Back to Helmand Province

Big battle being fought by the Marines in Helmand Province. Operation Eastern Resolve II includes the 3rd Marine MEU and and battalion of the Afghan National Army.

When reading of the oepration, the names of the various towns, Sangin, Garmsir, all rung a bell. Almost immediatley I knew why. A few years ago I wrote an article about the emerging Afghan National Army, which talked about a NATO-ANA offensive into Helmand.

An excerpt:

"Operation Achilles involved 4,500 NATO troops supported by Dutch F-16’s and Apaches and one kandak of the 209th Corps out of Mazer e Shariff. ISAF and ANA troops launched a three pronged attack. 1st Battalion of the 508th Parachute regiment hit Taliban positions around Ghorak, while to the east a battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment in conjunction with a full kandak attacked Taliban bases in Maiwand. Meanwhile, the 45th commando of the British Royal Marines supported by ANA artillery hit the Taliban at Garmshir (over 50 miles down river), described as the ‘gateway’ of the upper Helmand River Valley, cutting off the Taliban to the north. In a very encouraging sign for the ANA on 23 March, ANA troops attacked and defeated a large Taliban concentration in Gereshk, about 25 miles down river from Sangin Center killing over 50. The battle was fought without the assistance of ISAF troops...."

While the ANA is coming along, there seems to be no solution to the problem of Helmand, as evidenced by the fact that we are once again fighting for it. Helmand is the home of the Taliban, and also the home of Afghanistan's opium industry.

It's not like we messed around in 2007. The assualt force included a battalion of Royal Marines, a battalion of the 82nd Airborne, and a battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment. Needless to say, the Taliban took heavy casualties and was expelled from the towns.

Yet here we are again.

Will Stroocks book, A Line in the Desert, can be purchased at Amazon

Africa Command Helps Countries Face Common Challenges

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 13, 2009 - U.S. Africa Command is hitting its stride as it works with African nations to confront common security challenges, a Pentagon official said. The command's main mission is to build the security capacity of partner nations throughout the continent, Vicki Huddleston, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for African affairs, said in a recent interview. The command also works with the African Union and other regional alliances.

"All this folds into the administration's commitment to democracy, overall stability and to working with Africans as partners," said Huddleston, who has extensive experience in Africa, having served in Mali, Ethiopia and Madagascar.

On the threat side, the command works with African nations on common security challenges, which she said "are generally coming from nonstate actors."

The two areas of most concern are the Horn of Africa and the Sahel region, the east-west band that stretches along the southern border of the Sahara desert, Huddleston said.

Al-Qaida is operating in Somalia and in Algeria. Somalia is a classic failed state, and the piracy along its coast is only one manifestation of that. Al-Qaida is operating in the country, and indications are that Somali members may try to export terrorism from the area, she said.

In the Sahel, al-Qaida in the Maghrab is believed to be responsible for thousands of deaths in Algeria. The group moves between that country and safe havens in ungoverned parts of the Sahel, she said.

But Africom is about more than just countering threats, Huddleston said. The command works with the United Nations and the African Union in Sudan and Darfur by providing logistics and transportation to peacekeepers in the region.

"You can't have secure environments -- for democracy, education, health, development, or for opportunities for individuals -- if you have failed or failing states," Huddleston said. "We need to assist states as they try to build out of conflict."

Liberia is a prime example, she said. The West African nation is recovering from a brutal civil war. Africom experts are in Liberia to help train the military, not just on combat skills, but also on human rights and the meaning of having civilian control of the military, Huddleston said.

"This also includes working with their civilian leaders so they understand how they should relate to the military -- what they should do, how they should do it, and how they can control and give political guidance to their military," she said.

Accomplishing the command's mission requires a joint effort with the State Department, which trains police and needs more resources in countries recovering from civil war, Huddleston said. "It really calls on the State Department and [Defense Department] to work together in a particularly integrated fashion through the National Security Council, and we're doing that," she said.

Southern Africa -- with the exception of Zimbabwe -- is a bright spot on the continent, Huddleston said. South Africa's military and police are respected and professional. Angola is doing well as are other nations in the region, she said. The command's work with these countries involves professional development and exchange programs.

The command has placed more resources on the continent. "I see more military personnel doing more things and more different things than four years ago," Huddleston said. "I think that it is sometimes difficult given the priorities -- Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq -- but there are more resources than were there under the three commands that formerly had responsibility for the region."

The command's priority is building relationships with the governments of the continent, as well as nurturing regional relationships.

Many of Africa's problems are regional. The AIDS/HIV epidemic knows no boundaries. Drug and human trafficking are transnational scourges and will require cooperation among a number of different nations to erase. Terror groups will operate where and when they can, Huddleston said.

But Africa is improving, she said. "Two-thirds of the states in Africa are making progress," she said. "That means one-third isn't making progress, and that's what we concentrate on."

The command had a rough go of it on the continent when plans for the command were first announced. Huddleston thinks much of that criticism has blown over. "African nations are coming around in regard to Africom," she said.

The nations appreciate the civil-military teams that help local governments dig wells, hold clinics and build infrastructure. "I felt a strong buy-in from the leaders in Africa," she said. "I still think there is a hesitancy about the command's motive in some areas."

President Barack Obama addressed some of that hesitancy during a visit to Ghana last month. "Our Africa Command is focused not on establishing a foothold on the continent, but on confronting common challenges to advance the security of Africa, America and the world," he said.

The command allows the Defense Department to pay more attention and deliver more aid to the continent, and leaders are seeing this, Huddleston said.

"What I would like to see next is that we could work closely within the regions," she said. Peacekeeping forces are needed throughout the continent and regional brigades are particularly effective. The Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, provided peacekeepers in Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire, for example.

A goal of the African Union is to build-up these regional brigades, Huddleston said. "If you look at Africa, the first responders to these crises are these regional brigades –- ECOWAS in West Africa, the regional units in Somalia," she said. "I believe that's a harder piece. I think we have to do more and better particularly when we look at the issue strategically."

The United States would like to see more security cooperation with foreign partners -- Britain, France, Spain and the European Union. "We also need to work more closely with the United Nations," she said.

The Africom partnership looks to make improvements that are in the strategic interests of Africa and the United States. "They reflect our national security priorities: threats, genocide, failed states and illicit activities," she said. "On the other side are prevention activities, and we must provide for those and fulfill the three Ds of U.S. policy in Africa: development, democracy and defense."

Face of Defense: Paratrooper Fulfills Dream of Being 'All-American'

By Army Pfc. Kissta M. Feldner
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 13, 2009 - As an 8-year-old boy sitting on the roof of a friend's house in war-torn Haiti in 1994, Claudy Bellanger saw a sight that captivated his attention: helicopters speeding past carrying American soldiers. "I'd never seen them with my own eyes before, only on television," he said.

Bellanger's boyhood experiences with U.S. troops in his home country set him on a path that eventually led him to join the U.S. Army.

Today, Bellanger, 23, is an Army specialist assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division's A Battery, 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team.

His journey began in Jacmel, Haiti, where he was born and lived for the first 18 years of his life.

For much of his childhood, Haiti was a military dictatorship. The government took money from its citizens, who couldn't afford to buy food or go to school, Bellanger said. "As a Third World country, it's pretty rough to live there," he said.

Bellanger recalled participating in protests against the government as a young boy, waving tree branches in the air and yelling. At these riots, the government's paramilitary police force would gas the crowds. The larger the crowds became, the more people were hurt or killed, he said.

President Bill Clinton sent U.S. forces into Haiti in September 1994 as part of Operation Restore Democracy. The goal was to end human rights abuses against the people of Haiti and reinstate the democratically elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

On Sept. 18, 1994, Haitian leaders learned that paratroopers with the "All-American" 82nd Airborne Division were on their way to conduct a parachute assault into Haiti. They quickly agreed to give up power, and the aircraft carrying the paratroopers were called back.

Later, soldiers from the 82nd's 3rd Battalion, 73rd Armor Regiment deployed to Haiti to support the peacekeeping operation. Bellanger had several memorable interactions with the soldiers, including eating his first meals, ready-to-eat beef dinner. "I think that was the best meal," he said. "It was good compared to what I was eating."

A more significant experience came when Bellanger approached two American soldiers on guard duty and asked how he too could join the U.S. Army. One of the soldiers gave him a recruiting business card, and Bellanger ran home to make the call. He was told that, in addition to being too young, he needed to become a U.S. citizen. And that's what he did.

At 18, Bellanger left Haiti to live with his father in Jersey City, N.J., where he spent two years learning English and earned his GED diploma. "I didn't want to waste any time," he said.

Bellanger again called the number on that business card that he had kept for 12 years, and joined the Army at last. "I was so focused and determined to make it, that I did everything that I could," he said. "I just wanted to be in the Army. Now I'm in the 82nd. It's a dream come true."

(Army Pfc. Kissta M. Feldner serves with the 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team public affairs office.)

Soldier Credits Civilian Employer for Military Success

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 12, 2009 - Army Command Sgt. Maj. Rob Lawrence's position as the Colorado National Guard's top enlisted soldier is underscored by nearly 25 years of steadfast support from his civilian employer. No matter what his military mission has been, First Data Corp.'s loyalty to part-time soldiers never ceases to amaze him, Lawrence said. Such efforts have earned the Greenwood, Colo., payment processing company recognition as one of the most supportive civilian employers of reserve-component military members and a 2009 Department of Defense Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Freedom Award.

Lawrence nominated First Data for the award after returning from his most recent Iraq deployment. He requested certificates of appreciation for the company and presented them with American flags that were flown over his Baghdad headquarters. But he wanted to make sure people knew what a great supporter First Data is and continues to be, he said.

"I nominated First Data for a Freedom Award because, as I returned from another deployment last year, it made me appreciate all over again the great support that my employer continues to give," he said.

Lawrence has been a devoted employee of First Data Corporation since 1982, and he became a soldier in the Colorado Army National Guard in 1985. Over the course of his dual career, he said, First Data's support has allowed him to be a fully dedicated soldier, while still affording him the opportunity to advance within the company.

Much like his success in the National Guard, Lawrence started from the bottom and worked his way up in First Data. The former mailroom clerk is now the director of vendor relations for the company. He ensures global sourcing vendors comply with federal rules for financial institutions.

During the span of his military service, Lawrence has been mobilized and activated for a number of operations and deployments. He served in support of Operation Just Cause in Panama in 1989, operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990 and 1991, and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004 and again in 2008.

He's also been called to duty for numerous state humanitarian missions involving major fires and blizzards. And as the state's senior noncommissioned officer, he frequently visits Colorado reserve-component soldiers and airmen deployed throughout the world with full support of his employer, he said.

For his most recent visit to Colorado troops in Kuwait and Iraq in July, First Data provided Lawrence with an international BlackBerry so he could stay in contact with his family as well as on top of his First Data responsibilities, he said.

"It is truly a cooperative situation where I feel [First Data Corp. and the Guard] share my time, skills and abilities equally," Lawrence said.

First Data's support of the military began well before Colorado Guardsmen were being activated for the war on terror after Sept. 11, 2001, he said. The company always has been a strong supporter of the military's state and federal missions by continuing benefits for families and employees and implementing company policies specifically for reserve-component troops, he said.

In his Freedom Award nomination, Lawrence explained how First Data continues health care, legal and education benefits for employees called away on military duties, as well as for their families. The company also has ongoing training and policies to provide insight to managers and supervisors on the needs and rights of its citizen-soldiers and -airmen, he said.

Even if company officials don't fully understand employees' military missions, their support never wavers, he added.

"Over my years of association with the National Guard and First Data Corp., I have had the pleasure of the support of the company whether they truly understood my military role or not," Lawrence said. "Personally, the greatest impact of the First Data Corp.'s understanding and support of my military service has been the blessing to continue to serve my state and this nation in the highest capacity possible."

ESGR was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between reserve-component members and their civilian employers, and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee's military commitment. It is the lead Defense Department organization for this mission.

Pentagon Officials Plan Cultural Awareness Training

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 12, 2009 - Defense Department officials are developing a new training program that will teach military members and civilians how to be culturally competent and aware when interacting with people from different lands, a senior official told reporters here today. Cross-cultural competence is "something that we want to bring to the department as a critical piece of training that we think needs to be incorporated into our overall training establishment," Gail H. McGinn, deputy undersecretary of defense for plans, said during an interview with Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service reporters.

Among her many responsibilities, which include performing the duties of the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, McGinn also is the senior language authority for the Office of the Secretary of Defense. She is responsible for improving foreign language capability within the department and also oversees policy development for the diversity and equal opportunity programs.

Since U.S. military forces conduct missions worldwide, McGinn said, they should "understand the cultural nuances of areas into which they are going to be deployed."

And as the U.S. population becomes increasingly diverse, it's also useful for military members to be culturally aware so they can better understand comrades in the ranks from different cultural backgrounds, she added.

Cross-cultural competence training "is basically equipping people with the skills to understand what culture is, how people use culture, how they interact with each other within their culture," McGinn explained, "so that wherever they are – deployed in the world or with host populations or with our allies – that we understand that people operate differently based upon the cultural background they come from."

Military and civilian personnel who've been cross-culturally trained should be more effective in different cultural environments, McGinn pointed out. And that, she said, contributes toward mission success.
Though U.S. military forces today normally receive pre- =deployment training, McGinn said, servicemembers may be deployed on short notice or can be quickly sent to perform humanitarian missions in foreign countries.

"So, what cross-cultural competence (training) tries to do," she said, "is provide foundational skills, to say 'Let's understand what a culture is. Let's understand what it means to people that grow up in a certain area in terms of how they interact, how they engage with the world, how they engage with you.'"

Cross-cultural competence training also involves lessons on specific cultures, McGinn said.

The department sponsored a symposium, "The Role of Cross-Cultural Competence in Organizational and Mission Success," June 30 and July 1 at the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., McGinn said. Participants discussed the best way to integrate cross-cultural competence curriculum into the military's existing training and education system.

The institute also serves as the coordinating agency for the Defense Language Office to ensure synchronicity among all services with respect to cross-cultural training.

Learning another language can become a window into the culture of a foreign people, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during his Aug. 10 visit to the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Calif. And as U.S. servicemembers continue to conduct missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, the institute's language courses "are as important as any undertaking that we have in the United States military right now," he added.

"It is really important that we listen to other people, that we listen to other cultures, that we pay attention to how they see their problems," Mullen said. "I call that seeing it through their eyes – putting yourself in a position that actually focuses on what they are thinking about, as opposed to how we think of them, or how we think about, in our Western ways, we might solve their problems."

Air Force Announces Decision On Location Of 24th Air Force

The U.S. Air Force announced today that Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, has been selected as the permanent location of the 24th Air Force headquarters, a numbered air force (NAF) designed to conduct cyber operations activities for the Air Force.

The selection of the 24th Air Force headquarters location follows completion of the Environmental Impact Analysis Process required by the National Environmental Policy Act.

"The thorough evaluation process, which included a 30-day public comment period, determined a finding of no significant impact," said Kathleen Ferguson, deputy assistant secretary for installations.

Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, was previously identified as the Air Force's preferred alternative and Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., was another alternative considered in this process.

"The standup of this NAF will provide clear lines of authority and responsibility dedicated to cyber operations," said, Maj. Gen. Richard Webber, who will assume command of 24th Air Force later this month.

MILITARY CONTRACTS August 12, 2009

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Valero Marketing and Supply Co., San Antonio, Texas is being awarded a maximum $230,517,297 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contract for aviation fuel. Other location of performance is Benicia, Calif. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. The original proposal was Web solicited with nineteen responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is October 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center (DESC), Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0498).

Chevron Global Aviation, Houston, Texas is being awarded a maximum $53,589,360 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contract for fuel. Other location of performance is Salt Lake City, Utah. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. The original proposal was Web solicited with nineteen responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is October 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center (DESC), Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-09-D-0499).

Caterpillar Inc., Mossville, Ind. is being awarded a maximum $7,896,042 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for tractor crawler. Other location of performance is in Illinois. Using service is Navy. There were originally three proposals solicited with two responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is May 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Pa., (SPM500-01-D-0059-0340).

AIR FORCE
Hawker Beechcraft Corp., Wichita, Kan. was awarded a $170,430,952 firm fixed price contract to provide for seven T-6A, Texan II training aircraft including ground based training systems, aircraft spare parts, technical publications, and two years of contractor logistics for the Iraqi Air Force. At this time $68,810,380 has been obligated. 877 AESG/SYI, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity. (FA8617-09-C-6175)

Long Wave, Inc., Forth Worth, Texas was awarded a $10,522,000 firm fixed price contract to provide for the services necessary to support the high frequency global communications system mission by providing the engineering, labor, parts and material for antenna systems inspections, installation/de-installation and maintenance, procurement of antennas, antenna parts, grounding, bonding, shielding and lighting protection, as well as electrical power evaluation. At this time $10,522,000 has been obligated. 727ACSG/PKC, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. is the contracting activity. (FA8106-09-D-0001)

ARMY
First-Yates, A Joint Venture, Edwards, Ms. was awarded on August 11, 2009 a $15,986.956 firm-fixed-price contract for a design-build contract for the construction of an Engineer Research Development Center, Environment Office Building. Work is to be performed in Vicksburg, MS. with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2010. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with 3 bids received. U.S. Corp of Engineer, Vicksburg District, Vicksburg Contracting Office is the contracting activity (W912EE-09-C-0027)

DeMaria Building Co., Detroit, Mich., was awarded on Aug. 11, 2009 a $ 9,015,000 firm-fixed=price contract for the FY 09 replace and convert steam distribution system. Work is to be performed in Saginaw, Mich., with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2011. Twenty (20) bids solicited with eight (8) bids received. U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers Detroit District, National Contracting Organization, Detroit, Mich., is the contracting activity (W911XK-09-C-0029).

Honeywell Technology Solutions, Inc, Columbia, Md. was awarded on August 10, 2009 a $43,368,899 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the 402nd Army Field Support Brigade (AFSB), Headquarters, Joint Base Balad, Iraq, staff augmentation and facilities operations and maintenance program supports the 402nd AFSB for the execution of task and responsibilities relating to their mission as the Army Material Command forward based brigade for logistics to field commanders in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Concentration of effort shall be in support of ongoing and future contingency operations supported by Army Sustainment Command including but not limited to operations in South West Asia or other locations based on changing missions of the 402nd AFSB.

BBN Technologies Corp., Cambridge, Mass., was awarded on August 10, 2009 a $22,460,000 firm-fixed-priced contract for the procurement of 1,095 Boomerang Generation III Systems and 2,195 vehicle installation kits. Work is to be performed in Cambridge, Mass., with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2010. 1 bid solicited with one bid received. CECOM Acquisition Center, Fort Monmouth, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15P7T-09-C-M410).
Eastern Construction & Electric, Inc, Wrightstown, N.J., was awarded on Aug. 10, 2009 a $6,609,546 firm-fixed-price contract for the design/build. Unified Security Forces Operation Facility, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J. Work is to be performed in McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., with an estimated completion date of August 30, 2011. Fifty (50) bids solicited with eight (8) bids received. U.S. Army Engineer District Philadelphia, Pa. is the contracting activity (W912BU-09-C-0033).

ARINC Engineering Services LTD, Annapolis, Md., was awarded on August 07, 2009 a $ 11,056,948 cost-plus-fixed-fee letter contract for the definitization of contract W58RGZ-09-0028, awarded Oct. 27, 2008. Contractor logistics support (CLS) for up to 17 MI-17 Helicopters. Option for 12 months of CLS for up to 27 MI-17 helicopters is included. The MI-17 is a helicopter platform. The contractor will be performing maintenance and training Iraq personal to maintain this type of helicopter. Work is to be performed in Iraq with an estimated completion date of Nov 03, 2010. One bid solicited with one bid received. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aviation and Missile Command Contracting Center, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-09-C-0028).

International Business Machines Corp.; IBM T.J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, N.Y., was awarded on Aug. 10, 2009 a cost-reimbursement contract. This research effort, entitled "Rosetta: An Analyst Co-Pilot, "will support the Global Autonomous Language Exploitation Program. 'Rosetta' will tightly couple speech transcription, language transition, and adaptive, multi-source information distillation in ways that permit English-speaking analysts to focus on and understand the most important information in their area of expertise. Modification P00004 initiated Phase 4 of this program and set up an option for Phase 5. Work is to be performed Yorktown Heights, N.Y., with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2011. Bids were solicited using a Broad Agency Announcement with twenty-one (21) bids received. Defense Advanced Research Project Agency Contract Management Office, Arlington, Va., is the contracting activity (HR0011-08-C-0110).

Berschauer Phillips Construction Co., Olympia, Wash. was awarded on August 7, 2009 a $ 32,894,631 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of the Everett-Seattle Armed Forces Reserve Center, Marysville, Wash. Work is to be performed in Marysville, Wash., with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2011 Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with eight bids received. Corps of Engineers, Louisville District, Louisville, Ky., was the contracting activity (W912QR-090C-0060).

Costanzo Construction Group, Scranton, Pa. was awarded on August 6, 2009 a $13,394,981 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of a command control communication computers intelligence surveillance reconnaissance (C4ISR) finishing center. This C4ISR finishing center is required to repair, refinish and apply protective coatings to large tactical systems, such as Ground Theater Air Control Systems, fire finder systems, radio terminal set, and numerous range threat systems, work is to be performed in Tobyhanna, Pa. with an estimated completion date of Jan. 28, 2011. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with two bids received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Md. is the contracting activity (W912DR-09-C-0049).

Lockheed Martin Services, Gaithersburg, Md. was awarded on August 7, 2009 a $ 10,921,846 Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity Firm Fixed Price contract for the initial outfitting and transition of the Medical Education and Training Campus. Work is to be performed in San Antonio, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 15, 2011. Two Hundred Forty-two (242) bids were solicited through GSA ebuy with four bids received. Center for Health Care Contracting, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W81K04-09-F-0013).

AIS Construction Co., Carpintaria, Calif. was awarded on August 7, 2009 a $ 7,961,550 firm-fixed-price contract for the recovery project for Morro Bay Harbor maintenance dredging, San Luis Obispo County, Calif. Work is to be performed in Morro Bay Harbor, San Luis Obispo County, Calif., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 23, 2009. Bids were solicited using www.fbo.gov and USFI with two bids received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Los Angeles, Calif. is the contracting activity (W912PL-09-C-0018).

Lockheed Martin Services, Gaithersburg, Md., was awarded on August 7, 2009 a $7,736,838 Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity Firm Fixed Price contract for the initial outfitting and transition of the San Antonio Area Military Medical Center. Work is to be performed in San Antonio, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 15, 2011. Two Hundred Forty-two (242) bids were solicited through GSA ebuy with four (4) bids received. Center for Health Care Contracting, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W81K04-09-F-0012).

Native American Vet Earns Presidential Medal of Freedom

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 12, 2009 - A 95-year-old Native American veteran who wore sacred tribal symbols with his uniform during World War II was among 16 people to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom today. President Barack Obama presented the country's highest civilian honor to Joe Medicine Crow during a White House ceremony.

Medicine Crow, the oldest Crow Indian, earned the distinction of war chief for his valiant service during World War II.

"Wearing war paint beneath his uniform and a sacred feather beneath his helmet, Joseph Medicine Crow completed the four battlefield deeds that made him the last Crow war chief," Obama noted today.

Obama called Medicine Crow a "warrior and living legend," noting that his grandfather was a scout who served for Gen. George Custer during the Battle of Little Bighorn.

Medicine Crow became the first member of his tribe to earn a master's degree, and now is a highly regarded historian who lectures extensively about the battle. He serves on the board of the Custer Battlefield Museum.

The president called Medicine Crow a "symbol of strength and survival" and said his life "reflects not only the warrior spirit of the Crow people, but America's highest ideals."

Navy To Christen USNS Matthew Perry

The Navy will christen and launch the dry cargo/ammunition ship USNS Matthew Perry, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009, during a 5 p.m. PDT ceremony at the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego, Calif.

Continuing the Lewis and Clark-class (T-AKE) tradition of honoring legendary pioneers and explorers, the Navy's newest underway replenishment ship recognizes Navy Commodore Matthew C. Perry (1794-1858) who led a squadron of ships to Japan in 1853 with the aim of opening that nation to trade. He served during the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War, and was sent to suppress piracy and the slave trade in the West Indies.

Vice Adm. Richard Hunt, commander, 3rd Fleet, will deliver the ceremony's principal address. Hester Evans, descendant of the ship's namesake, will serve as ship's sponsor. The ceremony will include the time-honored Navy tradition of the sponsor breaking a bottle of champagne across the bow to formally christen the ship.

Designated T-AKE 9, Matthew Perry is the ninth ship of the class, a program of up to 14 ships, the first 11 of which will serve as combat logistics force ships and the last three of which are expected to be part of the Maritime Prepositioning Force (Future). As a combat logistics force ship, Matthew Perry will help the Navy maintain a worldwide forward presence by delivering ammunition, food, fuel, and other dry cargo to U.S. and allied ships at sea.

As part of Military Sealift Command's Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force, Matthew Perry is designated as a United States Naval Ship (USNS) and will be crewed by 124 civil service mariners and 11 Navy sailors. The ship is designed to operate independently for extended periods at sea and can carry two helicopters. The ship is 689 feet in length, has an overall beam of 106 feet, has a navigational draft of 30 feet, displaces approximately 42,000 tons, and is capable of reaching a speed of 20 knots using a single-shaft, diesel-electric propulsion system.

Media may direct queries to the Navy Office of Information at 703-697-5342. Additional information about the T-AKE class of ship is available on line at http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid

Army Employee Marks 55 Years of Service

By Anthony Ricchiazzi
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 12, 2009 - George McClure has served the nation 10 years longer than the average age of his co-workers here. Born in 1936, McClure, who speaks Vietnamese and Spanish, started his 55 years of service on Sept. 1, 1953, in the Army. "When I was in my teen years, the military was a very respected profession amongst my age group," he said. "My father, a World War II Navy veteran, always advocated the military as a career, expressing regret that he had not done so."

When he enlisted, he was selected and assigned to military police training and leadership. "We were not given the option to request a particular field; although I enlisted, this was in the days of the draft, and they placed us where they deemed fit," he noted.

McClure rose in the ranks and served in several posts throughout the country and overseas.

"My first duty ... was in Germany, at the tail end of the occupation period," he said. "Beautiful country, the people were friendly, the beer was delicious, and the girls were lovely. These were major factors in my decision to re-enlist."

Despite that quip, McClure took his duties seriously, evidenced by his increasing responsibilities, including an assignment at Fort Dix, N.J., where he served as military police operations sergeant in the provost marshal's office. There, he helped to maintain law and order at a post with a population of 50,000, and served as the functional supervisor of 144 MP patrolmen -- called "whitecaps" for their distinctive headgear -- on three shifts.

Prior to that, he served two tours in Vietnam: the first as squad leader and platoon sergeant with Company C of the 25th Infantry Division's 9th Infantry Regiment, 4th Battalion, and the second as first sergeant of the 557th MP Company, 95th MP Battalion, 89th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade. He was wounded twice in firefights.

McClure said his most interesting and rewarding assignment was as the sergeant major of the 550th Military Police Detachment, 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces, in the Panama Canal Zone.

"We traveled throughout Latin America, teaching police subjects, counterinsurgency, riot control, etc., in the Spanish language," he said. "Additionally, some of us were on jump status and training to become Special Forces-qualified, and the camaraderie amongst the Special Forces is very close."

McClure retired from active duty in 1974. His numerous awards include not only a Purple Heart with one oak leaf cluster, but also the Bronze Star, the Vietnam Service Medal with six major battle stars, the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Parachutist Qualification Badge with jump wings.

McClure said he would have remained in the Army, but felt he had no option other than to retire when his wife was diagnosed with cancer in 1974 and needed to return to the United States for treatment.

"When she was finally operated on, they took out a 20-pound ovarian cyst," he said. "At that time, ovarian cysts were 90 percent fatal."

McClure was hired as a security patrolman at Tobyhanna in 1975. "I came to Tobyhanna Army Depot because I missed the military atmosphere, and Tobyhanna supplemented that, in part," he said.

Now a senior security specialist in Tobyhanna's communications security division, McClure said he can't pin down what he likes best about working here, but said he knows his work at the Defense Department's major communications security storage and repair facility -- supporting all service branches and other major government agencies -- is extremely important to support the warfighter.

When asked the inevitable question of why he's worked for 55 years when most people retire at 30 or 35 years, his answer is direct and brief: "Why not? As I said from the podium when I received the 55-year award, I consider it a distinct privilege to work at Tobyhanna Army Depot."

At the July 15 ceremony, McClure received numerous awards and mementoes, including the Army Superior Civilian award; a coin and a note from Army Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody, commander of the U.S. Army Materiel Command; a certificate of appreciation and commander's coin; a framed photo of the depot signed by members of the command group and co-workers; and a framed front page of an original July 20, 1954, newspaper in honor of his service entry date.

(Anthony Ricchiazzi writes for the Tobyhanna Army Depot public affairs office.)

GJ Joe: Soldiers Bring Life to 'GI Joe'

By Gary Sheftick and Grafton Pritchartt
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 11, 2009 - One of the soldiers in the opening scene of "GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra," wasn't able to see the film's debut last week. Army Chief Warrant Officer John "Buzz" Covington was with the 21st Cavalry Brigade when he helped to film an Apache attack helicopter scene at Fort Hood, Texas. But he's now in Iraq with the 4227th Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, and is scheduled to be there until May.

"I unfortunately won't be able to see the movie for some time," Covington said, but added that his wife, Army Maj. Darcy Saint-Amant, was excited about going to the film's Aug. 7 opening.

Covington, an AH-64D Apache pilot, actually appears on screen with a few lines in the movie. He and other members of the 21st Cavalry Brigade helped film the Apache scene in an empty hangar the unit was maintaining.

The Army provided director Stephen Sommers and his crew with an Apache helicopter, extras and help with uniforms and the script.

"I was asked to look over the script, and the director was very receptive to all of the changes I suggested to ensure a more authentic portrayal of an Apache combat flight," Covington said.

The Apache scenes were filmed in August 2008 at Fort Hood. The crew filmed an Apache helicopter behind a green screen and filmed two other Apaches taking off for a real training mission.

"It was a very long day, and most of us ended up working about 18 hours that day," Covington said.

Chief Warrant Officer Santiago Torres helped to ensure that all of the support elements from the 21st Cavalry Brigade were in the right place at the right time to keep the shooting schedule on track.

In the movie, the elite GI Joe team uses not only the latest in military equipment, but also "next generation" weapons. The film stars Channing Tatum, Marlon Wayans, Dennis Quaid and Sienna Miller, among others. They battle the corrupt arms dealer Destro and the rising Cobra organization.

"The Army is the good guy in this movie," said Army film liaison officer Lt. Col. Gregory Bishop. "It shows a fantasy version of the Army, but it captures the Army's values of duty, honor and country."

Bishop and other members of Army Public Affairs in Los Angeles provided advice as scenes were being filmed at Fort Hood and in California.

Lt. Col. Paul Sinor, an Army retiree recalled last year, worked extensively with the GI Joe cast in Simi Valley, about 30 miles from Hollywood. Among other things, Sinor helped to teach the GI Joe actors how soldiers handle weapons.

"I don't want somebody who has just gotten out of the Army to look at this film and say 'Oh, that's just another actor,'" Sinor told Paramount Pictures for their production notes.

"We might request changes, say to dialogue, when there might be an exchange between a sergeant and officer that isn't exactly correct," Sinor said. "Or there might be a reference to jeeps. Everybody thinks the Army still drives jeeps, but we haven't driven them since the mid-1970s. So we have it changed to the appropriate vehicle."

When a Humvee rolled over in Simi Valley and Tatum was filmed carrying a "wounded buddy" away from the vehicle, Master Sgt. Kanessa Trent intervened to fix the scene. She showed Tatum how to do a correct fireman's carry. She even allowed Tatum to practice carrying her until he got it right.

Trent, though, won't be viewing the results of her work on the film for some time, either. She's now serving in Kabul, Afghanistan.

(Gary Sheftick and Grafton Pritchartt write for Army News Service. Jacqueline Hames contributed to this report, and information was also obtained from the Paramount Pictures Web site for the film.)

MILITARY CONTRACTS August 11, 2009

AIR FORCE
Lockheed Martin Corp., Marietta, Ga. was awarded a $140,300,000 modified firm fixed contract to provide two additional C-130J-30 aircraft for the Iraq government. The undefinitized contract action also includes non-recurring engineering and integration tasks associated with the new Iraq-peculiar configuration. At this time no funds have been obligated. 657 AESS, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8625-06-C-6456/P00098).

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Integrated Systems, San Diego, Calif., was awarded a $30,331,966 modified cost plus award fee contract to provide labor activities and equipment associated with standup and operations of Global Hawk air vehicle production acceptance at Beale Air Force Base and Palmdale Manufacturing Center. At this time $13,010,000 has been obligated. 303 AESG/SYK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8620-07-C-4015 P00013).

DRS Sustainment Systems, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a fixed price incentive contract to overhaul the Tunner Aircraft Cargo Loaders. At this time $7,223,968 has been obligated. 542 Combat Sustainment Wing, Robbins Air Force Base, Ga., is the contracting activity (FA8519-04-D-0006-0057).

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Oshkosh Corp., Oshkosh, Wis. is being awarded a maximum $21,643,826 firm fixed price contract for cab assembly parts. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Army. There were originally three proposals solicited with one response. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is August 11, 2012. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency-Warren, Warren, Mich. (SPRDL1-09-D-0054).

NAVY
Oceaneering International, Inc., – Marine Services Division, Chesapeake, Va., is being awarded a $13,622,622 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-09-C-2240) for the service life extension program (SLEP) of three landing craft, air cushion (LCAC) craft. The LCAC SLEP will extend the service life of LCAC from 20 to 30 years, sustain/enhance craft capability, replace obsolete electronics, repair corrosion damage, reduce life cycle cost by improving reliability and maintainability, increase survivability, and establish a common configuration baseline. The LCAC SLEP scope of effort includes repair and upgrade of the buoyancy box, gas turbine engine replacement, installation of a new skirt, installation of an integrated C4N equipment package, and accomplishment of selected craft alterations and repair work. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Va., and is expected to be completed by August 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-09-C-2240).

General Dynamics, Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Conn. is being awarded a $6,310,969 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-06-C-4003) for Nuclear Regional Maintenance Department tasks in support of operational nuclear submarines. Work will be performed in New London, Conn., and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $6,310,969 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Military Benefits Foreign Language Training

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 11, 2009 - No training is more crucial to the U.S. military than education in critical foreign languages and cultures, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said yesterday. Speaking at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Calif., Navy Adm. Mike Mullen told students that their lessons in the languages of Afghanistan and Iraq, for instance, have potential to pay great dividends.

"As you go through these courses, no matter how long, they are as important as any undertaking that we have in the United States military right now," he said. "And you really have great, great potential for making a huge difference."

Mullen said the flexibility of language training in the military underscores the state of global flux, he said, adding that change is the "new normal" on today's international climate.

"A few years ago we would not have been focusing on, as we are now ... Dari or Urdu or Pashtu or Farsi or Arabic or Hindi, and many other languages which are covered here," he said. "But just that group speaks to the extraordinary change that we've gone through as an institution in our requirements."

While language is a necessary tool for the exchange of information and ideas, it also can be a window into the culture of a foreign people. That's why the language institute, the Defense Department's flagship foreign culture learning center, complements language with additional training.

Mullen described the approach at the Defense Language Institute as "culturally attuned."

"It is really important that we listen to other people, that we listen to other cultures, that we pay attention to how they see their problems," he said. "I call that seeing it through their eyes -- putting yourself in a position that actually focuses on what they are thinking about, as opposed to how we think about them, or how we think about, in our Western ways, we might solve their problems."

In addition to the lengthy and intensive training regimens at the institute -- with an average Dari course, for example, running for 47 weeks and demanding devoted study outside the classroom -- practicing language in the field demands a large degree of patience, Mullen said.

"Sometimes that takes more patience than we would like to admit," he said. "But in the long run, if you're able to solve a problem using the approach through other people when it's their problem, the outcome is much more positive. And it will be much more long-lasting."

Mullen characterized students at the institute as being "at the heart," both of the military's public outreach efforts in places like Afghanistan and within the U.S. military amid the cultural reform taking shape.

"You are at the heart of change, and that's what I would call the external effect," he said. "But what you're also causing is change internally to our services, because we're going to have to figure out different ways to promote, different ways to educate, different ways to train, compared to what we've done in the past."

The chairman said the burgeoning linguists are at the forefront during a critical juncture.

"As you go through these studies, or these courses, you need to come away from here absolutely the best possible linguist, the best possible education in terms of cultural sensitivity and attuning to the needs of others because you'll really make a difference down the road," he said.

Treasury Designates Financial Institution Tied to North Korea’s WMD Proliferation

The U.S. Department of the Treasury today designated the Korea Kwangson Banking Corp. (KKBC) under Executive Order (E.O.) 13382 for providing financial services in support of both Tanchon Commercial Bank (Tanchon) and Korea Hyoksin Trading Corporation (Hyoksin), a subordinate of the Korea Ryonbong General Corporation (Ryonbong). KKBC is based in North Korea and has operated at least one overseas branch in Dandong, China.

Tanchon and Ryonbong, were identified by the President as weapons of mass destruction (WMD) proliferators and listed in the Annex to E.O. 13382 in June 2005, and Hyoksin was designated by Treasury in July 2009 for being owned or controlled by Ryonbong. All three entities have been designated by the UN pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1718 for their roles in North Korea's WMD and missile programs. E.O. 13382 freezes the assets of proliferators of WMD and their supporters and prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with them, thereby isolating them from the U.S. financial and commercial systems.

"North Korea's use of a little-known bank, KKBC, to mask the international financial business of sanctioned proliferators demonstrates the lengths to which the regime will go to continue its proliferation activities and the high risk that any business with North Korea may well be illicit," said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Stuart Levey.

Since 2008, Tanchon has been utilizing KKBC to facilitate funds transfers likely amounting to millions of dollars, including transfers involving Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation (KOMID)-related funds from Burma to China in 2009. KOMID, which has been identified by the President in the Annex to E.O.13382 and designated by the UN pursuant to UNSCR 1718, is North Korea's premier arms dealer and main exporter of goods and equipment related to ballistic missiles and conventional weapons. Tanchon, the financial arm of KOMID, plays a key role in financing KOMID's sales of ballistic missiles. Additionally, Hyoksin, which the UN described as being involved in the development of weapons of mass destruction, sought to use KKBC in connection with a purchase of dual-use equipment in 2008.

Due to KKBC's relationship to Tanchon, Hyoksin, and Ryonbong, today's action is consistent with UNSCR 1718's requirement to freeze the funds of and deny financial services to UN-designated entities. It is also consistent with UNSCR 1874's call to prevent the provision of financial services or any financial assets that could contribute to North Korea's nuclear, ballistic missile, or other WMD-related programs.

Woodstock Anniversary

We are reminded that the 40th anniversary of Woodstock is upon us. I
was in highschool for the 20th and college for the 25th, and back then, the Woodstock anniversaries were a very big deal. But this year its snuck up on us.


Are we finally past the 60's nostaligia? Will the Balding Boomers for once just shut the hell up about the 60's?

One of the caharacters of my novel, A Line Through the Desert, is a girzled tank platoon leader who can't shut up about his time in Vietnam:

“You sure you should be eating this stuff?” Grady asked Jake. “It bein’ Christmas an all? Prod B?” The man crammed a forkful of turkey into his mouth.

Jake swatted a fly off his tray. “Shut up,” Jake irritably replied. “It’s better than MREs.”

“You should try K- rations,” said Sergeant Snyder.

The other Sergeants glared at Jake, Grady looked like he wanted to rip Jake’s head off. Oh Christ, Jake thought to himself, here we go. Sergeant Snyder spent the next few minutes talking about K- rations, not how they measured up to MREs, just about them, the food, the gum, the cigarettes and aspirin…Ever since they arrived in the Gulf, he refused to shut up about Vietnam. At first, Jake found it interesting. Sgt. Snyder never talked about Vietnam before. But he just wouldn’t stop. If an M-1 got stuck in the sand, Sergeant Snyder talked about getting M-48’s out of Vietnamese mud. If the bugs were getting to everyone, he’d reminisce about fighting off gigantic red Vietnamese fire ants. When Jake complained about not being able to shower, Sergeant Snyder talked about how during the monsoon season, he used to shower in the rain...

So why not the Balding Boomer self regarding, self congradulatory love fest this time around? Have they forgotten about their precious Summer of Love? Is the market for this sort of thing finally saturated? Who can say?

I remember a few years ago watching a Balding Boomer pundit (Mark Shields) on TV being asked about what it would take to 'end' the battle for Iraq. Shields said it would take a Republican stalwort to rise in the senate and join the opposition, like Mike Mansfield did during the Vietnam War.

I didn't know who Mike Mansfield was, I had to look him up. What's funny is that Shields brought up Mike Mansfield without realizing that he had just lost everyone in the audience under 50.

Eunice Kennedy Shrive died yesterday. She was President Kennedy's sister. But who cares? Why is Kennedy's sister dying news? Why not the death of Chester A Arther's grand newphew? As iexplained to a Balding Boomer once (my father), when start droning on to an 18 year old aabout Kennedy and the Vietnam War, that's like some gilded age geezer pestering you about President McKinley and the Philippine counter-inusrgency.

As a historian - published and everything - I can assure you, that the technical term for all this is anceint F!@#@$&! history.

Study to Seek Clues to Soldier Suicides

By Steve Vogel

Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, August 10, 2009

Doctors leading the largest study ever of suicide and mental health in the military are developing intensive soldier surveys that they hope will provide clues as to why suicide rates among Army personnel have grown dramatically in recent years.

The study, a collaboration between the National Institute of Mental Health and the Army, will seek data from every soldier recruited into the Army over the next three years as well as from about 90,000 soldiers already in the service, and the project could eventually involve half a million participants.

The soldiers will be asked on a volunteer basis for personal information that can be used to make psychological assessments. Family members might be contacted for further information. In some cases, saliva and blood samples will be collected for genetic and neurobiological studies.

The information will serve as an "ongoing natural laboratory," officials said, as researchers follow these soldiers for years, looking for common strands as to which individuals are more likely to commit suicide.

"We're looking at suicide as the culmination of a long chain of events," said Robert K. Heinssen, the NIMH study director.

In 2008, 143 soldiers committed suicide, the highest number in the three decades that the Army has kept records.

"The most frustrating thing is trying to find a cause," Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, the Army's vice chief of staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee on July 30.

The five-year, $50 million study, which stems from an agreement in October between the Army and NIMH, is an ambitious attempt to solve the mystery.

Last month, Robert J. Ursano, chairman of the psychiatry department at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, was named to lead an interdisciplinary team of four research institutions involved in the project.

The study will be "complex in its design, and it's looking at a rare phenomenon," Ursano said.

A number of factors may play roles in suicide, according to Ursano, including post-traumatic stress disorder, family issues, alcohol abuse and neurobiological factors.

Repeated deployment to Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere since 2001 is another factor, but one that does not by itself account for the increases in suicide, Ursano said.

"It's a much more complex aggregate of factors," Ursano said. "Deployment increases the stress on a family, but it's clearly not the deciding factor."

The surveys are expected to begin early next year. The information gathered on individual soldiers will be subject to strict privacy safeguards, officials said.

In addition to the planned surveys, researchers are working with the Army to identify and collect relevant information from existing databases, Heinssen said. Data on soldiers who have committed suicide since 2004 will be analyzed.

While the study will continue for years, the researchers are expected to quickly identify and report on potential risk factors to help the Army prevent suicide.

"That's kind of a different way of doing business for us," Heinssen said.

NIMH will report to the Army on a quarterly basis beginning in November. Findings will be incorporated as quickly as possible into treatment programs, according to Chiarelli.

Potential Recruits 'Experience' Army

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 10, 2009 - Army Sgt. Steve Compton remembers the gulp rising in his throat when he stepped inside an Army recruiting station to get information about enlisting. Every head turned his way – except that of the one recruiter Compton felt comfortable enough to approach, and who ultimately enlisted him. Nearly seven years later, Compton is helping to give potential recruits, and anyone else curious about the Army, a less intimidating introduction at the Army Experience Center here.

More than 12,000 people have visited the one-of-a-kind facility since its doors opened almost a year ago at the Franklin Mills Mall near Northeast Philadelphia's city limits.

The center is billed not as a recruiting station, but as an educational facility that offers an array of interactive computer game stations and simulators visitors can enjoy to their hearts' content.

The goal, explained Capt. Jared Auchey, the company commander, is to make the center as inviting and nonthreatening as possible so people want to come in and enjoy the offerings – and learn about the Army in the process.

"The bottom line is, we want people to walk away with a favorable experience about the Army," Auchey said. "If they want to join, that's great. But if they don't, we want them to look back at coming here as a positive experience."

Unlike the bland recruiting station Compton remembers, the Army Experience Center beckons visitors inside. It's situated within a traditional shopping mall, just across from a restaurant that features interactive video games and an indoor skateboard park.

Inviting sofas and chairs positioned around wide-screen TVs beckon mall-weary feet inside the glass-front panels. A boutique within the center sells Army T-shirts, running shorts and other paraphernalia. A snack bar sells treats.

The 23 soldiers who man the center wear Army polo shirts and khaki pants rather than uniforms, and they're quick to note they have no recruiting quotas to fill. All were hand-picked for the job, and they're happy to share their own Army experiences or answer questions about Army life or opportunities with anyone who asks.

But they're also happy to let visitors stroll through on their own, checking out interactive displays that show where Army bases are located worldwide, what kinds of jobs soldiers perform and how much they get paid.

But the most popular attractions at the Army Experience Center are the rows of X-Box 360 video game consoles that feature Army-made as well as off-the-shelf computer games.

Other big draws are life-size simulators that replicate flying a UH-60 Black Hawk or AH-64 Apache helicopter or driving a Humvee as part of a convoy delivering humanitarian supplies in a combat zone.

Staff Sgt. Joshua Baggett, a soldier of seven years who jumped at the opportunity to be assigned to the Army Experience Center, calls these offerings "the wow factor."

"What we have here is a really high-tech way to show the young Americans who visit here there's a lot more to the Army than they think," he said.

As the games and simulations put participants through realistic combat scenarios, they also introduce key Army values: loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage.

For example, after Christopher Brooks and his wife, Jennifer, went through a Black Hawk simulation, Conway talked them through not only how they performed against the enemy, but also how they communicated and worked together as a team.

Brooks, a former soldier, had a leg up on most visitors, but his wife said she learned a lot through the exercise.

"We don't want people to come in here thinking that it's all about shooting things up," Auchey explained. "There's a lot more than that to being in the Army, and that's what we want people to understand after visiting here. We want them to have a taste of what it's like to be a soldier."

The experience helps to clear up a lot of misconceptions about the Army in this historically Navy city that's never quite lived up to its recruiting potential.

"All that a lot of the people who come in here know is what they've seen in the Hollywood movies," Compton said. "This helps change that perspective. This is valuable face time for the Army."

Seventeen-year-old Joseph Staszak gets a lot of that face time, spending six to seven hours playing computer games at the center almost every day. "I don't have an X-box at home, and here I can play for free," he said.

Staszak works part-time in a hospital cafeteria, but said he plans to join the Army as soon as he undergoes the knee surgery he needs to enlist.

"Going into the Army is a way for me to go to college, and it offers great benefits," he said, pausing the action in a video game that takes the player through Army basic training. "And coming here is a good way to learn about all that."

Not all the visitors who hang out at the center aspire to be soldiers, but Auckey said that's fine with him. Even those who choose not to join the Army will be better informed about it, and more likely to share their positive impressions with others, he said.

Thirteen-year-old Sean Yaffee, for example, doesn't see himself joining the military. But he's becoming another regular at the center, where he can play the same computer games he has at home, but in the company of his buddies.

Yaffee said he's learned a lot about the Army at the center. "It just tells you about the Army experience, but it doesn't pressure you," he said. "I'm really just here to have a good time."

Sgt. 1st Class Monica Godfrey, who has spent 10 of her 18 Army years as a recruiter, likes the center's no-pressure approach, and what it communicates about the Army. Visitors can experience some of the concepts she said are simply too hard to put into words in a traditional recruiting office.

"The Army is not all about combat," she said. "I also want people to experience the love and companionship, the esprit de corps and teamwork that's all part of being in the Army.

"We want people to understand that being a soldier means someone always has your back," she added, "and that we take care of each other."

MILITARY CONTRACTS August 10, 2009

NAVY
Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, Inc., Newport News, Va., is being awarded a $28,000,000 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-08-C-2100) for planned and growth supplemental work for the accomplishment of the fiscal year 2008 Extended Drydocking Selected Restricted Availability (EDSRA) of USS Enterprise (CVN 65). The CVN 65 FY08 EDSRA is a ship depot availability of approximately 16-month duration. EDSRAs are similar to overhauls in that they restore the ship, including all subsystems that affect combat capability and safety, to established performance standards. Additionally, an EDSRA provides an opportunity to perform hull inspections and recoating, and other maintenance related evolutions below the waterline that cannot be accomplished while the ship is waterborne. The EDSRA provides sufficient time to perform more extensive repairs and testing than is possible during an Extended Selected Restricted Availability. Work will be performed in Newport News, Va., and is expected to be completed by December 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $28,000,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Sierra Nevada Corp., Sparks, Nev., is being awarded a $26,257,400 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-09-C-6306) to exercise an option for long lead material for 1,300 dismounted joint counter radio-controlled improvised explosive device electronic warfare (JCREW) systems. This contract is for the procurement and support of JCREW systems to be used by forces in each of the military services of the Central Command Area of Responsibility. Work will be performed in Sparks, Nev. (90 percent) and Rancho Cordova, Calif. (10 percent), and is expected to be completed by December 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Consigli Construction Co., Inc., Milford, Mass., is being awarded $19,270,355 for firm-fixed price task order #0002 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N40085-08-D-2112) for construction of a Fitness Center at Naval Station Newport. The work to be performed provides for the construction of a new facility to replace the existing gymnasium which is located in Building #109 and the existing fitness-plus facility located in Building #355. Buildings #109 and #355 will be demolished as part of this contract. In addition, this contract constructs a lighted softball field, a 3-court tennis facility, and installs field lighting to the existing track/soccer/football field. Construction of the softball field will require demolition of Building #144. Site work and other incidental related work is also included in this contract. Anti-terrorism Force Protection and sustainable design principles will be integrated into the design and construction. Work will be performed in Newport, R.I., and is expected to be completed by August 2011. The contract also contains one unexercised option, which if exercised would increase the cumulative contract value to $20,499,732. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Five proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity.

Seaward Marine Services, Inc., Fairfax, Va., is being awarded a $10,076,792 fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for waterborne hull cleaning and associated services to support the director of ocean engineering, supervisor of salvage and diving. The primary purpose of this contract is to provide hull cleaning, hull inspection and other related ship husbandry services on the underwater portion of Navy, Coast Guard, Army and Military Sealift Command ships and craft. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif. (52 percent); Honolulu (Pearl Harbor), Hawaii (30 percent); Yokosuka, Japan (10 percent); Singapore (3 percent); and Guam (5 percent), and is expected to be completed by August 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $50,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the government-wide Point of Entry (GPE) website, with two proposals received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-09-D-4219).

Raytheon Co., Integrated Defense Systems, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $7,374,953 definitization modification to previously awarded letter contract (N00024-08-C-5122) for the integration of complex war-fighting improvements as the platform system engineering agent for the ship self defense system. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif. (90 percent); Tewksbury, Mass. (2.5 percent); Portsmouth, R.I. (2.5 percent); St. Petersburg, Fla. (2.5 percent); and Tucson, Ariz. (2.5 percent), and is expected to be completed by September 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $394,546 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Navistar Defense LLC, Warrenville, Ill., is being awarded a $7,074,494 firm fixed priced modification under contract (M67854-07-D-5032) delivery order #0010 for the procurement of engineering change proposals and tire chains in support of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) MaxxPro Dash vehicles. Work will be performed in West Point, Miss., and work is expected to be completed by the end of December 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The base contract was competitively awarded, and the new requirements are sole source additions to the contract. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $7,046,245 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive/award-fee contract (N00019-07-C-0097) for the upgrade of six U.S. Air Force and six U.S. Marine Corp Low Rate Initial Production II (LRIP II) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft from the Block 0.5 to the Block 1.0 configuration. Work will be performed Fort Worth, Texas (35 percent); El Segundo, Calif. (25 percent); Warton, United Kingdom (20 percent); Orlando, Fla. (10 percent); Nashua, N.H. (5 percent); and Baltimore, Md. (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in June 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. is the contracting activity.

Oceaneering International, Inc., Marine Services Division, Chesapeake, Va., is being awarded a $6,731,538 fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for waterborne hull cleaning and associated services to support the director of pcean engineering, supervisor of salvage and diving. The primary purpose of this contract is to provide hull cleaning, hull inspection and other related ship husbandry services on the underwater portion of Navy, Coast Guard, Army and Military Sealift Command ships and craft. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $33,788,897. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Va. (54 percent); Mayport, Fla. (24 percent); Ingleside, Texas (17 percent); and New London, Conn. (5 percent), and is expected to be completed by August 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $50,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Government-wide Point of Entry (GPE) website, with two proposals received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-09-D-4220).

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $6,172,565 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive/award-fee contract (N00019-06-C-0291) for the upgrade of two U.S. Air Force Low Rate Initial Production I (LRIP I) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft from the Block 0.5 to the Block 1.0 configuration. Work will be performed Fort Worth, Texas (35 percent); El Segundo, Calif. (25 percent); Warton, United Kingdom (20 percent); Orlando, Fla. (10 percent); Nashua, N.H. (5 percent); and Baltimore, Md. (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in June 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. is the contracting activity.

U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND
IBM Global Business Services of Bethesda, Md., is being awarded a five-year, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract with a ceiling of $20,000,000. This requirement is for Special Operations Resource Business Information System, which will provide an enterprise business systems tool for U.S. Special Operations Command to facilitate planning, programming, budgeting, execution, and program information reporting. The ordering period will be completed in August 2014. The contract number is H92222-09-D-0048.

AIR FORCE
Wyle Laboratories, Inc., Huntsville, Ala., was awarded a $14,492,743 contract for the Research Information Analysis Center to research, test, develop, and deliver Integration Requirements Reports, Systems Requirements Reports, Inventory Effectiveness Analysis Report, and Training Records Reports for the Forecasting Management Productivity Tool Analysis Program. At this time, $72,464 has been obligated. 55th Contracting Squadron, Offutt, Neb., is the contracting activity. (HC1047-05-D-4005)

UNITED STATES TRANSPORTATION COMMAND
TransAtlantic Lines LLC of Greenwich, Conn., T 06830-5751, is being awarded a $5,737,108 fixed-price requirements contract for dedicated sealift services to transport lawful cargo by U.S. flag ships between Jacksonville, Fla., and the terminal in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. This contract is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2012. Orders placed against this contract will be funded at the time the cargo is booked. This contract was a 100 percent small business set aside acquisition with two bids received. The contracting activity is United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Ill. 62225 (HTC711-09-D-0047).
Defense Logistics Agency

Solutions Lucid Group LLC.*, Oklahoma City, Okla., is being awarded a maximum $5,101,800 fixed price with economic price adjustment modification type contract for fuel. Other location of performance is McAlester, Okla. Using service is Air Force. There were originally 48 proposals solicited with 48 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is June 30, 2012. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-09-D-4539).

Triune Associates**, Dallas, Texas, is being awarded a maximum $42,224,842 fixed price with economic price adjustment type contract for fuel. Other locations of performance are various locations in Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas. Using services are Army and Air Force. There were originally 48 proposals solicited with 48 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is June 30, 2012. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-09-D-4542)

Summer Recruiting Remains Strong Across Services

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 10, 2009 - July was a boom month for military recruiting, with more than 15,000 young men and women entering the active-duty force, defense officials reported today. July recruiting and retention numbers released today show across-the-board successes, with a new high school graduation class among the recruitment-age population seeking career opportunities.

"In tougher economic times, youth are simply more willing to discuss options with recruiters," said Bill Carr, deputy undersecretary of defense for military personnel policy. "And when they learn the facts, they see the advantages."

All four services met or exceeded their July active-duty recruiting goals, officials reported. Meanwhile, the reserve components signed on almost 8,000 new members, with six components meeting or exceeding their monthly goals.

Only the Army National Guard and Air National Guard fell short of their initial July projections. Officials called this an intentional measure designed to help them manage their end strength, because they're already on track to meet their annual goals.

The ground forces demonstrated the strongest recruiting showings. The Army, with 6,199 active-duty accessions, topped its July goal by 2 percent. The Marine Corps exceeded its active-duty goal by 15 percent, with 3,451 new members.

Both services showed solid successes in reserve-component recruiting, too. The Army Reserve signed on 1,628 soldiers, 123 percent of its monthly goal. The Marine Corps recruited 1,135 members -- 201 percent of its goal.

The Army Guard added 2,562 members to its ranks, and is on a steady track to meet its annual goals, officials said.

Meanwhile, both the Navy and Air Force met their July active-duty goals, signing on 3,421 and 2,654 new members, respectively.

Both services' reserve components met their July goals, with 688 accessions in the Navy Reserve and 907 in the Air Force Reserve.

AFPS Blog: Obama Spends Birthday Focused on Vets

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 10, 2009 - President Barack Obama strode into the Roosevelt Room at the White House on Aug. 4, uttering apologies for being late as he approached the four military journalists to shake their hands and thank them for coming to talk about veterans' issues.
It was the president's birthday, and the fact hadn't been lost at 1600 Pennsylvania venue. Reporters filing through the security gate passed a group of revelers in pointy party hats assembled outside the fence line. They called out birthday greetings to TV cameras, hoisting a larger-than-life image of the president high under the oppressive afternoon sun.

Inside the White House, Obama had a full schedule of events, including lunch with the Senate Democratic caucus just before his session with me and three other military journalists.

Each session, he explained as he sat across from the reporters with Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki at his side, had included birthday festivities that he hadn't known about and hadn't factored into his schedule.

It was shaping up to be a good birthday, he reflected. His Secret Service agents had presented him with a fishing rod. His military aides gave him a display for his military coin collection.

"I'm making out," he said with a smile. "I want to see what Michelle gives me."

The pleasantries exchanged and his visitors now at ease, the president explained why he'd called the session to talk about what his administration is doing to support veterans.

Congress is about to take its summer recess and several major veterans conventions are coming up within the next month. "And we think we've got a great story to tell about where we are moving when it comes to how we treat our men and women who served in the United States armed forces," he said.

Obama praised troops who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, forming "as experienced and as battle-hardened a group of veterans as we've seen in a generation, basically.

"They have performed with extraordinary valor," he said, only to return home to a weakened economy brought on by the financial crisis.

So rather than just "tinker around the edges" to improve VA services for them, Obama said, he opted to "take a forceful series of steps to make sure that the VA was equipped to provide the services that our veterans so richly deserve."

That's the thinking behind the fiscal 2010 VA budget, with its largest funding increase in 30 years, he said. The additional $25 billion over the next five years will go a long way: "more robust" treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries, new VA clinics in rural areas to make services more accessible, more claims adjudicators to reduce backlogs.

Obama calls passage of the budget a big success that will enable these and other changes needed at VA to occur. They'll put VA on "a much firmer footing, moving forward," he said. "The key now is implementation, execution.

For that to happen, he said, he's counting on Shinseki to make VA "a much more customer-friendly operation oriented to bringing people in, not keeping them out, and toward giving them the services they need in a cost-efficient way.

Obama ran down a litany of initiatives under way, and took questions on a broad range of other VA issues. Although all four of us reporters had notes in front of us on the table, the president had none. Shinseki filled in some of the gaps, but there weren't many.

The clock was ticking and the staff behind Obama, sitting along a flag-filled wall, was getting nervous. They were, again, behind schedule.

Obama remained at ease, but deliberated a bit less as he responded to the last two questions.

Overall, he said, he's pretty satisfied with the direction things are going as he works to make good on his campaign promises to do right by America's veterans.

"Of all the things we've accomplished over the first seven months of my administration, one of the things I'm most proud of is that I really believe we have been true to our commitment to our veterans," he said. "The promises that I made during the campaign, we have followed through on. And it will provide tangible, concrete benefits to our veterans for years to come."

The interview was now over, the tape recorders off, and suddenly Obama was preparing to dash off to his next appointment -- again, behind schedule.

Hands were shaken and thank-yous exchanged, along with a fresh round of "happy birthdays." The president paused before returning to the Oval Office across the hallway, asking the reporters, "Tell all your readership I appreciate what they do for our country every day."