DOD (DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE NEWS)
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine, who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lance Cpl. Jeremy Z. Long, 18, of Sun Valley, Nev., died Aug. 10,
while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was
assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I
Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers,
who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Killed were:
Sgt. Steven P. Mennemeyer, 26, of Granite City, Ill.
Sgt. Jeffery S. Brown, 25, of Trinity Center, Calif.
They were declared Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown on Aug. 8, when
their UH-60 Blackhawk crashed into a lake in the vicinity of Korean
Village in Rubtbah, Iraq. Their remains were recovered on Aug. 9 and 10,
respectively. Both soldiers were assigned to the 82nd Medical Company (Air
Ambulance), Fort Riley, Kan.
This incident is under investigation.
Five soldiers were killed in Iraq and
Afghanistan in recent days, another two were wounded, and the Defense
Department has identified four earlier casualties who died supporting
Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Two Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers were killed yesterday when
a roadside bomb struck their dismounted patrol south of Baghdad.
Three coalition soldiers were killed and two were wounded Aug. 11
during a battle with Taliban extremists in northeastern Afghanistan. The
soldiers became engaged with the extremists while conducting operations in
the Waygal district of Nuristan province.
The soldier's names and nationalities are being withheld pending
notification of next of kin.
Meanwhile, the Defense Department has identified four servicemen killed
recently in Iraq:
-- Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jeremy Z. Long, 18, of Sun Valley, Nev.,
died Aug. 10 while conducting combat operations in Iraq's Anbar province.
He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine
Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.
-- Army Sgt. Steven P. Mennemeyer, 26, of Granite City, Ill., and Army
Sgt. Jeffery S. Brown, 25, of Trinity Center, Calif., died Aug. 8 when
their UH-60 Blackhawk crashed into a lake near Korean Village in
Rubtbah, Iraq. Both soldiers were assigned to the 82nd Medical Company (Air
Ambulance), Fort Riley, Kan.
-- Army Staff Sgt. Tracy L. Melvin, 31, of Seattle, died of injuries
suffered Aug. 6 when a roadside bomb detonated near his Humvee during
combat operations in Ramadi, Iraq. Melvin was assigned to the Army's 2nd
Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder,
Germany.
CONTRACTS
AIR FORCE
Rockwell Collins Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is being awarded a
$62,589,087 firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed fee contract modification.
This contract modification exercises production options for the purchase
of 28,054 Defense Advanced GPS Receivers (DAGRs) and accessories. The
DAGR will provide authorized Department of Defense and foreign military
sales users of Global Positioning System user equipment a precise
positioning system, hand-held, dual-frequency (L1/L2), lightweight receiver
(less than one pound) that incorporates the next generation,
tamper-resistant GPS selective availability anti-spoofing module security module.
The DAGR will serve as a replacement for the precision lightweight GPS
receiver in integrated platforms as well as for the advanced and basic
GPS user. This effort supports foreign military sales to the following:
Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, and the
United Kingdom. At this time, total funds have been obligated.
This work will complete June 2007. Headquarters Global Positioning
Systems Wing, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., is the contracting
activity (F04701-02-C-0011/P00043).
Lockheed Martin - Mission Systems, Colorado Springs, Colo., is being
awarded a $13,565,721 cost-plus award fee contract modification. The
combatant command's integrated command and control systems FY06
sustainment include operations, maintenance and support to maintain mission
integrity for the newly deployed target system architecture systems at
Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, the Alternate Missile Command Center,
and forward user and sensor sites, as well as maintenance of legacy
systems at the Peterson Air Force Base test development facility, the
Schriever Air Force Base, Cheyenne Mountain Training System, and the ISC2
test and integration lab and remote software support facility (Cheyenne
Mountain Complex). Also included is the support to the 721 CS
organizational level maintenance, astro support workstation, Joint Space
Operations Center, tech refresh, tech docs, and industrial security. At this
time, 12,114,232 has been obligated. This work will completed by
September 2006. Electronic Systems Center, Detachment 5, Peterson Air
Force Base, Colo., is the contracting activity
(F19628-00-C-0019/P00087).
Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems and Solutions. Manassas, Va., is
being awarded a $10,572,917 cost plus award fee/fixed price contract
modification. This contract modification is in support of the Department of
Defense's Global Transportation Network system. This action is
purchasing the hardware/software for the data warehouse. At this time,
$10,572,917 has been obligated. This work will be complete January 2007.
Headquarters Air Mobility Command Specialized Contracting Branch, Scott Air
Force Base, Ill., is the contracting activity (F19628-95-C-0029/P00286).
Raytheon Aircraft Co., Wichita, Kan., is being awarded a $9,932,738
commercial firm fixed price contract modification. This contract
modification provides for Navy Lot 13 JPATS T-6A production aircraft (2 each)
for FY 2006. At this time $9,932,738 has been obligated. Headquarters
Air Force Material Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the
contracting activity (F33657-01-C-0022/P00129).
Raytheon Co., Marlborough, Mass., and Rockwell Collins, Inc., Cedar
Rapids, Iowa is being awarded a $6,000,000, firm-fixed-price and time and
materials contracts. In order to continue survivable communications for
strategic nuclear forces, the Minuteman minimum essential emergency
communication network program (MMP) must be upgraded to support
communications via the advanced extremely high frequency satellite
constellations. The MMP upgrade will provide an improved terminal operator control
function and an AEHF capability and address other system improvements for
the MMP. At this time, $1,300,000 has been obligated for each
contractor. Headquarters Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom Air Force Base,
Mass., is the contracting activity. (FA8726-06-C-0019 &
FA8726-06-C-0020)
ARMY
L3 Communications CyTerra Corp., Waltham, Mass., was awarded on Aug.
8, 2006, a delivery order amount of $34,600,500 as part of a
$301,279,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for full-rate
production of the AN/PSS-14 mine detecting and training sets, maintenance
and training. Work will be performed in Orlando, Fla., and is expected
to be completed by Aug. 7, 2007. Contract funds will not expire at the
end of the current fiscal year. This was a sole source contract
initiated on Apr. 3, 2006. The Army Communications-Electronics Command,
Alexandria, Va., is the contracting activity (W909MY-06-D-0001).
Alliant Lake City Small Caliber Ammunition Co. L.L.C., Independence,
Mo., was awarded on Aug. 9, 2006, a delivery order amount of $29,904,739
as part of a $393,715,899 firm-fixed-price contract for small caliber
ammunition items. Work will be performed in Independence, Mo., and is
expected to be completed by Apr. 30, 2008. Contract funds will not expire
at the end of the current fiscal year. This was a sole source contract
initiated on October 5, 2005. The Army Field Support Command, Rock
Island, Ill., is the contracting activity (DAAA09-99-D-0016).
Blackwater Security Consulting, Moyock, N.C., was awarded on Aug. 7,
2006, a $7,161,101 firm-fixed-price contract for personal security
detail services - protection security services. Work will be performed in
Baghdad, Iraq, and is expected to be completed by September 30, 2008.
Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
There were an unknown number of bids solicited via the World Wide Web on
March 25, 2006, and 21 bids were received. The Joint Contracting Command,
Baghdad, Iraq, is the contracting activity (W91GY0-06-C-0027).
NAVY
Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a
$31,700,000 ceiling priced modification to a previously awarded
firm-fixed-price contract for the fiscal year 2006 lot III procurement of
initial spare parts in support of the UH-1Y aircraft. Work will be performed
in Hurst, Texas and is expected to be completed in December 2008.
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 (N00019-06-C-0086).
L-3 Communications Titan Corp. Unidyne Division, Norfolk, Va., is
being awarded a $22,712,231 firm-fixed-price contract for the Service Life
Extension program (SLEP) for three Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC)
craft. LCAC is the essential element within the current and future Navy/
Marine Corps amphibious warfare triad that provides heavy lift
capability to perform amphibious assaults and operational maneuvers from the
sea. LCAC SLEP entails modifications for extending the service life of
the LCAC from twenty to thirty years. Modifications include
repair/refurbishment of the hull, main engine upgrades, installation of a new skirt
system, and upgrades to the communication/navigation systems. Work will
be performed in Norfolk, Va., and is expected to be completed by March
2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal
year. The contract was competitively awarded and advertised on the
Internet, with two offers received. The Naval Sea Systems Command,
Washington, Washington, D.C. is the contracting activity
(N00024-06-C-2203)
Bluefin Robotics Corp., Cambridge, Mass., is being awarded a
$17,956,137 cost plus award fee contract for the design, development,
fabrication, and test of surface mine countermeasures, unmanned underwater
vehicle, and increment 2 user operational evaluation system. Work will be
performed in Cambridge, Mass., and is expected to be completed by February
2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal
year. The contract was competitively procured and advertised via the
World Wide Web, with two proposals received. The Naval Surface Warfare
Center, Panama City, Fla. is the contracting activity (N61331-06-C-0053).
CONTRACTS
ARMY
General Dynamics Land Systems, Warren, Mich., was awarded on Aug. 4,
2006, a delivery order amount of $63,383,552 as part of an $81,049,509
firm-fixed-price contract for M1A1 vehicle material sets. Work will be
performed in Lima, Ohio (77 percent), Scranton, Pa. (20 percent), and
Muskegon, Mich. (3 percent), and is expected to be completed by June 30,
2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal
year. This was a sole source contract initiated on Dec. 29, 2005. The
Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, Warren, Mich., is the
contracting activity (DAAE07-01-G-N001).
Specialty Defense Systems, Dunmore, Pa., was awarded on Aug. 8, 2006,
a delivery order amount of $48,999,868 as part of a $258,926,914
firm-fixed-price contract for modular lightweight load-carrying equipment
systems. Work will be performed in Dunmore, Pa. (22 percent), McKee, Ky.
(9 percent), Jefferson City, Tenn. (32 percent), Monticello, Ky. (13
percent), Phoenix, Ariz. (14 percent), and is expected to be completed by
Aug. 7, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current
fiscal year. There were an unknown number of bids solicited via the
World Wide Web on December 9, 2005, and eight bids were received. The Army
Research, Development, and Engineering Command, Natick, Mass., is the
contracting activity (W911QY-06-D-0003).
General Dynamics Land Systems, Warren, Mich., was awarded on Aug. 4,
2006, a delivery order amount of $44,398,880 as part of a $125,448,389
firm-fixed-price contract for M1A1 vehicle material sets. Work will be
performed in Lima, Ohio (77 percent), Scranton, Pa. (20 percent), and
Muskegon, Mich. (3 percent), and is expected to be completed by June 30,
2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal
year. This was a sole source contract initiated on December 29, 2005.
The Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, Warren, Mich., is the
contracting activity (DAAE07-01-G-N001).
General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Mich., was awarded on
Aug. 3, 2006, a delivery order amount of $21,656,632 as part of a
$21,656,632 firm-fixed-price contract for tank urban survivability kits for
the Abrams M1A1/A2 tanks. Work will be performed in Westminster, Md. (6
percent), Lima, Ohio (61 percent), Tallahassee, Fla. (17 percent), and
Sterling Heights, Mich. (16 percent), and is expected to be completed
by May 30, 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the
current fiscal year. This was a sole source contract initiated on April 19,
2006. The Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, Warren, Mich., is
the contracting activity (W56HZV-06-G-0006).
Michael Bianco Inc.*, New Bedford, Mass., was awarded on Aug. 8, 2006,
a delivery order amount of $21,000,141 as part of a $138,562,131
firm-fixed-price contract for the modular lightweight load-carrying equipment
systems. Work will be performed in New Bedford, Mass., and is expected
to be completed by Aug. 7, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the
end of the current fiscal year. There were an unknown number of bids
solicited via the World Wide Web on December 9, 2005, and eight bids were
received. The Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command,
Natick, Mass., is the contracting activity (W911QY-06-D-0004).
BAE Systems Land & Armaments, York, Pa., was awarded on Aug. 7,
2006, a delivery order amount of the $19,488,005 as part of a $19,448,005
cost-reimbursable contract for long lead materials to support the RESET
of battle damaged Bradley A3 vehicles. Work will be performed in York,
Pa. (83 percent), Aiken, S.C. (5 percent), San Jose, Calif. (8
percent), and Fayette, Pa. (4 percent), and is expected to be completed by
Febuary 29, 2007. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current
fiscal year. This was a sole source contract initiated on June 5, 2006.
The Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, Warren, Mich., is the
contracting activity (W56HZV-05-G-0005).
MDT Armor Corp.*, Auburn, Ala., was awarded on Aug. 7, 2006, a
$10,119,851 increment as part of a $10,119,851 firm-fixed-price contract for
model MDT-DAV David Urban light armored vehicles with manufacturer
Furnished Spare. Work will be performed in Auburn, Ala., and is expected to
be completed by July 30, 2007. Contract funds will not expire at the
end of the current fiscal year. This was a sole source contract initiated
on April 21, 2006. The Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command,
Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-06-C-0413).
Delaney Construction Corp., Gloversville, N.Y., was awarded on Aug. 7,
2006, a $7,640,000 firm-fixed-price contract for upgraded sewer lines.
Work will be performed in at Fort Drum, N.Y., and is expected to be
completed by Sept. 7, 2007. Contract funds will not expire at the end of
the current fiscal year. There were three bids solicited on May 5, 2006,
and three bids were received. The Army Corps of Engineers, New York,
N.Y., is the contracting activity (W912DS-06-C-0011).
Alutiiq Global Solutions*, Anchorage, Alaska, was awarded on Aug. 8,
2006, a delivery order amount of $5,408,227 as part of a $6,195,206
firm-fixed-price contract for airfield pavement and repair of the west
parking apron/taxiway. Work will be performed at Langley, Air Force Base,
Va., and is expected to be completed by Aug. 30, 2007. Contract funds
will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This was a sole
source contract initiated on May 31, 2006. The Army Corps of Engineers,
Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (W91236-06-D-0046).
NAVY
Force Protection Industries, Inc., Ladson, S.C., is being awarded a
$62,905,628 firm-fixed-priced contract for 86 Cougar Explosive Ordnance
Disposal (EOD) vehicles, associated spares, field service support, and
technical manuals. This is a foreign military sale for the United
Kingdom. Work will be performed in Ladson, S.C. (60 percent) and Charlotte,
Mich. (40 percent), and work is expected to be completed by May 2007.
Contract funds will not expire by the end of the current fiscal year.
This contract is a sole source award to Force Protection Industries, Inc
as they are the sole manufacturer of the Cougar EOD vehicle. The Marine
Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity
(M67854-06-C-5162).
Welin Lambie Limited, Britannnia House Old Bush Street Brierley, West
Midlands DY5 1UK, is being awarded a $14,038,975 firm-fixed-price,
indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for an estimated 25
single/double hoist system boat davits over a five year ordering period, to
replace those onboard the Amphibius Assault, general purpose, and
Amphibious Assault, multi purpose, ships. The contract also requires
contractor to provide testing support and training, and associated technical
data such as logistics management information, spare parts list, and
technical manuals. Work will be performed in the United Kingdom, and is
expected to be completed by September 2011. Contract funds in the amount
of $498,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This
contract was competitively procured and synopsized on the Federal Business
Opportunities website, with two offers received. The Naval Surface
Warfare Center, Carderock Division, Philadelphia, Pa., is the
contracting activity (N65540-06-D-0018).
The Boeing Company, Anaheim, Calif., is being awarded a $13,700,192
modification under previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee,
cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00030-05-C-0063) to definitize a letter contract
previously announced in the amount of $10,648,500. The definitized value
is $14,022,238 for TRIDENT II (D5) Subsystem Fiber Optic Gyro (FOG) and
Fiber Optic Gyro Navigator (FOGN) design investigations. The contract
includes additional work for FOG and FOGN requirement specification
studies and test capability development in the amount of 10,326,454 which
increases the cumulative contract value to $24,348,692. Work will be
performed in Anaheim, Calif., and is expected to be completed by August
2007. Contract funds will not expire by the end of the current fiscal
year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Navy's Strategic
Systems Programs, Arlington, Va., is the contracting activity (Mod No.
PZ0001).
Alloy Surfaces Co., Inc., Aston, Pa., is being awarded $7,353,633 for
delivery order 004 under previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract
(N00104-05-G-0726) for MJU-49/B decoy devices in support of the Airborne
Expendable Countermeasures program. Work will be performed in Aston,
Pa., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 5, 2006. Contract funds will
not expire by the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was not
competitively procured. The Naval Inventory Control Point,
Mechanicsburg, Pa., is the contracting activity.
Propper International Sales, Inc., St. Charles, Mo., is being awarded
a $6,350,058 delivery order against a previously awarded contract
(M67854-03-D-3025) for improved load bearing equipment system used as load
carrying gear by Marines. Work will be performed in Mayaguez, Puerto
Rico, and is expected to be completed in April 2007. Contract funds will
expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Marine Corps Systems
Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Charles Stark Draper Laboratories, Inc., Cambridge, Mass., is being
awarded a $6,165,773 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract to provide
technical support for the MK5 and MK6 guidance system tactical engineering
program and will include the development of and implementation of a
strategic technology applications program and an open architecture
modeling/simulation system designed as the integrated engineering environment
using tools now available and tailored for this application. Work will be
performed in Cambridge, Mass., and is expected to be completed by
September 2006. This contract was not competitively procured. contract funds
in the amount of $727,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal
year. The Navy's Strategic Systems Programs, Arlington, Va., is the
contracting activity (N00030-06-C-0003).
AIR FORCE
Associated Aerospace Activities, Inc., San Leandro, Calif. is being
awarded a $22,409,592 firm-fixed price contract, five year requirement
contract (three year basic with two, one-year options. This contract
provides for 21,228 air seal units (maximum 3 year basic period quantity)
for Air Force requirements applicable to F110 engines in the F16 fighter
aircraft. 3,804 metallic seals (maximum 3 year basic period quantity)
for the Air Force requirements applicable to F101 engine in the B1
Bomber aircraft. At this time, $4,665,714 has been obligated. This work will
be completed by May 2012. Headquarters Oklahoma City Air Logistics
Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity.
(FA8104-06-D-0028)
* Small Business
The Iraqi people are the ones who must decide
that sectarian violence must end, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff said today.
"The Shiite and Sunni leaders are going to have to love their kids more
than they hate each other, so they can go about building their
country," said Marine Gen. Peter Pace. The general spoke to reporters on his
way to Iraq.
He said sectarian violence has eclipsed the insurgency as the primary
cause of instability in Iraq. Some insurgents have embraced sectarian
conflict as a way to further their own aims, he explained, and al Qaeda
in Iraq has long wanted to set the sects against each other.
"Clearly, some folks want Iraq to be ungovernable," Pace said. "They
are the ones who are primarily responsible for the random violence."
Pace said no outside group can come in and impose sectarian calm. The
Iraqi people are going to have to come to the conclusion that compromise
and finding ways "to work together, as opposed to the death squads," is
the way forward.
The chairman said he will meet with coalition leaders in Iraq, and that
he plans on discussing troop levels with Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr.,
commander of the Multinational Force Iraq. Although officials extended
the originally planned one-year tour in Iraq for soldiers of the 172nd
Stryker Brigade Combat Team to aid in pacification of Baghdad, troop
cuts still may occur, the chairman told reporters.
"It's important to always have troop levels on the table every week and
every month, and they are," Pace said. "As recently as a month ago, we
thought (troop levels) would come down based on what the battlefield
looked like at the time. (The battlefield) changed with the sectarian
violence, and General Casey's assessment was that he needed more troops
immediately to solve that problem. He asked for it, and that's what he
got."
Pace said Casey is going through the assessment and these assessments
are continually made. The analysis will continue and the enemy gets a
vote, the chairman said. But the Iraqi people also get a vote, he said,
and that may work to curb the violence.
While saying the number of U.S. troops in Iraq may fall in the future,
Pace was careful to say that the number of troops overall will continue
to rise. Iraqi forces are playing an increasingly important role in the
security of their own country. Some 277,600 members of the Iraqi
security forces are "trained and equipped" today, he noted, adding that by
the end of the year, that number will rise to 325,000.
In Baghdad, officials beefed up the number of U.S. and Iraqi troops.
There were 54,000 troops - 47,000 Iraqis - in the city and its environs
before the outbreak of sectarian violence, Pace said.
"That had a beneficial effect for the first couple of weeks, then the
sectarian violence spiked and General Casey, working with (Iraqi) Prime
Minister Nouri al-Maliki, said it was time to add more both U.S. and
Iraqi forces," Pace said. The 172nd is the U.S. contribution to the
effort.
Since more troops arrived, the violence in Baghdad has come down, Pace
said. The objective is to have a much more stable Baghdad by Ramadan,
the annual Muslim month of fasting, which begins this year on Sept. 24.
The general said the effort in Baghdad is really "a thickening of our
support for the Iraqis." The Iraqi army and police retain primary
responsibility for security. The Stryker Brigade brings a very potent,
rapid-reaction capacity to backstop the Iraqi security forces, he said.
Residents of Munster, Ind., will gather on
Sept. 11 to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the terrorist attacks
in New York and Shanksville, Pa., and at the Pentagon.
"That day is one of the few days ... where the flag is at (half-staff)
until sunset, so we do a sunset ceremony," Frank Darrington, post
commander for the Munster Veterans of Foreign Wars, said of the Freedom Walk
event planned for 7 p.m. that day.
America Supports You Freedom Walks will be held around the country to
pay tribute to those who lost their lives on Sept. 11 and to honor the
nation's veterans, past and present.
"We'll have a little speechifying," Darrington said. "We'll do some
praying, and then we're going to have some entertainment."
A group of four women calling themselves "A String of Pearls" will
provide the entertainment, Darrington said. The group's repertoire and
harmonies are similar to those of the World War II-era Andrews Sisters.
The event will take place at Community Veterans Memorial Park, a
6-and-a-half acre park in Munster. There is at least a mile of walking trails
in the park, and Darrington said folks are free to come and go freely
during the event.
"We're not going to say, 'OK, now's the time to start walking,'" he
said. "We're trying to leave this thing really loose and open so people
can do as they please while here."
As they have during Munster's past Sept. 11 observances, folks can come
early and walk the trail, taking in artists' interpretations of the two
world wars, Korea, Vietnam and the 1991 Persian Gulf War, Darrington
said. There also will be time after the ceremony to see the park's sites.
"We have a very patriotic community," Darrington said. "(The Freedom
Walk) is a way for the community to ... physical display (that it's)
behind the effort to fight this war."
Forty-two cities across the country have confirmed plans to host
America Supports You Freedom Walks. America Supports You is a Defense
Department effort to highlight grassroots and corporate support for U.S.
military members and their families. DoD's America Supports You Freedom Walk
Web site provides more information, including tips on organizing local
events and a means to register them as part of the national observance.
Three years ago, up and coming
singer-songwriter Rockie Lynne wrote a song called "Home" to honor the sons and
daughters of the Midwest who died while serving the nation. Some friends
added photos and made a DVD.
Their musical and visual production led another friend to create what's
now become an annual tribute to the troops.
Gregg Schmitt, a music agent working for Lynne, was so moved by the
song and images on the DVD he decided to do something for the families of
the fallen. The two men played the video for friends in Minneapolis --
mainly bikers and veterans -- and that's how "The Tribute to the
Troops" was born.
On Sept. 11, 2004, Lynne, Schmitt and about 60 bikers on 45 motorcycles
visited the homes of three fallen servicemembers in the Twin Cities
metro area. They were so moved by the reaction of the families, they vowed
to ride again the next year.
"We didn't really know what to expect the first time we did it,"
Schmitt said. "The response from the families, and from everybody who rode
that day - it felt really good. The families were so thankful. We came
away with a saying, and that is 'If you were there, you know.' Otherwise,
we can't use words to describe the feelings that day."
Shortly after the ride, Lynne signed a major recording contract with
Universal South. He promised Schmitt that no matter what his future held,
he was committed to participate in the ride every year.
"My concern after getting the record deal was to make sure that we were
able to keep the focus on the soldiers," Lynne said, "and try as hard
as we could to deflect attention away from me and toward those
servicemen and women. That's who it's about - it's about them and their
families."
Yet, Lynne also realized that his growing career might be able to help
the troops. "If any celebrity I might encounter somehow helps bring
attention to these servicemen and women and what they're doing for our
nation, then that's good," he said.
By and large, Lynne noted, the families he's met are very supportive of
the government and its military operations. "They're absolutely in
support of making sure that their child did not die for nothing -- that we
accomplish whatever we set out to do."
Meeting families who have lost their son or daughter, husband or wife,
mother or father "will change you for the rest of your life," Lynne
said. "The sense of loss on those people's faces is so powerful, it makes
you want to do something. You'll never take our freedom for granted
again."
In 2005, 90 riders visited 14 families throughout Minnesota, and Lynne
performed at a benefit concert. The event raised $5,000 for Wounded
Warriors, a Nebraska-based nonprofit corporation founded in 2003 to
support the soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines wounded in Afghanistan and
Iraq.
Coordinating the annual tribute, Schmitt said, is a way to "give back"
for all the good things in his life.
"I lead a dream life,' he explained. "I've been blessed with a very
successful business. I live in a beautiful home on a lake. I have two
beautiful daughters. My wife still loves me and laughs at my jokes after 30
years. I feel truly gifted.
"I've volunteered for a lot of different things, but never anything
that felt as important or meaningful as reaching out - as strangers - to a
person whose heart is aching from the loss of a loved one and telling
them we care, we won't forget."
This year's Tribute to the Troops is slated for Sept. 8 to 10. There
will be three separate rides visiting 11 families of fallen troops in
southern, northern and central Minnesota. Schmitt contacts the families
before the ride.
"That initial call is a very difficult call," Schmitt said. "Some
people are very protective and rightly so, but once they hear about what
we're doing, most people are just so open and thankful for people thinking
about them and their loss. For the most part, they welcome us with open
arms."
Each family receives a copy of the "Home" DVD, and a framed picture of
their fallen hero made by volunteer Rick Block. The picture bears The
Tribute to the Troops mission statement:
"The Tribute to the Troops ride and benefit concert is dedicated to
those brave soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our
country. Our focus is to gratefully and graciously demonstrate to loved
ones left behind that we, as ordinary Americans, will not forget their
loss. It is in their memory and honor that we raise awareness and funds
for the benefit and comfort of those who continue to serve. Through
these efforts we convey our gratefulness and appreciation to all veterans
who have served, whether in war, or in peace."
Some of the people Schmitt has contacted preferred not to have a visit,
he said. "Certainly that's understandable," he added. "Everyone grieves
in their own way. We still make them a picture of their hero and FedEx
it to them. In fact, Gil Gutknecht, our congressman from southern
Minnesota, hand-delivered one for us, and we got a beautiful thank you note
from the family."
This year's Tribute to the Troops also includes a Sunday Only Memorial
Ride set to gather at Fort Snelling National Cemetery for an all-day
ride visiting active-duty military personnel. The ride will end with a
benefit concert at about 4 p.m. at the Medina Ballroom in Hamel, Minn.
Lynne, who has two singles off his first album climbing the charts,
will appear along with the Killer Hayseeds, Uncle Chunk and G.B. Leighton.
A Gibson guitar autographed by Lynne will be raffled off.
Tickets for the ride and concert are $40 for a single rider and $50 for
a couple on the same bike. Tickets are available for the concert only
for $20. Proceeds from the ride and concert will benefit Wounded
Warriors Hospital Fund.
The Tribute to the Troops is a partner in the Defense Department's
"America Supports You" program, which spotlights ways the American people
and the nation's corporate sector support America's men and women in
uniform.
The organization has a growing list of more than 30 volunteers,
including members of some of the families the riders have visited. The group
has applied for nonprofit status through the Internal Revenue Service.
Supporters include the American Legion, the nation's Blue and Gold Star
Mothers, Tee It Up for the Troops, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the
Wounded Warriors Hospital Fund.
