Tough Sanctions Could Still Work in Iran, Gates Says

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 7, 2010 - There is still time to toughen sanctions to pressure Iran into complying with international demands that it halt its nuclear program that many believe is geared toward developing a nuclear weapon, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.

"If the international community will stand together and bring pressure to bear on the Iranian government, I believe there is still time for sanctions and pressure to work," Gates said at a press event alongside Italy's minister of defense Ignazio La Russa.

"But we must all work together," he added.

Gates did not comment on specific proposed sanctions, but did say he supported those that target the government of Iran and not its people.

"We have seen what is going on inside Iran. I think the international community does not want the Iranian people to suffer more hardship than is absolutely necessary," he said.

This is Gates' first visit to Italy as U.S. defense secretary. During the two-day stop the secretary met with the prime minister as well as other senior officials. Besides Iran, the discussions ranged from disaster relief in Haiti to the United States' joint strike fighter program to the need to improve relations with Russia, Gates said.

Italy has promised another 1,000 troops for Afghanistan, the most of any ally since President Barack Obama's December announcement of a new strategy. Already they have about 3,200, mostly serving in Regional Command West, where Italy leads military operations. Italy's Carabinieri, its uniformed national police force that is also part of the military, is training the Afghanistan police force.

Gates said he is pleased with the additional commitments of troops by both NATO and non-NATO allies.

During his first year as defense secretary, only about 17,000 allied troops were posted in Afghanistan. Now, that number tops 50,000 in either troops on the ground or pledges.

"If you would have told me that we would have that kind of an increase two years ago I would have thought it a miracle," Gates said.

The job now is to relook at what types of troops are committed, he said.

"The key it seems to me is not necessarily more troops in addition to the 10,000 but rather to ensure that among those 10,000 there are as many trainers and mentors as we possibly can get," he said, referring to the number of troops allies have committed to send.

Gates has spent this trip, first in Turkey and now in Italy, asking his NATO counterparts to re-examine the composition of the troops they are sending. Tomorrow Gates will leave for France.

The secretary said he is confident they will be able to meet the need for trainers and mentors in Afghanistan.

Italy hosts U.S. Army and Air forces. The United States has about 13,000 military personnel stationed in Italy. Naples is the home port for the U.S. Navy Sixth Fleet and Italy hosts the NATO Defense College in Rome.

Gates: Iran's Nuke Program Puts Middle East at Risk

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 6, 2010 - Iran's nuclear program continues to put security in the Middle East at risk despite international pressure to halt its efforts, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. "Iran is in violation of the nuclear nonproliferation treaty, and I think there is a very great worry that if Iran ... proceeds with this program unconstrained, there is a very real danger of proliferation here in the region that would make it even more unstable and more unsafe for everyone," Gates said at a roundtable with traveling U.S. and Turkish press.

The secretary flew here yesterday after a meeting with other defense ministers in Istanbul. His comments come on the heels of a warning by U.S. National Security Advisor James L. Jones at a conference in Munich, where Jones called Iran's nuclear program a global threat.

The secretary praised President Barack Obama's diplomatic efforts toward Iran, saying he has never seen an administration reach out in as principled and comprehensive a way as the president has. But, Gates added, "the response has been quite disappointing."

Gates said the United States has no objection to Iran having a nuclear program that complies with the nuclear nonproliferation treaty, but believes it is using its program to develop a nuclear weapon.

"They have done nothing to reassure the international community that they are prepared to comply with the NPT or stop their progress toward a nuclear weapon," Gates said. "Therefore, I think that various nations need to think about whether the time has come for a different tack."

The International Atomic Energy Agency had offered to exchange Iran's lower-grade uranium for a higher grade that can be used for medical purposes. In the deal, Iran would turn over 1,200 kilograms of low-enriched uranium. Russia and France would enrich the uranium for use at a medical research reactor in Tehran.

Gates said Iran has rejected the offer, despite recent claims by Iranian officials that a deal is close to being reached.

"We had hoped that the Tehran research reactor proposal offered a way out of the current situation in a way that would be satisfactory to all the parties," he said.

Gates called for tougher sanctions on the country if it does not comply with the terms of the agreement in an effort to bring Iran back to the negotiating table.

"Iran is the only country in the region that has publicly declared its intent to destroy another state in the region. This is not encouraging for a country that has a nuclear program, to say the least," he said. "So I think there is a broad international agreement ... to get Iran to stop this program."

Turkey sits on Iran's western border and is in a unique position to influence Iran, Gates said.

During his one-day stop here, Gates met with Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul to discuss the war in Afghanistan, NATO's plans for a missile defense system and U.S.-Turkish military relations.

Gates said he did not press Turkish officials for more troops in Afghanistan. The secretary said he is impressed by the Turkish contributions so far. The country has about 1,700 troops in Afghanistan, with two provincial reconstruction teams and several mentoring teams.

Military and Police Books of the Year

Between the three websites, more than 2,200 American Heroes and their books are listed.

February 6, 2010, (San Dimas, CA) American Heroes Press, the publishers of www.military-writers.com, www.police-writers.com and www.firefighter-writers.com, announced the results of their annual recognition.

About the Websites
Military-Writers.com is a website that lists servicemembers from all branches of the United States Armed Forces who have authored books. Currently, the site lists 1146 servicemembers and their more than 3,700 books. Servicemembers are listed by name, branch, rank and type of book.

Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local law enforcement officials who have written books. Currently, the website lists 1,082 state or local police officers and their more than 2,300 books. Law enforcement officials are listed by name, department and type of book. Additionally, the website has separate sections which list federal law enforcement officials, international police officers and civilian police personnel.

FireFighter-Writers.com lists American firefighters and other emergency services personnel who have authored books. Currently, the site lists 22 firefighters and over 200 books.

About the Awards
The Military-Writers.com Book of Year 2010 focuses solely on the written contribution made by the servicemember. It is that book found by the panel of judges to be the most significant literary contribution made by a servicemember in the previous year.

The Police-Writers.com Book of the Year 2010 focuses solely on the written contribution made by the police officer. It is that book found by the panel of judges to be the most significant literary contribution made by a police officer in the previous year.

The Military-Writers.com 2010 Book of the Year
Ride the Thunder: A Vietnam War Story of Honor and Triumph authored by former Major Richard Botkin, USMC, is the Military-Writers.com Book of the Year.

Former United States Marine Corps Major Richard Botkin “graduated from the University of Michigan's School of Business. He served from 1980 to 1995 on active and reserve duty as a Marine Corps infantry officer with units to include 2nd Battalion 7th Marines, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, and 4th Force Reconnaissance Company. His understanding for Southeast Asia has been enhanced by the nine medical/dental mission trips he helped to organize and lead to Cambodia between 1998 and 2007, and four trips to Vietnam, including one with his main Vietnamese character Le Ba Binh, to specifically do research for Ride the Thunder. Richard Botkin currently lives with his family in northern California, where he is an investment advisor for a major brokerage firm.” Richard Botkin is the author of Ride the Thunder: A Vietnam War Story of Honor and Triumph.

According to the book description of Ride the Thunder: A Vietnam War Story of Honor and Triumph, “Richard Botkin breaks new ground in telling the heroic story of a few American and Vietnamese Marines who fought brilliantly and turned the tide of the Vietnam War, only to have policymakers surrender the battlefield. Botkin recounts the exploits of the American Marines and their Vietnamese allies who were largely responsible for thwarting the North Vietnamese invasion of the northern portions of South Vietnam - known as the 'Easter Offensive of 1972' in the West that was intended to bring the nation to its knees. These are the men who 'rode the thunder' and almost saved a nation. Botkin tells the story of Captain John Ripley's daring raid to destroy the Dong Ha Bridge; Major Le Ba Binh and his seven hundred Marines bravely holding off more than 20 thousand North Vietnamese troops; Lieutenant Colonel Gerry Turley's leadership and bravery that helped thwart the Easter Offensive - and much more.”

The Police-Writers.com Book of the Year 2010
The Sixth Session authored by Lieutenant Joe Hefferon, Essex County Sheriff’s Office, is the Police-Writers.com Book of the Year.

Lieutenant Joe Hefferon of the Essex County Sheriff’s Office is a 22 year veteran of law enforcement who is currently assigned to the office of the chief. He “has been a police officer for more than twenty-two years. His experiences have given him access to the scarier hallways of the human psyche, helping to layer his narrative with poignancy, grit, and dark humor. Joe Hefferon is the proud parent of two beautiful children, Jack and Kaitlin.” Lieutenant Joe Hefferon is the author of The Sixth Session.

According to the book description of The Sixth Session, “Newspaper man Carter Jackson forms an unlikely alliance with Detective Brooke Enright to stop the awful killing of children while reconciling their own inner torment. Carter is reeling over the death of his beloved wife and immerses himself in the brutal investigation, set against one bitter cold December. The Sixth Session will make you think about the best and worst of human capacities. It will make you want to fall in love again, even with all its tragic consequences.”

American Heroes Press Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530

Guard Supports Washington Blizzard Response

American Forces Press Service

Feb. 6, 2010 - More than 100 soldiers and airmen from the District of Columbia National Guard were on duty yesterday and today supporting the district's emergency response to a weekend blizzard.

The Guard members are transporting patients and doctors to area hospitals, taking Metro Police officers to and from work throughout the city and even transported Metro Police Chief Cathy Lanier to a shooting scene on Stanton Avenue.

Officials said Guard personnel are expected to remain on duty through Feb. 9 in support of one of the worst blizzards in the history of the national capital region.

"This is our job, and this is what we do," said Army Maj. Gen. Errol R. Schwartz, commanding general of the D.C. Guard Joint Force Headquarters. "We have always answered the call for help from the District of Columbia at a moment's notice, and our people have done a tremendous job in supporting emergency missions during this historic blizzard."

D.C. National Guard personnel were needed to drive a dozen Humvees to Metro Police precincts throughout the city today, and they proved to be invaluable as the storm worsened and roadways became impassable. In addition to the Humvees, support personnel were stationed at the district's armory and at the D.C. Homeland Security Emergency Management Agency, which was the hub of the city's response to the storm.

Airman Tells Cancer Survival Story

By Air Force Master Sgt. Martie Moore
Special to American Forces Press Service

Feb. 5, 2010 - Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Ronnie Barham, the 506th Air Expeditionary Group chief enlisted manager here, recalled a day seven years ago involving another noncommissioned officer now serving with him in Iraq. "He had a tube down his nose; IVs in his arms, had lost a lot of weight and was heavily medicated," Barham said. "He looked really rough, and he looked up at me and said, 'I'm comin' back, Chief.'"

Air Force Tech. Sgt. Mark Duran didn't know how sick he was at the time.

"I had a dry cough and couldn't stay warm. I just thought I had the flu," recalled Duran, now a 506th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron structures technician who'd deployed to Iraq from the 301st Civil Engineer Squadron at Joint Reserve Field Carswell-Fort Worth, Texas.

The cough lasted about three months before high fevers started setting in, and Duran's friends finally convinced him to go to the doctor. The X-rays revealed his spleen was three times its normal size. He was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease.

According to the National Cancer Association, the disease's symptoms include the painless enlargement of lymph nodes, spleen or other immune tissue. Other warning signs, which Duran developed, include fever, weight loss, fatigue and night sweats.

When the doctor told him he had cancer, Duran didn't look at it as a death sentence. He had a 30-percent chance of survival.

"I didn't realize it was as bad as it was," he said. "When the doctor told us it was Stage 4, I thought, 'Well that has to be the least serious. Stage 1 must be the worst. I was near death and totally ignorant about how serious it was."

The stage of a cancer, usually measured on a scale of 1 to 4, indicates of how much the cancer has spread. The stage often takes into account the size of a tumor, how deeply it has penetrated, whether it has invaded adjacent organs, and whether it has spread to the lymph nodes or distant organs.

Duran said he believes the doctor didn't convey the gravity of the diagnosis because he thought he might lose hope.

"He didn't realize how strong my Christian faith is," the airman said.

Duran had surgery Jan. 8, 2004, to remove his spleen and gall bladder, which was 80-percent cancerous.

"It was beyond a Stage 4. There's no such thing as a 5," Duran said. "I still question why I'm still here, but I'm here for a purpose."

After surgery and chemotherapy treatments, Duran was not prepared for what came next.

"The hardest part was paying for it. It was catastrophic," he said. "Every chemo treatment is $7,000." After insurance, Duran still had $50,000 in medical bills to pay out of his pocket.

As a civilian, Duran works for the Birdville Independent School District in Texas, and he has been in the Air Force Reserve for 26 years. Although family and friends tried to help, it just wasn't enough. He chose to file bankruptcy.

"Between the cancer and bankruptcy, it changed the importance of things in my life," Duran said. "I saw what I owned and what wasn't important and what really is important, like relationships with family and friends. It strengthened my relationship with my wife and even my in-laws. With my in-laws, I'm no longer a son-in-law. I'm a son to them."

Serving his country also is high on Duran's priority list.

"I never intended to get out, but I thought the military might force me out," he said.

Duran's reserve commander and Barham wrote letters to the medical review board, urging them to retain Duran, and it worked.

"From the beginning, I said I'm going to do my 33 years," Duran said.

"He really loves the military and is proud to serve," Barham said. "We wrote the letter so he could still serve, and he volunteered to come here as a structural augmentee. Back home, he is an electrician."

Duran has been in Iraq for more than four months and said he is glad he volunteered to deploy.

"I'm part of a good thing, and I couldn't be surrounded by a better group of people," he said.

Duran credits his positive attitude and faith for keeping him cancer-free for the past six years. Meanwhile, he has been grateful for every moment.

"Don't take your life for granted," he said. "There's not always a tomorrow."

(Air Force Master Sgt. Martie Moore serves in the 506th Air Expeditionary Group public affairs office.)

Two Former Elected Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribal Officials Convicted of Conspiracy and Embezzlement from the Tribe

Fourteen Convicted Following Investigation of Financial Activities of Cheyenne-Arapaho Business Committee

February 6, 2010 - OKLAHOMA CITY—Today, a federal jury found WILLIAM F. BLIND, JR. (a/k/a “Bill Blind”), 68, and his wife, VINITA H. SANKEY, 60, both of Canton, Oklahoma, guilty of conspiracy and embezzlement of more than $150,000 of funds belonging to the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma (“Tribes”), including net gaming revenues derived from the Lucky Star Casinos, announced Sanford C. Coats, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.

“These defendants used their elected positions within the Tribe to take funds for improper and personal use,” said U.S. Attorney Coats. “Tribal elected officials must be held to the same standard as other elected government officials. I commend the FBI agents and prosecutors who worked diligently on these cases for six years in order to expose this corruption and to bring these 14 defendants to justice.”

Blind and Sankey were elected to the Tribe’s Business Committee as representatives for the Arapaho District One (A-1) in 1998 and served on the Business Committee until 2006. Blind and Sankey also had served as Tribal Tax Commissioners. Blind served for a period as Tribal Chairman and Sankey served for a period as Tribal Secretary.

Evidence at trial showed that, between 2000 and 2006, Blind and Sankey conspired to embezzle tribal funds entrusted to them by virtue of their elected positions through submission of various travel claims for expenses related to conferences they did not attend, improper reimbursements, and payment for expenses of relatives to which they were not entitled.

In addition, evidence showed that tribal funds were used to purchase cashiers’ checks from which cash was retained for personal use, and that checks were improperly drawn on the Tribal operating and tax accounts for personal use. Also, evidence showed that tribal funds were used to purchase various vehicles (including a 2001 Dodge Pickup, 2002 Lincoln Town Car, Chrysler 300 M, and a 2003 Dodge 1500 Quad Cab Pickup), two riding lawn mowers, and a portable storage building, which were not returned to the Tribes upon leaving office. In total, more than $150,000 of Tribal funds were embezzled or converted.

The pair was originally indicted in November of 2008. The trial lasted six days and the jury deliberated about six hours before finding Sankey guilty of conspiracy and 21 counts of embezzlement. The jury found Blind guilty of conspiracy and eight counts of embezzlement and found him not guilty on a single count of embezzlement.

At sentencing, Blind and Sankey each face up to five years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and restitution on each count. Sentencing for both defendants has been set for May 5, 2010.

Related Case Prosecution Summary

The case against Blind and Sankey arose out of a long-term investigation of financial activities of the 33rd Cheyenne-Arapaho Business Committee which has also resulted in the conviction of the following individuals in prior separate cases:



• Robert Tabor, 62, of Calumet, Oklahoma, pled guilty to conspiracy to embezzle more than $114,000 of net gaming revenues derived from the Lucky Star Casinos. Tabor was the Arapaho District A-2 elected representative and Chairman of the Cheyenne-Arapaho Business Committee. In April of 2008 he was sentenced to serve 12 months in federal prison and was ordered to pay $114,376.47 in restitution. (Case No. CR-07-211)

• Colleen Tabor, 49, of Calumet, Oklahoma, pled guilty to embezzlement of $7,646.60 of Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribal funds derived from the Lucky Star Casinos. She was the wife of Robert Tabor. In April of 2008 she was sentenced to serve four years' probation and pay $7,646.60 in restitution. (Case No. CR-07-211)

• James Wayne Pedro, Sr., 69, of El Reno, Oklahoma, pled guilty to embezzling gaming revenues from the Lucky Star Casinos and also pled guilty to making a fraudulent statement to HUD. Pedro was an elected member of the Business Committee of the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma. In April of 2006 he was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $193,235.77 in restitution to the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma and $6,277 to the Oklahoma Housing and Finance Agency. (Case No. CR-05-203)

• Peggy Bigpond, 53, of Concho, Oklahoma, pled guilty to unlawfully receiving and converting gaming revenues from the Lucky Star Casinos to her own use. Bigpond worked as Pedro’s secretary during a portion of his term of office on the Business Committee of the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma. In April of 2006 Bigpond was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $32,276.66 in restitution to the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma. (Case No. CR-05-204)

• Lea E. Schantz, 42, of El Reno, Oklahoma, pled guilty to receiving and converting gaming revenues from the Lucky Star Casinos, knowing that the funds had been embezzled. Schantz also pled guilty to making a false statement to HUD. In April of 2006 Schantz was sentenced to serve eight months in federal prison and ordered to pay $48,434 and $6,277 in restitution. (Case No. CR-05-205)

• Vera E. Franklin, 55, of El Reno, Oklahoma, pled guilty to embezzlement of $7,000 of Cheyenne-Arapaho net gaming revenues from the Lucky Star Casinos. Franklin was an elected member of the Business Committee of the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, serving as the Cheyenne District 2 representative. Franklin was sentenced in October 2007 to serve one month in federal prison and pay $7,000 in restitution. (Case No. CR-07-73)

• Louella Oldbear, 56, of Del City, Oklahoma, was convicted by a jury in November 2007 of embezzling over $17,000 and making a false statement to the FBI about the use of Cheyenne-Arapaho tribal money to purchase vehicles. She was sentenced to serve 12 months and one day in federal prison and ordered to pay $17,064.94 in restitution to the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes, and serve three years of supervised release and perform 104 hours of community service following her release from prison. Oldbear was Secretary to a Cheyenne-Arapaho Business Committee member. (Case No. CR-07-77).

• Renee Island, 43, of Calumet, Oklahoma, was convicted by a jury in January of 2008 of conspiracy and embezzlement of Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribal funds derived from the Lucky Star Casinos involving transfers of tribal funds between January and September 2003. She was sentenced to serve 10 months in prison and pay $34,837.38 in restitution to the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes and serve three years of supervised release following her release from prison. Island was employed by the Cheyenne-Arapaho A-2 District as the secretary to Robert Tabor. (Case No. CR-07-49)

• Edward Dunn Whiteskunk, 51, of Hammond, Oklahoma, pled guilty to embezzling net gaming revenues from the Lucky Star Casinos. He was sentenced to serve one year and one day in prison, pay $98,865.97 in restitution to the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes and serve three years of supervised release following his release from prison. Whiteskunk served as a member of the Cheyenne-Arapaho Business Committee and was the elected representative of the Cheyenne District 4. (Case No. CR-08-35)

• Roy D. Bullcoming, 54, of Seiling, Oklahoma, pled guilty to embezzlement of net gaming revenues from the Lucky Star Casinos. He was sentenced to serve 36 months in prison, pay $101,585.68 in restitution to the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes and serve three years of supervised release following his release from prison. Bullcoming served as a Business Committee Representative of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, representing the tribal membership of Cheyenne District 1. He also served as a ceremonial Peace Chief for the Cheyenne Tribe. (Case No. CR-08-55).

• Eugene Blackbear, Jr., 56, of Watonga, Oklahoma, pled guilty to embezzlement from the Lucky Star Casinos. He was sentenced to serve five years' probation and pay $14,843.51 in restitution to the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes. Blackbear was an employee of the Tribes. (Case No. CR-08-141)

• Robert Roy Woods, Sr., 64, of El Reno, Oklahoma, pled guilty to defrauding Social Security by failing to report income he was earning from the Arapaho District One (A-1) office for his self-employed labor. Woods was sentenced to serve three year's probation and pay $13,312.86 in restitution to the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes. (Case No. CR-07-024)

All of these cases are the result of investigations conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jim Robinson and Arvo Mikkanen.

MILITARY CONTRACTS February 5, 2010

ARMY

GM GDLS Defense Group, LLC, JV, Sterling Heights, Mich., was awarded on Jan. 28, 2010, a $253,329,165 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. This action is for a new follow-on contractor logistics support delivery order 0019 Mod DS. The contractor shall provide contractor logistics support for Stryker Family of Vehicles in both garrison and deployment locations. The period of performance is from March 1, 2010, through Feb. 28, 2011. Work is to be performed in various locations with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2011. One bid was solicited with one bid received. TACOM Contracting Center, CCTA-IL, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-07-D-M112).

The Boeing Co., Mesa, Ariz., was awarded on Feb. 1, 2010, a $108,550,867 firm-fixed-price requirement contract to support Corpus Christi Army Depot in the overhaul, repair and recapitalization of the AH-64/H-47 weapon systems. Work is to be performed in Corpus Christi, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2015. One bid solicited with one bid received. Aviation and Missile Command Contracting Center, CCAM-AL-D, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-10-D-0027).

The Boeing Co., Mesa, Ariz., was awarded on Jan. 28, 2010, a $99,270,307 firm-fixed-price contract to exercise the option for 13 aircraft in Lot 14. Work is to be performed in Mesa, Ariz., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2013. One bid was solicited with one bid received. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aviation and Missile Command Contracting Center, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-06-C-0093).

DRS Sustainment Systems, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded on Feb. 3, 2010, a $93,694,518 firm-fixed-price contract to award delivery order 0002, which is an order of 275 M1000 trailers. Work is to be performed in St. Louis, Mo., with an estimated completion date of May 30, 2012. One bid was solicited with one bid received. U.S. Army Contracting Command, TACOM, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-09-D-0107).

Oshkosh Corp., Oshkosh, Wis., was awarded on Feb. 1, 2010, an $84,739,677 firm-fixed-price contract for the partial exercise of the option for 627 explosively formed penetrator kits on the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected All Terrain Vehicle. Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, Wis., with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2012. Five bids were solicited with five bids received. TACOM, AMSCC-TAC-ADCA, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

AIR FORCE

Boeing Co., Seal Beach, Calif., was awarded a $75,939,504 contract which will provide for Global Positioning Satellite GPS IIF Space Vehicle, sustainment and operational control segment support for calendar year 2010. At this time, $25,000,000 has been obligated. GPSW/PK, El Segundo, Calif., is the contracting activity (F04701-96-C-0025, P00532).

Northrop Grumman System Corp., San Diego, Calif., was awarded a $5,935,099 contract which will provide performance for engineering, manufacturing and development activities in support of the Global Hawk program. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 303 AESG/SYK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (F33657-01-C-4600,P00349).

NAVY

Bell-Boeing Joint Program Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded a $70,004,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee repair contract for repairs in support of the V-22 aircraft. Work will be performed in Ridley Park, Pa. (50 percent), and Fort Worth, Texas (50 percent), and is expected to be completed by June 2012. Contract funds will not expire before the end of the fiscal year. This contract was not competitively awarded. The Naval Inventory Control Point, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (N00383-10-D-003N).

Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded an undefinitized advance acquisition contract with an estimated value of $50,394,000 for long lead materials and components associated with the manufacture and delivery of 18 Lot 8 UH-1Y build new aircraft, eight Lot 8 AH-1Z remanufactured aircraft, and two Lot 8 AH-1Z build new aircraft. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (60 percent), and Amarillo, Texas (40 percent), and is expected to be completed in January 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-10-C-0015).

Nova Group, Inc., Napa, Calif., is being awarded $8,175,000 for firm-fixed-price task order #0002 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62473-06-D-1005) for construction of an aircraft direct fueling station and the installation of one emergency generator set at the Naval Air Facility El Centro. Work will be performed in El Centro, Calif., and is expected to be completed by January 2011. 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, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

RD Buie Enterprises, Boerne, Texas (SPM8E6-10-D-0003); Middle Atlantic Wholesale Lumber, Owings Mills, Md. (SPM8E6-10-D-0004); Sylvan Forest Products, Portland, Ore. (SPM8E6-10-D-0005); and S&S Forest Products, Boerne, Texas, are each being awarded a maximum $10,248,249 firm-fixed-price, total set-aside, tailored logistics support contract for wood products for the eastern region. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. The original proposal was Web solicited with 16 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract includes a two-year base and three one-year options. The date of performance completion is Feb. 4, 2012. The Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (SPM8E6-10-D-0006).

Military Legal Resources

Official Records of the Diplomatic Conference on the Reaffirmation and Development of International Humanitarian Law Applicable in Armed Conflicts

Geneva, 1974-1977

This 17-volume set includes the full text of all resolutions and protocols enacted at the four sessions of the Diplomatic Conference, held in Geneva from February 20 through March 29, 1974; February 3 through April 18, 1975; April 21 through June 11, 1976; and March 17 through June 10, 1977. The objective of the Conference was to study two draft Additional Protocols, relating to the protection of victims of international and non-international armed conflicts, that were prepared by the International Committee of the Red Cross. Volume I contains the Final Act, the resolutions adopted by this Conference, and the draft Additional Protocols. Volume II contains the rules of procedure, the full list of participants, the report of the Drafting Committee, and the reports of the Credentials Committee for all four sessions of the Diplomatic Conference. Volumes III and IV contain the table of amendments. Volumes V through VII contain the summary records of the plenary meetings of the conference. The summary records and reports of Committees I, II, and III are contained in volumes VIII through XV. The summary records and reports of the Ad Hoc Committee on Conventional Weapons are in volume XVI. A complete table of contents of the sixteen volumes is in Volume XVII. (Library of Congress Call Number KZ6456.2 1978; OCLC Number 4616070)

View the Resource
http://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/RC-dipl-conference-records.html

Army to Increase Fiscal 2010 Base Operating Support by $500 Million

Secretary of the Army John M. McHugh and Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr. announced today that the Army is taking steps to increase funding by $500 million for Base Operating Support (BOS) in fiscal 2010.

"We will continue to look for efficiencies and best practices, but the bottom line is we will not shortchange our soldiers and their families," said McHugh.

The Army's Installation Management Command will continue to work closely with each installation to ensure its essential base operating support needs are met. Additionally, the Army will conduct a comprehensive mid-year review of all installation BOS accounts to ensure installations can meet Army priorities.

"The secretary and I remain committed to ensuring our soldiers and families get the support they need and we will continue to provide the resources to do that," Casey reiterated.

For more information media may contact Col. Catherine Abbott at 703-693-4723.

Military to Continue China Outreach, Official Says

By Lisa Daniel
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 5, 2010 - The U.S. military will continue to reach out to China's military to foster relations as both nations expand their presence in the Asia-Pacific region, the Pentagon's deputy assistant secretary for Asian and Pacific affairs said yesterday. "From this administration, you will hear the consistent theme that the United States is a Pacific nation in every regard – geopolitically, militarily, diplomatically, and economically," Robert Scher told the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, a 12-member panel of public and private sector experts on Asian affairs, at a meeting on Capitol Hill. "Asia and the Pacific are indispensible to addressing the challenges and seizing the opportunities of the 21st century."

The hearing came a week after Chinese officials in Beijing declared a suspension of military relations with the United States in retaliation for the Obama administration's recent announcement of a nearly $6.4 billion arms deal with Taiwan, which China views as a breakaway province.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said then that he hoped any downturn in U.S.-China military relations would be temporary. He cited a law passed three decades ago that allows the United States to support Taiwanese defense, despite the two countries' lack of formal diplomatic ties. He said similar arms deals exchanged under the Bush administration also angered Beijing, prompting the Chinese to cool military-to-military relations with Washington.

Scher did not address the arms deal in his prepared remarks before the commission, but said U.S. alliances with Japan, South Korea, Australia, Thailand and the Philippines "remain the bedrock of our presence and engagement in Asia-Pacific."

The administration is committed to strengthening those alliances to address continuing and emerging challenges in the region, as well as to build on relations with other key Pacific players such as India, Indonesia, Vietnam and Singapore, he said.

Scher noted that China is expanding its relationships throughout Asia, while growing both its economy and its military. While most Southeast Asian states have been receptive to defense engagements with China, the country is "long from becoming the security partner of choice to the region as a whole," he said.

U.S. officials do not view China's engagements in the region as "a zero-sum game," Scher said. In fact, he said, "we see great potential for China to bring its growing capacities to bear in support of finding common solutions to common problems," such as counterpiracy, nonproliferation, counternarcotics and humanitarian assistance.

A continued point of contention in U.S.-China military relations has been China's increasingly assertive position on maritime and territorial issues in Southeast Asia and the South China Sea, partly due to the country's increasing demand for oil and natural gas, Scher said. The United States will continue to work with its allies in the region to ensure that international policies are followed to allow full navigational rights in the region, he added.

"We strongly object to behavior that puts at risk the safety of our vessels and is a clear violation of international norms of behavior in ocean waters outside territorial seas," he said. "Our military activity in this region is routine and in accordance with customary international law as reflected in the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention."

Meanwhile, the United States is seeking a greater presence in the Asia-Pacific region through a "whole-of-government" approach, Scher said, while "clearly demonstrating through word and deed that U.S. forces will remain present and postured as the preeminent military force in the region."

The complexity of today's security environment calls for continuous dialogue between the U.S. and Chinese armed forces at all levels and expansion of cooperation, Scher said.

The United States and China both seek regional stability, economic growth and to stem the rise of extremism in the region, he noted.

"As China's international role expands, and its defense engagements in Southeast Asia increases, our two militaries will increasingly find themselves operating in the same space," Scher said. "We need to have sustainable and reliable communication channels to ensure that China understands our interests and does not seek to challenge them militarily."

Wisconsin Army Guard brigade takes major step in transformation

By Sgt. Andy Poquette
157th Brigade Public Affairs

February 5, 2010 - Changing missions can be difficult. Changing missions after 90 years can be extremely difficult, but that's exactly what the Soldiers of the Wisconsin Army National Guard's 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB) are doing. After 90 years as the 57th Field Artillery Brigade, the Soldiers of the newly transformed 157th MEB, headquartered in Milwaukee, are taking on new roles, new responsibilities, and new challenges.

"As a field artillery brigade, throughout the ' 80s and ' 90s, we had one mission - field artillery," said 157th MEB Command Sgt. Maj. Brad Shields. "Our annual training was the same each year - go to Fort McCoy and fire. Now, as a maneuver enhancement brigade, we have opportunities for those willing to breathe new life into the organization."

The maneuver enhancement brigade is a new Army concept that focuses on battlefield command and control. Unlike specialized units of the past, the MEB is able to own ground on the battlefield, thereby assuming responsibility of a piece of land. This responsibility can encompass everything from route clearance and military police to civil affairs and air space management.

"A maneuver enhancement brigade is an organization that is designed to provide command and control for a designated area," explained Sgt. Maj. Charles Kirchner, chief operations sergeant for the 157th MEB. "This can be during war or peace time. We are a unit comprised of subject matter experts in the areas of military police, CBRN [chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear], aviation, operations, area management, logistics and engineering."

The brigade began its transition in 2007 with a complete restructuring of the organization. Maintenance, chemical, signal and engineer units were created from previously existing field artillery battalions and brigade detachments. This restructuring presented new opportunities for Soldiers, and new training challenges.

"Our biggest challenge during this transition has been getting our Soldiers qualified in the new MOS skill sets that are required for the MEB," Kirchner said. "But it is important to remember that with this transition we are now more relevant to the current world situation both in peace and wartime."

Shields said that change is good.

"Change grows an organization," he said. "With this transition, Soldiers have the opportunity to become much more diverse in their skill set. While it has been a challenge for our Soldiers to get the required schools completed, you have to keep your eye on the end state.

"Each new job makes you more marketable both as a Soldier and civilian, and creates advancement opportunity," Shields continued. "For senior NCOs we are looking for a broad background. Understanding of other jobs is critical to advancement to a leadership position." With the change to a MEB, officer and senior NCO positions have nearly doubled at the brigade headquarters, and Soldiers have more opportunity to advance than ever before. Soldiers of the 157th can specialize in military police, chemical, air space management, public affairs, civil military operations, engineering, medical and liaison from the rank of private to colonel.

Recently Soldiers in the 157th MEB headquarters element had a chance to test their new specializations at the brigade's first warfighter exercise, held at Fort Leonard Wood's Maneuver Support Center. The week-long training exercise was designed to establish a baseline for how far the brigade has come in its transition.

"The exercise went very well," Shields said. "It was an opportunity for the MEB to exercise at its elementary stage, its tactical standard operating procedure. It's all been theory so far, and we really haven't had an opportunity to practice."

Shields said the exercise proved to be a major stepping stone which set benchmarks for the brigade.

"We have a plan, and now we have a base," he said. "We can work towards the plan and our goals. Without this, you don't have a clear picture."

This exercise was the first of many planned for the brigade, with a corps-level warfighter scheduled for next year. Going forward, the brigade plans to use what it learned at Fort Leonard Wood to refine its training plan, and rehearse the military decision-making process. Focus is now shifting from individual training to section-level training.

"Section training is key," Shields said. "The entire section needs to understand its role. For drill weekends, we plan to have staff members drill on Fridays once a quarter to handle administrative work so drills focus on section training. We also rewrote the operations order for the warfighter exercise to continue the fight at [the] armory. We will continue training from the exercise at a section level."

The transformation of the 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade is part of the Army's strategic initiative to move towards a modular, multi-functional force.

NORAD Plans Air Patrols for Super Bowl

American Forces Press Service

Feb. 5, 2010 - Fighter jet crews from North American Aerospace Defense Command's Continental United States Region will be busy Feb. 7 protecting the skies around Sun Life Stadium in Miami during Super Bowl XLIV. Air Force fighter jets will be airborne while enforcing the Federal Aviation Administration's temporary flight restriction zone during the big game.

"As America's air defenders, we have a total team mindset," said Air Force Maj. Gen. Garry Dean, commander of NORAD's Continental United States Region. "Special events like this world-renowned sporting event take precise coordination with all mission partners, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, FAA and local law enforcement."

In preparation for the Super Bowl, the FAA will impose a temporary flight restriction over the greater Miami area. Air Force fighters will be on patrol, and Customs and Border Protection assets also will fly during the event. This interagency partnership helps to ensure the safety of the skies over the stadium, officials said.

Airmen at the 601st Air and Space Operations Center here will closely monitor all air activity while the FAA temporary flight restriction is in place, said Air Force Col. Randy Spears, the center's commander.

"The men and women of this AOC monitor the skies 24/7 ... for the contiguous United States, and Sunday's special event is another part of our mission set," Spears said.

The flights will have minimal impact on aircraft in the area and are not in response to any specific threat, officials said.

"We want citizens to know that we are always on the job, and defending our homeland from air threats is our number one priority," Dean said.

(From a NORAD Continental United States Region news release.)

Military Prepares to Support Super Bowl XLIV

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 5, 2010 - As the excitement builds in the minutes before the Super Bowl kickoff, four Air National Guard F-15 Eagle fighter jets will scream over Miami's Sun Life Stadium in a dramatic show of military support for the big game. The F-15s, from the Florida Air National Guard's 125th Fighter Wing, will time their flyover to begin just as country music superstar Carrie Underwood belts out the last note of the national anthem, reported Air Force Lt. Col. Richard Bittner, the 125th Wing's public affairs officer.

Air Force Lt. Col. John Black, who goes by the call sign "Homer," will lead the formation, followed by Wing Commander Col. Bob "Squirt" Branyon. Lt. Col. Mike "Speedo" Rouse, the 159th Fighter Squadron commander, will be in position three, with Col. Bill Bair, commander of the 125th Fighter Wing's operations group, holding up the rear.

After the pilots land at nearby Homestead Air Reserve Base, a Miami-Dade police helicopter will whisk them back to the stadium, where they'll be introduced to the crowd, Bittner said.

The Super Bowl flyover is a first for the Air National Guard. The wing has done flyovers for other National Football League events, most frequently over Jaguars games near its Jacksonville International Airport base. But Bittner said there's a special panache that comes with flying over the big daddy of football games.

"It's a huge honor," he said, calling it a recognition of the wing's impressive operational readiness posture, and its 24/7 mission of being ready to scramble at a moment's notice to protect U.S. air space.

The flyover is just part of the military support being provided as the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts do battle during Super Bowl XLIV.

The Armed Forces Color Guard from the Military District of Washington will kick off that support, marching onto the field before the game to present the colors, accompanied by two drummers from U.S. Air Force Band.

Meanwhile, as more than 75,000 fans enjoy the sold-out game, military forces will be at work behind the scenes, supporting civil authorities to maintain security in and around the stadium and in the skies overhead.

Fighter jets from Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region will be airborne, working in coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, FAA and local law enforcement to enforce flight restrictions over Miami during the game, reported the commander, Air Force Maj. Gen. Garry Dean.

Air Force Col. Randy Spears, commander of the 601st Air and Space Operations Center, called the mission an extension of the eagle-eyes his airmen provide every day. "The men and women of this AOC monitor the skies 24/7, 365 for the contiguous United States, and Sunday's special event is another part of our mission set," he said.

In addition, the Florida National Guard's 44th Civil Support Team will be on the ground, poised to support civil authorities, as required. The 40-member team, a mix of soldiers and airmen, is trained respond to any emergency situation, including those dealing with weapons of mass destruction, said Air Force Lt. Col. Ron Tittle, a Florida National Guard public affairs officer.

As in recent years, about 40 wounded Marine Corps warriors will be enjoying the game in person, courtesy of tickets donated by the Cleveland Browns.

Meanwhile, thousands of U.S. servicemembers will be watching, too, either at home or overseas, via Armed Forces Network broadcasts.

Troops Overseas to Get Live Super Bowl Feed

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 5, 2010 - When millions of Americans gather around their TV sets this weekend for Super Bowl XLIV, they'll have lots of company from U.S. forces around the world and at sea, thanks to the American Forces Radio and Television Service.

AFRTS has been delivering the game live for the past 43 years.

The full game, including the pre-game show, will be beamed by satellite to American Forces Network viewers and American Forces Radio listeners in 175 countries and aboard Navy ships at sea, said Larry Sichter, affiliate relations chief for the Defense Media Activity's AFN Broadcast Center in Riverside, Calif.

So as the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts take their positions at Miami's Sun Life Stadium for the 6:30 p.m. kickoff, troops in Germany will be cheering them on 30 minutes after midnight on Feb. 8. In Iraq, it will be 2:30 a.m. Feb. 8; in Afghanistan, an hour and a half later, at 4 a.m., and in Japan and Korea, 8:30 a.m.

AFN will re-air the game twice for those who prefer to wait until local prime time rather than watching the game live, Sichter said.

Regardless of where they're stationed or deployed, everyone who watches the AFN broadcast will see all the Super Bowl festivities -- including Carrie Underwood's rendition of the national anthem, followed by a flyover of four Florida Air National Guard F-15 fighter jets, as well as The Who's halftime performance.

The only thing the overseas viewers won't get will be about 43 minutes of mostly beer, pizza and insurance commercials. That, explained Sichter, is because AFN is not permitted to air them as a condition of getting the programming free of charge. So in their place, military viewers overseas will see a bevy of encouraging "shout-outs" from President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and many of the players themselves, as well as some of AFRTS' newest command information spots.

Obama is taping his Super Bowl message today. Gates, who is traveling in Europe, already has recorded his 60-second video, in which he expresses appreciation for the troops overseas and recognizes the hardship of being away from home, especially during special event like the big game, said Paul Waldrop, chief of the AFRTS radio and TV production office.

In addition, AFRTS taped shout-outs from 22 players -- 11 Saints and 11 Colts, including Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, the two quarterbacks – to air throughout the game. All expressed thanks and encouragement to the troops overseas, Waldrop said.

AFRTS also will broadcast promotions for its other programming. It also plans to roll out several new spots on topics on the upgraded AFN decoder box used to unscramble the AFN TV signal for overseas viewers, as well as a new service that will enable troops to ask questions about their benefits, then get the answers aired on TV.

The early morning showings and lack of commercials don't appear to have dampened any enthusiasm about the big game. Signs popping up at the new International Security Assistance Force Joint Command headquarters in Kabul advertise a big Super Bowl party in the command's new morale, welfare and recreation tent. The festivities will kick off at 4 a.m., and will feature prizes, souvenirs and other treats, reported Navy Capt. Jane Campbell, the command's public affairs officer.

To the south, at Kandahar Air Base, the Army Corps of Engineers' Afghan Engineer District South is readying its own tent for what it's billing as a "town hall" during the big game.

Unfettered by the nine-and-a-half-hour time difference from Miami, and with access to computers so they can continue working throughout the game, participants will feast on breakfast foods rather than hot dogs, and they'll imbibe with coffee and orange juice rather than long tall ones, said public affairs officer Pat Ryan. Many of the staffers developed a deep fondness for New Orleans while working there after Hurricane Katrina, she noted, so they're expected to root heavily for the Saints.

Meanwhile, the dining facility at Forward Operating Base Ghazni, in Afghanistan's mountainous eastern Ghazni province, is setting up "something special" for Task Force White Eagle members who want to watch the game despite the "o-dark-thirty" kickoff time, reported Air Force Master Sgt. Sarah R. Webb troops, the provincial reconstruction team public affairs officer.

And at Balad Air Base in Iraq, viewing areas are being set up around every large-size TV around, a defense contractor at the base reported. Although General Order No. 1 – which forbids troops there from drinking alcohol – remains in effect, he said he expects fans to tap into a big supply of nonalcoholic beer and to chow down on other readily available munchies.

Troops overseas have been treated to live Super Bowl broadcasts since the first big game in 1967, initially through short-wave radio broadcasts, Sichter said.

Televised Super Bowl coverage was limited at first to videotape copies of the game distributed after the fact to overseas outlets, unless AFN outlets contracted with commercial networks to get the game live. That all changed in 1982, when AFRTS stood up its satellite network, enabling it to provide live Super Bowl broadcasts to all troops overseas.

Jeff White, the AFN Broadcast Center's executive director, expressed thanks to the National Football League, CBS and Westwood One Radio for granting AFN the rights to broadcast the game again this year.

"We're delighted to be able to deliver the Super Bowl to the AFN audience,' he said. "It tops the list as the world's most popular sporting event and underscores our mission to provide a 'touch of home' to the troops who serve out country overseas."

Study Measures Traumatic Brain Injury

By Christen N. McCluney
Special to American Forces Press Service

Feb. 5, 2010 - Scientists at the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center and a professor at Columbia University are working on a collaborative study measuring brain damage on traumatic brain injury patients.

"It's a large problem to the Army and the soldiers," Thomas Meitzler, a scientist at the Army center, said during a Feb. 3 interview on the Pentagon Channel podcast "Armed with Science: Research and Applications for the Modern Military."

He was also joined by Joy Hirsch, professor at Columbia University and director of the Program for Imaging and Cognitive Sciences.

Soldiers who are exposed to blasts associated with roadside bombs often are not aware of any resulting mild TBI and return to duty without proper medical diagnosis and treatment. The study, a cooperative research and development agreement between TARDEC and the Columbia University Medical School, is helping to determine what areas of the brain are susceptible to damage and measuring how the brain is engaged while performing certain functions.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging, a specialized MRI that captures high-resolution images of the brain and identifies regions engaged during specific mental tasks, allows the researchers to ask patients to do tasks and look at what parts of the brain are working during a specific function.

"Oftentimes in traumatic brain injury, patients have symptoms of injury, but the physical evidence is not obvious," Hirsch said. "When we apply a functional MRI, then we can begin to understand the neurophysiology that underlies the behavioral disabilities."

Participants are asked to do cognitive, language and memory tasks so researchers can understand how the brain works during target acquisition in the field. "We have a battery of tests that are aimed to probe people's ability to control emotions, memories and to solve problems," Hirsch said.

Meitzler added that understanding how the brain works is important in helping to optimize tasks, and doing this provides a window into how the brain works during decision making, identification and search in the field.

The researchers also are proposing that soldiers be scanned before they are deployed and then upon their return to provide a basis for comparison.

"We hope to store that information on a digital dog tag so that [it] is always carried with them and can be referred to at a later time," Meitzler said.

It would be a great baseline of information, Hirsch said, and doing the comparison when soldiers return from deployment also would help to start treatment of brain injuries much earlier and before behavioral signs kick in.

The results of using this imaging will be used to guide and monitor therapy, and prevent compounding injury by multiple blast exposures.

"Functional MRI has become the backbone of neuroscience," Hirsch said. "We can use it for new ways to think about treatments."

The team also is looking into putting sensors inside armored vehicles so that they can record the magnitude and location of roadside-bomb blasts. With information about the size or type of blast the vehicle has experienced, the team can relate that to patients and be more proactive in treatments of future patients who experience similar injuries.

With this information, future vehicles could be developed so that blasts cause fewer injuries, the scientists said.

(Christen N. McCluney works in the Defense Media Activity's emerging media directorate.)

Guardsmen Prepare for Second Major East Coast Storm

By Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke
Special to American Forces Press Service

Feb. 5, 2010 - Schools are closing, weekend activities are being cancelled and the federal government here will shut down four hours early today, but the National Guard is on duty in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia in anticipation of a major winter storm.

About 660 Guardsmen have been activated for a storm that is expected to dump up to 28 inches of snow and bring high winds to the northern and western parts of Virginia and then continue north up the East Coast this weekend.

"This storm will bring severe weather to many parts of Virginia," said Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell. "As the storm affects your area, please stay off the roads and contact local authorities if help is needed."

McDonnell declared a state of emergency Feb. 3, and the state's Department of Military Affairs is staging more than 400 personnel from the Virginia Army and Air National Guard and Virginia Defense Force at key locations in the commonwealth.

If needed, the DMA will bring an additional 100 personnel on duty when the weather picture and state and local support requirements become clearer, according to a news release from the state.

"We are moving DMA personnel into position in order to be on standby for possible missions to assist state and local emergency response organizations with rescue and transportation operations," said Army Col. Rob McMillin, a Virginia National Guard joint operations officer.

Personnel were expected to be in place yesterday and to be ready for duty this morning, Guard officials reported.

McMillin stressed that the Virginia National Guard receives its missions through the Virginia Department of Emergency Management to assist state and local emergency response organizations and is not able to respond to direct support requests from the public.

"During the winter storm in December 2009, we received calls directly from citizens, and we are not able to respond to those requests." McMillin said. "We urge people who need assistance to make a request through their local dispatcher or 911 services, and that request will be forwarded to the DMA when appropriate."

McMillin said the initial plan is to place Virginia National Guard personnel with Humvees on duty at locations throughout the commonwealth.

This is the third time since the middle of December the DMA has called up Guardsmen for weather-related duty. The DMA had nearly 250 soldiers, airmen and members on duty throughout southern Virginia on Jan. 29 and 700 on duty after a storm that began Dec. 18.

In Maryland, the National Guard has pre-positioned its forces and equipment to provide support to civil authorities. Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley is expected to declare a state emergency later today.

"The Maryland National Guard always stands ready to support the governor and the citizens of Maryland," said Army Lt. Col. Charles Kohler, the state public affairs officer. "We provide essential, lifesaving services when local and state response capabilities are overwhelmed, including the capability to provide transportation, shelter, food, water and medical support.

He added that the National Guard has 34 armories across Maryland that also will be used to support this ongoing operation.

In the District of Columbia, Washington Mayor Andrew Fenty declared a snow emergency this morning. The National Guard will provide 12 Humvees and 60 soldiers to help in implementing the district's Snow Emergency Management Plan.

In Delaware, Gov. Jack Markell is prepared to declare a state of emergency, his spokesman said. If needed, the Delaware National Guard will be mobilized.

In South Dakota, 16 Guardsmen are still on duty helping to re-establish road and utility infrastructure and conduct search-and-rescue operations as required by local authorities. The state experienced strong winter storms with high winds, snow, and freezing rain on Jan. 23, and more than 2,000 residents are currently without power throughout the state.

National Guard missions normally performed during snow operations include assisting local law enforcement with transportation and evacuation, distribution of supplies, road clearing and snow removal, search and rescue, security and law enforcement airspace coordination, aircraft support and patient evacuations, airspace coordination, and sheltering assistance.

(Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke serves at the National Guard Bureau. Army Maj. Cotton Puryear of the Virginia National Guard contributed to this report.)

Gates to Ask NATO for More Trainers, Mentors

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 4, 2010 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates left the Washington, D.C., Beltway yesterday, putting the politics of war spending behind him, only to land squarely in the middle of the same debate among the NATO partners here. Gates flew overnight to spend today and tomorrow working with U.S. allies to help in prioritizing the organization's spending and at the same time hoping to garner a larger commitment of troops and resources for the war in Afghanistan.

Officials here said NATO is up against a "crunch time," as many European countries face drastic defense cuts due to the global financial crisis. At the same time, the cost of the war in Afghanistan is expanding.

NATO must cut costs to spend money where it is most needed, a senior U.S. defense official said, speaking on background.

"There are lots of things that we spend money on that we shouldn't be spending money on," the official said. In fact, Gates has long questioned some of the organization's spending.

This is Gates' 11th such meeting with the alliance's defense ministers, and "for as long as he's been coming, he has been concerned about NATO's priorities in terms of spending," said Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell.

Morrell said much of NATO's spending is outdated and needs to be readjusted to ensure proper resources go to the wars it is now fighting.

The senior official speaking on background said U.S. officials hope to have an agreement on spending reform in place by the end of this conference. The official declined to say what NATO should spend less on, but did say the alliance needs to invest more in strategic threats, such as a missile defense system, as well as more on resourcing the fight in Afghanistan.

While here, Gates will lobby for more trainers and mentors from NATO partners to bolster the effort in Afghanistan. NATO has committed to send about 9,000 extra troops, but about 4,000 more trainers and mentors are needed, the official said.

Another meeting is planned for the end of this month in which commitments will have to be made. The two-day conference here is the start of the efforts to persuade the partners, many of whom already had planned to reduce the number of their forces in Afghanistan, to deliver more troops, the official said.

"In the end," the official explained, "this all about providing the capacity to build the Afghan forces so that we can transition responsibility over to the Afghans and we can reduce our own investment in terms of troops, ... both the United States and our allies."

This year is critical to building that capacity, the official said. Providing more troops now means requiring fewer in the years to come, he added, noting that the drawdown is slated to begin in some form starting in the summer of 2011.

"Everyone wants to see troop numbers going down," the official said. "Everyone understands that the only way we're going to have our troop [numbers] go down is for Afghan capability to go up."

For the most part, NATO officials have embraced the proposed withdrawal start date set in place by President Barrack Obama. It has given the allies and Afghanistan's leaders a clear mark on the calendar to work toward, and the proposed date gives NATO partners an incentive to deliver on troop commitments, the official said.

"I think they have been more willing to cough up security forces, because they now see a strategy that makes sense," the official said. "It is not an open-ended commitment. It is a commitment to improve the situation on the ground, to allow the Afghans to take over responsibility, to invest heavily now so they can do less down the road.

"I call 2010 the year of maximum effort," said U.S. Ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder. "It is a year we are going to do everything we can, so down the road we have to do less. ... The key here is the more we can accomplish in 2010, the more we can transition in 2011 and beyond, the more we can draw down."

Morrell said Gates' message tomorrow to NATO defense leaders will be that now is the time to commit.

"He will implore them to act as quickly as they can to get their forces into the fight, because time is of the essence," Morrell said.

As an incentive to provide troops for training and mentoring, Gates is expected to promise more help for the NATO partners in combating deadly improvised explosive devices. The U.S. military has grown its capacity to counter the IED threat during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and it has a wealth of knowledge and specialty equipment to offer up, the official speaking on background noted.

This planned commitment to provide resources and equipment to NATO partners also has helped to bolster other countries' plans to provide more troops, the official added.

Though the United States does not want to compromise any of its classified information, Morrell said, Gates wants to "lean forward and push the system to share whatever we can."

"I think he is very cognizant and very sensitive to the fact that our troops are not the only ones being targeted by this dramatic increase in IED attacks," Morrell said. "And he has made it clear ... that we need to be doing all we can possibly do to share our expertise ... with our friends and allies who have boots on the ground in Afghanistan."

Airmen Support Operation Deep Freeze

By Air Force Tech. Sgt. Aries D. Early
Special to American Forces Press Service

Feb. 4, 2010 - More than halfway through the 2009-2010 winter season, U.S. servicemembers have made many major contributions in support of the National Scientific Foundation's efforts in Antarctica. The members support Operation Deep Freeze, a 13th Air Force-led joint task force responsible for the coordination of strategic airlift, field support airlift, emergency response and aeromedical evacuation.

The task force also is tasked with sealift duties, seaport access, bulk fuel supply, port cargo handling and other transportation related requirements conducted in Antarctica. All of this is done in what is considered by many to be one of the most difficult peacetime duty assignments, mainly because of the harsh environment. Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, highest and most inhospitable continent on the globe.

"[We're] participating in a major change in airfield operations at McMurdo Station," said Air Force Col. Paul Sheppard, Joint Task Force Support Forces Antarctica deputy commander.

In previous years, LC-130 Hercules operations were located at an airfield known as Williams Field Skiway and C-17 Globemaster III operations were at Pegasus Field runway from Dec. 1 until the season's end. This year, all operations were consolidated at Pegasus Field.

"A new skiway was build at Pegasus for the LC-130 fleet and the consolidation of aircraft has been a success," the colonel said. "Since acquiring the mission in 1998, we have never lost any of our military members or aircraft. This is a very dangerous environment. We know that, and we act accordingly."

So far, 53 C-17 missions have been flown between Christchurch, New Zealand, and McMurdo Station, Antarctica, transporting 2,700 passengers and more than 3.5 million pounds of cargo. Ski-equipped LC-130 aircraft have flown 292 missions, ferrying nearly 2,000 passengers and more than 8.1 million total cargo pounds from McMurdo Station to the South Pole and other research posts throughout Antarctica.

(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Aries D. Early serves in the 13th Air Force public affairs office.)

Comptroller Lists Priorities for Budget Request

By Ian Graham
Special to American Forces Press Service

Feb. 4, 2010 - Defense Department officials are working to cut extraneous and wasteful programs, despite a requested modest increase for the fiscal 2011 budget, the department's chief financial officer said. During a Feb. 2 "DoDLive" bloggers roundtable, Robert F. Hale, undersecretary of defense, comptroller, provided a summary of the department's proposed budget for fiscal 2011, listing four "themes" to explain certain aspects of the request.

On Feb. 1 President Barack Obama submitted a $708 billion defense budget request to Congress that included $549 billion for the base budget and $159 billion for wartime activities. The base budget request is $18 billion more than the $531 billion enacted for fiscal 2010, which represents an increase of 1.8 percent real growth after adjusting for inflation.

Hale said that while the Defense Department needs modest real growth to maintain, train and equip the forces that sustain the nation's wartime efforts, department officials are doing everything they can to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars.

"Now this is a huge amount of money, coming, obviously, at a time when the United States is having economic problems," Hale said. "I always remain in awe somewhat of the size and complexity of this organization -- about 3 million people working on a variety of tasks, ... involved in two wars, drawing down in one, building up in the other, as well as a number of other operations, most notably right now the Haiti operation.

"It's an organization that's very busy, and therefore asks a lot in terms of resources," he added.

Hale said the four themes associated with the budget request are taking care of Defense Department employees, rebalancing the military to fight today's wars while preparing for future conflicts, supporting the troops in the field, and reforming defense acquisition programs.

"Our highest priority and theme in this budget is taking care of our people," Hale said. "That involves adequate pay raises. We've proposed a 1.4 percent pay raise. It involves family-support initiatives."

Hale explained the defense budget will invest substantially in military health-care programs, including $2.2 billion to take care of wounded warriors, an issue particularly important for Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates.

"Secretary Gates has said that, other than winning the wars themselves, nothing is more important than taking care of these brave people who have sacrificed for us. So taking care of people [is] our highest priority," Hale said.

Ensuring warfighters have the money and equipment to do their jobs in the field is critical, Hale said. About $192 billion has been requested to fund troop and operational increases in Afghanistan as well as to pay the cost of drawing down in Iraq.

"But we know that we aren't terribly good about guessing where we might have to fight next," he noted, "and so we are investing broadly in a variety of capabilities that will hopefully prevent, or, if necessary, let us prevail in future conflicts, as well as support today's conflicts."

Hale said that the growth in the budget doesn't reflect a disregard for the country's economic situation, nor does it reflect a growth in unnecessary spending. In fact, he said, the budget calls for cuts in many programs department officials have deemed wasteful.

"We owe it to the American taxpayers to be careful with that money and to weed out programs we no longer need," he said. "And to that end, we have proposed ending production of the C-17 aircraft -- it's a great plane, but we've got all we need -- and not pursuing an alternate engine for the joint strike fighter, for various logistics and cost reasons. Secretary Gates has said that if Congress chooses to add money for these two programs, he will strongly recommend that the president veto any legislation that does that."

The F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter, the Army Future Combat System and a ship-building program for the Navy are being restructured.

Officials also are trying to change the way the Defense Department buys weapons. Better cost estimating and adding more government employees to oversee contracts will greatly improve acquisition, Hale said.

Understanding a project's requirements early on also will cut costs, Hale said. Many projects that go over budget do so because requirements for the equipment change, sometimes calling for complete redevelopment.

"So we've got a budget sizable in amount, an organization that is very busy, an overall theme of continuing a reform agenda and providing all the resources that the United States needs ... so the Department of Defense can maintain national security," Hale said.

(Ian Graham works in the Defense Media Activity's emerging media directorate.)

Exercise Helps Pacific Nations Prepare for Crises

By Christen N. McCluney
Special to American Forces Press Service

Feb. 4, 2010 - A multilateral exercise under way in Thailand is helping the United States and its Pacific-region partners improve their ability to respond to regional crises. "Cobra Gold is one of the best and most important exercises that we do as a part of U.S. Pacific Command," Lt. Gen. Benjamin R. Mixon, commander of U.S. Army Pacific, said during a Feb. 2 "DoDLive" bloggers roundtable.

Though it began as a bilateral exercise between Thailand and the U.S. military, Cobra Gold has grown over the years to include participation by other Pacific nations. It takes place annually in Thailand and focuses on maintaining and improving military-to-military relationships among the United States, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and other nations in the region, Mixon said.

More than 11,500 personnel, including 6,000 from the United States, are participating this year.

Noting that the U.S. relationship with the Thai government goes back 177 years, Mixon emphasized the exercise's importance.

"We have an extremely long-standing relationship, and Cobra Gold simply highlights many of the activities that we do in the Asia-Pacific region, a region that is extremely important to the United States," he said. "This exercise is important not only because it is one of the largest multilateral exercises, but it also involves the first-ever deployment of the contingency command post, which is a part of U.S. Army Pacific."

During Cobra Gold, contingency command post personnel are studying Haitian relief efforts for lessons learned. The exercise is rooted in partnerships and recognizes the need for multinational solutions to common challenges ranging from transnational violent extremism to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, the general said.

"Regional cooperation is always important," Mixon pointed out. "In this region, countries have responded very well to the major disasters in the past. So I think, as we continue to do this training, we will only get better at the ability to respond rapidly and then to work together with all the other governmental agencies that would be involved in disaster relief."

Mixon noted that Cobra Gold represents only one aspect of full U.S. engagement in the Pacific region.

"We're out here and engaged across the board, both the Army in the Pacific and U.S. Pacom, and we continue to remain engaged out here in the region because it is of vital importance to the United States," Mixon said.

(Christen N. McCluney works in the Defense Media Activity's emerging media directorate.)