DOD (Department Of Defense)
Defense officials have identified the pilot
of an Air Force F-16C that crashed outside Baghdad Nov. 27 as Maj. Troy
L. Gilbert.
Gilbert is assigned to the 309th Fighter Squadron, Luke Air Force Base,
Ariz., and deployed to the 332nd Expeditionary Wing, Balad Air Force
Base, Iraq. He is officially listed as "duty status: whereabouts
unknown."
An investigation is ongoing.
Two U.S. soldiers and a Marine have been killed in Iraq this week,
military officials reported, and DoD released the identities of six Marines
and six soldiers killed recently supporting the war on terror.
One soldier assigned to Regimental Combat Team 7 died today from
wounds suffered due to enemy action in Iraq's Anbar province.
A Task Force Lightning soldier assigned to 3rd Brigade Combat Team,
82nd Airborne Division, was killed when an improvised explosive device
exploded near his vehicle in Salah ad Din province, Iraq, yesterday. A
second soldier from this unit was wounded and transported to a
coalition forces medical treatment facility.
One Marine assigned to 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, died Nov.
27 from wounds suffered due to enemy action in Anbar province.
The names of the deceased are being withheld pending notification of
next of kin.
Meanwhile, the Defense Department has released the identities of six
Marines and six soldiers killed recently supporting the war on terror.
Marine Lance Cpl. Michael A. Schwarz, 20, of Carlstadt, N.J., died
Nov. 27 from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in
Anbar province. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd
Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Army Capt. Jason R. Hamill, 31, of New Haven, Conn.; 1st Lt. David
M. Fraser, 25, of Texas; and Pvt. Joshua C. Burrows, 20, of Bossier
City, La., died of injuries suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near
their vehicle Nov. 26 in Baghdad. Hamill and Fraser were assigned to the
3rd Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division,
Fort Hood, Texas. Burrows was assigned to 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry
Regiment, 2nd Bridade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Army 2nd Lt. Scott B. Lundell, 35, of Hurricane, Utah, died Nov. 25
in Oruzgan province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when his unit
came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire and
rocket-propelled grenades while on patrol. He was assigned to 1st Corps Artillery,
Utah National Guard, Camp Williams, Utah.
Army Staff Sgt. Daniel M. Morris, 28, of Clinton, Tenn., died Nov.
25 in Judiah, Iraq, of injuries suffered when a roadside bomb detonated
near his vehicle. He was assigned to 1st Squadron, 12th Cavalry
Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood.
Marine Cpl. Michael C. Ledsome, 24, of Austin, Texas, died Nov. 25
while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. He was assigned
to the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd
Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune.
Marine Lance Cpl. Jeromy D. West, 20, of Aguanga, Calif., died Nov.
25 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. He was
assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd
Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
Marine Cpl. Nicholas P. Rapavi, 22, of Springfield, Va., died Nov.
24 from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in Anbar
province. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd
Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Army Cpl. Nathan J. Goodiron, 25, of Mandaree, N.D., died Nov. 23
in Qarabagh, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when his unit came in
contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire and rocket-propelled
grenades.He was assigned to the National Guard's 1st Battalion, 188th Air
Defense Artillery, Grand Forks, N.D.
Marine Lance Cpl. James R. Davenport, 20, of Danville, Ind., died
Nov. 22 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. Davenport
was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay.
Marine Pvt. Heath D. Warner, 19, of Canton, Ohio, died Nov. 22
while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. Warner was assigned
to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd
Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay.
Soldier Missing in Action from the Korean 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 Korean War, have been identified and returned to his family for
burial with full military honors.
He is Master Sgt. Robert V. Layton, U.S. Army, of Cincinnati, Ohio. He
is to be buried today at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington
D.C.
Layton was assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry
Regiment, 7th Infantry Division (making up the 31st Regimental Combat Team).
The RCT was engaged against the Chinese People's Volunteer Forces along
the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea. After intense fighting from Nov.
27-Dec. 1, 1950, the battalion was forced to abandon its position, leaving
its dead behind. Layton was listed as missing in action on Dec. 2,
1950, and was later presumed killed in action.
Between 2002 and 2004, joint U.S. and Democratic People's Republic of
North Korea teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, seven
times excavated a mass burial site associated with the 31st RCT along
the eastern shore of the Chosin Reservoir. The team found human remains
and other material evidence, including Layton's identification tag and
part of his billfold containing a newspaper clipping reporting on a
Bronze Star being awarded to "Sgt. Robert Layton" circa 1944.
Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence,
scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory
also used mitochondrial DNA and dental comparisons in the
identification of the remains.
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
2nd Lt. Scott B. Lundell, 35, of Hurricane, Utah, died Nov. 25 in
Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his unit came in
contact with enemy forces using small arms fire and rocket propelled
grenades while on patrol during combat operations. He was assigned to I
Corps Artillery, Utah National Guard, Camp Williams, Utah.
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lance Cpl. Michael A. Schwarz, 20, of Carlstadt, N.J., died Nov. 27
from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar
province, Iraq. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd
Marine Division, 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 Iraqi Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Daniel M. Morris, 28, of Clinton, Tenn., died Nov. 25 in Al
Judiah, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his vehicle.He was assigned to 1st Squadron, 12th
Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of one soldier who
was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Cpl. Nathan J. Goodiron, 25, of Mandaree, N.D., died Nov. 23 in
Qarabagh, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when his unit came in contact
with enemy forces using small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades.He
was assigned to National Guard's 1st Battalion, 188th Air Defense
Artillery, Grand Forks, N.D.
DoD Identifies Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers
who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died of injuries
suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle
Nov. 26 in Baghdad, Iraq.
Killed were:
Capt. Jason R. Hamill, 31, of New Haven, Conn.
1st Lt. David M. Fraser, 25, of Texas.
Pvt. Joshua C. Burrows, 20, of Bossier City, La.
Hamill and Fraser were assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 67th Armor
Regiment, 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Burrows was assigned to 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd
Bridade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
CONTRACTS
AIR FORCE
Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., Sunnyvale, Calif., is being awarded
a $50,977,001 cost-plus-award fee contract modification. This
modification of the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) MILSATCOM Systems
Wing contract provides for transition from legacy Milstar ground control
and mission planning equipment to new AEHF equipment. This realignment
is necessary to account for delays in the deliver of new command post
terminals and the need to reduce the operational impact of the
transition. This realignment also includes a program decision to upload the
final planned increment of satellite software capability before launch vice
after to avoid an interruption to future operations. The turnover date
is extended by seven months for additional preparation and tests while
the launch date remains unchanged. At this time, $8,071,276 have been
obligated. This work will be complete May 2010. Headquarters Military
Satellite Communications Systems Wing, Los Angeles Air Force
Base, Calif., is the contracting activity. (F04701-02-C-0002/P00195)
Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded
a $24,983,025 cost-plus-award-fee contract modification. This action
provides for engineering, manufacturing and development activities in
support of the Global Hawk Program. At this time, $12,000,000 have been
obligated. This work will be complete by October 2009. Headquarters
Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the
contracting activity. (F33657-01-C-4600/P00182)
Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, Clearfield, Utah, is being awarded a
$15,070,752 firm-fixed-price, and cost-plus-fixed fee contract
modification. The Air Force is exercising option one and three for the
Propulsion System Rocket Engine Life Extension Program effort on the ICBM Prime
Integration Contract. This action will also include refurbishment of 96
propulsion system rocket engines and flushing of seven attitude control
engines. At this time, $14,962,025 have been obligated. This work will
be complete by October 2008. Headquarters Ogden Air Logistics Center,
Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity.
(F42610-98-C-0001/No mod # at this time)
Veridian Systems Division, Arlington, Va., is being awarded a
$7,473,469 cost-plus-award fee contract modification. This action will exercise
option period 6 for Distributed Common Ground Support integration
support. At this time, total funds have been obligated. This work will be
complete by December 2007. Headquarters Electronic Systems Center,
Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., is the contracting activity.
(F19628-01-C-0047/P00063)
Northrop Grumman Defense Mission Systems, Reston, Va., is being
awarded a $7,151,995 cost-plus-award fee contract modification. This contract
will provide non-personal services in support of the Defense
Intelligence Agency (DIA) information technology networks and intelligence
applications at USSTRATCOM, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., the Global
Innovation Strategy Center (GISC) and Western CONUS Regional Service Center.
This contract support includes the operations, maintenance, and management
of the systems through systems administration, database management,
software maintenance and enhancements, service center operations,
communications security, etc. The subject contract will include an eleven month
base performance period, and four one-year option periods that could
result in a total contract length of sixty months. At this time, total
funds have been obligated. This work will be complete November 2011.
Headquarters 55th Wing, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., is the
contracting activity. (FA4600-07-C-0001/No modification # at this time)
Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Va., is being awarded a $5,611,520
cost-plus-award fee contract modification. The Advisory and Assistance
Services (A&AS) required in the contract will focus on acquisition
program management and systems engineering/analysis capability to support
future system program that include, but are not limited to: Land Based
Strategic Defense (LBSD), Common Air Vehicle (CAV), Intercontinental
Ballistic Missile (ICBM), Demonstration/Validation (Dem/Val) Integrated
Applications Program (IAP), and ICBM Long Range Requirements Planning
(ILRP) Studies. This action exercises option two (2) of the contract and
implements a period of performance from 1 December 2006 through 30
November 2007. At this time, $4,356,216 have been obligated. This work will
be complete by November 2007. Headquarters 526th ICBM Systems Wing, Hill
Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity.
(FA8204-05-C-0022/P00012)
NAVY
John Deere Construction Retails Sales, Moline, Ill., is being awarded
an estimated $46,711,917 firm-fixed-price,
indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for 300 Tractor, Rubber Tired, Articulated,
Steering, Multi-Purpose (TRAM) with associated warranties/Field Service
Representatives (FSR), logistics support, technical manuals, training aids,
operator/maintainer training and armor package. The initial Delivery
Order 0001 will be issued concurrently for $1,173,452 for 8 TRAM,
warranty, logistics support, equipment training, 2 maintenance training,
training related/travel, and 4 armor packages. This contract contains
options, which if exercised, will bring the total estimated value of this
contract to $242,804,140. Work will be performed in Moline, Ill., and is
expected to be completed November 2007 (November 2011 with options).
Contract funds will not expire by the end of the current fiscal year. This
contract was competitively procured through full and open
competition. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the
contracting activity (M67854-07-D-5010).
Jahn Corp.*, Lexington Park, Md., is being awarded a $7,287,568
ceiling-priced modification to a previously awarded
indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00421-03-D-0045) to exercise an option for
approximately 146,100 man-hours of advisory and assistance services to
the V-22 Program, including management/administrative and
resource/operations support; development/ production analysis and technical services;
and independent analyses, technical studies and management services.
Work will be performed in Patuxent River Md. (90 percent); Edwards Air
Force Base, Calif. (3 percent); Lakehurst, N.J. (3 percent);
Indianapolis, Ind. (2 percent); Fort Worth, Texas (1 percent); and Lomita, Calif.
(1 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 Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Md., is the
contracting activity.
America Supports You: Troops Take Time Out for Horseplay
Wounded servicemembers from Brooke Army
Medical Center and their families got the chance to horse around during a
recent "Horses for Heroes" event at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio,
Texas.
A joint effort between Team Bank of America and the Fort Sam Houston
Equestrian Center, the Nov. 18 event provided a day of relaxation and fun
for about 60 servicemembers and their family members, Kirk Frady, vice
president of military affairs for Bank of America Military Bank, said.
"It was a combination of fun, relaxation and therapy and I think we
accomplished all three," he said. "For some, it was their first time ever
being on a horse. For others, it brought back fond memories of their
riding days prior to sustaining injuries."
Frady credits Army Lt. Col. Jennifer Junnila, the event's lead
coordinator from the equestrian center, with the Horses for Heroes theme. The
day hadn't always been planned as a joint venture, however.
"Team Bank of America had originally planned a cookout in October, but
inclement weather forced us to reschedule," Frady said. "It just so
happened that there was going to be a horse riding event for the wounded
troops and their families on Nov. 18th anyway, so we decided to team up
with the Fort Sam Houston Equestrian Center and turn it into one big,
fun event."
Bank of America volunteers provided hamburgers, hotdogs and desert for
the servicemembers and their guests. Bank of America also donated
prizes for a drawing held during the event. Some of the lucky winners
received tickets to a San Antonio Spurs basketball game, free movie passes
and other items.
While horse riding lessons and a petting zoo may have been
entertainment enough for some, those attending the event also were treated to a
free concert. "The Tailpipes," a self-proclaimed rock and roll garage
band, according to the group's Web site, entertained, and even got some
help from the audience. "Some of the troops even got to display their
singing talents by joining the group on stage," Frady said.
"It was just nice to be able to provide a little joy and happiness to
those brave troops who have sacrificed so much for our country," he
added. "They truly are American heroes."
Three Multinational Division Baghdad
soldiers were killed during combat operations in Baghdad at about 9 a.m.
yesterday, military officials reported.
Two other soldiers were injured in the incident. The soldiers' names
are being withheld pending next of kin notification.
Meanwhile, the Defense Department released the identities of three
soldiers who died recently supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
-- Army Pvt. Reece D. Moreno, 19, of Prescott, Ariz., died of injuries
suffered in a non-combat related incident in Balad, Iraq, on Nov. 24.
Moreno was assigned to the 92 Engineer Battalion, 3rd Sustainment
Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.
-- Army Sgt. 1st Class James D. Priestap, 39, of Harwood, Mich., died
Nov. 23 in Baghdad of injuries suffered when he came in contact with
enemy forces using small-arms fire during checkpoint operations. He was
assigned to the 46th Military Police Company, Kingsford, Mich.
-- Army Command Sgt. Maj. Donovan E. Watts, 46, of Atlanta, Ga., died
Nov. 21 in Bayji, Iraq, of injuries suffered when a roadside bomb
detonated near his Humvee during combat operations in Siniyah, Iraq. He was
assigned to the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd
Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
DoD Identifies Marine Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of three Marines
who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Cpl. Nicholas P. Rapavi, 22, of Springfield, Va., died Nov. 24 from
wounds sustained while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province,
Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd
Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Cpl. Michael C. Ledsome, 24, of Austin, Texas, died Nov. 25 while
conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to
the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Lance Cpl. Jeromy D. West, 20, of Aguanga, Calif., died Nov. 25 while
conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was
assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III
Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. 1st Class James D. Priestap, 39, of Harwood, Mich., died Nov. 23
in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when he came in contact with
enemy forces using small arms fire during checkpoint operations.He was
assigned to the 46th Military Police Company, Kingsford, Mich.
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Pvt. Reece D. Moreno, 19, of Prescott, Ariz., died of injuries suffered
in a non-combat related incident in Balad, Iraq, on Nov. 24.Moreno was
assigned to the 92 Engineer Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Brigade, 3rd
Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.
The 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.
Command Sgt. Maj. Donovan E. Watts, 46, of Atlanta, Ga., died Nov. 21
in Bayji, Iraq, of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive
device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations in Siniyah, Iraq.He
was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment,
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
Two Marines and a soldier were killed in
separate incidents in Iraq yesterday, Multinational Force Iraq officials
announced. Two other soldiers were injured.
A Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5 and another Marine
assigned to Regimental Combat Team 7 died from wounds sustained while
operating in Anbar province, officials said.
In addition, a roadside bomb killed a Task Force Lightning soldier
assigned to 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, in Diyala
province.
Two other soldiers were wounded when the bomb detonated near their
vehicle as they were conducting operations. They were transported to
coalition forces' medical treatment facilities.
The names of the deceased are being withheld pending notification of
the families, officials said.
President Bush expressed thanks in his
radio address today to the troops who are risking their lives far from home
this Thanksgiving holiday to protect the rights the Pilgrims celebrated
that first Thanksgiving Day.
The desire for freedom that drove the Pilgrims to Plymouth Rock, Mass.,
still guides the United States today, the president said. "Americans
believe that every person has the right to live, work and worship in
freedom," he said. "And we're thankful to the men and women of our nation's
armed forces who risk their lives to protect those rights."
The American people know that "many of our finest citizens are spending
the holiday far from their homes and loved ones," the president said.
"And we know that their service makes it possible for us to live in
freedom."
Bush said his visit to Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, earlier this week
reinforced his deep appreciation of the contributions U.S. troops and
their families make every day.
"Our servicemembers there have deployed around the world -- to fight
the terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq, conduct important maritime
exercises in the Pacific, help deliver humanitarian aid to the victims of
disaster and fight drug trafficking," he said. "I told the men and women
at the base that we're grateful for their bravery and service and that
we will never forget those who have made the ultimate sacrifice."
The president paid special recognition to Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham, who
died in Iraq two-and-a-half years ago in Iraq, when he threw himself on
top of an enemy grenade and absorbed the blast. "His selfless act saved
the lives of two of his fellow Marines, and earlier this month I
announced that our nation will recognize Corporal Dunham with our highest
decoration for valor, the Medal of Honor," he said.
"Corporal Dunham's friends remember him as the kind of guy who would do
anything for you, his superiors remember him as a model Marine and a
grateful nation will forever remember him as one of America's most
valiant heroes," Bush said. "This Thanksgiving, our thoughts and prayers are
with his family and with all military families, especially those
mourning the loss of a loved one."
Three Marines assigned to Regimental Combat
Team 7 died Nov. 22 from wounds suffered due to enemy action in Iraq's Anbar province, military officials in Iraq reported.
Two of the Marines' names are being withheld pending notification of
next of kin. The Defense Department has identified the third, as well as
two soldiers who died recently supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom:
-- Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua C. Alonzo, 21, of Dumas, Texas, died Nov.
22 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. He was assigned
to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd
Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
-- Army Spc. Eric Vizcaino, 21, of New Mexico, died Nov. 21 in Balad,
Iraq, of injuries suffered Nov. 20 in Samarra, Iraq, in a non-combat
related incident. Vizcaino was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 505th
Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division,
Fort Bragg, N.C.
-- Army Sgt. James P. Musack, 23, of Riverside, Iowa, died of injuries
suffered in a non-combat related incident in Samarra, Iraq, on Nov. 21.
Musack was assigned to the 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st
Brigade Combat Team, 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.
Sgt. James P. Musack, 23, of Riverside, Iowa, died of injuries
suffered in a non-combat related incident in Samarra, Iraq, on Nov. 21. Musack
was assigned to the 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade
Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lance Cpl. Joshua C. Alonzo, 21, of Dumas, Texas, died November 22
while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. He was
assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
U.S. troops serving in Afghanistan are the embodiment of the Army values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage, country singer Michael Peterson told troops here today during a Thanksgiving concert.
Peterson, here courtesy of the United Service Organizations,
accompanied Army Command Sgt. Maj. William J. Gainey, senior enlisted advisor for
Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as he
visited U.S. troops at three different bases in Afghanistan today. Army
Command Sgt. Maj. Daniel R. Wood, the top enlisted member in Combined Joint
Task Force Afghanistan, accompanied them on the trip.
"General Pace wants me to tell all of you that he's very proud of you
and to stay focused," Gainey told a group of servicemembers in Forward
Operating Base Gardez, his first stop of the day.
After eating a traditional Thanksgiving meal with soldiers from the
Connecticut National Guard, Gainey spent time explaining his role as
senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and
thanking the troops for serving far from home on Thanksgiving. He also
told the troops their mission is as important as that of servicemembers in
Iraq.
Peterson, a Grammy Award-nominated singer and songwriter, then had the
group alternating between stitches and tears as he combined deep-rooted
patriotism with sometimes-ribald humor in his remarks and songs. He's
sold more than a million records, but doesn't travel with an entourage
-- just an acoustic guitar and a cowboy hat.
Peterson's heartfelt respect and admiration for servicemembers was
evident in every remark. "I'm like a lot of others: When our country was
hit (in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks), I knew I wanted to do
something, but I didn't know what to do," he said before launching into a
patriotic song about the value of veterans and the American Legion.
He's donating half the profits from the song to the Legion's Legacy
Scholarship Fund, which takes care of college scholarships for students whose
parents have been killed in action.
"So I'm doing what I can with what I have and where I'm at," he said.
"That's why I'm out here, just trying to be one team, one fight with you
guys and trying to close the gap between the military and the
civilians."
He also thanked the troops for their service. "More than anything, I
say, 'Thank you' on this Thanksgiving Day," Peterson said. "My hat's off
to you."
A table in the base's brand-new dining facility sported paper leaves
with handwritten messages about what the troops were thankful for. Some
were sweet: children, family, spouses, God, etc. Others were more
practical to deployed servicemembers: rest-and-relaxation leave, Kevlar,
Gortex, bacon. And still others raised eyebrows: "Not being dead," read
one, while others proclaimed their authors' thanks for such things as Rick
James, snow, Puerto Rico and cheerleaders.
Peterson and Gainey next traveled via Black Hawk helicopter to Forward
Operating Base Ghazni, where they spoke to and entertained about 20
soldiers during a brief stop. Peterson's patriotic bent continued there.
After singing a song titled, "I'm a soldier," he told the troops that
what they're doing matters.
"I believe if we don't stop them here, they'll bring the fight to us.
You are the ones that are changing the world," he said. "How do I know
that? Because I stood yesterday with the Afghan National Army at their
training center, and I can't really put into words what I saw and what I
felt, except that I knew I was seeing people that were getting a taste
of something they had never known their whole lives, and that's the
taste of freedom."
The singer thanked the servicemembers for "a commitment to patriotism
that lives not just on your lips, but in your hearts."
"I know some days it doesn't feel like it, some days you're probably
just flat wore out, tired and want to go home, and maybe Thanksgiving's
one of them," he said, "but you're making a difference. I saw it
yesterday."
Finally the group set down at Bagram Air Base, headquarters of Combined
Joint Task Force 76 and the main air hub for coalition forces into and
out of Afghanistan. Peterson, Gainey, Wood and several other senior
enlisted leaders donned aprons and dished up chow for about an hour as
they greeted troops and continued to thank them for their service. Army
Gen. John Abizaid, chief of U.S. central Command, and other senior
officers served meals at a different dining facility across the base.
Just before a performance by the Air Force "Tops in Blue" touring group
here, Peterson performed for half an hour before about 400
servicemembers who obviously appreciated his humor and his message.
After first suggesting that frequent deployments were the key to
marital bliss, Peterson shared his top two tips for lengthy marriages. He
said married men should forget all their mistakes. "There's no reason for
two people to remember the same bad thing for the rest of their lives,"
he said.
His second tip: Never let your wife cut your hair when she's mad at
you. "Never a good idea," he said.
The roar of helicopters overhead sometimes cut through the festivities,
a reminder that military operations here don't stop for holidays, no
matter how significant.
Peterson also traded hats with a young soldier who's a huge country
music fan. Army Spc. Candace Smith walked away with Peterson's cowboy hat,
which he had hand carried from the states in a protective plastic case,
and he'll wear a 10th Mountain Division baseball cap home tomorrow.
"He was great," Smith said. "I loved it!"
Then Peterson got serious, earning respect and cheers from many in the
standing-room-only crowd when he explained that he left the music
industry 10 years ago as he was on the cusp of being a household name. After
700 concerts in fewer than three years, he was on the verge of
sacrificing his family for stardom when he decided to leave it behind.
"It was a lousy career decision, but I've still got my family," he
said. "And you know what I figured out? If you're lucky, you'll maybe get a
second chance to do with your life what you love to do whether you're
famous or not, but you may not get a second chance at your family. So I
know I made one of the greatest decisions I ever made."
But patriotism drove him back into music. "I knew that I still loved to
do music. What happened to me was a daughter who became a battalion
commander in a Junior ROTC group of about 350 high school students,
combined with 9-11, combined with seeing a cover of a Sports Illustrated
magazine with Pat Tillman on it and how deeply that moved me and inspired
me," Peterson said at Bagram.
His voice choked with emotion when he spoke of Tillman, a National
Football League star who left a $3 million contract behind to enlist in the
Army Rangers after Sept. 11. Tillman was killed in a friendly-fire
incident in Afghanistan.
He performed a brand-new song called, "I remember, America," which
carried a message for servicemembers everywhere. "I'll never forget the
day, Sept. 11, 2001, when those b******s tried to blow our dreams away,"
Peterson sung. "And my prayer for you tonight is that you get the job
done and come home safe again."
CONTRACTS
NAVY
The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Cambridge, Mass., is being
awarded a $195,750,400 contract to provide tactical engineering support for
the United States and United Kingdom Mk 6 guidance system; conducting
the repair and recertification of Mk 6 guidance systems, including
pendulous integrating gyroscopic accelerometers, inertial measurement units,
electronic assemblies, inertial measurement units electronics, repair
parts, test equipment maintenance, and related hardware; deliver a
product and process improvement study to investigate approaches to reduce
life-cycle cost and improve performance of the Fleet Ballistic Missile
Guidance System program; and employ it's personnel and facilities in the
conduct of various important technical studies including the Guidance
Application Program and the Radiation Hardened Application Program. This
contract contains options, which if exercised, would bring the
cumulative value of the contract to $201,885,800. Work will be performed
in Cambridge, Mass. (64 percent); Pittsfield, Mass. (23 percent);
Andover, Mass (5 percent); El Segundo, Calif. (3 percent); Clearwater, Fla.
(3 percent); and Woodland Hills, Calif. (2 percent), and is expected to
be completed September 2007. Contract funds in the amount of
$76,560,500 will expire at the end of current fiscal year. This contract was not
competitively procured. The Strategic Systems Program, Arlington, Va.,
is the contracting activity (N00030-07-C-0001).
Electric Boat Corporation, Groton, Conn., is being awarded a
$20,129,264 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification under previously awarded contract
(N00024-04-C-2100) for the consolidated planning yard, engineering and
technical support for nuclear submarine operational ships and shore
facilities. The modification provides for shore facility design and
installation support, to provide necessary technical/engineering, design,
logistics, and program management support required for the efficient design
and installation of operational ship and shore support facility
retro-fits and consolidations. Work will be performed in Groton, Conn. (82
percent); Kings Bay, Ga. (10 percent), Bangor, Wash. (7 percent), and
Quonset, R.I. (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by November
2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. The
Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors, Liverpool, N.Y., is
being awarded a $9,065,486 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract
for TB-34 next generation fat line towed bodies, interface hardware, and
associated services in support of the TB-34 towed array system. The
TB-34 was developed to provide improved anti-submarine warfare and contact
avoidance capability in cluttered littoral environments, as well as
maintain the submarine fleet's ready for issue fat line towed array
inventory. Work will be performed in Liverpool, N.Y., and is expected to be
completed by December 2009. The contract was competitively procured and
advertised via the Internet, with two proposals received. 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
(N00024-07-C-6205).
Raytheon Company, Portsmouth, R.I., is being awarded a $5,507,984
cost-plus-fixed-fee modification under previously awarded contract
(N00024-03-C-6207) to exercise an option for additional engineering services
and incidental material/travel/subsistence in support of the AN/BYG-1
Combat Control System. This modification procures 39,653 hours of
additional engineering services in support of AN/BYG-1 Combat Control System.
The modification also funds for incidental material/travel/subsistence
costs associated with these engineering services. Work will be performed
in Portsmouth, R.I., and is expected to be completed by December 2007.
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.
AIR FORCE
Rockwell Collins Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is being awarded a
$82,656,732 firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed fee contract modification.
This contract modification exercises production options for the purchase
of 37,787 defense advanced GPS receivers (DAGRs) and accessories. The
DAGR will provide authorized Department of Defense and foreign military
sales users of Global Positioning System user equipment a precise
positioning system, hand-held, dual-frequency, lightweight receiver (less
than one pound) that incorporates the next generation, tamper-resistant
GPS selective availability anti-spoofing module security module. The DAGR
will serve as a replacement for the Precision Lightweight GPS Receiver
in integrated platforms as well as for the advanced and basic GPS user.
At this time, total funds have been obligated. This work will be
complete October 2008. Headquarters Global Positioning Systems Wing, Los
Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., is the contracting activity
(F04701-02-C-0011/P00050).
Pratt and Whitney Inc., Hartford, Conn., is being awarded a
$42,207,266 fixed-price with economic price adjustment contract. This action
provides for 4 install and 1 spare F117-PW-100 engines. At this time,
$38,578,625 has been obligated. This work will be complete by January 2007.
Headquarters Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force
Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8626-07-C-2071).
General Electric Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, is being awarded a $12,500,000
indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity with cost-plus-fixed fee
contract. The overall goal of this program is to demonstrate the resilience
of the flight control, electric actuation, and power management and
distribution subsystems of an aircraft against high power microwaves and
nuclear electromagnetic pulses. The focus of the program is a near-term
solution to the need to make aircraft immunity to electromagnetic
environmental effects. At this time, $527,000 has been obligated.
Solicitations began June 2006 and negotiations were complete November 2006. This
work will be complete November 2011. Air Force Research Laboratory,
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity
(FA8650-07-D-2700 task order 0001).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Exxon Mobil Fuels Marketing Company, Fairfax, Va., is being awarded a
maximum $21,955,740 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract
for gasoline for foreign military sales. Location of performance is
Beaumont, Texas. This is an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity
contract. Proposals were Web-solicited and 4 responded. Contract funds will
expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of performance
completion is January 30, 2008. Contracting activity is the Defense Energy
Support Center (DESC), Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-07-D-0451).
Constellation New Energy, Chicago, Ill., is being awarded a maximum
$7,516,844 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for
electricity for Navy. Location of performance is Navy Great Lakes, Ill. 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. (SP0600-07-D-8004
Citing the all-volunteer force's success, a
senior Defense Department official said today that a draft would
diminish the quality of U.S. forces and put more of the burden of service on
the nation's poor.
"I think the draft is opposed by anybody who has given it serious
thought," said Bill Carr, deputy undersecretary of defense for military
personnel policy.
New York Rep. Charles Rangel - in line to be the next chairman of the
powerful Ways and Means Committee in the House - said he will introduce
legislation in the next session of Congress to reinstate the draft.
Carr said the draft is not cost-effective and would force the military
to lower its standards for recruits. A Government Accountability Office
report, he said, estimated that a draft would add $4 billion in annual
costs to DoD. Because draftees usually spend the minimum time they
possibly can in the military, the services would have to pump more money
into training and would get less return on their training investments
than they do with the all-volunteer force, he explained.
One argument often put forward for reinstating the draft is that it
would make the military more equitable. But Carr said such equity would
lower the force's quality.
"I think that it would make the military more average, and the military
is considerably above average today," Carr said. "Two-thirds of our
recruits are from the top half aptitude (range), whereas an average or
equitable share would be only half. Moreover, we draw disproportionately
from the middle class and the upper class. The underrepresented (in the
military) are the poor. A draft would only shift the burden toward the
poor."
Proponents for the draft say that the military cannot make the
all-volunteer force work. This belies 33 years of experience, Carr said, noting
that all services continue to make the recruiting goals and the
recruiters continue to draw "above-average, exceptionally well-qualified young
people."
Retention is the best it has ever been, Carr said. Under the draft,
two-thirds of the military were in their first two years of service.
Today, two-thirds of the men and women in the force have served at least six
years.
As to whether there's enough Army for the jobs around the world -- the
3rd Infantry Division headquarters, for example, will begin its third
year-long rotation to Iraq next year - Carr said making the military
larger has drawbacks.
"If you have a large number of rotations, you could stand to have a
larger military," Carr acknowledged. "But, what goes up inevitably must
come down. If we were to grow the military and find ourselves in a few
years shrinking it, that is one thing military leaders fear, because of
the bond we created with those who joined us."
If the Army temporarily needs more people, then the president can call
up the reserve components, Carr said.
If the idea is to make the active duty Army larger, then the military
would find itself shedding people in the future, he said. The services
are working to make the most of their current ceilings on uniformed
members by converting manpower authorizations that don't require a person
in uniform to civilian positions, Carr said. This approach, he
explained, puts more military people into uniquely military positions.
Proposals to reinstate the draft certainly create debate in America,
Carr noted. "But the debate inevitably comes to the conclusion that
America won't have (a draft), and the military would resist it because it's
going to lower our performance," he said. "The all-volunteer force is
successful beyond the wildest expectations of its framers."
CONTRACTS
NAVY
Lockheed Martin Corp., Maritime Systems & Sensors (MS2) Littoral Ships
and Systems, Baltimore, Md., is being awarded $26,545,787 to exercise
an option under previously awarded contract (N00104-01-D-ZD52) for the
manufacture of spare and repair parts used in the MK-41 Vertical
Launching System. The pending award will be an undefinitized contractual
action for the MK-41 Vertical Launching System Performance Based Logistics
(PBL) supply support contract. Work will be performed in Ventura Calif.
(85 percent) and Baltimore, Md. (15 percent) and is expected to be
completed by November 2010. Contract funds will not expire before the end
of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively
procured. The Naval Inventory Control Point in Mechanicsburg, Pa., is the
contracting activity.
Lessons learned during Hurricane Katrina
have been applied to ensure a faster, more efficient and coordinated U.S.
emergency response, the commander of U.S. Northern Command said today.
Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating pointed to a wide range of initiatives,
all adopted after Hurricane Katrina, to improve the way military troops
and assets are used during an emergency when called on by the president
or secretary of defense. These include:
-- Thousands of active-duty troops are now on alert at any given time
to respond to an emergency. These troops are organized into "force
packages" sized according to "the magnitude of the potential catastrophe,"
Keating said.
-- New off-the-shelf communications capabilities ensure a steady
communication flow even if local cell phone towers or the electrical grid are
disabled or destroyed. "We literally put up a small, portable tower,
fire up the generator and start handing out cell phones," Keating said.
"That lets us get a first-hand assessment of the situation on the ground
- a capability that wasn't in place last summer." Keating noted that
while DoD has three of these systems, the Department of Homeland Security
has about 12.
-- The national response plan, revised by DHS in coordination with DoD
and other agencies, ensures a better emergency response. "It is a more
effective more efficient, more timely way of providing our citizens the
response capability they need," Keating said.
-- Full-time, active-duty military defense coordinating officers are
now positioned in each Federal Emergency Management Agency region to
coordinate with DHS and other emergency responders. By building
relationships and an understanding of capabilities and requirements before they're
needed, this ensures a faster, better coordinated response, Keating
said.
-- NORTHCOM exercises its response capabilities "frequently and
vigorously" and continually improves on its disaster planning and
coordination. Keating noted an upcoming exercise, Vigilant Shield, which will test
the U.S. response to a simulated nuclear accident.
As NORTHCOM fine-tunes its plans and procedures, Keating emphasized,
the military's job isn't to run emergency response efforts, but rather to
support civilian authorities when directed by the president or defense
secretary.
"We will respond, as directed, with the capabilities that are in the
DoD and the arrows that are in our quiver," he said. "We're not
interested in taking charge. We're interested in saving lives and reducing human
suffering."
That mission requires a deviation from the traditional military
emphasis on command and control, he said. Now the big watchwords, he said, are
"communication and collaboration."
"You have to be able to talk to each other," he said. "You have to be
able to assess the situation and you have to collaborate - not just
coordinate, but collaborate-on the capabilities we can provide, that the
first responders can and can't provide, and that the National Guard under
the auspices of their commander in chief, the governor, can provide."
This collaboration will ensure a better response and "avoid efficient
overlap but at all costs, eliminate the seams," Keating said.
CONTRACTS
AIR FORCE
Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems, Linthicum Heights, Md., is being
awarded a $99,500,000 firm-fixed-price contract. This action provides
for government furnished property for the Government of Pakistan for
F-16 Block 50/52 new aircraft and modernization program. The procurement
of 54 AN/APG-68 (V) 9 Radar Systems will be accomplished under the
firm-fixed-price portion of the contract. At this time, $49,750,000 have
been obligated. This work will be complete May 2010. Headquarters
Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the
contracting activity (FA8615-07-C-6033).
Lockheed Martin Corp., Sunnyvale, Calif., is being awarded a
$21,166,707 cost-plus-award fee contract modification. This is a contract
modification to the existing Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) high
component engineering, manufacturing, and development contract. This
modification will provide for Phase 2/3, which will build upon the current
Interim Mission Control Station Back-up (IMCSB) Phase 0/1 integration
efforts and will extend through the end of the SBIRS program. At this time,
$682,200 have been obligated. This work will be complete September 2012.
Headquarters Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force
Base, Calif., is the contracting activity (F04701-95-C-0017/P00397).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Lion Vallen Limited Partnership, Dayton, Ohio, is being awarded a
maximum $18,000,000 service contract for virtual prime vendor for Federal
civilian agencies. Other location of performance is Suffolk, Va. There
were 50 proposals solicited and 7 responded. Contract funds will not
expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of performance
completion is Nov. 15, 2007. Contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center
Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Pa. (SP0100-99-C-0333 (C)).
NAVY
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Electronic Systems, Rolling Meadows,
Ill., is being awarded an $8,680,235 modification to a previously
awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N68936-05-C-0059) for the design and
fabrication of lightweight, flight worthy, affordable,
multifunction/integrated miniature radio frequency (RF) amplifiers for use on various
space missions and platforms. Work will be performed in Rolling Meadows,
Ill., and is expected to be completed in September 2008. Contract funds
in the amount of $750,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal
year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake,
Calif., is the contracting activity.
Northrop Grumman Newport News, Newport News, Va., is being awarded a
$7,416,538 cost-plus-fixed-fee, level of effort contract for systems
development, engineering services, and feasibility studies for the CVN 79.
Work will be performed in Newport News, Va., and is expected to be
completed by October 2007. Contract funds will not 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
(N00024-07-C-2116).
Northrop Grumman Corp., Rolling Meadows, Ill., is being awarded a
$6,946,745 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract
(N68335-06-C-0420) for the procurement of five Third-Generation
Electro-Optics (EO3) console sets, including sustaining engineering support.
Work will be performed in Rolling Meadows, Ill. (90 percent) and Santa
Barbara, Calif. (10 percent), and is expected to be completed in December
2008. Contract funds in the amount of $500,000 will expire at the end
of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft
Division, Lakehurst, N.J., is the contracting activity.
Correction: The contract awarded Nov. 8, 2006, to MPRI, Inc.,
(N61339-07-D-0007), to provide a laser marksmanship device/system to meet the
training needs in basic rifle marksmanship and preliminary marksmanship
instruction, should have read that it was being awarded $9,000,000 vice
the $19,000,000 stated in the release.
