Defense Dept.

"Family care packages are always a welcome treat for our deployed servicemembers, especially during the holidays when they are away from home defending our freedoms. Thoughts and acts of kindness from others are also appreciated.

- While we, Department of Defense, do not specifically send care packages, we do have various morale and recreation activities for our troops both at home and abroad.    » read more »

Amendment Based on Recommendations of a Government Study is Latest Addition to Feingold's Control Spending Now Act to Slash the Deficit

November 16, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold offered legislation today to enhance the security of our nuclear arsenal and more effectively use taxpayer dollars. The legislation is part of Feingold’s larger effort to slash the deficit by more than one half trillion dollars with the Control Spending Now Act, which he introduced last month.    » read more »

Decisions on Accused 9/11 Plotters, Alleged Mastermind of USS Cole Attack & Others

November 13, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – The Departments of Justice and Defense today announced forum decisions for ten detainees at Guantanamo Bay whose cases were previously charged in military commissions, including five detainees accused of conspiring to commit the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks and a detainee accused of orchestrating the attack on the USS Cole.    » read more »

Stress Langley's Capacity & Facilities

November 12, 2009 -- Washington, DC – Senators Jim Webb (D-VA) and Mark Warner (D-VA) and Representatives Glenn Nye (D-VA), Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Rob Wittman (R-VA) this week requested a Virginia delegation staff briefing on Air Force plans for future basing of the F-22 Raptor aircraft fleet. In a letter to the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, the Virginia lawmakers emphasized that Langley Air Force Base (LAFB) in Hampton is a “world-class installation” with the excess operational capacity to support increased numbers of the F-22.    » read more »

Army’s Decision to Pursue More Litigation Sends Hostile Message to Farmers and Ranchers in Southern Colorado

November 10, 2009 -- Today, in a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Army Secretary John McHugh, Michael Bennet urged the Army to acknowledge the flawed nature of its 2007 environmental impact analysis on the proposed expansion at Pinon Canyon and asked that the Army immediately withdraw its plans to appeal the U.S. District Court's recent decision on the matter.

"The Army's decision to move forward with more litigation sends a hostile message to the farmers and ranchers in southern Colorado: the Army is more concerned about winning than about repairing this relationship over the long-term," wrote Bennet.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2009 -- A team led by Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has been awarded a contract to help the Defense Information Systems Agency develop integrated network operations situational awareness (NetOps SA) across Department of Defense classified and unclassified cyber networks.

Under the $28 million award, Raytheon and its teammates will provide a cybersecurity solution that will, among other things, enable the Department of Defense to quickly detect network intrusions and assess the overall health of its network.    » read more »

November 10, 2009 -- A South Korean businessman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas to five years in prison for his role in a bribery conspiracy involving a $206 million telecommunications contract and employees of the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES).

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade also ordered Gi-Hwan Jeong to pay a $50,000 fine. Jeong pleaded guilty on June 11, 2009, to a five-count indictment, charging him with one count of conspiracy, two counts of honest services wire fraud and two counts of bribery.    » read more »

ST. LOUIS, Nov. 9, 2009 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has been awarded a $72 million U.S. Air Force contract for more than 2,900 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) tail kits.

Boeing will deliver the kits in 2011 and 2012. The Lot 14 production order is the second one-year option of a six-year contract Boeing received in January 2008. The agreement has a potential total value of $590 million with deliveries extending through 2015, if all options are exercised.

"JDAM provides warfighters an effective, accurate and battle-tested weapon," said Dan Jaspering, Boeing director of Direct Attack Programs. "The Lot 14 contract and its additional options assure the long-term availability of this cost-effective weapon."    » read more »

Amendment aims to assist affected communities that lack funding, time to complete major transportation projects

November 6, 2009 -- Washington, DC – Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner today introduced an appropriations measure that directs a transportation study of improvements needed to accommodate growth and traffic associated with the 2005 Defense Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC) program. The Senators’ amendment aims to address the lack of adequate funding and time for BRAC-affected communities to undergo needed transportation projects.

The amendment to the Milcon/VA appropriations bill would make $450,000 available to the Secretary of Defense to arrange a study through the Transportation Research Board.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3, 2009 – Like protective equipment issued to troops downrange, the H1N1 flu vaccine is a measure the Defense Department is taking to safeguard U.S. military forces, a defense official said today.

“We use other treatment modalities to protect people in the same way we use body armor to protect against other threats,” said Ellen P. Embrey, acting assistant secretary of defense for health affairs.

“The H1N1 vaccine was purchased specifically for our uniformed servicemembers so they could continue to perform their mission anywhere on the globe,” she continued. “And during a pandemic, that’s a real threat.”    » read more »

November 03, 2009 -- CONTRACTS

UNITED STATES TRANSPORTATION COMMAND

American Auto Logistics, LP, of Park Ridge, N.J., is being awarded a $207,382,618 firm, fixed-price modification for an earned award term under a previously awarded contract (DAMTOI-03-D-0184) to provide continuing services for the transportation and storage of privately owned vehicles. Work will be performed at worldwide locations and is expected to be completed Oct. 31, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., is the contracting activity.

ARMY    » read more »

11/3/2009 - RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS) -- After more than 30 years of flying for the Air Force, the last C-130E Hercules aircraft here set forth Nov. 2 destined for a new life.

Tail number 1299, which has been at Ramstein since 2007, departed for Poland, under a Foreign Military Sales lease agreement between Air Force Materiel Command and Poland in support of our partnership and teamwork with United States allies.

"We are saying goodbye as it moves forward into a new era of air power," said Master Sgt. Patrick Perry, 86th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron section chief, during a ceremony held on the flightline to commemorate the momentous event.    » read more »

11/3/2009 - SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS) -- The installation of 121 fans in 29 buildings across base is expected to reduce energy use and cost of heating systems operation during colder months.

The project, which has a maximum cost of approximately $86,000, is estimated to have a payback time of slightly more than 8 months and save the base more than $1 million over 10 years, according to Christian Thurner, 52nd Civil Engineer Squadron environmental engineer.

The project received funds from the Air Force Productivity Enhancing Program as a Fast Payback Capital Investment, or FASCAP project, meaning the investment was less than $250,000 and had a payback time of less than two years.    » read more »

ARLINGTON, Va. (11/02/09) – For the first time ever, the Air National Guard will be the sole operator of a new aircraft straight off the assembly line.

The C-27J Spartan, the latest propeller-driven airlifter, is an "extremely rugged" aircraft, designed for austere environments, said Air Force officials. It is about half the size of a C-130 with 3.5 cargo pallet positions.

“It is the first time in U.S. Air Force history where the service acquired a new airframe solely owned, operated and maintained by the Air National Guard,” said Lt. Col. Chris Beckman, the ANG’s Aviation Planning and Execution chief.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, (11/02/09) - As the Defense Department begins to compensate military members forced to serve beyond the expiration of their contracts, the number of those still serving under "Stop Loss" has been greatly reduced, a Pentagon official said.

The Army, the only service still using the program, still has 9,600 soldiers serving involuntarily beyond their resignation or retirement date, Sam Retherford, The Defense Department's director of officer and enlisted personnel management, said during an Oct. 29 "DoDLive" bloggers roundtable.

That compares to 16,000 servicemembers on Stop Loss in 2005, he said.    » read more »