MBN: THE MONTE BUBBLES NETWORK

Children of servicemembers killed in Iraq
and Afghanistan since Sept. 11 are invited to jump aboard the Snowball
Express -- destination Disneyland, with a couple of fun stops along the
way.

Not an actual train, but a holiday experience for about 1,000 military
children and their guardians, the Snowball Express is not full yet.
"We're trying to get everybody registered by Nov. 15," Michael Kerr, the
event's creator, said.

Designed to let the children know their sacrifices aren't forgotten,
the Dec. 15-17 event is free to participants. "They don't pay one penny,"
Kerr said. "They've already paid everything they need to pay to this
country."

The M. Scott Kerr Foundation, founded by Kerr, is sponsoring the
Snowball Express in conjunction with Rotary Clubs of Costa Mesa, Calif., and
other major contributors. He set up the foundation to help alleviate
any disparity between military benefits and the actual costs of
day-to-day living, Kerr said.

When the group arrives in Orange County, Calif., they'll be treated to
dinner and a viewing of "The Glory of Christmas," Kerr said. The
non-denominational production will take place at the Crystal Cathedral, home
base for an international ministry.

"The next day, ... they'll be at the Oakley Corporation world
headquarters," Kerr said.

There, they'll get to talk to X-Games athletes, NASCAR and National Hot
Rod Association drivers, and entertainers participating in the event.
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger also is scheduled to attend, Kerr
said.

"They will be given an enormous amount of gifts at this event," he
added.

Quicksilver clothing company and Oakley, famous for sunglasses, will
provide the children with clothing and other gifts. Those items will be
combined with what's donated to Snowball Express through toy drives,
Kerr said, adding that UPS will ship all of the gifts directly to the
children's homes.

That goes for anything they buy that evening at the Irvine Spectrum
Center, a high-end shopping center, as well. The kids will receive
American Express gift cards to use at the retailers, many of which are
offering the children a 50 percent discount, he said. For those who'd rather
play than shop, the center's ice rink will be open only to those with
the Snowball Express.

"On Sunday, they go to Disneyland," Kerr said.

The next morning it's time to re-board the Snowball Express and head
for home to relive all the memories and await the UPS truck.

Kerr created the Snowball Express in Phoenix in 1997 to put a little
holiday cheer into the lives of homeless and at-risk children. The events
of Sept. 11 had curtailed the program until now.

"When I came ... out here to Orange County (Calif.) to actually marry
my high school sweetheart, we were driving down one day by Camp
Pendleton," he said. "I was telling her that I wanted to bring this event to
Orange County, but I didn't really know what groups I could reach out
to."

As it turned out, the answer was right in front of them.

"She pointed over at the base, and she said, 'I bet you could find a
few kids over there,'" he said. "It snowballed from there, no pun
intended."

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has
agreed to benchmarks with timetables, according to a joint statement with
U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad.

"The Iraqi government has made clear the issues that must be resolved,
with timelines to take positive steps forward on behalf of the Iraqi
people," the two men said in the joint statement, issued after they met
today.

U.S. officials have said that benchmarks are ways to help push along
ideas. Accomplishing the benchmarks is a way of measuring progress and
assessing accomplishments, DoD officials said.

Khalilzad and Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the commander of
Multinational Force Iraq, talked about benchmarks negotiated between the Iraqi
government and the coalition on Oct. 24. "As they take these steps, we
can produce success and bring about Iraqi self-reliance, (but) we must
continue to support them," Khalilzad said at the time.

But the next day, Maliki seemed to step back from the idea of
benchmarks. During a Baghdad press conference, the prime minister said he had
not agreed to a timetable. "I affirm that this government represents the
will of the people and no one has the right to impose a timetable on
it," he said.

But now, all that seems water over the dam. "We are pleased to meet
today to discuss our ongoing efforts to bring peace and security to Iraq
and create a better future for all Iraqis," the two men said. "Iraq and
the United States are committed to working together to respond to the
needs of the people. The United States fully supports their goals and
will help make them a success."

The statement recognizes that there are many difficulties in the way of
establishing a democratic, free Iraq. "We know that our continued
strong partnership will allow us to meet the challenges facing Iraq," the
two men said in their statement.

"The United States will continue to stand by the Iraqi government, and
the Iraqi government welcomes the support of the United States as it
moves forward with plans for national reconciliation and the
strengthening of the Iraqi security forces.

"The government of Iraq is committed to work toward a good and strong
relationship with the U.S. government, to work together toward a
democratic, stable Iraq and to confront the terrorist challenge in the light
of strategic alliances between the two countries."

The statement did not list what the benchmarks are.

DoD Identifies Marine Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Thomas M. Gilbert, 24, of Downers Grove, Ill., died Oct. 25 while
conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was
assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th
Marine Division, Grand Rapids, Mich.

DoD Identifies Marine Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Pfc. Donald S. Brown, 19, of Succasunna, N.J., died Oct. 25 from wounds
received while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq.
He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Airman Missing in Action from Vietnam War is Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO)
announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from
the Vietnam War, have been identified and returned to his family for
burial with full military honors.

He is Maj. Charles L. Bifolchi, U.S. Air Force, of Quincy, Mass. He
will be buried on Oct. 27 at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington,
D.C.

On Jan. 8, 1968, Bifolchi and a fellow crewmember were flying an armed
reconnaissance mission against enemy targets in Kon Tum Province, South
Vietnam, when their RF-4C aircraft disappeared. A U.S. Army helicopter
crew found their aircraft wreckage soon after first light the next day.
Search efforts continued for four days; however, enemy activity in the
area, combined with the steep terrain and high winds at the crash site,
precluded the recovery of the crewmen.

Between 1993 and 2000, U.S. and Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.)
teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), conducted
two surveys of an area that was believed to be Bifolchi's crash site. One
team interviewed two Vietnamese citizens who turned over human remains
they claimed to have recovered at the site. Another team found wreckage
consistent with Bifolchi's aircraft.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence,
scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory
also used mitochondrial DNA from a known maternal relative in the
identification of the remains.

DoD Identifies Marine Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two Marines who
were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Pfc. Daniel B. Chaires, 20, of Tallahassee, Fla., died Oct. 25 from
wounds received while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province,
Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Media with questions about this Marine can call the Hawaii public
affairs office at (808) 257-8870.

Lance Cpl. Jonathan B. Thornsberry, 22, of McDowell, Ky., died Oct. 25
while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was
assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment,
4th Marine Division, Johnson City, Tenn.

DoD Identifies Navy Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Charles V. Komppa, 35, of Belgrade, Mont., died
Oct. 25 from enemy action while conducting combat operations in Al
Anbar province, Iraq.He was serving with the 3rd Naval Construction
Regiment, Multi-National Corps - Iraq, and was assigned to Naval Mobile
Construction Battalion 18, Detachment 0618 in Billings, Mont.

A sailor assigned to 3rd Naval Construction
Regiment, two Marines assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5, and two
Marines assigned to Regimental Combat Team 7 died yesterday from injuries
suffered due to enemy action in Iraq's Anbar province.

The names of the deceased are being withheld pending notification of
next of kin.

Meanwhile, the Defense Department released the identities of 13
servicemembers killed recently supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

-- Army 1st Lt. Amos C. R. Bock, 24, of New Madrid, Mo., died Oct. 23
in Baghdad from injuries suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near
his vehicle. Bock was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 320th Field
Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air
Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

-- Army Spc. Carl A. Eason, 29, of Lovelady, Texas, died Oct. 23 in
Baghdad from injuries suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near his
vehicle. Eason was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery
Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder,
Germany.

-- Marine Lance Cpl. Richard A. Buerstetta, 20, of Franklin, Tenn., and
Marine Lance Cpl. Tyler R. Overstreet, 22, of Gallatin, Tenn., died
Oct. 23 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq. They
were assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine
Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Nashville, Tenn.

-- Navy Seaman Charles O. Sare, 23, of Hemet, Calif., died Oct. 23 from
enemy action while conducting combat operations in Anbar province,
Iraq. Sare, a hospital corpsman, was assigned to Naval Ambulatory Care
Center, Port Hueneme, Calif., and was serving with Multinational Corps
Iraq.

-- Army Maj. David G. Taylor, 37, of North Carolina, died Oct. 22 in
Baghdad from injuries suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near his
vehicle. Taylor is assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment,
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany.

-- Army Sgt. Willsun M. Mock, 23, of Harper, Kan., died Oct. 22 in
Baghdad from injuries suffered when an IED detonated near his vehicle. Mock
was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade
Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.

-- Army Spc. Nathaniel A. Aguirre, 21, of Carrollton, Texas, and Army
Spc. Matthew W. Creed, 23, of Covina, Calif., died Oct. 22 in Baghdad of
injuries suffered when their patrol came in contact with enemy forces.
Both soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry
Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

-- Marine Lance Cpl. Eric W. Herzberg, 20, of Severna Park, Md., died
Oct. 21 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq. He
was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division,
2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

-- Army Spc. Nicholas K. Rogers, 27, of Deltona, Fla., died Oct. 22 in
Baghdad from injuries suffered when his patrol came in contact with
enemy forces during combat operations. Rogers was assigned to the 4th
Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain
Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

-- Marine Pvt. Edwardo J. Lopez, 21, of Aurora, Ill., died Oct. 19
while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned
to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Marine
Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

-- Army Staff Sgt. Ronald L. Paulsen, 53, of Vancouver, Wash., died on
Oct. 17 in Tarmiya, Iraq, from injuries suffered when a roadside bomb
detonated near his vehicle. Paulsen was assigned to the Army Reserve's
414th Civil Affairs Battalion, Utica, N.Y.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

1st Lt. Amos C. R. Bock, 24, of New Madrid, Mo., died on Oct. 23 in
Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his vehicle. Bock was assigned to the 4th Battalion,
320th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne
Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Benchmarks being developed with the Iraqis toward making them increasingly responsible for their own national affairs aren't hard-and-fast timelines, but rather a basic plan for working
toward that goal over the next two years, Defense Secretary Donald
Rumsfeld told Pentagon reporters today.

These benchmarks, the result of months of ongoing discussions between
the two countries' leaders, address political, economic and security
aspects of Iraq's progress, the secretary said. Together, he said, they
provide a basic framework for steps needed to achieve coalition and Iraqi
objectives for Iraq.

"It's the idea of saying we are here, (and) we want to get there,"
Rumsfeld said. "Here are some steps to get there."

Benchmarks being developed represent "a process, not an event," he
said. "This is not something that will be revealed or chopped in stone. It
is a sovereign nation working with the coalition to see how we get from
where we are through this year and through next year to accomplish the
things that are in our mutual interest."

Rumsfeld emphasized that the benchmarks aren't date-driven, and said
some milestones could occur faster or slower than hoped. "This is not
about dates," he said. "We're looking out at the future. ... Nobody can
predict the future with absolute certainty."

The advantage of benchmarks, Rumsfeld said, is that they establish
priorities. And that, in turn, will help the Iraqis drive their budgeting
process and legislative calendar, he said.

The benchmarks also give the Iraqi people a way to track progress as it
occurs. "It allows people to point toward something and kind of track
along that line," he said. "And to the extent they're public, it gives
people a sense of ... the direction you're going. And that's encouraging
in a democracy."

There's a saying that everything's big in
Texas; this seems to hold true for their celebrations as well. While
most of the world considers a week to be made up of seven days, Texans
apparently have 10 in theirs. Or at least folks do in San Antonio do when
it comes time to honor the military.

The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and the city of San Antonio
are teaming up to host Celebrate America's Military Week Nov. 2-12.
This is the 36th year the city has formally recognized servicemembers with
parades, ceremonies and concerts that will draw a potential 300,000
spectators.

The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce is a member of America
Supports You, an ongoing nationwide Defense Department program that
showcases and communicates America's support to the men and women of the armed
forces. San Antonio was the first chamber to become an ASY team member
in 2005.

"The chamber has had a close association with the military for 80 to 90
years," said Bill Mock, Chamber of Commerce vice president for economic
development. He said that the chamber helped procure the land used many
of the current military bases in the area.

"Everyone knows that (the community) is a huge supporter of the
military," Mock said. "That has definitely helped us earn the title 'Military
City, USA.'"

The CAM Week festivities include a Purple Heart monument dedication,
Veterans Day parade, 'Freedom Fest' and discounted tickets for military
members and their families to the San Antonio Zoo.

One of the highlights of the week will be a two-day air show at
Lackland Air Force Base featuring the Air Force Thunderbirds, Army Golden
Knights and Navy Leap Frogs in addition to many other aerial demonstrations
and static displays.

"San Antonio has a rich history and culture that we're very proud of,"
said Bank of America Military Bank's Dawn Bannwolf, who is heading up
the planning of this year's celebration. "The military is a huge part of
that. We have a great number of retirees in addition to the active-duty
contingent stationed in the area."

The celebration used to be held around Armed Forces Day in May, but in
2001 it was moved to coincide with Veterans Day to include the military
past and present.

"We want to get everyone involved," said Bannwolf, who added that even
local ROTC cadets are participating. "We are a very patriotic. It's a
great way for us to honor those of the military past, present and
future."

Both Mock and Bannwolf agree that this is a small way that the
community can give back to those who have sacrificed so much.

In addition to supporting wounded troops who are recovering at local
military hospitals, Bannwolf said, community outpouring towards military
families whose troops are overseas has been phenomenal.

"I'm willing to bet that there aren't many communities out there who've
come together in such a way to publicly say thank you for sacrifices
being made by our military," Mock said.

CONTRACTS

NAVY

Northrup Grumman Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Va., is
being awarded a $71,452,262 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification under
previously awarded contract (N00024-06-C-2105) for planning yard, design,
configuration management and logistics support for new construction,
operational, conversion and decommissioning submarines, and modernization
support for operational and decommissioning submarines. The contract will
provide for engineering, technical and design support, configuration
management support, Integrated Logistics Support (ILS), and database
management support for new construction. This effort will support SSN 688,
Seawolf, Virginia, SSBN, Trident-UK, and SSGN Class submarines. This
modification combines support of the U.S. Navy (99 percent) and the United
Kingdom (1 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will
be performed in Newport News, Va., and is expected to be completed by
September 2007. Contract funds in the amount of $31,438,995 will
expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems
Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Lockheed Martin Corporation, Mitchel Field, N.Y., is being awarded the
options contained in contract N00030-06-C-0005 in the amount of
$38,517,085 for FY07 US/UK TRIDENT II (D5) navigation subsystem engineering
support services. Specific efforts include U.S. and U.K. fleet support,
SSBN 732 engineering refueling overhaul, U.S. and U.K. trainer systems
support, Shipboard Integration Program, and navigation - fire control
integration. The work will be performed in Mitchel Field, New York. The
FY07 optional items increase the contract value to $83,289,790 and
extend performance through 30 September 2009. This contract was awarded
based on a sole source acquisition. The Navy's Strategic Systems Programs
is the contracting activity (N00030-06-C-0005). The funding profile is
as follows: $26,114,799 FY07 O&M, N (67.8%), $2,298,424 FY07 SCN (6.0%),
$7,251,254 FY07 OPN (18.8%), and $2,852,608 UK (7.4%).

L-3 Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded a
$28,507,463 ceiling-priced modification to a previously awarded
indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-06-D-0011) to exercise an
option for logistics services in support of the E-6B fleet. Work will be
performed at Tinker Air Force Base (AFB), Oklahoma (70 percent); Naval
Air Station, Patuxent River, Md. (10 percent); Travis AFB, Calif. (10
percent); and Offutt AFB, Nebraska (10 percent), and is expected to be
completed in October 2007. Contract funds in the amount of $17,679,584
will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems
Command, Patuxent River, Md. is the contracting activity.

L-3 Communications, Link Simulation & Training, Arlington, Texas, is
being awarded a $13,675,000 ceiling-priced modification to a previously
awarded indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract
(N00019-05-D-0012) to exercise an option for up to 2,000 flight instructor hours on
a Boeing 737 Next Generation Aircraft to serve as an E-6B In-Flight
Trainer. Work will be performed at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma City,
Okla., and is expected to be completed in October 2007. Contract funds
in the amount of $13,625,000 will expire at the end of the current
fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the
contracting activity.

Alloy Surfaces Co., Aston, Pa., is being awarded $5,707,553 for
delivery order #0004 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 July 2007. Contract funds will not
expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not
awarded competitively. The Naval Inventory Control Point is the contracting
activity.

AIR FORCE

Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems and Solutions, Santa Maria, Calif.,
is being awarded a $12,741,111 cost-plus-award fee contract
modification. This contract will exercise option 2, contract line item number
(CLIN) 32I3, entitled Product Support Activity (PSA) interim contractor
support maintains the operational effectiveness of the product from the
time it is accepted by the government until it is operationally tested
and accepted by the end-user. The Integrated Range Information System
(IRIS) supports designs, procures and implements hardware, software and
communications capabilities to provide electronics data interchange
services in support of meeting specified program requirements. The Spacelift
Range Systems Integration and Test Support Facility (SITSF) for
Spacelift Range are required for product, development, test, and sustainment
activities for Spacelift Range. The Interim Support (ISS) supports
spares development and delivery for all products being delivered to
the range under the Range Standardization and Automation (RSAIIA)
contract. At this time, total funds have been obligated. This work will be
complete March 2008. Headquarters Launch and Range Systems Wing, Los
Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., is the contracting activity
(F04701-95-C-0029/P00254).

ARMY

Manson Gulf L.L.C., Houma, La., was awarded on Oct. 24, 2006, a
$16,854,750 firm-fixed-price contract for Levee Enlargement. Work will be
performed in New Orleans, La., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30,
2007. 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 Aug. 18, 2006, and seven bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, New Orleans, La., is the contracting activity
(W912P8-07-C-0003).

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Pepco Energy Services, Arlington, Va., is being awarded a maximum
$5,101,316 firm fixed price contract for electricity. Using services are
Army, and Department of Energy. Other locations of performance are Fort
Dix, N.J., and Bettis Atomic Lab, Pa. There were 156 proposals solicited
and 13 responded. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the
current fiscal year. Date of performance completion is December 31, 2008.
Contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center (DESC), Fort
Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-05-R-0413).
 

Lost amid all the discussion over North
Korea's Oct. 9 nuclear test is an issue that Defense Department officials
who specialize in that region have studied for decades and continue to
study now: the possibility that, as it has before, North Korea could
launch a conventional "bolt from the blue" attack on South Korea.

At 4 a.m. June 25, 1950, a tremendous artillery barrage disturbed the
pre-dawn air over the 38th Parallel dividing North and South Korea.

Within minutes, 135,000 North Korean soldiers, supported by hundreds of
tanks and artillery pieces, poured over the line, quickly killing or
knocking aside poorly equipped and poorly trained South Korean forces.

In three days, the North Koreans took the South Korean capital of
Seoul. They pushed through the city and attacked further down the peninsula.
On June 30, American troops joined the fight. They did not do well. The
North Korean army had better equipment, and American soldiers fought
with leftover weapons from World War II.

The South Korean and American troops were soon fighting with their
backs against the sea at the Pusan Perimeter in the southernmost section of
South Korea.

While U.S. forces prevailed, the Korean War lasted three years, claimed
more than 35,000 U.S. lives and visited untold suffering and misery on
all of Korea. The war ended where it began: with opposing sides facing
each other over the 38th Parallel.

North Korean leader Kim Il Sung, father of the current dictator Kim
Jong Il, built the North Korean military. Today, it is still the
fourth-largest military in the world, with 1.21 million soldiers, according to
State Department figures. In a country where starving peasants have
stripped bark from trees to eat, the military absorbs the lion's share of
resources, receiving more than a quarter of the gross domestic product.

Combined Forces Command Korea officials said the North Korean army has
more than 8,000 artillery systems including tube-launched and
long-range rocket launchers. Most are camouflaged in caverns near the
demilitarized zone. "Artillery is still the big threat," Pentagon spokesman Air
Force Maj. Dave Smith said. "The guns can range Seoul."

And the target is much bigger than it was in 1950. The South Korean
population is now more than twice that of the North, nearing 50 million
people. South Korea has lifted itself from the destruction of the war and
now is the 10th largest economic power on Earth. The capital of Seoul
-- only 30 miles from the DMZ -- has grown north toward North Korea and
has an estimated 20 million people in the megalopolis.

Officials estimate that if the North were to open artillery fire on
Seoul, about 250,000 people would die. Officials have not estimated, at
least publicly, what a nuclear blast would do to the South Korean
capital.

North Korea has a 120,000-man special operations force. The force is
capable of attacking targets anywhere on the peninsula, U.S. Forces Korea
officials said.

Equipment and sustainment are the main problems with the North Korean
army. Even with receiving an inordinate share of the country's economy,
the North Korean army is still cash-starved, driving antiquated
equipment and unable to supply itself, Smith said. "They might be able to
launch an attack, but they couldn't sustain it," Smith said.

In 1950, North Korea received equipment and logistics from the Soviet
Union and China. The regime cannot count on that support now. Soviet
pilots manned many of the MiG-17 fighters that defended North Korea in
1950. Today, North Korean pilots fly 1960s-era MiG-21s, MiG-23s and a
small number of technologically advanced MiG-29s, but financial woes limit
their flying hours.

But now the North has tested a nuclear device. DoD officials said it is
too early to tell if North Korea can build a device small enough to
place aboard a missile. But even without that, DoD officials say they
believe North Korea has "weaponized" Scud missiles -- the North Koreans
call them Nodong missiles -- and can hit targets on the peninsula, Japan,
China and Russia. The country is testing the Taepodong 2 missile, an
intercontinental ballistic missile that could hit the West Coast of the
United States.

U.S. and South Korean officials say the North has chemical and
biological agents. Some believe North Korea would begin any bolt-from-the-blue
attack today with a liberal use of the nerve agent sarin, mustard gas
and phosgene. Their special operations forces may try to plant
biological agents in the south as a prelude to an attack, officials speculate.
American servicemembers assigned to the Republic of Korea receive
anthrax vaccinations.

South Korea's military has 680,000 servicemembers toting
state-of-the-art equipment. North Korea fields Soviet-era T-54 and T-55 tanks, some
now 50 years old. These are no match for M-1A2 Abrams tanks that the
South Koreans deploy, but the North does field almost 4,000 of them.

South Korea clearly outclasses the North in all aspect of the military
arts with the exception of sheer numbers. The South Korean air force
flies the latest all-weather, day/night aircraft. They are linked via
airborne warning and control aircraft. Pilots drop smart bombs and train
constantly.

The communications net in the country may be the best in the world,
U.S. Forces Korea officials said. There is full compatibility through the
armed forces, and the South Korean military is able to seamlessly
coordinate with allies.

And the Republic of Korea has one great advantage over the North:
allies. The United States is a treaty ally of the Republic of Korea.
American servicemembers have been based in the country since the Korean War.
About 28,000 U.S. servicemembers are in South Korea today.

While that number is going down -- it is planned to be roughly 25,000
by the end of 2008 -- it should not be seen as a lack of will, but
rather as a reflection of modern capabilities, U.S. and South Korean
officials say. The capabilities the United States bring to the fight more than
make up for any reduction in the size of the force, DoD officials said.
Plus, the United States can quickly reinforce troops on the peninsula
in the event of any hostilities.

By treaty, the United States regards any attack on the Republic of
Korea as an attack on itself. The U.S. nuclear capability shields South
Korea. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld reiterated this point during
the U.S.-ROK Security Consultative Meeting at the Pentagon Oct. 20. "The
United States reaffirms its firm commitment to the Republic of Korea,
including continuation of the extended deterrence offered by the U.S.
nuclear umbrella consistent with the Mutual Defense Treaty," Rumsfeld
said during a news conference after the meeting.

North Korea has not raised or lowered the readiness status of its armed
forces since the nuclear test Oct. 9, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the
chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during an Oct. 24 news
conference.

Pace said it is tough to come to terms with the nature of the threat
North Korea poses. "A threat consists of two things: one, capacity, and
the other, intent," he said. "I can certainly, as we all could, go to
the books and tell you how many soldiers, how many ships, how many
planes, within a decent margin of error, that the North Koreans have, and you
can determine how much power they can put on the battlefield.

"What is not knowable is the intent of the leadership in North Korea to
use or not use that power at any given time," he continued. "And
applying Western logic to the leadership in Korea is not something that I
would personally want to bet my future on."

Pace said that his best military advice to anyone who might want to
challenge the U.S, military is, "Don't."

"We have just over 200,000 U.S. military in the Gulf region right now,"
he said. "We have 2.4 million Americans -- active, Guard and reserve --
right now defending 300 million of our fellow citizens. My Marine math
tells me that leaves us more than 2 million U.S. servicemembers who are
not currently involved in the Gulf war who stand ready to do whatever
our nation needs them to do. And that should not be lost on any
potential enemies."
 

 The same globalization that's created vast
opportunities for economic growth and information sharing among
freedom-loving people has become a favorite tool of terrorists trying to
destroy their way of life, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England told
industry representatives here yesterday.

Speaking at the Military Communications Conference 2006, England called
rapid technological change, and particularly the ways it can be abused,
"the fundamental technical and operational challenge of our time."

Terrorists are "technologically very savvy," he said, and see no
conflict in using their technological expertise to close doors it's helped
opened.
"Though they aim to undo centuries' worth of progress, they are not at
all reluctant to take full advantage of that progress," he told the
group, who he described as "today's rock stars of science and technology."
Terrorists "use the latest technological innovations to communicate,
recruit and transfer money," the deputy secretary said. "They keep Web
sites, and they update them in real time to share their lessons learned."
As latecomers to these cutting-edge technologies, terrorists didn't
have to go through the long process of developing or studying them,
England noted. Instead, they simply download them from the Internet and use
them for their own purposes.
"The very technologies that you develop and the technologies that make
globalization possible are used by terrorists throughout the world
against freedom-loving nations," England told the group.
Faced with this reality, it's critical that the United States and its
coalition partners and allies continually keep a step ahead, he said. He
called on the industry leaders to help lead that charge.
England cited the Defense Department's ongoing, long-term
transformation effort and the 2006 Defense Quadrennial Review and its focus on,
among other topics, "netcentricity."
"Netcentric capabilities are about getting people the information they
need, when and where they need it," he said. "Just as it is in
business, information has become a strategic asset for the department, and
using it effectively is essential to the success of our mission."
DoD is examining its system capabilities on the macro level to identify
gaps and seams, eliminate unintentional redundancies and ensure
interoperability, England told the group. It's also working to improve its
integration with coalition partners and allies, he said.
As these efforts move forward, England acknowledged, "antagonists out
there who would be delighted to take down our systems (and) are trying,
to the tune of thousands of incidents daily."
Among them, he said, are recreational hackers who hack into DoD systems
for fun, "cyber-vigilantes" out to prove a misguided point,
small-interest groups pushing ideological issues, transnational terrorist networks
aiming to destroy the system, and hostile nation-states.
"These efforts to degrade our systems are expected to continue,"
England said.
England closed by calling on industry leaders to continue protecting
the United States and its partners from what he called the greatest
long-term threat they face: "falling behind in science and technology."
"Science and technology are the bedrock of our knowledge-based economy,
as well as our military capabilities," he said.
England urged audience members to build on that bedrock by taking every
opportunity to encourage science education, research and application.
"America's future, and the future of our partners, does depend on it,"
he said.

Coalition and Iraqi forces are continuing
operations to search for a U.S. servicemember reported missing Oct. 23,
a U.S. military spokesman in Iraq said today.

The servicemember, who is an American of Iraqi descent working as a
linguist for a provincial reconstruction team in Baghdad, was last seen
Oct. 23 at about 2:30 p.m. in the International Zone, said Army Maj. Gen.
William Caldwell, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. The servicemember
reportedly left the International Zone to visit relatives in Baghdad,
where masked men in three vehicles reportedly kidnapped him, Caldwell
said.

As soon as the servicemember was reported as "duty status whereabouts
unknown," Multinational Division Baghdad launched intensive operations,
including targeted raids on locations in Baghdad, Caldwell said.
Coalition forces and Iraqi security forces used checkpoints to close down
roads and bridges in central Baghdad and are searching vehicles in the
area. Security forces are continuing to conduct searches through homes and
buildings in an effort to locate the missing servicemember, he said.

"We're using all assets in our arsenal to find this American soldier,
and the government of Iraq is doing everything it can also at every
level," Caldwell said. "Make no mistake, we will not stop looking for our
servicemember."

The servicemember is still considered as "duty status whereabouts
unknown," but the name of the servicemember is being withheld for the safety
of family members who are still in Baghdad, Caldwell said. No group has
come forward claiming responsibility for the servicemember's
disappearance, he said.

 DoD Identifies Marine Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two Marines who
were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lance Cpl. Richard A. Buerstetta, 20, of Franklin, Tenn.

Lance Cpl. Tyler R. Overstreet, 22, of Gallatin, Tenn.

Both Marines died Oct. 23 while conducting combat operations in Al
Anbar province, Iraq. They were assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 3rd
Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Nashville, Tenn.

DoD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers
who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Oct. 22 in
Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when their patrol came in contact with
enemy forces. Both soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 22nd
Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort
Hood, Texas.

Killed were:

Spc. Nathaniel A. Aguirre, 21, of Carrollton, Texas.

Spc. Matthew W. Creed, 23, of Covina, Calif.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Spc. Carl A. Eason, 29, of Lovelady, Texas, died Oct. 23 in Baghdad,
Iraq, from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his vehicle. Eason was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 27th
Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division,
Baumholder, Germany.

DoD Identifies Navy Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Seaman Charles O. Sare, 23, of Hemet, Calif., died Oct. 23 from enemy
action while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar Province,
Iraq. Sare, a Hospital Corpsman, was assigned to Naval Ambulatory Care
Center, Port Hueneme, Calif. and was currently serving with Multi-National
Corps - Iraq.

 DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Spc. Nicholas K. Rogers, 27, of Deltona, Fla., died Oct. 22 in
Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries suffered when his patrol came in contact with
enemy forces during combat operations. Rogers was assigned to the 4th
Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain
Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Willsun M. Mock, 23, of Harper, Kan., died Oct. 22 in Baghdad,
Iraq, from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his vehicle. Mock was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th
Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division,
Schweinfurt, Germany.

 DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Maj. David G. Taylor, 37, of North Carolina, died Oct. 22 in Baghdad,
Iraq, from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his vehicle. Taylor is assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th
Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division,
Baumholder, Germany.

The international community remains united
in achieving a diplomatic solution to North Korea's nuclear testing,
President Bush said here today.

In a White House news conference, Bush said Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice briefed him after her recent trip to Asia, and she reported
that all the countries she visited understand they must work closely
together to solve the problem peacefully. Rice met with leaders in Japan,
South Korea, China and Russia.

Bush dismissed reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il threatened
South Korea for joining international sanctions against the communist
country. Kim likes to threaten and is simply doing so to test the will
of the countries that are trying to convince him to turn away from
nuclear weapon technology, Bush said.

"This is not the first time that he's issued threats," Bush said. "Our
goal is to continue to remind our partners that when we work together,
we're more likely to be able to achieve the objective, which is to
solve this problem diplomatically."

Bush said the involved countries will adhere to the latest United
Nations Security Council resolution that was passed Oct. 14, which puts
financial and arms sanctions on North Korea as punishment for its Oct. 9
nuclear test.

"I would report to you the coalition remains firm," he said. "And we
will continue to work to see to it that it does remain firm."

In a news conference following the 38th annual U.S.- Republic of Korea
Security Consultative Meeting in the Pentagon Oct. 20, Defense
Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to South Korea.
Rumsfeld met with South Korean National Defense Minister Yoon Kwang-ung,
calling the meeting "most significant" considering North Korea's nuclear
test in defiance of international will.

"The United States reaffirms its firm commitment to the Republic of
Korea, including continuation of the extended deterrence offered by the
U.S. nuclear umbrella consistent with the Mutual Defense Treaty,"
Rumsfeld said.
 

Hoping to reduce casualties
suffered in Humvee rollover accidents, Army officials are fielding a new
simulator they hope will prevent deaths and injuries in such accidents.
Since the campaign in Iraq began, at least 116 soldiers have been
killed and at least 132 injured in Humvee rollover accidents, according to
Army statistics.

More than 8,000 soldiers have been trained so far in the Humvee Egress
Awareness Training simulator, or HEAT, and Army Material Command and
U.S. Army Central are building more than 30 of the simulators to be
fielded across the theater in the months ahead.

The Forward Repair Activity here, a team of more than 50 civilians from
Anniston Army Depot in Anniston, Ala., and Red River Army Depot in
Texarkana, Texas, are building the simulators, said Ed Morris, FRA chief.

Morris said Lt. Col. John Hermann, AMC support operations officer,
coordinated the efforts to have the HEAT trainers built. Camp Arifjan was
chosen to undertake this project because the FRA is the only unit in the
theater that has all the skill sets necessary to complete it, he said.

"We have depot-level machinists, welders and mechanics all at one
location, and those are the skills necessary to build this. There's no
worrying about having to deal with outside sources," he said. Chief Warrant
Officer Rikki Cox also with the FRA, came up with the idea for the
simulator, said Chris Turner, a welder from Anniston depot.

Building the HEAT is a team effort, Turner said. It takes four days to
make one, and it's built from ground up with spare parts and damaged
Humvees. The front and rear ends are cut off, and the Humvee cab is then
fused to a base frame and hooked to an electric motor.

Two other team members, Micah Garrett and Corey Jenkins, also from
Anniston Depot, devote long hours daily to the completion of the HEAT
simulators. Both are responsible for the overall assembly of the base frame,
sometimes working 16-hour shifts welding and drilling the base frame.

"It's a new experience being away from my family, but I'm glad to be
here. I feel good about what I do. I feel that I'm helping the soldier in
some way," said the 22-year-old Garrett, an Alpine, Ala., native.

Jenkins, a Mumford, Ala., native and former soldier of 10 years, knows
what the HEAT is worth to the modern soldier. "This simulator is good
training for the soldiers," he said.

Although the HEAT carries a price tag of about $33,000, Brandon
McDaniel, a heavy mobile equipment repairer from Anniston Depot, said he
thinks its benefit far outweighs its price.

"It's a good program. It's saving lives, and if it saves one life, then
it's worth the money. Anything that we do, whether it's putting on body
armor or this simulator, is worth it if it saves soldiers on the
battlefield," he said.

The 30 HEATs are scheduled for completion this month, and once they are
built, they will be sent to camps in Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq and
Qatar. The HEAT's lightweight design allows for air transport, if
necessary, Morris said.

He also said the FRA is proud of the work it does preparing the
simulators and getting them out to soldiers.

"The team here is really dedicated to this program, because of all the
potential to save lives. There has been a lot of soldiers killed in
rollover accidents, and they put long hours and hard work into building
this. It's a team effort, and we know the importance of what we're
doing," Morris said.

"Since I've been here, I've had soldiers come up and thank me and my
team for what we do here, and that's a blessing," Garrett added.

(Army Sgt. Carlos M. Burger II is a Desert Voice staff writer at Camp
Arifjan, Kuwait.)

 

CONTRACTS

DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Palmdale, Calif., was awarded on Oct.
23, 2006, a $33,223,691 modification to a previously awarded other
transaction for prototypes agreement to continue development and
demonstration of the hypersonic technology vehicle portion of the Falcon program.
Work will be performed in Palmdale (20 percent), Philadelphia, Pa. (73
percent), and Fort Worth, Texas (7 percent), and is expected to be
completed in September 2008. This agreement is incrementally funded; no
funds are being obligated at this time. This is a sole source award. The
contracting activity is the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency,
Arlington, Va. (HR0011-04-9-0010/P00022).

ARMY

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products Inc., Burlington,
Vt., was awarded on Oct. 23, 2006, an $18,418,400 firm-fixed-price
contract for M2 machine guns. Work will be performed in Saco, Maine, and is
expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2007. Contract funds will not expire
at the end of the current fiscal year. This was a sole source contract
initiated on Aug. 21, 2006. The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments
Command, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity
(W52H09-06-C-0223).

General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Mich., was awarded on
Oct. 20, 2006, a delivery order amount of $6,374,803 as part of a
$28,031,435 cost-reimbursement contract for sheets of AL 6061-T6 Aluminum.
Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Mich., and is expected to be
completed by Dec. 23, 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end
of the current fiscal year. This was a sole source contract initiated on
Nov. 14, 2003. The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command,
Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-06-G-0006).

AIR FORCE

ITT Industries, Systems Division, Cape Canaveral, Fla., is being
awarded an $18,332,825 cost-plus-award fee contract modification. This
contract action will exercise the option for an additional two years of
systems engineering under the Spacelift Range System Contract. The effort
will provide high-level systems engineering across the eastern and
western ranges. The activities in this project insure operational needs and
requirements are transformed into an integrated system design. At this
time, $4,000,000 have been obligated. This work will be complete
October 2008. Headquarters Launch and Range Systems Wing, Los Angeles Air
Force Base, Calif., is the contracting activity (F04701-01-C-0001/P00365).

 

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Ronald L. Paulsen, 53, of Vancouver, Wash., died on Oct. 17
in Tarmiya, Iraq, from injuries sustained when an improvised explosive
device detonated near his vehicle. Paulsen was assigned to the Army
Reserve's 414th Civil Affairs Battalion, Utica, N.Y.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Ronald L. Paulsen, 53, of Vancouver, Wash., died on Oct. 17
in Tarmiya, Iraq, from injuries sustained when an improvised explosive
device detonated near his vehicle. Paulsen was assigned to the Army
Reserve's 414th Civil Affairs Battalion, Utica, N.Y.

Four U.S. servicemembers were killed in
Iraq over the last two days, and Defense Department officials have
identified four other servicemembers who died in previous action.

A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier died early today when a
roadside bomb struck his vehicle in central Baghdad, and two Marines assigned
to Regimental Combat Team 5 and a sailor assigned to Regimental Combat
Team 7 died due to enemy action in Iraq's Anbar province yesterday,
military officials reported.

Meanwhile, DoD has released the identities of four Marines who died in
Oct. 21 combat in Anbar province:

-- Lance Cpl. Clifford R. Collinsworth, 20, of Chelsea, Mich.

-- Lance Cpl. Nathan R. Elrod, 20, of Salisbury, N.C.

-- Lance Cpl. Nicholas J. Manoukian, 22, of Lathrup Village, Mich.

-- Cpl. Joshua C. Watkins, 25, of Jacksonville, Fla.

Collinsworth, Elrod and Manoukian were assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th
Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force,
Camp Lejeune, N.C. Watkins was assigned to 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine
Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune.
 

 DoD Identifies Marine Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lance Cpl. Eric W. Herzberg, 20, of Severna Park, Md., died Oct. 21
while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was
assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II
Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

DoD Identifies Marine Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Pvt. Edwardo J. Lopez, 21, of Aurora, Ill., died Oct. 19 while
conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to
2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine
Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

CONTRACTS

ARMY

GM GDLS Defense Group L.L.C. (Joint Venture), Sterling Heights, Mich.,
was awarded on Oct. 20, 2006, a $27,828,812 modification to a
cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for depth of parts required to support the Stryker
family of vehicles. Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Mich.
(49 percent), and London, Ontario, Canada (51 percent), and is expected
to be completed by Feb. 28, 2007. Contract funds will not expire at the
end of the current fiscal year. This was a sole source contract
initiated on Dec. 1, 2005. The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments
Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-06-C-B003).

FLIR Systems Inc., Wilsonville, Ore., was awarded on Oct. 19, 2006, a
delivery order amount of $14,242,406 as part of a $74,900,000
firm-fixed-price contract for FLIR Star SAFIRE III sensors and related hardware
for the rapid aerostat initial deployment system. Work will be
performed in Wilsonville, Ore., and is expected to be completed by May 31,
2007. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
This was a sole source contract initiated on Sept. 21, 2006. The U.S.
Army Space and Missile Defense Command, Huntsville, Ala., is the
contracting activity (W9113M-07-D-0001).

NAVY

LTM, Inc.*, Havelock, N.C., is being awarded a $17,519,778
modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee,
indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00421-01-D-0101) to exercise an option for
approximately 353,600 hours of maintenance planning and design interface
technical/management support services for the Naval Air Depot
(NAVAIRDEPOT), Cherry Point, N.C. These services include evaluating initial
designs and proposed design changes, maintenance planning, and sustaining
maintenance plans. Work will be performed at NAVAIRDEPOT Cherry Point,
N.C. (99 percent), and at various locations across the United States (1
percent), and is expected to be completed in October 2007. Contract
funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air
Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Md., is the
contracting activity.

Systems Application Solutions LLC*, Charleston S.C., is being awarded
an $8,634,468 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price
contract for systems analysis, engineering, design, development,
procurement, integrated logistics, configuration management, systems
integration, test, installation, operator/maintenance training and life cycle
support for electronic security systems. This contract contains options,
which if exercised, will bring the total cumulative value of the
contract to $26,069,501. Work will be performed at various locations, and is
expected to be completed October 2007 (October 2009 with options).
Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This
contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business
Opportunities website and the Space and Naval Warfare Systems e-Commerce Central
website, as a small business set aside with an unlimited number of
proposals solicited, four offers were received. The Space and Naval
Warfare Systems Center, Charleston, S.C., is the contracting activity
(N65236-07-D-7229).

AIR FORCE

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, Clearfield, Utah, is being awarded a
$16,058,848 cost-plus-fixed fee contract modification. This contract
action provides for full rate production year 5 attrition hardware
procurements and government furnished property repair activities for the
Minuteman III PRP. The contractor shall identify and provide for the
procurement of government furnished property components that are known to be
in short supply and are needed to preclude production shortages for the
propulsion replacement program, full rate production 5. At this time,
total funds have been obligated. This work will be complete March 2008.
Headquarters 526th ICBM Systems Wing, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the
contracting activity (F42610-98-C-0001/no mod number at this time).

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, Clearfield, Utah, is being awarded a
$5,140,457 cost-plus-fixed fee contract modification. This action
provides for intercontinental ballistic missile propulsion replacement
program. This contract action is for the purpose of providing a final
equitable adjustment for ammonium perchlorate for the propulsion replacement
program full rate production 4 effort. At this time, total funds have
been obligated. Headquarters 526th ICBM Systems Wing, Hill Air Force
Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (F42610-98-C-0001/no mod number at
this time).

* Small Business

 Defining "winning" is important to the war
on terror, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said at a news
conference today.

The war on terror is not going to end as World War II did -- with an
instrument of surrender signed on the deck of the USS Missouri in Tokyo
Bay.

Marine Gen. Peter Pace said winning in this war on terrorism will be
determined by conditions, not a signature on a piece of paper. "Winning
is having security in the countries we're trying to help that allows for
those governments to function and for their people to function," he
said.

He used Washington, D.C., as an example. "Washington, D.C., has crime,
but it has a police force that is able to keep that crime below a level
at which the normal citizens can go about their daily jobs and the
government can function," he said. "That's what you're looking for on the
war on terrorism, whether it be Iraq, Afghanistan or anyplace else."

There is going to be terrorism for the foreseeable future, Pace said.
But the United States and its allies must band together "to provide
enough security, enough good governance, and enough economy to allow the
citizens and the governments to function and not have terrorism interrupt
that."

Pace said military leaders constantly review the status of U.S. and
Iraqi forces. He said that Multinational Force Iraq Commander Army Gen.
George W. Casey Jr.'s assessment that the coalition will turn over most
of the security burden in Iraq to Iraqi security forces in 12 to 18
months is about right.

The Iraqi move to embrace benchmarks in the way forward in the country
will be helpful also, Pace said and added that good discussions are
taking place about what benchmarks are needed for progress in security,
governance and the economy.

Pace does not want the Iraqi government to set a particular date for
these benchmarks. "If you say the 13th of a particular month is a date
certain, that puts you into a very, very tight window, and it actually
gives your enemies the opportunity to focus all their energies on making
it so it's not the 13th, it's the 14th or the 17th or whatever it is,"
he said. "So having a very precise date, I think, is not useful, either
from the standpoint of forcing yourself to do something too soon or
from giving your enemies too much information."

Pace favors a window for an accomplishment. A window "where you commit
to your citizens that you will either have attained these goals or
you'll explain why you haven't attained them, I think is a very good thing
to do," he said.

DoD Identifies Marine Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of four Marines
who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lance Cpl. Clifford R. Collinsworth, 20, of Chelsea, Mich.
Lance Cpl. Nathan R. Elrod, 20, of Salisbury, N.C.
Lance Cpl. Nicholas J. Manoukian, 22, of Lathrup Village, Mich.
Cpl. Joshua C. Watkins, 25, of Jacksonville, Fla.
These Marines died Oct. 21 while conducting combat operations in Al
Anbar province, Iraq.
Collinsworth, Elrod and Manoukian were assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th
Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force,
Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Watkins was assigned to 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd
Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
 

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Jesus M. Montalvo, 46, of Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, died
Oct. 18 in Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries suffered from enemy small arms
fire during combat operations. Montalvo was assigned to the 1st Squadron,
10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood,
Texas.

 A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier
was listed as "duty status-whereabouts unknown" today in Baghdad,
military officials reported, and military officials have announcedrecent
casualties from the war in Iraq.

Coalition troops and Iraqi security forces are engaged in a search for
the missing soldier, officials said.

Meanwhile, the military command in Iraq has announced that a Marine and
six U.S. soldiers were killed in Iraq over the weekend:

-- Three Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers died in separate
Baghdad incidents yesterday when roadside bombs struck their vehicles.

-- Three other Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers died in two
separate incidents yesterday when terrorists attacked their patrols with
small-arms fire.

-- A Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5 died Oct. 21 from
enemy action while operating in Iraq's Anbar province.

Their names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

The Defense Department has identified two soldiers who were killed in
Iraq recently:

-- Staff Sgt. Kevin M. Witte, 27, of Beardsley, Minn., died Oct. 20 in
Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries suffered when a roadside bomb detonated
near his vehicle during a combat patrol. Witte was assigned to 2nd
Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored
Division, Baumholder, Germany.

-- Staff Sgt. Jesus M. Montalvo, 46, of Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, died
Oct. 18 in Baghdad from injuries suffered from enemy small-arms fire
during combat operations. Montalvo was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 10th
Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

 

The White House's "drug czar" recognized
the Defense Department for its anti-drug efforts at a Pentagon awards
ceremony today.

Director of National Drug Control Policy John P. Walters presented the
Director's Distinguished Service Award to Deputy Defense Secretary
Gordon England, who accepted the honor on behalf of DoD.

DoD's anti-drug programs strongly support President Bush's national
drug control strategies, Walters said, noting that overall youth drug use
in America has declined about 19 percent over the past four years.

England thanked Walters for the recognition. He also addressed
department civilians and servicemembers at the event who were to receive DoD
anti-drug awards. Since 1990, DoD has managed an awards program in
conjunction with national Red Ribbon Week that encourages servicemembers and
local communities to be drug-free and to recognize outstanding DoD
outreach programs.

Their recognition, England told the awardees, is due to "your success,
your vigilance and your integrity."

More than 30 years ago, drug problems were rife among the
post-Vietnam-era military, England recalled. DoD declared war against drugs because
"it is a national security issue," he said.

"We don't have that problem today," England said, "because people have
worked very hard to make sure we don't have that problem." Strengthened
anti-drug education programs and increased testing have greatly reduced
the incidence of drug use within the ranks over the years, he said.

In fact, drug use within the military has dropped more than 92 percent
since the height of the drug culture in the 1970s.

England also presented the annual Secretary of Defense Community Drug
Awards, which recognize superior anti-drug programs among the military
services. The awardees for 2006 are:

-- Army Substance Abuse Program, Headquarters, 3rd Corps and Fort Hood,
Texas;

-- Camp Pendleton Drug Demand Reduction Campaign, Marine Corps Base
Camp Pendleton, Calif.;

-- Drug Demand Reduction Program, Naval Submarine Base, King's Bay,
Ga.;

-- Drug Demand Reduction Program, 15th Airlift Wing, Hickam Air Force
Base, Hawaii;

-- Drug Demand Reduction Program, New Jersey National Guard; and

-- Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Supply Center, Columbus, Ohio.

England thanked the DoD award recipients, noting they've "shown
particular leadership in reaching out to their local communities and
encouraging others to lead successful, drug-free lives."

The deputy defense secretary also extended his "very deep appreciation
and congratulations" to the Laurel Bay Youth Center at Marine Corps Air
Station Beaufort, S.C. The air station received its second consecutive
Secretary of Defense Fulcrum Shield Award for the best
military-affiliated youth outreach program in the country.

Marine Lt. Col. Troy A. Ward, executive officer for Marine Corps Air
Station Beaufort, accepted the Fulcrum Award for his installation. Ward
said military and civilians at Laurel Bay, the base's military family
housing area, share anti-drug education programs with local schools and
city of Beaufort and county youth agencies.

"Peer-to-peer outreach is where we are the most successful," Ward said,
noting that youth drug use in his area is going down significantly.

Event host Thomas W. O'Connell, assistant secretary of defense for
special operations and low-intensity conflict, said he is continually
impressed by the successful anti-drug efforts managed by the service
branches and DoD agencies.

Achieving a drug-free Defense Department and society is all about
changing behavior, England said. Nothing is more important to U.S. national
security than to have strong local communities and a correspondingly
strong society, he said.

"That means keeping them drug free," England said.

Red Ribbon Week originated as a tribute to Special Agent Enrique "Kiki"
S. Carmarena of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Drug traffickers
in Guadalajara, Mexico, killed Carmarena in 1985.

Afterward, people in Carmarena's hometown of Calexico, Calif., wore red
ribbons to honor his sacrifice. DoD began its participation in Red
Ribbon Week in 1990. Red Ribbon week is observed today through Oct. 31. 

CONTRACTS

ARMY

Tompkins Builders Inc., Washington, D.C., was awarded on Oct. 16,
2006, a $57,421,000 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of an
addition to the Langley Air Force Base Hospital. Work will be performed at
Langley Air Force Base, Va., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 15,
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 Jan. 31, 2006, and two bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity
(W91236-07-C-0011).

Rohm & Haas Co., Philadelphia, Pa., was awarded on Oct. 18, 2006, an
$8,316,000 firm-fixed-price contract for ion exchange resin. Work will
be performed in Philadelphia, Pa., and is expected to be completed by
April 30, 2007. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current
fiscal year. This was a sole source contract initiated on Sept. 13,
2006. The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, Rock Island,
Ill., is the contracting activity (W52H09-06-C-0228).

O'Gara-Hess & Eisenhardt Armoring Co., Fairfield, Ohio, was awarded on
Oct. 13, 2006, a $7,465,057 modification to a firm-fixed-price contract
for M1116 and M1145 high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles, M1114
windshields, and #5 frag field kits. Work will be performed in
Fairfield, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 28, 2007. Contract
funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This was a
sole source contract initiated on April 10, 2000. The U.S. Army
Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting
activity (DAAE07-00-C-S019).

AM General Corp., South Bend, Ind., was awarded on Oct. 13, 2006, a
$6,125,757 modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for expanded
capacity vehicle turbo engines and aggregate kits for the high mobility
multipurpose wheeled vehicles. Work will be performed in South Bend, Ind.,
and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2007. Contract funds will
not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This was a sole source
contract initiated on July 17, 2000. The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and
Armaments Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity
(DAAE07-01-C-S001).

Oshkosh Truck Corp., Oshkosh, Wis., was awarded on Oct. 16, 2006, a
delivery order amount of $5,420,486 as part of a $5,420,486
firm-fixed-price contract for aircraft rescue and firefighting fire trucks. Work
will be performed in Oshkosh, Wis., and is expected to be completed by
Sept. 25, 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 May 15, 2006, and four bids were received. The U.S. Army
Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, Warren, Mich., is the
contracting activity (W56HZV-06-D-G015).

Packet Digital L.L.C.*, Fargo, N.D., was awarded on Oct. 19, 2006, a
$5,324,489 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for advanced research and
development of advanced power management for wireless systems. Work will be
performed in Fargo, N.D., and is expected to be completed by April 30,
2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal
year. There were 11 bids solicited on June 23, 2006, and two bids were
received. The Defense Microelectronics Activity, McClellan, Calif., is
the contracting activity (H94003-07-C-0702).

NAVY

McDonnell Douglas Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Co.,
St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded a $17,279,757 firm-fixed-price
contract for the procurement of Harpoon Ship Command Launch Control Systems
upgrades, modifications and associated equipment and spares for the
Governments of Pakistan, Chile, and Turkey. This contract combines purchases
for the Governments of Pakistan ($6,101,629 (35 percent); Chile
($5,868,057 (34 percent); and Turkey ($5,310,071; 31 percent) under the
Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in St. Charles, Mo.
(74 percent); Lititz, Penn. (8 percent); San Diego, Calif. (6 percent);
Baltimore, Md. (5 percent); Cedar Rapids, Iowa (4 percent); Kellyville,
Okla. (2 percent); and various locations across the United States (1
percent), and is expected to be completed in July 2008. 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 (N00019-06-C-0090).

McDonnell Douglas Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Co.,
St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded a $5,562,617 order against a
previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-05-G-0026) for implementation
of engineering change proposal 270-R2 1760 wiring kits to upgrade 30
AV-8B aircraft. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo. (70 percent) and
Samarate, Italy (30 percent), and is expected to be completed in
November 2007. Contract funds in the amount of $882,424 will expire at the
end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent
River, Md. is the contracting activity.

  AIR FORCE

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, Carson, Calif., is being awarded a
$13,017,011 cost-plus-award fee and cost-plus-fixed fee contract
modification. This modification incorporates the re-planned program schedule
for Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS) due to budget reduction in FY
03 and FY 04. It also incorporates a program launch slip from June 2007
to December 2008 for SBSS. The award will be made to Northrop Grumman
Mission Systems as a contractor modification to an existing contract. At
this time, no funds have been obligated. This work will be complete
December 2008. Space Superiority Systems Wing, Los Angeles Air Force Base,
Calif., is the contracting activity. (FA8819-04-C-0002/P00039)

   DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Constellation New Energy, Chicago, Ill., is being awarded a maximum
$10,473,860 firm fixed price contract for electricity. Using services are
Army, Air Force, and Federal civilian agencies. Locations of
performance are Scott Air Force Base, Construction Engineering Research
Laboratory, Engineer Research and Development Center, Army Corps of Engineers,
USDA, and National Center for Agriculture of Utilization Research, Ill.
There were 11 proposals solicited and 4 responded. Contract funds will
not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of performance
completion is May 31, 2008. Contracting activity is the Defense Energy
Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-07-D-8001).

* Small Business

Five Marines and two U.S. soldiers were killed

in Iraq as the result of enemy action over the past few days, military
officials reported.

* Three Marines assigned to Multinational Force West died Oct. 21 from
enemy action while operating in Anbar province.

* One Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5 died Oct. 21 of
injuries suffered from enemy action while operating in Anbar province.

* A Task Force Lightning soldier assigned to 3rd Brigade Combat Team,
82nd Airborne Division, was killed Oct. 21 as a result of enemy action
while
conducting operations in Salah and Din provinces. Three other soldiers
from
the same unit were wounded as a result of the action.

* A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier died at about 2:37
a.m. Oct. 20 when the vehicle he was riding in was struck by an
improvised
explosive device in southwestern Baghdad.

* One Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 7 died Oct. 19 from
enemy action while operating in Anbar province.

The names of the deceased and wounded servicemembers are being withheld
pending notification of next of kin.

Meanwhile, the Defense Department released the identities of 12
soldiers who
were killed recently supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

* Army 2nd Lt. Christopher E. Loudon, 23, of Brockport, Pa., Army Cpl.
David M. Unger, 21, of Leavenworth, Kan., Army Cpl. Russell G.
Culbertson
III, 22, of Amity, Pa., and Army Spc. Joseph C. Dumas Jr., 25, of New
Orleans died Oct. 18 in Baghdad of injuries suffered when an
improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle. The soldiers
were
assigned to the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th
Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

* Army Sgt. 1st Class Daniel A. Brozovich, 42, of Greenville, Pa.,
died Oct. 18 in Ashraf, Iraq, from injuries suffered when an improvised
explosive device detonated near his armored security vehicle while on
combat
patrol. Brozovich was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 213th Air Defense
Artillery, Spring City, Pa.

* Army Spc. Jose R. Perez, 21, of Ontario, Calif., died Oct. 18 in
Ramadi, Iraq, from injuries suffered from enemy small arms fire. Perez
was
assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade
Combat
Team, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany.

* Army Staff Sgt. Ryan E. Haupt, 24, of Phoenix, Ariz., Army Sgt.
Norman R. Taylor III, 21, of Blythe, Calif., and Army Pfc. Nathan J.
Frigo,
23, of Kokomo, Ind., died Oct. 17 in Baqubah, Iraq, of injuries
suffered
when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle. The
soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd
Heavy
Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

* Army Spc. Daniel W. Winegeart, 23, of Kountze, Texas, died Oct. 17
in Baghdad from injuries sustained when his Light Medium Tactical
Vehicle drove off an overpass. Winegeart was assigned to the 5th Group
Support Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, Fort Campbell, Ky. This
incident is under investigation.

* Army Sgt. Lester D. Baroncini Jr., 33, of Bakersfield, Calif., and
Army Pfc. Stephen D. Bicknell, 19, of Prattville, Ala., died Oct. 15 in
Samarra, Iraq, of injuries suffered when two land mines detonated near
their
Humvee. Both soldiers were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 505th
Parachute
Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division,
Fort
Bragg, N.C.
 

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Kevin M. Witte, 27, of Beardsley, Minn., died on Oct. 20 in
Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries sustained when an improvised explosive
device detonated near his vehicle during a combat patrol.

Witte was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd
Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany.

DoD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers
who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Oct. 17 in
Baqubah, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated near their vehicle. The soldiers were assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry
Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

Killed were:

Staff Sgt. Ryan E. Haupt, 24, of Phoenix, Ariz.

Sgt. Norman R. Taylor III, 21, of Blythe, Calif.

Pfc. Nathan J. Frigo, 23, of Kokomo, Ind.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sgt. 1st Class Daniel A. Brozovich, 42, of Greenville, Pa., died Oct. 18 in Ashraf, Iraq, from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Armored Security Vehicle while on combat patrol. Brozovich was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 213th Air Defense Artillery, Spring City, Pa.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Spc. Jose R. Perez, 21, of Ontario, Calif., died Oct. 18 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, from injuries suffered from enemy small arms fire.Perez was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany.

DoD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.They died Oct. 15 in Samarra, Iraq, of injuries suffered when two land mines detonated near their HMMWV.Both soldiers were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C. Killed were: Sgt. Lester D. Baroncini Jr., 33, of Bakersfield, Calif. Pfc. Stephen D. Bicknell, 19, of Prattville, Ala.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Spc. Daniel W. Winegeart, 23, of Kountze, Texas, died Oct. 17 in Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries sustainedwhen his Light Medium Tactical Vehicle drove off an overpass.Winegeart was assigned to the 5th Group Support Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, Fort Campbell, Ky. This incident is under investigation.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Staff Sgt. Garth D. Sizemore, 31, of Mount Sterling, Ky., died Oct. 17 in Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries suffered when his patrol came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire during combat operations. Sizemore was assigned to 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.

Two U.S. soldiers were killed yesterday in Iraq, military officials reported.

A soldier assigned to 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, died from wounds suffered due to enemy action while operating in Anbar province. A 16th Military Police Brigade soldier was killed when a roadside bomb struck the vehicle he was riding in north of Balad. The names of the soldiers are being withheld pending notification of the next of kin. Meanwhile, the Defense Department released the identities of a Marine and a soldier who were killed recently supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. -- Marine 2nd Lt. Joshua L. Booth, 23, of Fiskdale, Mass., died Oct. 17 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. -- Army Staff Sgt. Garth D. Sizemore, 31, of Mount Sterling, Ky., died Oct. 17 in Baghdad from injuries suffered when his patrol came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire during combat operations. Sizemore was assigned to 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.

President Bush called his meeting today
with representatives of 10 troop-support organizations groups at the White
House, "an uplifting and heart-warming conversation."

The groups are all members of America Supports You, a Defense
Department program highlighting the ways America is supporting the nation's
servicemembers. They support the troops by sending care packages, meeting
the emergency needs of military families, providing entertainment items
and providing clothing for the injured.
"These folks don't really care about politics. What they care about is
how best to send a strong message to the men and women who wear our
uniform that America supports them," the president said. "I want to thank
you all for coming, and I appreciate what you're doing."

Bush said the groups represent the nation's values. "It's a remarkable
country when we have people who decide to step up and help men and
women who are serving their country in a time of need," he said, adding
those interested can find opportunities to support the troops on the
America Supports You Web site. "These are brave, courageous people who
deserve the full support of the American citizenry."

Those who visited with the president had met earlier in the day to
share ideas and discuss challenges. While they were gathered they received
a call from the Middle East.

"I want to let you know how much I appreciate and, more importantly,
our troops and their families just so appreciate what you're doing
through your organizations," Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of
defense for internal communication and public liaison and creator of the
America Supports You program, said. She addressed the group by
telephone during their meeting while traveling in the Middle East.

CONTRACTS

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Amerada Hess Corp., Woodbridge, N.J., is being awarded a maximum
$85,893,093 firm fixed price contract for electricity. Using services are
Army, federal civilian agencies, and DoD installations. Locations of
performance are Army Corps of Engineers, National Institutes of Health,
Va.; MC Health Care System, Maryland Procurement Office, and Johns Hopkins
University Applied Physics Lab, Md. There were 156 proposals solicited
and 13 responded. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the
current fiscal year. Date of performance completion is December 31, 2008.
Contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center (DESC), Fort
Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-05-G-8030).

Reliant Energy Solutions East, Edison, N.J., is being awarded a
maximum $17,871,088 firm fixed price contract for electricity for Army. Other
location of performance is Fort Detrick, Md. There were 156 proposals
solicited and 13 responded. Contract funds will not expire at the end of
the current fiscal year. Date of performance completion is December 31,
2008. Contracting activity is the (DESC), Fort Belvoir, Va.
(SP0600-05-G-8037).

Constellation New Energy, Houston, Texas, is being awarded a maximum
$15,428,904 firm fixed price contract for electricity for federal
civilian agencies. There were 79 proposals solicited and 12 responded.
Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of
performance completion is Jan. 1, 2008. Contracting activity is the
(DESC), Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-05-G-8043).

Burlington Apparel Fabrics, Greensboro, N.C., is being awarded a
maximum $12,518,400 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for
polyester/wool cloth for Army. Locations of performance are Raeford,
Cordova, N.C.; and Hurt, Va. There were 65 proposals solicited and 1
responded. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal
year. Date of performance completion is Oct. 18, 2007. Contracting activity
is the Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM1C1-07-D-0005).

AIR FORCE

InDyne Inc., McLean, Va., is being awarded a $15,511,588
firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursement no fee contract. This action provides for
multimedia technical support contract, to support functions necessary to
meet the quantity, and delivery schedules of the Eglin Air Force Base
Multimedia Center. At this time, $3,498,086 has been obligated.
Solicitations began March 2006 and negotiations were complete September 2006. This
work will be complete September 2011. Air Armament Center, Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (FA9200-06-C-0071)

NAVY

Lockheed Martin, Naval Electronics and Surveillance Systems,
Moorestown, N.J., is being awarded a $13,308,031 cost-plus-award-fee
modification under previously awarded contract (N00024-98-C-5197) to exercise an
option for performance of AEGIS combat system baseline upgrades and
critical experiments. Modification services will include providing
material, equipment, supplies and technical engineering required to define,
design, develop, integrate, test and deliver AEGIS combat system upgrades.
Contractor shall also provide system engineering support to evaluate
all problems that affect the AEGIS weapon system, propose solutions to
each problem, and identify changes required to all specifications. Work
will be performed in Moorestown, N.J., and is expected to be completed
by September 2007. Contract funds in the amount of $13,308,031, will
expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems
Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity
(N00024-98-C-5197)

Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors (MS2) Electronics Park, a
division of Lockheed Martin Corporation, Syracuse, N.Y., is being
awarded a $13,155,945 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price modification
under previously awarded contract (N00024-05-C-6327) for level of effort
engineering services in the development, demonstration and integrating
of the Remote Mine-hunting Vehicle (RMV), with anti-submarine warfare
systems mission module as part of the Littoral Combat Ship Anti-Submarine
Warfare mission package, and for production of four installation and
checkout kits with supporting equipment for four RMV units. The RMVs will
be incorporated into the DDG 91 through DDG 96 and LCS Class ships.
Work will be performed in Syracuse, N.Y (80 percent) and Riviera Beach,
Fla. (20 percent), and is expected to be completed by January 2008.
Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The
Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, Washington, D.C., is the
contracting activity.

Honeywell Technology Solutions, Inc., Columbia, Md., is being awarded
an $8,015,944 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee
contract (N00421-05-C-0002) to exercise an option for engineering and
logistics services in support of the Light Airborne Multi-purpose System
MKIII AN/SRQ-4 data link. The estimated level of effort for this option
is 124,000 man-hours. Work will be performed in Lexington Park, Md. (51
percent) and St. Inigoes, Md. (49 percent) and is expected to be
completed in October 2007. Contract funds in the amount of $306,115 will
expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center
Aircraft Division, St. Inigoes, Md., is the contracting activity.

DoD Celebrates 2006 Red Ribbon Week

The Department of Defense will celebrate the 2006 Red Ribbon Week
beginning Monday Oct 23 at 11 a.m. in the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes. This
year's theme is "United Against Drugs," focusing on educating
individuals, families, and communities on the destructive effects of drugs and
the positive alternative life choices that are available to our youth.

John P. Walters, the director of the national drug control policy,
will present the Gordon England, deputy secretary of defense, the award
for excellence in countering illicit drug use in support of the
President's National Drug Control Strategy. The award is being presented to the
DoD drug-testing program for a thirty-five year record of
standard-setting success. As a result, DoD has decreased illicit drug use among
service members by 92 percent and the program has become the model for the
drug testing industry.

The ceremony will continue with a presentation by The Thomas
O'Connell, assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low
intensity conflict, of the Sixteenth Annual Secretary of Defense Community
Drug Awards and the Sixth Annual Secretary of Defense Fulcrum Shield
Awards.

In 1990, DoD joined in the national effort by commencing an award
program to encourage service members to become involved in keeping
communities drug-free and to recognize outstanding outreach programs. Each
year, one winner is selected from each Service, the National Guard, and
participating Defense agencies to receive the Secretary of Defense's
Community Drug Awareness Award. This award is presented to the military
installation or program from each of these organizations that are deemed to
have the best anti-drug program for that year.

In 2001, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for
counternarcotics established an award to recognize the efforts of independent
military-affiliated youth organizations that have successfully assisted in
spreading the anti-drug message throughout their community. The Fulcrum
Shield Award for Excellence in Youth Anti-Drug Programs will be presented
for the sixth time this fall.

Retired Maj. Gen. Arthur T. Dean, chairman and chief executive
officer, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, will give remarks. His
responsibilities as chairman and CEO include providing strategic
direction, diversifying and increasing funding, leading the board, being primary
spokesman for the organization.

Red Ribbon Week originated as a tribute to Special Agent Enrique
"Kiki" S. Camarena of the Drug Enforcement Administration. In 1985, he was
killed by drug traffickers in Guadalajara, Mexico. Kiki's death enraged
many Americans in his hometown of Calexico, Calif., and they began to
wear red ribbons to commemorate his sacrifice. The anti-drug message
spread quickly, and in 1988, the National Family Partnership took the Red
Ribbon Celebration nationwide.

 

The plan to bring security to Baghdad has
not been a failure, but coalition and Iraqi officials are going to
refine it, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman said during an interview
today.

Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said that any time the military puts a
plan in play "you are constantly reassessing and reevaluating it.
That's what we've been doing since the beginning."

He said the coalition is working with a new Iraqi ministerial group to
make adjustments to the plan, and that Multinational Force Iraq
commander Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr. does this in a more informal way with
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki also.

"Tactically, we want to make some adjustments and refinements to the
plan," Caldwell said. "We will continue to execute the plan."

The general said violence and progress co-exist in Iraq. "We're going
to have to continue on working for progress within the country with the
rebuilding of the country, with the governance piece, with the economic
piece," he said. "Simultaneously, we're dealing with the levels of
violence that we experience at different intensities at different times at
different areas."

The coalition's overall goal is eventually to build the government of
Iraq to where it can handle its own security, Caldwell said. It must be
able to keep violence below a level at which a local police force can
handle it.

The general said Iraq will have violence, criminal activity and
terrorist activity for years to come. "We recognize the fact that it's going
to be many, many years before this country sees a level of violence
that's more normal to what we're used to in America and what Westerners
would want to see," he said.

"What we have to do is develop the Iraqi security forces to such that
they are able and capable of handling those three various levels of
violence, bringing them down to some level to where the security forces are
just above them, and can handle it, and that's the point which we'll be
allowed - or able - to disengage our forces," he said.

That is going to take a political solution more than a military one, he
said, and it's a solution the Iraqi government - in office just over
150 days now - is beginning to address. He said Maliki is engaged in a
tremendous amount of dialogue. The Council of Representatives is meeting
and is making the tough choices, he added.

Maliki has held two national reconciliation conferences already, and
continues to work with different political and sectarian factions. "He's
engaged in dialogue and working with all the different sects," Caldwell
said. "That's exactly what has to occur if we are going to come to a
political solution in this country, because it is up to the Iraqi people
to rebuild and secure their country. (It's) not something we can do; we
can only set the stage."

 Korea-U.S. Security Meeting Joint Communique Announced

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Republic of Korea Minister of
National Defense Yoon Kwang Ung issued a joint communique today
following the 38th Republic of Korea U.S. Security Consultative Meeting (SCM).

Rumsfeld and Yoon led their respective delegations, which included
senior defense and foreign affairs officials. The R.O.K.-U.S. Security
Consultative Meeting joint communiqu can be found at:

DoD Identifies Marine Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

2nd Lt. Joshua L. Booth, 23, of Fiskdale, Mass., died Oct. 17 while
conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province,
Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine
Division, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

 Oct. 18, 2006 - The USS Iwo Jima can unleash
tremendous military force by air, land and sea, but the crew takes pride in
offering something the ship's captain says is equally important: the
ability to reduce suffering and save lives.

"This ship is unique in that it's not just projecting power, but also
has the capacity to do a great deal of assistance," Navy Capt. Mike "The
Sheriff" Walley told civilian business and community leaders
participating in the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference aboard the ship.

The Defense Department's JCOC program has been introducing civilian
"movers and shakers" to the military since 1948 by showing them military
operations and giving them an opportunity to see men and women in
uniform on the job.

"We're not just about taking lives, we're about saving lives," Walley
told the JCOC group. "That's one of the things we're proud of -- that we
bring not just a warfighting capacity, but also a humanitarian
capacity."

Last summer, the USS Iwo Jima got the chance to do just that as it was
preparing to return to its home port of Norfolk, Va., Walley told the
group. Hurricane Katrina had just devastated the U.S. Gulf Coast, and
Iwo Jima was called in to provide a command and control platform and a
floating hospital for people who couldn't get care in New Orleans
hospitals.

At the same time, Iwo Jima's crew assisted in search and rescue
operations, plucking almost 3,400 people from rooftops and saving them from
the rising waters.

"This wasn't a new mission," Walley told the JCOC group. "When Katrina
happened, we knew exactly what to do."

Crewmembers said they get a lot of gratification from helping fellow
Americans in need.

"It really felt good to be a part of something like that," said Airman
Courtney Young, who's been an aviation mechanic with Iwo Jima for the
past two years. "You get a lot of satisfaction when you turn on CNN and
can see our boat doing a lot of good."

Three football fields long, but shorter than an aircraft carrier, Iwo
Jima and its 1,100 sailors provide the platform that delivers the 1,600
to 1,800 Marines it typically carries to any contingency in their
region.

The ship carries 29 aircraft, including Marine Corps AV-8B "Harriers"
that provide air defense and close-ground support, CH-53 "Super
Stallions" and CH-46E "Sea Knight" that ferry troops and supplies and AH-1W
"Super Cobras" that provide close-in air support.

In addition, the Iwo Jima's Landing Craft Air Cushion is capable of
delivering Marines along with their vehicles and equipment for an
amphibious assault.

The JCOC participants got a firsthand look at these military
capabilities, took a spin in an LCAC at speeds hitting 45 knots, and watch
Harriers take off and land from Iwo Jima's flight deck.

In addition to its combat capability, Iwo Jima contributes to the U.S.
maritime mission in a way a traditional carrier simply can't, Walley
said. "We call a carrier a single-dimensional ship" that projects air
power, he said. "This ship is multi-dimensional."

Just over four months into its current deployment, USS Iwo Jima is once
again demonstrating those multi-dimensional capabilities.

Since leaving Norfolk in early June, Iwo Jima already has helped
evacuate 14,900 American citizens in Lebanon to safety before providing more
traditional support to operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq. The
ship is currently operating in the North Arabian Gulf, about 60 miles from
the Kuwaiti coast.

Iwo Jima's crew "has done more since they came out here than the three
previous strike groups," Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Carl Jensen, commander
of Task Force 59, told the group. "This strike group has really done it
and done it all - and made it look easy."

Jensen called the Lebanon evacuation mission a big feather in Iwo
Jima's hat. "It was a huge, joint effort," Jensen said of the mission that
was moving 4,000 people a day at its peak. "But the lion's share was
carried out by the Navy and Marine Corps, and we're really proud to have
played a role."

The ability to react quickly to a wide variety of missions is a
hallmark of U.S. naval forces, Vice Adm. Patrick M. Walsh, commander of U.S.
Naval Forces Central Command, told the group during a briefing
yesterday. "The advantage of maritime forces is that you can move quickly and be
responsive to events on the ground," he said.

He cited humanitarian and disaster relief as one of the three key
maritime missions in the region, along with maritime security operations and
consequence management.

In supporting a humanitarian or disaster relief mission, Iwo Jima can
transport people, deliver food, make drinkable water and provide medical
care in an onboard facility that includes operating rooms, X-ray rooms,
a blood bank, laboratories and patient wards, Walley told the group. In
a catastrophic situation, most of the ship's hangar bay and flight deck
would provide an overflow triage area.

Members of the Iwo Jima crew said they feel good about their ability to
provide, not just combat power, but also life-saving support to people
in need. "In the end, I think all warriors like to believe ... that
they are helping provide a better world for a country they are in conflict
with," Walley said.

Participants in the JCOC program said they were wowed by what they
observed on Iwo Jima. "It was awesome, amazing, a one-in-a-lifetime
opportunity," said Keith Cooley, chief executive officer for Focus: Hope,
based in Detroit.

"It totally exceeded my expectations - not just the machinery, but the
people," Cooley continued. "They're young, honest people of integrity.
I'm pretty damned impressed."
The first U.S. defense secretary, James V. Forrestal, created the JCOC
in 1948 to introduce civilian "movers and shakers" with little or no
military exposure to the workings of the armed forces. Nearly six decades
later, it remains DoD's premier civic leader program. Participants are
selected from hundreds of candidates nominated by military commands
worldwide and pay their own expenses throughout the conference.

CONTRACTS

NAVY

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Conn., is being awarded a
$50,434,983 firm-fixed-price contract for the Special Progressive Aircraft
Rework Program in support of the VH-3D/VH-60N Presidential helicopter. Work
will be performed in Stratford, Conn., and is expected to be completed
in September 2007. Contract funds in the amount of $50,434,983 will
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 (N00019-07-D-0004).

Argon ST., Inc., Newington, Va., is being awarded a $9,873,809
indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to
provide specialized engineering support services for the Ariel, Blackbeard,
Badger, Wolverine, AN/URL-21(V)2, and integrated submarine
communications receiving systems, providing on site support responses, hardware and
software maintenance, and telephone/email technical assists.. This
contract combines efforts for the Navy (97 percent) and the government of
Norway (3 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will
be performed in Newington, Va. (90 percent) and Fairfax, Va. (10
percent) and is expected to be completed by October 2011. Contract funds will
not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is a
sole source procurement. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren
Division, Dahlgren, Va., is the contracting activity (N00178-07-D-3017).

McDonnell Douglas Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Co.,
St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded a $9,847,056 modification to a
previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract for non-recurring engineering
efforts associated with accurate navigation engineering change Proposal
6201, Step 2, for Lot 30, 31, 32 & 33 production F/A-18E/F and EA-18G
aircraft. Work will be performed in Clearwater, Fla. (75 percent), and St.
Louis, Mo. (25 percent), and is expected to be completed in June 2007.
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.

Globecomm Systems, Inc.*, Hauppauge, N.Y., is being awarded a
$5,349,392 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of 50 satellite
terminal equipment and outdoor enclosure (ODU) assemblies and 50 spare ODUs
to support the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division's special
communications requirements division for existing teams of the Unified
Command Suite Project. Work will be performed in Hauppauge, N.Y., and is
expected to be completed in July 2007. Contract funds will in the amount
of $5,349,392 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This
contract was competitively procured and seven offers were received. The
Naval Warfare Center Aircraft Division, St. Inigoes, Md., is the
contracting activity (N00421-07-P-0039).

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Sysco Food Services of Central Alabama, Calera, Ala., is being awarded
a maximum $18,750,000 fixed price with economic price adjustment
contract for Southeast Region prime vendor food and beverage support for
Alabama and Florida. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, and Job
Corps. Proposals were Web-solicited and 3 responded. This is an indefinite
quantity type contract exercising the second of four 1-year options.
Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of
performance completion is October 16, 2007. Contracting activity is the
Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Pa.
(SPM300-07-D-3104).

* Small Business

Nine soldiers and a Marine were killed
yesterday in various incidents throughout Iraq, military officials
reported, and the Defense Department released the identities of seven soldiers
who were killed recently supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

-- A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier was killed when a roadside
bomb struck the vehicle he was riding in north of Baghdad.

-- Three Task Force Lightning soldiers assigned to 3rd Heavy Brigade
Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, were killed and one was wounded as a
result of enemy action while conducting operations in Diyala province.
The wounded soldier was transported to a coalition hospital.

-- A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier died when terrorists
attacked his patrol with small-arms fire in northern Baghdad.

-- A Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 7 died from wounds
suffered due to enemy action while operating in Anbar province.

-- Four Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers were killed when a
roadside bomb struck the vehicle they were riding in west of Baghdad.

The names of the deceased are being withheld pending notification of
next of kin.

Meanwhile, DoD released the identities of seven soldiers who were
killed recently supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

-- Army 1st Lt. Joshua Deese, 25, of North Carolina, and Army Sgt.
Jonathan E. Lootens, 25, of Lyons, N.Y., died Oct. 15 in Balad, Iraq, after
a roadside bomb detonated near their vehicle in Kirkuk. They were
assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 25th
Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

-- Army Pfc. Keith J. Moore, 28, of San Francisco, died Oct. 14 in
Baghdad of a non-combat-related injury. Moore was assigned to the 2nd
Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain
Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

-- Army 1st Sgt. Charles M. King, 48, of Mobile, Ala.; Army Staff Sgt.
Joseph M. Kane, 35, of Darby, Pa.; and Army Spc. Timothy J. Lauer, 25,
of Saegertown, Pa., died Oct. 14 of injuries suffered when a roadside
bomb detonated near their vehicle in Baghdad. They were assigned to the
1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division,
Fort Hood, Texas.

-- Army Capt. Mark C. Paine, 32, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., died Oct.
15 in Taji, Iraq, from injuries suffered when a roadside bomb detonated
near his vehicle. Paine was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armor
Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

 DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

  Capt. Mark C. Paine, 32, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., died Oct. 15 in
Taji, Iraq, from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his vehicle.Paine was assigned to the 1st Battalion,
66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

DoD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers
who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.They died Oct. 14 of
injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their
vehicle in Baghdad, Iraq.All soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion,
67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood,
Texas.

  Killed were:

  1st Sgt. Charles M. King, 48, of Mobile, Ala.

  Staff Sgt. Joseph M. Kane, 35, of Darby, Pa.

  Spc. Timothy J. Lauer, 25, of Saegertown, Pa.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

  Pfc. Keith J. Moore, 28, of San Francisco, died Oct. 14 in Baghdad,
Iraq, of a non-combat related injury.Moore was assigned to the 2nd
Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain
Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

The incident is under investigation.

DoD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers
who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Oct. 15 of
injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their
vehicle in Kirkuk, Iraq, during combat operations. Both soldiers were
assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 25th
Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Killed were:

1st Lt. Joshua Deese, 25, of North Carolina. He died in Balad, Iraq,
following the incident.

Sgt. Jonathan E. Lootens, 25, of Lyons, N.Y.
 

Two Marines and five soldiers were killed
in Iraq yesterday, military officials in Iraq reported, and Defense
Department officials have identified four earlier casualties.
-- Two Marines assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5 died from enemy
action while operating in Anbar province.

-- A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier was killed when a roadside
bomb struck the vehicle he was riding in north of Baghdad.

-- Two Task Force Lightning soldiers assigned to 3rd Brigade Combat
Team, 25th Infantry Division, were killed and two others were wounded as a
result of enemy action while conducting operations in Kirkuk province.
The wounded soldiers were transported to a coalition hospital.

-- Two Task Force Lightning soldiers assigned to 3rd Brigade, 82nd
Airborne Division, were killed as a result of injuries suffered due to
enemy action while conducting operations in Salah Ad Din province.

The servicemembers' names are being withheld pending notification of
next of kin. Meanwhile, the Defense Department has identified the
following previous casualties:
-- Army Sgt. Nicholas R. Sowinski, 25, of Tempe, Ariz., died Oct. 11 in
Baghdad from injuries suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near his
vehicle. Sowinski was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry
Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

-- Army Pfc. Kenny F. Stanton Jr., 20, of Hemet, Calif., died Oct. 13
in Baghdad from injuries suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near
his vehicle. Stanton was assigned to the 57th Military Police Company,
Waegwan, Korea.

-- Air Force Airman 1st Class Leebenard E. Chavis, 21, of Hampton, Va.,
died Oct. 14 while performing duties as a turret gunner with the Iraqi
police near Baghdad. Chavis was assigned to the 824th Security Forces
Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Ga.

-- Cpl. Luis E. Tejeda, 20, of Huntington Park, Calif., died Sept. 30
in Asad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near
his vehicle during combat operations in Hit, Iraq. Tejeda was assigned
to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team,
1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany.

DoD Identifies Marine Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of three Marines
who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Brock A. Babb, 40, of Evansville, Ind., died Oct. 15 while
conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq.
Babb was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 3rd Battalion, 24th
Marines, 4th Marine Division, Terre Haute, Ind.

Lance Cpl. Joshua M. Hines, 26, of Olney, Ill., died Oct. 15 while
conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province,
Iraq. Hines was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 3rd Battalion, 24th
Marines, 4th Marine Division, Terre Haute, Ind.

Sgt. Jonathan J. Simpson, 25, of Rockport, Texas, died Oct. 14 while
conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province,
Iraq. Simpson was assigned to 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine
Division, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
 

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

2nd Lt. Johnny K. Craver, 37, of McKinney, Texas, died Oct. 13 in
Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Craver was assigned
to the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry
Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

 NATO had a tough summer in Afghanistan, but
the troops came through and have proven they are tough and in for the
long haul, the NATO International Security Assistance Force commander
said today.

Talking from Afghanistan with Pentagon reporters, British Army Gen.
David Richards said the Taliban tried to exploit NATO's arrival to try to
deter the alliance from assuming command of operations in Afghanistan.

"We needed to prove, both to them and to the people of this country -
in particular people of the south - that NATO ISAF was up to the job
that we had been entrusted with, building on the great work of the
U.S.-led coalition," Richards said. "That meant that we had to fight, and
fight we have."

He said the alliance had a tactical victory in Operation Medusa in the
area southwest of Kandahar. The NATO troops came from Canada, the
United States, the Netherlands, Denmark and the United Kingdom. Richards
said the operation helped the Afghan National Army and police establish
"the psychological ascendancy over the Taliban in a military sense."

He said there is no doubt any more that NATO can fight. Alliance
soldiers inflicted "the biggest single defeat on the Taliban that had
occurred since 2001," Richards said.

But having established its bona fides, the alliance must build upon its
accomplishments, he said. "We have now with the government and with the
international community to exploit the window of opportunity," the
general said.

The Afghan government, NATO and the international community must
deliver reconstruction and improvements in governance that Afghans want.
"They need to appreciate that it's not all going to happen tomorrow, but
that it is ... on an upward curve with a continuing sense of
improvement," Richards said. "That will build confidence that all this effort is
worth it and the fighting, when it occurs, is worth it and leads to a
better future.

He said failure to deliver would mean a bad year in 2007. "If we can
deliver it and we start to persuade moderate opinion - which is still a
vast majority in this country, they want us to succeed - that we are up
to it, then things could be much better by April next year, and that is
our aim jointly, with the government, with the international community
and obviously within the band, the grouping, of those that constitute
the security forces at work here," he said.

The general said he had spent the morning with the chiefs of the Afghan
army and police. The three gave final direction on the first
pan-Afghanistan security operation in which the whole country will feel the
effect of properly coordinated security operations. "This is one of the
great advantages of NATO-ISAF expansion," he said. "For the first time, we
have a single commander with a single headquarters with whom the
Afghans can now operate and cooperate.

 Paul Brunell of Oxford, Mass., was a
Marine lance corporal when he served under then-Marine 2nd Lt. Peter
Pace during the Vietnam War.

"I met him in a firefight," Brunell said. "He just ended up being the
next officer to come down the line."

Pace took command of 2nd Platoon, Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th
Marines, in February 1968, near the beginning of the Tet Offensive. North
Vietnamese military and the Viet Cong had taken advantage of Tet, the
Chinese new year, to launch a series of attacks across South Vietnam.

When Brunell learned that now-General Pace, chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, would be in Worcester for a tribute to servicemembers and
their families, he wondered if it would be possible to speak with him.

"He was the last officer that I served under that I haven't met yet,"
he said. "I knew he was coming here today (and) I wrote him a letter to
see if I could get a chance to meet him. Say 'Hi' to the guy, you
know?"

Brunell remembers Pace as a bright young officer in Vietnam.

"He was a good man. He was a good officer. All my officers were good
officers, (but) he didn't come in as a know-it-all," Brunell said. "He
was willing to learn from the guys that had been there. Even though he
had the education, he was a regular guy."

The former lance corporal added that the chairman "doesn't look like
he's changed a bit."

Separated from the Corps in December 1968 after being severely wounded,
Brunell spends time working with veterans organizations like the
American Legion. He also said he likes to support functions like last
weekend's tribute that honored servicemembers and their families in Worcester.

"Back in my day, there wasn't too much respect for veterans," he said.
"They're finally being shown some appreciation."

But that has little to do with why the former lance corporal who
survived the Tet Offensive, some of the bloodiest fighting of the Vietnam
War, would even consider jumping into the fray one more time.

"I'd go back right now," he said, "because I'm a Marine first, and an
American second."

The fiscal 2007 National Defense
Authorization Act provides more than $530 billion to maintain the military in the
shape it must be to win the war on terror.

President Bush signed the bill, officially called the John Warner
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007, during a small
ceremony in the Oval Office this morning. Warner is Virginia's senior
senator and the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

The act provides $462.8 billion in budget authority for the department.
Senate and House conferees added the $70 billion defense supplemental
budget request to the act, so overall, the act authorizes $532.8 billion
for fiscal 2007.

The $70 billion supplemental provision covers the cost of ongoing
operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa, as well as other
expenses affiliated with the war on terrorism. The supplemental funding
also provides $23.8 billion to help "reset" Army and Marine Corps
equipment, which is wearing out faster than originally planned because of the
war.

The supplemental measure further provides $2.1 billion for the Joint
Improvised Explosive Device Task Force, $1.7 billion to train and equip
Iraqi security forces and $1.5 billion to help train and equip Afghan
security forces.

The authorization act provides a 2.2 percent pay raise for American
servicemembers, effective Jan. 1. It continues the Army at its
end-strength of 512,400 and raises the Marine Corps end-strength to 180,000. The
Army National Guard end strength is set at 350,000.

The act authorizes the expansion of eligibility for the Tricare health
care program to all members of the Selected Reserve while in a
non-active-duty status and their families. Payment is set at 28 percent of the
premium amount established by DoD. The act also prohibits any increase
in Tricare Prime and Tricare Select Reserve in fiscal 2007.

The act authorizes $36.6 billion for operations and maintenance costs,
including $700 million for body armor and $149.5 million for
ammunition.

The act authorizes construction of seven warships, including the
next-generation destroyer and the amphibious assault replacement ship. The
act also provides $794 million in advance procurement authority for the
next generation aircraft carrier, the CVN-21.

The act sets aside $4.4 billion for 22 C-17 Globemaster III airlifters,
$1.4 billion for procurement of 14 Marine V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor
aircraft and $1.5 billion for 43 MH-60R/S helicopters.

The act authorizes $841 million for 122 Stryker combat vehicles,
including $41.5 million to replace combat losses. The act also provides $1.4
billion for 20 F/A-22 Raptor fighters and reduced funding for the F-35
Lightning II fighter due to schedule delays.

CONTRACTS

NAVY

Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc., Schenectady, N.Y., is being awarded a
$267,536,374 cost-plus-fixed fee contract for naval nuclear propulsion
components. Work will be performed in Pittsburgh, Pa. (52 percent) and
Schenectady, N.Y. (48 percent). Contract funds will not expire at the end
of the current fiscal year. The contract was not competitively
procured. No work completion date or additional information is provided on
Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program contracts. The Naval Sea Systems Command,
Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity
(N00024-07-C-2101).

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

US Food Service Atalanta Division, Fairburn, Ga., is being awarded a
maximum $38,750,000 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract
for prime vendor full line food distribution. Using services are Army,
and Air Force. Proposals were Web-solicited and 3 responded. Contract
is exercising option year 2. Contract funds will expire at the end of
the current fiscal year. Date of performance completion is Oct. 16, 2007.
Contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP),
Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM300-06-D-3105).

The IJ Co., Valdosta, Ga., is being awarded a maximum $23,701,111 firm
fixed price contract for subsistence prime vendor support. Using
services are Navy, federal civilian agencies, and Coast Guard. Other
locations of performance are Mayport, and Jacksonville, Fla.; Kings Bay, Ga.;
and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Contract is exercising option year two of 4
one-year options. Proposals were Web-solicited and 3 responded. Contract
funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of
performance completion is Oct. 16, 2007. Contracting activity is the Defense
Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Pa.
(SPM300-07-D-3096).

  AIR FORCE

Raytheon Co., El Segundo, Calif., is being awarded a $9,700,000
indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. This
effort will determine the technical feasibility of using radar
apertures/systems as a data link to transmit synthetic aperture radar data (and
other data types) using a modified common data link waveform (or
equivalent) in near real time. The demonstration will occur in three phases.
A phased approach will be used to reduce technical, cost and schedule
risk by demonstrating technical feasibility prior to awarding any
further task orders. At this time, $1,600,000 has been obligated.
Solicitations began June 2006 and negotiations were complete October 2006. This
work will be complete October 2011. Air Force Research Laboratory,
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity
(FA8F650-07-D-4502).

Wright Brothers Institute Inc., Dayton, Ohio, is being awarded a
$7,221,740 collaborative project order contract. The objective of this
project is to stimulate the rapid transition of radio frequency
identification (RFID) technologies by developing a rapid transition of radio
frequency solutions center. The RFID solutions center shall provide an
effective way to collaborate with government end users, contractors, and
defense industry suppliers. At this time, $4,606,508 has been obligated.
Solicitations began April 2006 and negotiations were complete October
2006. This work will be complete October 2007. Air Force Research
Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity
(FA8650-06-3-9021).
 

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Cpl. Luis E. Tejeda, 20, of Huntington Park, Calif., died Sept. 30 in
Al Asad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his vehicle during combat operations in Hit, Iraq.
Tejeda was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade
Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Nicholas R. Sowinski, 25, of Tempe, Ariz., died on Oct. 11 in
Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his vehicle. Sowinski was assigned to the 4th Squadron,
14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort
Wainwright, Alaska.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Pfc. Kenny F. Stanton Jr., 20, of Hemet, Calif., died on Oct. 13 in
Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his vehicle. Stanton was assigned to the 57th Military
Police Company, Waegwan, Korea.

DoD Identifies Air Force Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of an airman who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Airman 1st Class Leebenard E. Chavis, 21, of Hampton, Va., died Oct.
14 while performing duties as a turret gunner with the Iraqi police in
the vicinity of Baghdad, Iraq. Chavis was assigned to the 824th Security
Forces Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Ga.

CONTRACTS

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Constellation New Energy, Houston, Texas, is being awarded a maximum
$101,358,389 firm fixed price contract for electricity. Using services
are Army, Navy, and Air Force. Other locations of performance are Dyess
Air Force Base, Naval Station Ingleside, Fort Hood, Joint Reserve Base
Navy Reserves, and Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas. There were 79
proposals solicited and 12 responded. Contract funds will not expire at
the end of the current fiscal year. Date of performance completion is
Jan. 1, 2009. Contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center,
Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-05-G-8043).

Gexa Energy, Houston, Texas, is being awarded a maximum $33,045,969
firm fixed price contract for electricity. Using services are Army, Navy,
and Federal civilian agencies. Other locations of performance are Army
Reserves Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Air Force Space Command, and
Army/Air Force Exchange Service, Texas. There were 79 proposals
solicited and 12 responded. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the
current fiscal year. Date of performance completion is Jan. 1, 2009.
Contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir,
Va. (SP0600-07-D-8000).

NAVY

Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc., Schenectady, N.Y., is being awarded a
$44,777,000 cost-plus-fixed fee contract, for naval nuclear propulsion
components. Work will be performed in Schenectady, N.Y. Contract funds
will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was
not competitively procured. No work completion date or additional
information is provided on naval nuclear propulsion program contracts. The
Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity
(N00024-07-C-2102).

Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Va., is being awarded a
$5,731,173 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification under previously awarded
contract N00024-06-C-2105, for engineering, technical, trade, and program
management support of industrial work performed on behalf of operational,
decommissioning, and submarines undergoing availabilities/conversion.
This contract combines support of the Navy (99 percent) and the
government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain (1 percent) under the Foreign
Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in Newport News, Va.,
and is expected to be completed by September 2007. Contract funds in the
amount of $2,521,716 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
The contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Sea Systems
Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

AIR FORCE

Lockheed Martin Corp., Ft Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $22,835,401
firm-fixed-price contract modification. This action provides for an
extension to advanced buy period of performance and increases the
obligation amount. At this time, total funds have been obligated. This work
will be complete October 2009. Headquarters Aeronautical Systems Center,
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity
(FA8611-06-C-2899/P00006).

 

Servicemembers Killed in Iraq; Previous Casualties Identified

Five soldiers, a Marine and an airman were
killed in various operations in Iraq Oct. 12 through yesterday, and the
Defense Department released the identities of 10 soldiers and 10
Marines killed recently supporting Operation Iraq Freedom or Operation
Enduring Freedom.

-- Three Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers were killed yesterday
when an improvised explosive device struck the vehicle they were riding
in south of Baghdad.

-- A Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5 died yesterday from
injuries suffered due to enemy action while operating in Iraq's Anbar
province.

-- An airman assigned to the 732nd Expeditionary Mission Support Group,
332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, was killed yesterday while performing
duties as a turret gunner with the Iraqi police near Baghdad.

-- A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier died Oct. 13 from wounds he
suffered southwest of Baghdad when an improvised explosive struck the
vehicle he was riding in.

-- A Task Force Lightning soldier from the 105th Engineer Group was
killed Oct. 12 as the result of an improvised explosive device while
conducting vehicle operations in northern Iraq.

The servicemembers' names are being withheld pending notification of
next of kin.

Meanwhile, DoD released the identities of 10 soldiers and 10 Marines
who were killed in action or later died of wounds in support of Operation
Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom.

-- Army Spc. Jason A. Lucas, 24, of Columbus, Ohio, died Oct. 13 in
Kandahar, Afghanistan, from injuries suffered when a suicide bomber
attacked his vehicle. Lucas was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry
Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry),
Fort Polk, La.

-- Army Pvt. 1st Class Thomas J. Hewitt, 22, of Temple, Texas, died
Oct. 13 at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C., from
injuries suffered during a Sept. 26 incident in Baghdad, during which an
improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Hewitt was
assigned to the 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat
Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.

-- Army Sgt. Gene A. Hawkins, 24, of Orlando, Fla., died Oct. 12 in
Mosul, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his RG-31
mine-protected vehicle. Hawkins was assigned to the 14th Engineer
Battalion, 555th Combat Support Brigade (Maneuver Enhancement), Fort Lewis,
Wash.

-- Army Capt. Shane T. Adcock, 27, of Mechanicsville, Va., died Oct. 11
in Hawijah, Iraq, from enemy grenade fire. Adcock was assigned to the
3rd Battalion, 7th Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division,
Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

-- Army Chief Warrant Officer Scott W. Dyer, 38, of Cocoa Beach, Fla.,
died Oct. 11 in Banditemur, Afghanistan, from injuries suffered during
combat operations. Dyer was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special
Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.

-- Marine Sgt. Justin T. Walsh, 24, of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, died Oct.
11 at National Naval Medical Center Bethesda, Md., from wounds suffered
while conducting combat operations in Anbar province on Oct. 5. He was
assigned to 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group,
2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

-- Army Pfc. Phillip B. Williams, 21, of Gardnerville, Nev., died Oct.
9 in Baghdad from injuries suffered during combat operations. Williams
was assigned to the 4th Brigade Troop Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat
Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

-- Marine Sgt. Julian M. Arechaga, 23, of Oceanside, N.Y.; Marine Lance
Cpl. Jon E. Bowman, 21, of Dubach, La.; and Marine Pfc. Shelby J.
Feniello, 25, of Connellsville, Pa., died Oct. 9 while conducting combat
operations against enemy forces in Anbar province, Iraq. They were
assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd
Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

-- Army Spc. Timothy A. Fulkerson, 20, of Utica, Ky., died Oct. 8 in
Tikrit, Iraq, when a land mine detonated near his vehicle during combat
operations. Fulkerson was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 82nd Aviation
Reconnaissance Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne
Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

-- Marine Capt. Robert M. Secher, 33, of Germantown, Tenn., died Oct. 8
from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in Anbar
province. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.

-- Marine Lance Cpl. Stephen F. Johnson, 20, of Marietta, Ga., died
Oct. 8 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. He was
assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd
Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

-- Marine Lance Cpl. Derek W. Jones, 21, of Salem, Ore., and Marine
Lance Cpl. Jeremy S. Sandvick Monroe, 20, of Chinook, Mont., died Oct. 8
from wounds suffered during combat operations in Anbar province. They
were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

-- Army Staff Sgt. Lawrence L. Parrish, 36, of Lebanon, Mo., who was
assigned to the 110th Engineer Battalion, Kansas City, Mo.; and Army
Spec. John E. Wood, 37, of Humboldt, Kan., who was assigned to the 891st
Engineer Battalion, Garnett, Kan., died Oct. 7 in Baghdad from injuries
suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their
vehicle during combat operations.

-- Army Sgt. Brandon S. Asbury, 21, of Tazewell, Va., died Oct. 7 in
Baghdad from injuries suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy
forces using small-arms fire. Asbury was assigned to the 4th Support
Battalion, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

-- Marine Cpl. Bradford H. Payne, 24, of Montgomery, Ala., and Marine
Lance Cpl. John E. Hale, 20, of Shreveport, La., died Oct. 6 while
conducting combat operations in Anbar province. They were assigned to 2nd
Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Gene A. Hawkins, 24, of Orlando, Fla., died on Oct. 12 in Mosul,
Iraq, from injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his RG-31 Mine Protected Vehicle. Hawkins was assigned to the
14th Engineer Battalion, 555th Combat Support Brigade (Maneuver
Enhancement), Fort Lewis, Wash.
 

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Spc. Jason A. Lucas, 24, of Columbus, Ohio, died on Oct. 13 in
Kandahar, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained when his vehicle was struck by
a suicide bomber using a vehicle-born improvised explosive device.
Lucas was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade
Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Polk, La.
 

 DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Private 1st Class Thomas J. Hewitt, 22, of Temple, Texas, died on Oct.
13 at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C., from
injuries sustained during a Sept. 26 incident in Baghdad, Iraq, during which
an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Hewitt was
assigned to the 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat
Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y..

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Capt. Shane T. Adcock, 27, of Mechanicsville, Va., died on Oct. 11 in
Hawijah, Iraq, from injuries suffered from enemy grenade fire. Adcock
was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade,
25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

DoD Identifies Marine Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Justin T. Walsh, 24, of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, died Oct. 11 at
National Naval Medical Center Bethesda, Md., from wounds received while
conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq, on Oct. 5. He
was assigned to 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics
Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

 

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Chief Warrant Officer Scott W. Dyer, 38, of Cocoa Beach, Fla., died
Oct. 11 in Banditemur, Afghanistan, from injuries suffered during combat
operations. Dyer was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces
Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.

 Powerful drug lords constitute a growing
threat to security and stability efforts in Afghanistan, NATO's supreme
allied commander in Europe said here yesterday.

NATO forces pummeled Taliban insurgents in recent stand-up fighting in
southern Afghanistan, Marine Gen. James L. Jones said yesterday at a
Council on Foreign Relations meeting.

However, Jones told council members and reporters, the Taliban aren't
the only problem, and he noted another, growing threat to Afghan
stability.

"The narcotics cartels have their own armies and their own
capabilities," he pointed out. "They're conducting a massive exploitation effort."

Drug czars want to continue making millions from Afghanistan's
opium-poppy crops, explained Jones, who's also commander of U.S. European
Command. About 90 percent of Afghanistan-originated narcotics end up in drug
marketplaces across Europe, he noted.

The narco-traffickers coerce Afghan farmers and officials through
violence or bribery to ensure that the drugs reach their markets, he said.

The drug cartels also seek to insulate their Afghan operations from
scrutiny by purchasing "protection" services from criminals and renegade
tribes. These groups also stir up trouble that diverts government
attention, Jones said.

NATO and allied military forces in Afghanistan "do not have a leading
role" in the country's anti-drug efforts, Jones acknowledged. That task,
he said, is left to the Afghan government and various anti-drug
agencies.

However, counter-drug efforts in Afghanistan are flagging, the general
said, acknowledging, "We're losing ground."

Jones said he doubts there's "any one solution" to Afghanistan's drug
troubles. Some of the supply-side battle needs to be fought in Europe,
he said.

Yet, whatever strategy is adopted in combating drugs coming out of
Afghanistan, the issue "is definitely something that has to be addressed
and has to be addressed more effectively than we've done so far," Jones
said.

Violence and progress co-exist in Iraq, and
those who focus exclusively on the violence miss the larger picture,
the coalition commander in Iraq said in an interview today.

Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the commander of Multinational Force
Iraq, said the situation in Iraq is more complex today than at any time in
his more than two years in the country.

"What we've been seeing since the elections, but in a more pronounced
way since the bombing of the (Golden Mosque in Samarra, Iraq, in
February), is the primary conflict is evolving from an insurgency against us,
to a struggle over the division of political and economic power among
the Iraqis," he said.

Many groups are trying to stop progress in the nation, and they all
have different agendas and methods, Casey said. Sunni extremists,
primarily gathered around al Qaeda in Iraq, make up one group. Shiite
extremists, including death squads and some of the more militant Shiite
militias, also cause problems. Then there is the resistance, which is made up
of Sunnis fighting against the coalition.

Added to this mixture are Syria and Iran, which remain unhelpful, Casey
said. Syria remains the primary route for foreign fighters coming into
Iraq, the general said. The country also shelters former Iraqi Baathist
leaders.

On the Iranian side, "there is no doubt in my mind that they are
providing weapons, training, money to Shiia extremists groups that are being
used against coalition and Iraqi security forces and, frankly, now to
kill Iraqi civilians," Casey said.

Religious fervor associated with Ramadan and the ongoing struggle for
control in the Baghdad also complicate the situation. "It is a difficult
situation and probably will remain a difficult situation for the next
couple of months," he said.

But on the positive side, the new government has been in power for
nearly 150 days. Government leaders are working hard to build the capacity
to govern, but it is a slow process. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri
al-Maliki is focused on what Casey believes is the most important thing:
reconciliation.

The general spoke of three linked words that encompass the end state in
Iraq: unity, security and prosperity. "If you want prosperity, you have
to have security. And if you want security, you have to have unity," he
said.

Casey said he is pleased with the progress of Iraqi security forces and
the way Iraqis are tackling security problems. Six of 10 Iraqi
divisions are in the lead in their regions, he said. Thirty of 36 Iraqi
brigades and 90 of 112 battalions are in the lead, as well.

"That's a good thing," Casey said. "It puts us at a little over 75
percent through the second step of a three-step process."

The first step is to form, organize and equip units. "Then, you make
them better," he said. "You put them in a position where they can conduct
counterinsurgency operations with our support."

This is where Iraqi forces are now, he said.

The third step -- to put Iraqi forces in a position where they can
operate independently -- will occur in 2007, he said.

Casey also said Iraqi police are doing okay on local levels. "Two of
the provinces have transferred to local Iraqi control," he said. "What
that means is the police are able to maintain domestic order in those
provinces."

The Iraqis have begun the National Police Reform Program, and the 1st
Brigade is already going through training to "re-blue" it. The brigade
was trained originally as an infantry unit.

Iraqis are responding to events as they unfold, as well. The minister
of the interior "pulled the 8th Brigade off-line because some of the
police were found to be complicit in the kidnapping and murder of people,"
Casey said.

Overall there is progress, he said. "We are on a developmental timeline
with the military and police and security institutions and ministries
where I think the Iraqis are going to be pretty close to assuming
security responsibilities by the end of 2007," he said.
 

CONTRACTS

NAVY

Lockheed Martin, Maritime Systems & Sensors, Moorestown, N.J., is
being awarded a $50,950,000 cost-plus-award-fee, modification under
previously awarded contract (N00024-03-C-5115) to exercise an option for level
of effort engineering services in the planning, managing, installation,
integration and test of the Aegis Combat System in DDG 93 through DDG
112. Required services are for program management and operation support,
quality assurance, configuration management, ship design integration,
installation support, firmware maintenance, combat system test and
evaluation, Navy furnished material support, special studies for the DDG
51/CG 47 Class ships, and future-ship integration studies. Work will be
performed in Moorestown, N.J. (60 percent); Bath, Maine (20 percent);
Pascagoula, Miss. (20 percent), and is expected to be completed by
February 2008. Contract funds will not expire by the end of the current fiscal
year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the
contracting activity.

McDonnell Douglas Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Co.,
St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded a $37,521,710 modification to a
previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-06-C-0027) to exercise
an option for 20 tactical Block II airlaunch all-up-round (AUR)
missiles, 10 MK607 airlaunch AUR containers, 6 tactical Block II encapsulated
AUR missiles, and 6 MK630 canister AUR containers for the government of
Korea under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed
in St. Charles, Mo. (50.46 percent); McKinney, Texas (15.14 percent);
Toledo, Ohio (5.93 percent); United Kingdom (5.28 percent); Huntsville,
Ala. (3.86 percent); Clearwater, Fla. (3.79 percent); Galena, Kan.
(2.33 percent); Elkton, Md. (2.19 percent), Kirwood, Mo. (2.00 percent);
Middletown, Conn. (1.83 percent); and other various locations throughout
the United States (7.19 percent), and is expected to be completed in
November 2007. 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.

General Electric Aircraft Engines, General Electric Co., Lynn, Mass.,
is being awarded a $30,771,911 modification to a previously awarded
firm-fixed-priced contract (N00019-02-C-3021) to exercise an option for
the procurement of 58 T58 engine reliability improvement program module
kits and 79 titanium nitride retrofit kits for the Marine Corps H-46E
helicopters. Work will be performed in Lynn, Mass., and is expected to be
completed in April 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.

Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, Bethpage, N.Y., is being awarded
a $15,467,183 cost-plus-award-fee modification under previously awarded
contract (N00024-06-C-6311) to exercise an option to provide
integration services for mission packages that will deploy from and integrate
with the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). The Navy's plan is to use spiral
development to improve mission capability in identified mission areas. LCS
mission packages will be optimized for flexibility in the littorals.
Mission package capabilities are currently focused on primary mission
areas of mine warfare emphasizing mine countermeasures, littoral
anti-submarine warfare, and littoral surface warfare operations including
prosecution of small boats. The LCS mission packages are developed and
acquired separately from the LCS Sea Frame. Work will be performed in
Washington, D.C. (43 percent); Bethpage, N.Y. (32 percent); Panama City, Fla.
(19 percent); Hollywood, Md. (2 percent); San Diego, Calif. (2
percent); Dahlgren, Va. (2 percent), and is expected to be completed by
January 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current
fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the
contracting activity.

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Quality Distributors, Tamuning, Guam, ** is being awarded a maximum
$30,000,000 firm fixed price contract for prime vendor full line food
distribution. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps,
Federal civilian agencies, and authorized DoD customers. Other locations of
performance are Stockton and Richmond, Calif. This is an indefinite
quantity type contract with a two-year base period. Proposals were
Web-solicited and 2 responded. Contract funds will not expire at the end of
the current fiscal year. Date of performance completion is Oct. 23, 2008.
Contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP),
Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM300-07-D-3210).

Reliant Energy Solutions East, Edison, N.J., was awarded on Oct. 12,
2006, a maximum $14,225,472 firm fixed price contract for electricity for
Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C. There were 156
proposals and 13 responded. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the
current fiscal year. Date of performance completion is Dec. 31, 2008.
Contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center (DESC), Fort
Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-05-G-8037).

Amerada Hess Corporation, Woodbridge, N.J., was awarded on Oct. 12,
2006, a maximum $12,402,721 firm fixed price contract for electricity.
Using services are Army, and Air Force. Other locations of performance are
Bolling Air Force Base, Fort McNair, and Walter Reed Army Medical
Center, Washington, D.C. There were 156 proposals and 13 responded. Contract
funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of
performance completion is Dec. 31, 2008. Contracting activity is the
Defense Energy Support Center (DESC), Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-05-G-8030).

** Labor Surplus
 

Air Force Pilot Missing in Action From Vietnam War is Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today
that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the
Vietnam War, have been identified and will soon be returned to his family
for burial with full military honors.

He is 1st Lt. James L. Hull, U.S. Air Force, of Lubbock, Texas. He
will be buried Nov. 13 at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington,
D.C.

On Feb. 19, 1971, Hull and a fellow crew member were flying a mission
near the Laos/Vietnam border when their O-2A Skymaster crashed. Both
men died, but Hull's body was buried in the wreckage and could not be
recovered because of hostile enemy action.

Between 1993 and 1997, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) led
three investigations with U.S. and Socialist Republic of Vietnam
(S.R.V.) teams, and one trilateral investigation with a Lao People's
Democratic Republic (L.P.D.R.) team. During the first investigation, the team
interviewed a Vietnamese citizen who produced human remains and an
identification tag for Hull that he claimed to have recovered from a crash
site located just inside Laos. The joint team was not allowed to cross
the border and the investigation was suspended. The Vietnamese turned
over the bone fragment to U.S. officials, but the ID tag's whereabouts
are still unknown.

Additional investigations yielded some information concerning a crash
site located just inside the Laotian border. The S.R.V. allowed a
Vietnamese national to walk to the purported crash site and collect a
fragment of the wreckage. Based on the location, type of aircraft and
retrieved wreckage, analysts determined it was Hull's crash site.

In May 2006, a joint U.S. and L.P.D.R. team excavated the site where
they recovered additional evidence and human remains.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence,
scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory
also used mitochondrial DNA from a known maternal relative in the
identification of the remains.
 

Gen. Casey Outlines Iraq Situation in News Conference

Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., commander of
Multinational Force Iraq, and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld briefed
media in the Pentagon yesterday. Following is Casey's opening
statement:


"It's been about three and a half months, I think, since I've been back
here, and I just wanted to give you an update of where I see us in the
mission here and then take your questions.

"I think it's no surprise to anyone that the situation in Iraq remains
difficult and complex.

"What makes for that difficulty, complexity, a couple of things. One,
since the elections in December and, more particularly, since the
bombing of the Samarra mosque last February, we have seen the nature of the
conflict evolving from an insurgency focused against us to a struggle
for the division of political and economic power among the Iraqis.

"Secondly, there are several groups that are working to affect that
process negatively. The first, the Sunni extremists, al Qaeda, and the
Iraqis that are supporting them. Second, the Shiia extremists, the death
squads and the more militant militias. In my view, those represent the
greatest current threats in Iraq. The third group is the resistance, the
Sunni insurgency that sees themselves as an honorable resistance
against foreign occupation in Iraq. And lastly, the external actors -- Iran
and Syria. And both Iran and Syria continue to be decidedly unhelpful by
providing support to the different extremists and terrorist groups
operating inside Iraq.

"If you add the intensities of Ramadan and the fact that the new
government is just standing up, this makes for a difficult situation, and
it's likely to remain that way for some time.

"That said, violence and progress coexist in Iraq, and we shouldn't be
distracted from the positive things that are going on there amidst all
the violence. I'll remind you that 90 percent of the violence takes
place in five provinces, and those five provinces represent a little less
than half of the population. And that said, while we're -- we and the
Iraqi government -- are not comfortable with the levels of sectarian
violence in the center of the country, we continue to move forward
together there and around the rest of the country.

"Let me make a couple of points.

"First of all, the new government has been in the job a little less
than 150 days. And this is the third government that I've seen now take
over in Iraq. And, as you can imagine, it takes everyone a little -- a
few months there to get their legs under them. They're working hard to
build unity, security and prosperity for all Iraqis. And when I talk
about those three priorities with the prime minister, he fully recognizes
that if you want prosperity, if you have to have security, and if you
want to have security, you have to have unity. And he's been making a
very significant effort on the reconciliation front.

"Some examples:


-- "He's been working with political leaders from all the different
sectarian groups on the four-point program to reduce violence in Baghdad.
He's done that over the last week or so.

-- "Last Saturday, he had a meeting with political leaders from Anbar
province to gain their support for government programs in Anbar
province.

--"He will be conducting, before the end of the month, the third in a
series of four conferences on national dialogue and reconciliation. This
one is on civil society.

--"He's been working with political leaders and our ambassador to craft
a political timeline for where the political leaders would agree to
coming to grips with some of the more difficult issues dividing the
country: the oil revenues, federalism, militias, items of those nature.

-- "And he's working with the international community on building an
international compact that would drive investment and growth for all
Iraqis.

"All of these initiatives are going to take some time to come to
fruition, but the energy and the commitment is there.

"Second, we also continue to make progress with the Iraqi security
forces. Right now we have six of the 10 Iraqi divisions -- 30 of the 36
brigades and almost 90 of the 112 Iraqi battalions in the lead. Nine
months ago, for perspective, there was one division, four brigades and 23
battalions.

"Now I'd like to remind everybody of where that puts us in the overall
process. The overall process of building the Iraqi security forces is a
three-step process.

"The first step: train and equip. You organize them into units. You
give them the individual training, and you equip them and you put them in
a position where they are ready to go out and conduct operations.

"The second step: you make them better. And for the army, that means
you put them in the lead. And our strategy is to put the Iraqis in the
lead with our continued support so that they learn while doing rather
than learn while watching us.

"And the third step is you make them independent, and that's what
you'll see going on here over the better part of the next 12 months. We've
said all along that we wanted to give the Iraqis the capability to
conduct independent counterinsurgency operations, and that is the program
that we are currently on.

"I would also say that we continue to make progress with the Ministry
of Interior and police forces. Now, the police have a bad reputation in
Iraq and, from my view, that's undeserved. Broadly, it's undeserved.
There are units within the national police forces that deserve that
reputation, and I think you just saw recently where one of those units was
actually pulled off line by the minister of interior for complicity in
some sectarian violence.

"With respect to the Ministry of Interior forces, two of the 18 Iraqi
provinces now have already assumed Iraqi control in their province.

"What that means is that the police forces in that province are capable
of maintaining domestic order without routine coalition support, and in
Muthanna province and Dhi Qar province that is happening. I would
expect to see six or seven Iraqi provinces under provincial Iraqi control by
the end of the year.

"We are about 90 percent through building the police and border forces
that we said we were going to help the Iraqis build, and we expect to
complete that by the end of the year. We've also, with the Iraqis,
started a national police reform program, where we'll take a whole Iraqi
national police brigade offline, move them to a training base and give
them three weeks of police training and loyalty training, so that we
change not only ... their abilities but the ethos of the unit. That will go
on at about one brigade a month here until it's completed in the August
timeframe.

"Finally, we have -- because our goals here are to help the Iraqis over
the long term -- we have instituted, helped them institute two
professional development courses for junior and mid-level officers this year,
and we will put it -- and help them put in place a course for senior
officers and non-commissioned officers over the course of next year.

"And lastly, as some of you have seen this, but the minister of
interior himself has instituted a ministry reform program. He announced it at
the Council of Representatives. He emphasizes loyalty, accountability
and operational performance. And, as part of this program, his inspector
general and his internal affairs divisions have already processed over
3,000 corruption cases -- are investigating 3,000 corruption cases and
almost a thousand human rights cases, and he's taken action already in
relieving over 1,200 officers, including a few general officers.

"So lots of work to do with the police and still with the army, but the
progress you're seeing there is heartening.

"Now, another way to look at progress to help you get some perspective
on this is take a look at what one of our divisions accomplishes in
Iraq over the course of a deployment. In this case, I'll talk about the
101st Airborne Division, who was responsible for an area in northwest
Iraq, was there from November 2005 until just this last September.

"Over that period, they detained over 150 high-value individuals, each
one of these a painstaking intelligence collection and development
effort that led to the capture of an individual.

"They secured over 200 polling sites for the December elections and
allotted 1-1/2 million Iraqis to vote in those provinces.

"They moved two Iraqi divisions, nine brigades and 35 battalions into
the lead. They brought five provincial and 11 district police
headquarters up to the second-highest level of preparation. They oversaw the
training integration of over 32,000 police. They supported the development
of two strategic infrastructure brigades with 14 battalions.

"They supervised the building of 100 police stations, 130 border forts
and improved seven international ports of entry ... along the borders.
And, as a result of that progress with the Iraqi security forces, they
were able to reduce a two-star headquarters, two coalition brigades, a
total of 10,000 coalition forces, and they closed 25 bases over the
course of that time.

"Looking back, it's not insignificant what a division can get done by
taking small steps every day. And that's what we say: 'We make progress
in Iraq every day, small steps at a time.'

"So bottom line? Tough situation in Iraq. And I suspect that through
Ramadan and over the next couple of months, it's going to continue to be
difficult.

"That said, we continue to make progress across the country every day.
It's a tough business, but the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines of
the coalition and their Iraqi colleagues are well up to the task, and
they do a magnificent job under difficult circumstances.

"In closing, I think it's important for the American people to know
what a magnificent job their servicemen and -women are doing in a very,
very difficult environment. And we and then the Iraqis continue to move
forward against very divisive forces that are trying to deny the Iraqi
people the prosperous future that they so well deserve after 35 years
under Saddam Hussein. And we will succeed in Iraq, but it will take
patience, and it will take will.

"Finally, I'd like to recognize the sacrifices of the families who've
lost loved ones, and I'd like to particularly recognize the family of
(Iraqi) Lieutenant General Hashimi, who was murdered yesterday. I served
with him -- he was the first chief of the Iraqi armed forces -- served
with him briefly in the early days in Baghdad. And I'd also like to
recognize the families of deployed soldiers, who make great sacrifices
every day in support of their deployed soldiers. Both these groups are in
our thoughts and prayers."

The Air Force, the nation's youngest military service will
kick off its 60th anniversary observance this weekend with the official
dedication of the U.S. Air Force Memorial here.

The memorial, composed of three bold and graceful spires soaring
skyward to a height of 270 feet, will be dedicated and given to the nation by
the Air Force Memorial Foundation at an official ceremony at 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 14 on a three-acre promontory next to Arlington National Cemetery
and a short walk from the Pentagon.

Officials said the memorial honors the millions of men and women who
have served in the Air Force and its predecessor organizations, including
the U.S. Signal Corps, the Army Air Corps and the Army Air Forces. It
pays tribute to the dedication, sacrifice and contributions of those who
pioneered the skies, those who shape the air, space and cyberspace
victories of today, and those who will continue to do so in the future,
officials added.

The memorial hosts a paved "Runway to Glory" at the site entrance, a
larger-than-life bronze Honor Guard statue, two granite inscription walls
located at either end of a central lawn, and a glass contemplation wall
that reflects the missing-man formation, the final tribute given to
fallen airmen. The memorial's surrounding spaces will be landscaped to
create a memorial park and parade ground overlooking the nation's capital.

The dedication ceremony will include an aerial review consisting of
aircraft from the 1930s through modern day, from the B-17 and B-24 of
World War II fame to the B-2 Spirit and C-17 Globemaster III of the global
war on terror, as well as a five-ship "Heritage Flight" featuring the
P-51 Mustang, the F-86 Sabre, the F-4 Phantom, the F-15C Eagle and the
F-22A Raptor. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will also perform a
flyover and "bomb-burst" maneuver reflecting the design of the memorial's
three spires.

Due to space limitations at the Memorial site, overflow seating will be
available in Pentagon South Parking with live simulcast of the
dedication.

The Air Force also will host an open house in Pentagon South Parking
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 14. In addition to the live simulcast of
the dedication from 1:30 to 3 p.m., the open house will feature
performances by the U.S. Air Force Drill Team and the U.S. Air Force Band's
high-energy "Max Impact" ensemble, a "Heritage Parade of Uniforms," a
concert by country singer Lee Ann Womack and a wide variety of interactive
displays and exhibits showcasing America's airmen, Air Force equipment,
technology and aircraft.

Static aircraft displays will include the Predator and Global Hawk
unmanned aerial vehicles; UH-1, HH-60, MH-53 helicopters; the CV-22
tiltrotor aircraft; and an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter display model.

The weekend will conclude with a memorial service Oct. 15 at 10:30 a.m.
at the memorial site. Officials will participate in a wreath-laying
ceremony punctuated by a missing-man formation flown by F-16s. Again, due
to space limitations at the site, overflow seating will be available in
Pentagon South Parking with live simulcast of the service.

Immediately following both the official dedication ceremony Oct. 14 and
the memorial service Oct. 15, shuttles will transport the public from
Pentagon South Parking to the Memorial site to view the Memorial.

The weekend's events are easily accessible from the Pentagon Metro
station, and the public is highly encouraged to use the Metro as there will
be numerous road closures in the area and parking will be extremely
limited, officials said.

The Memorial will be closed to the public Oct. 16 while the grounds are
restored following the weekend's activities.

Irregular, unconventional conflicts like
those under way in Iraq and Afghanistan are likely to dominate U.S.
military operations for the foreseeable future, Army officials agreed this
week at the Association of the U.S. Army's annual convention here.

"I don't see conventional challenges to be dominant for a long time,"
said Conrad Crane, director of the U.S. Army Military History, during a
panel discussion on irregular warfare and counterinsurgency operations.

"Our enemies are going to make us fight this kind of war until we get
it right," Crane said. "This is our future."

The Army is rewriting its doctrine and incorporating lessons learned in
the terror war into its operations so it's better postured to confront
this new threat, Gen. Peter Schoomaker, the Army chief of staff, during
an Oct. 10 luncheon address.

He pointed to the new counterinsurgency manual, Field Manual 3-24,
developed jointly with the Marine Corps, as a big step toward preparing the
force for the challenges associated with irregular warfare.

In addition, transformational changes taking place within the Army --
in terms of equipment, training, technological advances and new
approaches-are also helping ensure its ability to address unconventional
threats.

But fighting irregular conflicts and helping new democracies get on
their feet isn't something the military can do alone, said Kalev Sepp,
assistant professor of defense analysis at the Naval Postgraduate School,
in Monterey, Calif.

"This is revolutionary" -- building democracies and helping them
establish capitalist economies and open and public police forces and judicial
systems, Sepp pointed out. "The mission is too broad to put on the
shoulders of the military alone," he said. "It has to be interagency."

"We will not prevail with the force of arms alone," Schoomaker agreed.

Schoomaker warned about the stakes of the current conflict and
expressed concern that the American people have lost the focus they
demonstrated immediately after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

"This is perhaps the most dangerous period in our lifetime," he said.
"We are in the midst of a long war and the stakes could not be higher."

Schoomaker noted that al Qaeda and other terror organizations hate all
that America stands for and show no signs of wavering in their
commitment to spread their hateful ideology. The Sept. 11 terror attacks "were
not the war's first salvos," he said, but rather, the continuation of a
long string of attacks against the United States and its interests.

Yet five years into the terror war, Schoomaker warned that American
response to this threat -- one against which he acknowledged, "victory is
not assured" -- has been largely "tepid."

That's a concern, he said, because the conflict is far from over. "We
are much closer to the beginning than the end of this long conflict," he
said, emphasizing the need for public support and financial backing to
ensure the mission succeeds.

"Ultimately, victory requires a national strategic consensus, evident
in both words and actions," he said. "While such a common strategic
foundation, understood and accepted by the American people, existed during
the Cold War, ... it is not yet evident that such common understanding
exists today."

Schoomaker said it shouldn't take another attack like the United States
experienced on Sept. 11, 2001, "to shake us into action."

NORTHCOM Officials Reacted Immediately to NYC Aircraft Incident

When Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating first
heard that a plane had hit a high-rise building in New York yesterday, his
first thought was: "Let us get busy as quickly as we know how to make
sure it's not another 9-11," the admiral said in a news conference later
that day.

Keating, the commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and
U.S. Northern Command, immediately scrambled fighters and support
aircraft to protect U.S. and Canadian cities. He said combat-loaded aircraft
were over New York and Washington within 10 minutes of the small plane
hitting the building in New York.

A small aircraft owned and piloted by Yankee pitcher Cory Lidle took
off from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey and was flying around the island
of Manhattan. Keating said the pilot probably got disoriented and
crashed into a 50-story high-rise on New York's East Side.

Keating, who was in his office at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., at
the time, received notification and immediately launched jets from a
number of bases around the United States and Canada. He said that within 20
minutes of the plane hitting the building all the aircraft were on
station. "These are armed aircraft capable of conducting offensive
operations," Keating said. "We're much more alert, much more ready and much
more capable of providing air patrols over the United States and Canada"
than in the past.

As NORAD commander, Keating has the authority to launch fighters from
alert status. He then notifies the chain of command in the United States
and Canada. He said the aircraft patrolled over cities on the east and
west coasts, but did not announce more specific details for security
reasons. In addition to fighter aircraft, NORAD launched Airborne Warning
and Control System aircraft and tankers.

Shortly after the combat air patrol launched, Keating said, he received
notification via the Federal Aviation Administration on where the
airplane came from and its type. The operation ended after about five hours,
he said.

Keating said he was pleased by the way the interagency process worked
and the ease of communications among the various organizations. He said
the bottom line for NORAD is: "We're ready. In a real world event, the
system responded quickly and appropriately."
 

A recent spike in Baghdad violence is the
insurgents' response to Iraqi, U.S. and coalition efforts to rein in
sectarian murder squads and gangs that operate in some sectors of the
city, a senior U.S. military officer said today.

For example, in Baghdad's violence-prone Dora neighborhood, "there's no
question that the anti-Iraqi force elements are punching back, hard,"
Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, a spokesman for Multinational Force
Iraq, told reporters at a Baghdad news conference.

Through stepped up bombings, murders and kidnappings, insurgent leaders
seek to sow fear and instability among Baghdad's citizens as part of
their efforts to discredit the new Iraqi government, Caldwell said.

The insurgents want to disrupt Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's
stabilization plan and demonstrate that security cannot be maintained in
Baghdad or elsewhere in Iraq, Caldwell said. The insurgents, he said,
will go to any length, no matter how horrific, to prove their point.

Since July, when Operation Together Forward began, U.S., Iraqi and
coalition forces have moved into several Baghdad areas that were formerly
the domain of anti-Iraqi groups, Caldwell explained.

There've been increased attacks in and around Baghdad because the
insurgents "are trying to get back into the focused areas," Caldwell said.
Total attacks in the Baghdad area have increased about 15 percent since
August, he said.

Caldwell said officials predicted an up tick in violence in Baghdad and
some other parts of Iraq during the Ramadan period, running this year
from late September until mid-October. The general said the violence was
likely to continue in the near term.

However, "operations have been effective in the neighborhoods we've
cleared and continued to protect, where attacks have decreased by
approximately 11 percent," Caldwell said.

Maliki and his government are determined to fight back against
insurgent violence as United States' and coalition forces' -- numbering about
25,000 in the Baghdad area -- continue to provide assistance, Caldwell
said.

As Baghdad neighborhoods and other areas in Iraq are secured, Iraqi
forces will move in to keep the peace, followed by targeted,
Iraqi-recommended reconstruction projects designed to revive local economies, he
explained.

"The multinational force and the U.S. mission in Iraq supports the
efforts of Prime Minister Maliki's government to diligently work to
stabilize the security situation, increase prosperity and unite this fractured
population," Caldwell said.

Iraqi government efforts to promote the cessation of violence between
tribal factions in western Iraq appear to be working, Caldwell said.
Several tribal groups in western Iraq have decided to cooperate to fight
al Qaeda and other insurgents "because they're finding they don't want
them out there in their area anymore," Caldwell said.

"We're very optimistic that this political track that the prime
minister's working will, in fact, bear some fruit and show some results here
over time," he said.

 National Guard (In Federal Status) and Reserve Mobilized as of October
11, 2006

This week, the Army announced an increase in the number of reservists
on active duty in support of the partial mobilization, while the Air
Force, Navy and Marine had a decrease. The Coast Guard number remained
the same. The net collective result is 117 fewer reservists mobilized
than last week.
At any given time, services may mobilize some units and individuals
while demobilizing others, making it possible for these figures to either
increase or decrease. Total number currently on active duty in support
of the partial mobilization for the Army National Guard and Army
Reserve is 80,234; Navy Reserve, 6,053; Air National Guard and Air Force
Reserve, 6,925; Marine Corps Reserve, 7,217; and the Coast Guard Reserve,
265. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel, who
have been mobilized, to 100,694, including both units and individual
augmentees.

Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England
this morning praised a group that's working to make life easier for
military members and their families.

"You all are doing terrific work," England told representatives of
"Operation Homefront." "I appreciate everything you've been doing for our
great men and women in uniform."

Operation Homefront and its subsidiary, CinCHouse.com, provide critical
assistance to more than 35,000 military families in need, according to
the organization's Web site. That assistance includes providing
emergency items and financial assistance as well as the means for families of
deployed servicemembers to stay connected.

Members of the group are in Washington to sign a memorandum of
understanding this evening with the Defense Department's America Supports You
program, which highlights corporate and grassroots support for
servicemembers and their families.

Operation Homefront, headed by military spouses, is the first America
Supports You member to sign a memorandum of understanding with the
Department of Defense through its America Supports You partnership, a
Defense Department official said.

"It's made a world of difference," Meredith Leyva, Operation Homefront
and CinCHouse.com founder, said.

Leyva said she believes signing an agreement with the DoD program will
open doors for her organization.

The document states: "The Department of Defense recognizes that the
goals of Operation Homefront are consistent with DoD's America Supports
You program in its efforts to support military members and their
families."

Through the memorandum, DoD also agrees to inform servicemembers and
the military community about the group's efforts as appropriate to DoD's
mission and ethical standards.

Operation Homefront agrees through the memorandum to continue to
provide support and assistance to military families.

The memorandum will become official when Leyva and Deputy Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Internal Communication and Public Liaison Allison
Barber, architect of the America Supports You program, both sign the
document during a reception for Operation Homefront this evening.

CONTRACTS

NAVY

Bechtel Bettis Inc., Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory, West Mifflin,
Pa., , is being awarded a $461,100,000 cost-plus-fixed fee modification to
previously awarded contract (N00024-98-C-4064) for Naval nuclear
propulsion work at the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory. Work will be performed
in West Mifflin, Pa. Contract funds in the amount of $104,727,000, will
expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This action represents
funding of the contract's seventh year of effort. No completion date or
other additional information is provided on Naval Nuclear Propulsion
Program contracts. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the
contracting activity.

Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc., Schenectady, N.Y., is being awarded a
$129,941,575 cost-plus-fixed fee contract for Naval nuclear propulsion
components. Work will be performed in Schenectady, N.Y. (48 percent) and
Pittsburgh, Pa. (52 percent). Contract funds will not expire at the end
of the current fiscal year. No work completion date or additional
information is provided on Naval nuclear propulsion program contracts. The
contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Sea Systems Command,
Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (N00024-07-C-2100)

KAPL Inc. (Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory), Schenectady, N.Y., is
being awarded a $160,400,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously
awarded contract (N00024-00-C-4011) for Naval nuclear propulsion work
at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory during fiscal year 2007. Work will
be performed in Schenectady, N.Y. Contract funding in the amount of
$25,450,000, will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This
action represents funding of the contract's seventh year of performance. No
completion date or other additional information is provided for Naval
nuclear propulsion program contracts. The Naval Sea Systems Command,
Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-00-C-4011).

Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., McLean, Va., is being awarded a $14,458,854
modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract
(N00421-04-C-0058) to exercise an option for the procurement of technical
and engineering support services for communications-electronics advanced
technologies, supporting the Special Communications Requirements
Division of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River,
Md. The estimated level of effort for this option is 118,840 man-hours.
Work will be performed in Lexington Park, Md. (80 percent) and St.
Inigoes, Md. (20 percent), and is expected to be completed in October 2007.
Contract funds will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. The Naval
Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Md. is the
contracting activity.

General Dynamics Land Systems, Warren, Mich., is being awarded a
$14,357,206 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity
contract with a maximum ordering quantity of 150 Mine Roller Systems and
associated manuals, spares and Interface Kits. Work will be performed in
Lima, Ohio, and work is expected to be complete February 2007. Contract
funds will not expire by the end of the current fiscal year. This
contract is a sole source award to General Dynamics Land Systems as they are
the sole manufacturer of the Mine Roller System. The Marine Corps
Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity
(M67854-06-D-5172).

Advantage Professionals of Raleigh, LLC d/b/a Autonomic Resources,
Cary, N.C.; Compass Solutions Corporation, Alexandria, Va.; DLS
Engineering Associates, Inc., Chesapeake, Va.; Exhibit Arts LLC, Wichita, Kan.;
Global Solutions Network, Inc., Alexandria, Va.; Henderson Group
Unlimited, Inc., Atlanta, Ga.; Intaset Technology Corporation, McHenry, Md.;
Symtech Corp., Fort Washington, Md.; and TSI Corp., Las Vegas, Nev., are
each being awarded a firm-fixed-price,
indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for administrative and clerical services in a pilot
effort on behalf of the DoD-wide Strategic Sourcing Program. The contract
awards encompass one two-year base period plus a single 3-year option
period. Advantage Professionals is receiving $49,813,523 and estimated
value if options are exercised is $167,999,883. Compass Solutions is
receiving $48,519,677 and estimated value if options are exercised is
$163,876,248. Symtech Corp. is receiving $48,780,573 and estimated
value if options are exercised is $163,555,624. Global Solutions is
receiving $47,519,926 and estimated value if options are exercised is
$160,756,351. DLS Engineering is receiving $47,062,974 and estimated value
if options are exercised is $159,267,704. Intaset Technology is
receiving $47,020,595 and estimated value if options are exercised is
$158,858,426. Henderson Group is receiving $45,439,664 and estimated value if
options are exercised is $153,483,552. Exhibit Arts is receiving
$45,426,838 and estimated value if options are exercised is $153,405,019. TSI
Corp. is receiving $44,951,768 and estimated value if options are
exercised is $151,838,280. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Va. (53
percent); Washington, D.C. (37 percent); and Philadelphia, Pa. (10 percent),
and work is expected to be complete October 2008. Contract funds in the
amount of $45,000,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal
year. This requirement was competitively procured and solicited
through Navy Electronic Commerce Online, with 70 offers received.
The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Norfolk, Contracting Department
Philadelphia Office is the contracting activity. (Autonomic Resources:
N00140-07-D-0003; Compass Solutions: N00140-07-D-0004; Symtech Corp.:
N00140-07-D-0010; Global Solutions: N00140-07-D-0007; DLS Engineering:
N00140-07-D-0005; Intaset Technology: N00140-07-D-0009; Henderson Group:
N00140-07-D-0008; Exhibit Arts: N00104-07-D-0006; TSI Corp.:
N00104-07-D-0011).
ARMY

Achaogen, San Francisco, Calif., was awarded on Oct. 6, 2006, a
$24,610,645 cost-reimbursement contract for preclinical development of novel
therapeutics that attenuate virulence of, and inhibit resistance in,
Class A Bacterial Pathogens. Work will be performed in San Francisco,
Calif., and is expected to be completed by Oct. 5, 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 Oct. 31, 2005,
and 130 bids were received. The Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort
Belvoir, Va., is the contracting activity (HDTRA1-06-C-0030).

Creek Services L.L.C.*, Harvey, La., was awarded on Oct. 6, 2006, a
delivery order amount of $5,524,475 as part of a $5,524,475
firm-fixed-price contract for a hurricane protection levee. Work will be performed
in Jefferson Parish, La., and is expected to be completed by April 30,
2007. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal
year. There were eight bids solicited on Sept. 11, 2006, and six bids
were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, La., is the
contracting activity (W912P8-06-D-0095).

  AIR FORCE

Boeing Co., Seattle, Wash., is being awarded a $6,917,937 time and
material contract modification. This action will establish hourly rates
calendar year 2007 option IV, for continued engineering services to
maintain and upgrade the air launched cruise missile/conventional air
launched cruise missiles. At this time, no funds have been obligated. This
work will be complete December 2007. Headquarters Oklahoma City Air
Logistics Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla, is the contracting activity
(F34601-03-C-0042/P00066).

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Rolling Meadows, Ill., is being
awarded a $5,638,573 cost-plus-award fee contract modification. This action
provides for twelve months of contractor logistics support services for
continuation of the Air Force Quick Reaction Capability Support Center.
This is a contractor owned and operated facility that provides total
worldwide logistics for approximately 15 electronic warfare systems. At
this time, total funds have been obligated. This work will be complete
September 2007. Headquarters Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Robins
Air Force Base, Ga., is the contracting activity
(F09603-02-C-0332/P00025).