past, the Coast Guard was more concerned about maintaining compliance with federal regulations. Currently, the Coast Guard continues to shift from compliance to sustainability -- basically 'greening up' the Coast Guard."
Only environmental personnel participated in site cleanups in the past, Granito said, but today things are different. Changes in management, organization styles and a more responsive and flexible attitude, similar to what the Defense Department has done in recent years, have led to changes in the way the Coast Guard operates, he added.
Many of the Coast Guard's roughly 600 facilities are going green, Granito said.
"For example, the Coast Guard Academy at New London, Conn., developed a sustainability initiatives network for recycling and using electronics and related items," he said. "This initiative helped them win a White House award for reducing electronics materials. The Coast Guard Academy was also the first military academy to participate in a program called recycle-mania, in which colleges get together to come up with recycling initiatives."
Granito also cited initiatives adopted at Station Emerald Isle, N.C., where recycled products such as gypsum board have been used in the station's renovation project. This unit also has replaced traditional air-conditioning systems with more-efficient geothermal HVAC systems, he noted.
Other services have helped the Coast Guard in its search for green initiatives, Granito said.
"As far as following what some of the other agencies are doing, we've always got an eye out to see what they're doing," he said. "I know that our vessel folks are usually keyed in to what the Navy is doing, and our aviation folks are always clued in to Air Force and what they're doing."
(Carlos Diaz works for the U.S. Coast Guard.)
USO Metro Takes 'Home' to Troops with New Mobile Canteen
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
April 23, 2009 - The USO of Metropolitan Washington unveiled the newest addition to its arsenal in a brief ceremony at the Pentagon today. The USO Mobile Canteen is a 34-foot vehicle that will deploy throughout the Washington Metropolitan Region in support of community events and on military installations to support events and training exercises.
"I think this is an example, yet again, of Metro USO's commitment to support our troops and their families no matter where they're serving," said Deborah Mullen, wife of Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "Having this is basically taking a little bit of home out to the troops. That's why it's so important."
The USO provides servicemembers a place to be comfortable and relax during their downtime, she added.
"It's, I think, one of the most important things that we do," she said. "From 1941 until now, the USO has always been the bridge between the American people and the U.S. military. That's an incredibly important role."
From the servicemembers' point of view, the new mobile canteen is a validation of military strategy.
Air Force Maj. Gen. Ralph J. Jodice II, commander of Air Force District Washington, said he looks forward to seeing the USO's new "urban assault vehicle" at many events around the region.
The chief of naval operations took his praise a bit further, and he added an endorsement from Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James T. Conway, who cut the ribbon to dedicate the canteen.
"The Navy is particularly pleased that, after all these years, the USO has finally seen the light and they've gone expeditionary," Navy Adm. Gary Roughead said. "Jim Conway and I are thrilled that you're using our mode, but because of that, you're going to reach out and touch so many, many more people, and that's what it's all about."
With food preparation facilities onboard, as well as an audiovisual system, that's exactly what USO Metro hopes to accomplish with the help of Boeing Co., which sponsored the vehicle's construction and first three years' operating expenses.
"This is an amazing team effort," Elaine Rodgers, president of USO Metro, said. "This thing cost over $250,000 to build."
The defense contractor approached USO Metro asking for ways it could do more to support the troops. Rogers said USO Metro submitted its proposal for the mobile canteen and got the green light in September 2007.
The ceremony included a tour of the vehicle and a lunch typical of what servicemembers will get when the vehicle shows up to support a military events: hot dogs, chips and soda.
American Forces Press Service
April 23, 2009 - The USO of Metropolitan Washington unveiled the newest addition to its arsenal in a brief ceremony at the Pentagon today. The USO Mobile Canteen is a 34-foot vehicle that will deploy throughout the Washington Metropolitan Region in support of community events and on military installations to support events and training exercises.
"I think this is an example, yet again, of Metro USO's commitment to support our troops and their families no matter where they're serving," said Deborah Mullen, wife of Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "Having this is basically taking a little bit of home out to the troops. That's why it's so important."
The USO provides servicemembers a place to be comfortable and relax during their downtime, she added.
"It's, I think, one of the most important things that we do," she said. "From 1941 until now, the USO has always been the bridge between the American people and the U.S. military. That's an incredibly important role."
From the servicemembers' point of view, the new mobile canteen is a validation of military strategy.
Air Force Maj. Gen. Ralph J. Jodice II, commander of Air Force District Washington, said he looks forward to seeing the USO's new "urban assault vehicle" at many events around the region.
The chief of naval operations took his praise a bit further, and he added an endorsement from Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James T. Conway, who cut the ribbon to dedicate the canteen.
"The Navy is particularly pleased that, after all these years, the USO has finally seen the light and they've gone expeditionary," Navy Adm. Gary Roughead said. "Jim Conway and I are thrilled that you're using our mode, but because of that, you're going to reach out and touch so many, many more people, and that's what it's all about."
With food preparation facilities onboard, as well as an audiovisual system, that's exactly what USO Metro hopes to accomplish with the help of Boeing Co., which sponsored the vehicle's construction and first three years' operating expenses.
"This is an amazing team effort," Elaine Rodgers, president of USO Metro, said. "This thing cost over $250,000 to build."
The defense contractor approached USO Metro asking for ways it could do more to support the troops. Rogers said USO Metro submitted its proposal for the mobile canteen and got the green light in September 2007.
The ceremony included a tour of the vehicle and a lunch typical of what servicemembers will get when the vehicle shows up to support a military events: hot dogs, chips and soda.
Obama Discusses Military's Role in Ending, Remembering Holocaust
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
April 23, 2009 - President Barack Obama today discussed the role American World War II veterans played in bringing about the end of the Holocaust and preserving its memory. Obama spoke at a Capitol Hill ceremony designed to mourn the 6 million who died and to honor the survivors and celebrate those who liberated victims of the Nazi regime. He noted the lasting impact of a decision by Army Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, who oversaw the invasion of France and Germany in 1944 and 1945 as supreme commander of the allied forces in Europe.
"The story goes that when the Americans marched in, they discovered the starving survivors and the piles of dead bodies, and General Eisenhower made a decision," Obama said. "He ordered Germans from the nearby town to tour the camp so they could see what had been done in their name. And he ordered American troops to tour the camp so they could see the evil they were fighting against."
Eisenhower's next move, Obama said, was to invite congressmen and journalists to further document the moment in history.
"He ordered that photographs and films be made. Some of us have seen those same images. ... They never leave you," Obama said. "What Eisenhower did to record these crimes for history is what we are doing here today."
The president described his great uncle, a soldier in the Army's 89th Infantry Division, as traumatized by his experience in World War II.
"[He] returned from his service in World War II in a state of shock, saying little, alone with painful memories that would not leave his head," the president said. "He went up into the attic, according to the stories that I've heard, and wouldn't come down for six months. He was one of the liberators, someone who at a very tender age had seen the unimaginable."
Soldiers of the 89th Infantry Division were the first Americans to reach a Nazi concentration camp, and liberated Ordruf, part of the infamous Buchenwald camp, where tens of thousands perished, Obama said.
Given the gravity of his great uncle's experience, Obama said, he understands the impulse to remain silent, but he reiterated the importance of bearing witness to the horrors of the Holocaust.
"Eisenhower understood the danger of silence. He understood that if no one knew what had happened, that would be yet another atrocity, and it would be the perpetrators' ultimate triumph," Obama said.
Observing such injustice creates a moral obligation to take action, the president said. He cited 21st-century examples that show "evil has yet to run its course on Earth" -- mass graves, charred villages, child soldiers and the use of rape as a war tactic -- underscoring the need to "commit ourselves to resisting injustice and intolerance and indifference."
"That is my commitment as president," he said. "I hope that is yours as well."
American Forces Press Service
April 23, 2009 - President Barack Obama today discussed the role American World War II veterans played in bringing about the end of the Holocaust and preserving its memory. Obama spoke at a Capitol Hill ceremony designed to mourn the 6 million who died and to honor the survivors and celebrate those who liberated victims of the Nazi regime. He noted the lasting impact of a decision by Army Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, who oversaw the invasion of France and Germany in 1944 and 1945 as supreme commander of the allied forces in Europe.
"The story goes that when the Americans marched in, they discovered the starving survivors and the piles of dead bodies, and General Eisenhower made a decision," Obama said. "He ordered Germans from the nearby town to tour the camp so they could see what had been done in their name. And he ordered American troops to tour the camp so they could see the evil they were fighting against."
Eisenhower's next move, Obama said, was to invite congressmen and journalists to further document the moment in history.
"He ordered that photographs and films be made. Some of us have seen those same images. ... They never leave you," Obama said. "What Eisenhower did to record these crimes for history is what we are doing here today."
The president described his great uncle, a soldier in the Army's 89th Infantry Division, as traumatized by his experience in World War II.
"[He] returned from his service in World War II in a state of shock, saying little, alone with painful memories that would not leave his head," the president said. "He went up into the attic, according to the stories that I've heard, and wouldn't come down for six months. He was one of the liberators, someone who at a very tender age had seen the unimaginable."
Soldiers of the 89th Infantry Division were the first Americans to reach a Nazi concentration camp, and liberated Ordruf, part of the infamous Buchenwald camp, where tens of thousands perished, Obama said.
Given the gravity of his great uncle's experience, Obama said, he understands the impulse to remain silent, but he reiterated the importance of bearing witness to the horrors of the Holocaust.
"Eisenhower understood the danger of silence. He understood that if no one knew what had happened, that would be yet another atrocity, and it would be the perpetrators' ultimate triumph," Obama said.
Observing such injustice creates a moral obligation to take action, the president said. He cited 21st-century examples that show "evil has yet to run its course on Earth" -- mass graves, charred villages, child soldiers and the use of rape as a war tactic -- underscoring the need to "commit ourselves to resisting injustice and intolerance and indifference."
"That is my commitment as president," he said. "I hope that is yours as well."
Gates Presses to Boost Computer Network Security
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
April 22, 2009 - Defense Department officials are working to reduce vulnerability to cyber-attack attempts that occur regularly and are likely to continue for the foreseeable future, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said. "We are under attack virtually all the time, every day here," Gates told CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric yesterday during an interview broadcast on the show.
Attempts to attack DoD computer networks have more than doubled recently, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters yesterday. He declined to cite details, saying that to do so would only "make it easier for people trying to do us harm."
The perpetrators run the gamut, Whitman explained. The threats range from "that recreational hacker all the way up to self-styled vigilantes to nationalistic or ideological kinds of groups with various agendas," as well as nation states and transnational actors.
The Pentagon monitors its networks aggressively and investigates all incidences of intrusions or intrusion attempts, Whitman said. In addition, the department works closely with its industry partners to ensure they enforce the same stringent standards when working on defense programs, he said.
"We think we have pretty good control of our sensitive information, both with respect to intelligence and the equipment systems," Gates said on CBS Evening News. "But we, like everybody else, [are] under attack. Banks are under attack. Every country is under attack."
Gates declined to go into detail about news reports of a recent cyber-attack on a military weapons system program. He did offer, however, that he has no reason to believe the program's sensitive systems were compromised. "I believe we still have security of the sensitive systems," he said.
Tracking down cyber-thieves is a big challenge, Gates said, so he's proposed more resources in the fiscal 2010 budget to increase cyber-security capabilities.
"It's sometimes very difficult to figure out a home address on these attacks," he said. "So one of the things that I'm doing in this budget is significantly increasing the resources for cyber experts." That, he said, includes more than quadrupling the cyber-security force and exploring possible structural changes at the Pentagon.
The Defense Department currently trains about 80 cyberexperts each year, but Gates wants to increase that number to 250, Whitman told reporters.
"This is going to be an enduring problem, and it is going to be a challenge, not just for the Department of Defense, but for the entirety of the United States," Gates said.
Security in the cyber domain is critical to national security, Whitman said. "We view cyberspace as a warfighting domain," he said. "It is critical to our military operations, and we are going to defend it and protect it."
American Forces Press Service
April 22, 2009 - Defense Department officials are working to reduce vulnerability to cyber-attack attempts that occur regularly and are likely to continue for the foreseeable future, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said. "We are under attack virtually all the time, every day here," Gates told CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric yesterday during an interview broadcast on the show.
Attempts to attack DoD computer networks have more than doubled recently, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters yesterday. He declined to cite details, saying that to do so would only "make it easier for people trying to do us harm."
The perpetrators run the gamut, Whitman explained. The threats range from "that recreational hacker all the way up to self-styled vigilantes to nationalistic or ideological kinds of groups with various agendas," as well as nation states and transnational actors.
The Pentagon monitors its networks aggressively and investigates all incidences of intrusions or intrusion attempts, Whitman said. In addition, the department works closely with its industry partners to ensure they enforce the same stringent standards when working on defense programs, he said.
"We think we have pretty good control of our sensitive information, both with respect to intelligence and the equipment systems," Gates said on CBS Evening News. "But we, like everybody else, [are] under attack. Banks are under attack. Every country is under attack."
Gates declined to go into detail about news reports of a recent cyber-attack on a military weapons system program. He did offer, however, that he has no reason to believe the program's sensitive systems were compromised. "I believe we still have security of the sensitive systems," he said.
Tracking down cyber-thieves is a big challenge, Gates said, so he's proposed more resources in the fiscal 2010 budget to increase cyber-security capabilities.
"It's sometimes very difficult to figure out a home address on these attacks," he said. "So one of the things that I'm doing in this budget is significantly increasing the resources for cyber experts." That, he said, includes more than quadrupling the cyber-security force and exploring possible structural changes at the Pentagon.
The Defense Department currently trains about 80 cyberexperts each year, but Gates wants to increase that number to 250, Whitman told reporters.
"This is going to be an enduring problem, and it is going to be a challenge, not just for the Department of Defense, but for the entirety of the United States," Gates said.
Security in the cyber domain is critical to national security, Whitman said. "We view cyberspace as a warfighting domain," he said. "It is critical to our military operations, and we are going to defend it and protect it."
General Provides Insight into Joint, Bilateral Exercise
By Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class William Selby
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 22, 2009 - The U.S. military is building relationships as well as local infrastructure as it participates in Balikatan, a joint, bilateral exercise in the Philippines, the U.S. director for the exercise said. "This particular effort is the 25th in the series as far as U.S. and Philippine participation," Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Ronald L. Bailey said during a "DoD Live" bloggers roundtable.
Bailey is deputy commanding general of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, commanding general of 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, and U.S. director of Balikatan 2009.
"The term Balikatan is a Tagalog term which means 'shoulder to shoulder,' and for us it characterizes the philosophy and intent of the exercise," the general said.
The exercise helps about 22,000 people in need, Bailey said, and involves humanitarian and civic assistance, a scenario-based staff exercise and field training activities.
"We've got six medical civil-assistance projects, six engineer civil-assistance projects, and 15 community-relations projects," Bailey added. "So that's what we, as joint forces, are doing in conjunction with the Philippine force."
The joint forces are installing two wells, building two schools, and creating two roads that will be finished by the end of the exercise, and they're providing medical, dental and veterinarian work for those in need, Bailey said.
Because of the size of the exercise this year, the general said, the joint forces have much more capability to accomplish their goals.
"There are about 4,700 sailors, soldiers, and Marines on the U.S. side involved in this, and roughly around 5,200 [Philippines armed forces members] involved," Bailey said. "This is one of the largest, in terms of scope and size of Balikatan, in the 25 years that we've been conducting this thing."
Bailey said another positive aspect of Balikatan is its cost-effectiveness.
"For example, two wells, two schools, and two roads -- it's about ... $340,000," he said. "We're seeing about 22,000 Philippine citizens from the medical perspective. That will cost us about $77,000." The money spent is a small investment for what the United States gets in return, the general added.
"The key [for the United States and the region is] to build relationships and friendships, so in case there is a problem or a time of need, you're not starting from ground zero," Bailey explained. "So I think we're getting a lot for our money and, most importantly, a lot of people in dire need in the Philippines are getting some wonderful support and service."
(Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class William Selby serves in the Defense Media Activity's emerging media directorate.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 22, 2009 - The U.S. military is building relationships as well as local infrastructure as it participates in Balikatan, a joint, bilateral exercise in the Philippines, the U.S. director for the exercise said. "This particular effort is the 25th in the series as far as U.S. and Philippine participation," Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Ronald L. Bailey said during a "DoD Live" bloggers roundtable.
Bailey is deputy commanding general of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, commanding general of 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, and U.S. director of Balikatan 2009.
"The term Balikatan is a Tagalog term which means 'shoulder to shoulder,' and for us it characterizes the philosophy and intent of the exercise," the general said.
The exercise helps about 22,000 people in need, Bailey said, and involves humanitarian and civic assistance, a scenario-based staff exercise and field training activities.
"We've got six medical civil-assistance projects, six engineer civil-assistance projects, and 15 community-relations projects," Bailey added. "So that's what we, as joint forces, are doing in conjunction with the Philippine force."
The joint forces are installing two wells, building two schools, and creating two roads that will be finished by the end of the exercise, and they're providing medical, dental and veterinarian work for those in need, Bailey said.
Because of the size of the exercise this year, the general said, the joint forces have much more capability to accomplish their goals.
"There are about 4,700 sailors, soldiers, and Marines on the U.S. side involved in this, and roughly around 5,200 [Philippines armed forces members] involved," Bailey said. "This is one of the largest, in terms of scope and size of Balikatan, in the 25 years that we've been conducting this thing."
Bailey said another positive aspect of Balikatan is its cost-effectiveness.
"For example, two wells, two schools, and two roads -- it's about ... $340,000," he said. "We're seeing about 22,000 Philippine citizens from the medical perspective. That will cost us about $77,000." The money spent is a small investment for what the United States gets in return, the general added.
"The key [for the United States and the region is] to build relationships and friendships, so in case there is a problem or a time of need, you're not starting from ground zero," Bailey explained. "So I think we're getting a lot for our money and, most importantly, a lot of people in dire need in the Philippines are getting some wonderful support and service."
(Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class William Selby serves in the Defense Media Activity's emerging media directorate.)
New 'Operation Purple' Program Provides Family Retreats
By Samantha L. QuigleyAmerican Forces Press Service
April 22, 2009 - It's no secret that deployments put stress on a family, and the National Military Family Association has developed a new "Operation Purple" program at no cost to military families. The association created Operation Purple summer camps in 2004 as a way to help children of military families struggling with the stresses of war. A new program helps military family members re-establish their roles through family retreats.
"The intent of it was to bring the family together so that they could tell their deployment story as a family and really build on the experience of bringing the family back together after the deployment," Michelle Joyner, NMFA's director of communications said.
"This was just helping families [with] the reintegration piece of re-establishing the family roles, [which] was done through writing this deployment story as a family unit," she added.
Based on a six-week program that the FOCUS Project at the University of California at Los Angeles has been using with the Marine Corps, the first two Operation Purple family retreats were held in Port Angeles, Wash., and Sausilito, Calif., in March. NMFA worked with the FOCUS Project to come up with a concept that would be beneficial for military families and could be accomplished in a long weekend, Joyner said.
With support from the Sierra Club, military families bonded and enjoyed a number of outdoor activities in the national parks where the retreats were held. Activities were guided by four master's-degree-level clinicians experienced in working with families, said Patricia M. Barron, NMFA's director of youth services.
"Our collaboration with the FOCUS curriculum saw that the activities used at the retreats were centered on skill building and resiliency training," she said. "Families were taught to use specific skills to identify feelings that could impede communication and also spent time creating a family collage that told the story of their unique experience as a military family."
The camp staff also was well trained, Barron said. As field-science educators, each held at least a bachelor's degree, and many had a master's degree.
Eligibility for March's pilot program was limited to those who had returned from deployment within the past year, and despite limited outreach, the response was huge, NMFA officials said. Applications came in from 400 families, and 43 were accepted for the program. The participants' response to the retreats was very positive, Joyner said.
"They appreciated having the dialogue and the activities that sparked the conversations," she said. "It was nice, because you're never sure how group activities are going to go over when you do them the first time."
NMFA officials are planning at least two more retreats for the fall, to be held on the East Coast, and hope for a third, possibly to be held on the West Coast, Joyner said.
Registration takes place through the Operation Purple Web site, which also features information and updates on the program.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Navy To Commission Guided-Missile Destroyer Truxtun
The Navy's newest Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, Truxtun, will be commissioned Saturday, April 25, 2009, during an 11 a.m. EDT ceremony at Charleston, S.C.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead will deliver the ceremony's principal address. Carol Leigh Roelker and Susan Scott Martin, descendants of the ship's namesake, will serve as sponsors of the ship. The ceremony will be highlighted by a time-honored Navy tradition when they give the first order to "man our ship and bring her to life!"
Designated DDG 103, the destroyer honors Commodore Thomas Truxtun (1755-1822) who embarked upon a seafaring career at age 12. When the Navy was initially organized, he was selected as one of its first six captains on June 4, 1798. Assigned command of the USS Constellation, one of the nation's new frigates, Truxtun put to sea to prosecute the undeclared naval war with revolutionary France. On Feb. 9, 1799, Truxtun achieved one of his most famous victories when Constellation battered the French warship L'Insurgente into submission in one of the most illustrious battles of the quasi-war with France.
Five previous Navy ships have been named Truxtun: a brig launched in 1842, two destroyers DD 14 and DD 229, a high speed transport APD 98 (initially designated a destroyer escort DE 282), and a nuclear-powered frigate (DLGN) later re-designated cruiser CGN 35.
The 53rd Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, Truxtun will be able to conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection. Truxtun will be capable of fighting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously and contains a myriad of offensive and defensive weapons designed to apply maritime power to protect U.S. vital interests in an increasingly interconnected and uncertain world.
Cmdr. Timothy Weber, a native of Decatur, Ga., will become the first commanding officer and lead the crew of 276 officers and enlisted personnel. The 9,200-ton Truxtun was built by Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, Ingalls Operations, Pascagoula, Miss. The ship is 510 feet in length, has a waterline beam of 59 feet, and a navigational draft of 31 feet. Four gas turbine engines will power the ship to speeds in excess of 30 knots.
Interested media may contact the Navy Office of Information at (703) 697-5342. Additional information on Arleigh Burke class destroyers is available online at http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=900&ct=4 .
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead will deliver the ceremony's principal address. Carol Leigh Roelker and Susan Scott Martin, descendants of the ship's namesake, will serve as sponsors of the ship. The ceremony will be highlighted by a time-honored Navy tradition when they give the first order to "man our ship and bring her to life!"
Designated DDG 103, the destroyer honors Commodore Thomas Truxtun (1755-1822) who embarked upon a seafaring career at age 12. When the Navy was initially organized, he was selected as one of its first six captains on June 4, 1798. Assigned command of the USS Constellation, one of the nation's new frigates, Truxtun put to sea to prosecute the undeclared naval war with revolutionary France. On Feb. 9, 1799, Truxtun achieved one of his most famous victories when Constellation battered the French warship L'Insurgente into submission in one of the most illustrious battles of the quasi-war with France.
Five previous Navy ships have been named Truxtun: a brig launched in 1842, two destroyers DD 14 and DD 229, a high speed transport APD 98 (initially designated a destroyer escort DE 282), and a nuclear-powered frigate (DLGN) later re-designated cruiser CGN 35.
The 53rd Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, Truxtun will be able to conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection. Truxtun will be capable of fighting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously and contains a myriad of offensive and defensive weapons designed to apply maritime power to protect U.S. vital interests in an increasingly interconnected and uncertain world.
Cmdr. Timothy Weber, a native of Decatur, Ga., will become the first commanding officer and lead the crew of 276 officers and enlisted personnel. The 9,200-ton Truxtun was built by Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, Ingalls Operations, Pascagoula, Miss. The ship is 510 feet in length, has a waterline beam of 59 feet, and a navigational draft of 31 feet. Four gas turbine engines will power the ship to speeds in excess of 30 knots.
Interested media may contact the Navy Office of Information at (703) 697-5342. Additional information on Arleigh Burke class destroyers is available online at http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=900&ct=4 .
MILITARY CONTRACTS April 22, 2009
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is awarding a firm fixed price contract to Pratt & Whitney Military Aftermarket Services of San Antonio, Texas for $22,915,389. This action will provide Overhaul of Core Module applicable to the F100 and F220 engines of F-15 and F-16 aircraft. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 448 SCMB/PKBB, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity. (FA8104-04-D-0004-0136)
The Air Force is modifying a fixed price economic price adjustment contract with Lockheed Martin Co., of Marietta, Ga., for $8,011,714. This contract modification will provide CCP 0558 for Lot 2 Readiness Spares Package for the C-5M Reliability Enhancements and Re-engining Program. At this time the entire amount has been obligated. 716 AESG/PK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity. (FA8625-07-C-6471, P00016)
The Air Force is modifying a fixed price economic price adjustment contract with Lockheed Martin Co., of Marietta, Ga., for $7,192,055. This contract modification will provide CCP 0556 for Flight Control Spares for the C-5M Reliability Enhancements and Re-engineering Program. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 716 AESG/PK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity. (FA8625-07-C-6471, P00015)
The Air Force is awarding a firm fixed price contract to Hamilton Sundstrand Corp., of Windsor Locks, Conn., for $6,130,336. This contract is to establish supply contract for blades in support of the C-130 aircraft. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. DLA/DSCE/ZEB, Robins Air Force Base, Ga., is the contracting activity. (SPM400-04-D-9432XE01)
NAVY
General Dynamics-Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine is being awarded a $19,772,932 cost plus award fee delivery order under previously awarded contract (N00024-05-D-2301) for the Post-Shakedown Availability (PSA) of Truxtun (DDG 103). This delivery order encompasses all of the manpower, support services, material, non-standard equipment and associated technical data and documentation required to prepare for and accomplish the DDG 103 PSA. Specific efforts include: engineering and management in support of the PSA; labor and procurement of material to correct government responsible deficiencies and accomplish system upgrades; perform specified PSA work items inclusive of tests and post repair sea trials; and task additional manhours and material in order to complete emergent repairs. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Va., (95 percent) and Bath, Maine, (5 percent), and is expected to be completed by March 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured as an order under an existing Multiple Award Contract, with two proposals solicited and two offers received. Proposals were solicited via email to the two contractor party to the Multiple Award Contract. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
Northrop Grumman Corp., Annapolis, Md., is being awarded an $8,172,237 modification (P00001) to previously awarded cost plus fixed fee, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract (N00189-08-D-P002) to exercise an option for engineering and technical services supporting the Advanced SEAL Delivery System (ASDS) Planning Yard, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine. Work will be performed at Annapolis, Md., (75 percent); and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, (25 percent), and work is expected to be completed by April 2010. Contract funds will expire before the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Annex is the contracting activity.
The Air Force is awarding a firm fixed price contract to Pratt & Whitney Military Aftermarket Services of San Antonio, Texas for $22,915,389. This action will provide Overhaul of Core Module applicable to the F100 and F220 engines of F-15 and F-16 aircraft. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 448 SCMB/PKBB, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity. (FA8104-04-D-0004-0136)
The Air Force is modifying a fixed price economic price adjustment contract with Lockheed Martin Co., of Marietta, Ga., for $8,011,714. This contract modification will provide CCP 0558 for Lot 2 Readiness Spares Package for the C-5M Reliability Enhancements and Re-engining Program. At this time the entire amount has been obligated. 716 AESG/PK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity. (FA8625-07-C-6471, P00016)
The Air Force is modifying a fixed price economic price adjustment contract with Lockheed Martin Co., of Marietta, Ga., for $7,192,055. This contract modification will provide CCP 0556 for Flight Control Spares for the C-5M Reliability Enhancements and Re-engineering Program. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 716 AESG/PK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity. (FA8625-07-C-6471, P00015)
The Air Force is awarding a firm fixed price contract to Hamilton Sundstrand Corp., of Windsor Locks, Conn., for $6,130,336. This contract is to establish supply contract for blades in support of the C-130 aircraft. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. DLA/DSCE/ZEB, Robins Air Force Base, Ga., is the contracting activity. (SPM400-04-D-9432XE01)
NAVY
General Dynamics-Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine is being awarded a $19,772,932 cost plus award fee delivery order under previously awarded contract (N00024-05-D-2301) for the Post-Shakedown Availability (PSA) of Truxtun (DDG 103). This delivery order encompasses all of the manpower, support services, material, non-standard equipment and associated technical data and documentation required to prepare for and accomplish the DDG 103 PSA. Specific efforts include: engineering and management in support of the PSA; labor and procurement of material to correct government responsible deficiencies and accomplish system upgrades; perform specified PSA work items inclusive of tests and post repair sea trials; and task additional manhours and material in order to complete emergent repairs. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Va., (95 percent) and Bath, Maine, (5 percent), and is expected to be completed by March 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured as an order under an existing Multiple Award Contract, with two proposals solicited and two offers received. Proposals were solicited via email to the two contractor party to the Multiple Award Contract. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
Northrop Grumman Corp., Annapolis, Md., is being awarded an $8,172,237 modification (P00001) to previously awarded cost plus fixed fee, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract (N00189-08-D-P002) to exercise an option for engineering and technical services supporting the Advanced SEAL Delivery System (ASDS) Planning Yard, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine. Work will be performed at Annapolis, Md., (75 percent); and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, (25 percent), and work is expected to be completed by April 2010. Contract funds will expire before the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Annex is the contracting activity.
Operation Homefront Names First Military Child Award Winner
American Forces Press ServiceApril 22, 2009 - An Army family member has earned $5,000, a laptop computer and a trip to the nation's capital as the first Military Child Award winner for a national troop-support organization. Brittany Wallace, 17, will receive her award from Texas-based Operation Homefront at a ceremony here April 29.
Wallace was among 450 military children from 8 to 18 who competed for the award. Jennifer Cernoch, Operation Homefront's Texas chapter president, nominated the San Antonio teenager.
"I've seen the actual, genuine empathy that Brittany has, not only for her own family, but also for other wounded warrior families, especially their kids," Cernoch said. "She has been such an inspiration to the kids in helping them cope with their fathers' injuries. From her babysitting to just being there, she's become a wonderful role model."
Operation Homefront members voted online for three finalists -- Wallace, Adam Soisson of South Bend, Ind., and Mollie Danel of Camp Lejeune, N.C. -- and a panel of judges selected one for the top award.
"Our selection criteria included the child's circumstances, hardships, challenges overcome, community activities and the example he or she sets for others," Kerry McGinley, associate editor for Operation Homefront, said. "We were really moved by Brittany's giving nature, her commitment to her family as well as other wounded warrior families, and all that she's accomplished despite the challenges of her situation."
Wallace's challenges began in 2007 when her father, Army Staff Sgt. Robert Henline, was the lone survivor of a roadside bomb in Iraq that burned 38 percent of his body and all but destroyed his left arm. Despite his life-changing injuries, the soldier said, it was his daughter who fought the harder battle.
"She helped her mom a lot during our difficult time," Henline said. "She had a lot on her plate. She never complained, and never felt sorry for herself. She took over caring for her siblings. We were, and are, so proud of her."
Brittany was 15 when her mother, Connie, left her and her younger siblings, Skylar and McKenzie, with family in North Carolina so she could be at her husband's bedside in San Antonio. For three months, Wallace helped with meals and homework. Family members said she provided a sense of comfort and stability to her siblings.
Those three months were hard on everyone, the teenager recalled. She said she remembers wanting to talk to her mother longer than the brief chats they shared on the phone, but realized her mother was so stressed and drained by taking care of her father that anything longer than a few minutes would set loose the emotions she worked so hard to keep in check. Wallace said she learned to follow her mother's example for the sake of her siblings.
"It was hard with my mom being gone," she said. "My sister and brother looked up to me a lot. Other family members were there for us and were very helpful, but they didn't really know our routine. It was up to me to keep that routine for them. I didn't [worry about] mine. They needed me, and I was there for them. My priorities changed. My family came first."
Those strong qualities, McGinley said, gave Wallace the edge over the other two finalists.
"We consider Brittany as an exceptional young lady who is determined to make the most and the best of her circumstances," McGinley said. "It was really inspiring to talk to her -- to hear her describe her father's injuries as a blessing, because it has brought her family closer."
Lockheed Martin Corp. sponsored the Military Child Award as a way to honor and "recognize the extraordinary efforts of our military kids," said Jim Knotts of Lockheed Martin, who conceived the idea.
"While our country asks for great sacrifices from our men and women in uniform, we also ask for great sacrifices from our military families, especially the kids," Knotts said. "We need a strong military, and our military members need strong families."
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