Alabama company awarded defense contract

Wyle Laboratories of Huntsville was awarded a $23,809,521 contract which will conduct engineering, analysis and testing tasks to facilitate a reliability improvement, parts obsolescence problems, and identify corrective actions that can be taken to eliminate or control problems.

At this time, $125,984 has been obligated.

55 CONS/LGCD, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., is the contracting activity.

War Stories

If you haven't already, I highly recommend reading Newsweek's special report, War Stories. I finally had a chance to read it all Friday morning and finished it this morning and it's well done.

Here's the link to the report.

Alabama company awarded defense contract

Boeing Co. of Huntsville was awarded on May 18 a $14,634,116 firm-fixed-price contract for 94 explosive ordnance disposal mini-robots.

Work is to be performed in Huntsville, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 16, 2011.

Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with one bids received.

Research, Development and Engineering Command Contracting Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity.

Former Maxwell commander nominated for first star

The former commander of the 42nd Air Base Wing is on the move.

Col. Paul McGillicuddy has been nominated for his first star.

He's currently the commander of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Air Combat Command at Beale Air Force Base in California.

He was base vice commander at Maxwell from August 2005 to March 2007. He then took over as base commander until August 2008 when he headed to the Pentagon.

The 1984 graduate of the Air Force Academy spent much of his career as a fighter pilot. He completed Squadron Officer School by correspondence in 1988; received a Master of Science degree in management from Troy State University in 1994; competed Air Command and Staff College by correspondence in 1997; and attended ACSC in residence in 1998.

A few notes

Last week, I wrote a story about airmen collecting books for children in Pakistan as a form of a counterinsurgency strategy.

This weekend, I crammed to write graduate papers on counterinsurgency and the media's influence on international relations.

When I was finished with all that, I thought I had earned some down time to watch mindless television, play with the new puppy or read a fluffy book.

I flipped on the television yesterday and found myself watching 'Rendition,' not exactly a light and breezy kind of movie.

Later that night, I watched the news about violence in Thailand and then parts of 'Saving Private Ryan,' and then watching 'The Hurt Locker.'

I've also started reading Greg Mortenson's new book, 'Stones into Schools," about stopping terrorism by building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. I'd read the first book, 'Three Cups of Tea,' and must say I'm a fan. If you haven't read it, I recommend it. It's a less daunting way to learn about life in Pakistan, the politics and some of the root causes of terrorism and religious extremism there.

So, my brain didn't take a break, and although it was tired, it started connecting more dots than it had while writing those papers that were required of me.

One article I used in the paper on the media's influence on international conflict said the 'CNN Effect' misses the point and the real impact of the media is that it draws attention -- and money -- away from the real processes involved in managing conflict. The cameras and most mainstream media only show up when, as the ABC anchor put it last night, "bullets are flying."

Watching one of the great war movies, 'Saving Private Ryan,' I realized a little more that battlefield tactics have changed, but the chaos of war remains the same.

In 'The Hurt Locker,' one soldier points a gun at a cabbie and after the situation is diffused, he admits that if the man wasn't a terrorist before, he probably would be now.

Something similar in the two movies though was something that I doubt has changed for soldiers.

Tom Hank's character tells his soldiers about his life, as his men are losing it and turning on each other, and tells them that he wonders how he will return to his wife, child and life at home unchanged. He wonders if those that he loves and knows will still know him, because how can he face what he's faced and remain unchanged?

A character in 'The Hurt Locker,' returns home after a tour with an explosive ordnance disposal team in Iraq, and finds he doesn't know what to do in his normal life at that he really only loves one thing. He returns for another 365 tour in the desert.

Half a century of history and conflict lies between them, and yet, it seems, the soldier is unchanged.

Lorenz retiring

Gen. Stephen Lorenz, commander of Air Education and Training Command, is retiring.

Before pinning on his fourth star and taking the reins at AETC in Texas, Lorenz was commander of Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base.

The 1973 Air Force Academy graduate has served for 37 years and spent most of his career as a tanker pilot.

Lorenz lead Air University through a massive reorganization with Lt. Gen. Allen Peck as his vice commander. Peck now commands Air University.

Lorenz will be succeeded by Lt. Gen. Edward Rice Jr., who has been nominated for a fourth star and currently commands U.S. Forces Japan and 5th Air Force at Yaktoa Air Base in Japan.

Rice graduated from the Air Force Academy five years after Lorenz and spent most of his flying career as a bomber pilot.

908th finally departs

The 908th Airlift Wing finally left on its four-month deployment this morning.

The advance party left the first weekend in May, but the main group of airmen who were scheduled to leave Sunday were delayed again and again due to the volcanic ash cloud over Europe that has been stalling air travel over the Atlantic.

About 150 airmen and several of the wing's C-130 cargo planes are headed to the Middle East to support combat missions in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Horn of Africa. The last time the 908th deployed to the desert was in 2008.

The deploying airmen are flight crews, maintenance, administrative and medical personnel. The airmen will provide transport and aeromedical evacuations for operations in the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility, which includes most of the Middle East region.

908th delayed another 24 hours

The 908th Airlift Wing's deployment has been delayed another 24 hours due to the volcanic ash that is slowing air travel.

The main group of airmen were scheduled to depart over the weekend, but have been delayed multiple times.

A total of 150 airmen and several of the wing's C-130 cargo planes are going on a volunteer 4-month deployment to support combat missions in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Horn of Africa. The advance party left the first weekend in May.

The last time the 908th deployed to the desert was in 2008.

908th delayed yet again

The 908th Airlift Wing has been delayed again.

The are now slated to leave on Wednesday, but officials are not optimistic about the volcanic cloud clearing for air travel tomorrow either.

For now, 908th leaders are keeping their members updated until they are able to deploy.

The 908th is deploying for about four months to provide combat air support to troops in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Horn of Africa.

The last time the 908th deployed to the desert was 2008.

The 908th is the only Air Force Reserve unit in Alabama.

USS Alabama gets steel donation for restoration

From the USS Alabama Battleship Commission:

SSAB Americas, a global leader in value added, high strength steel and one of the continent’s leading plate suppliers, recently donated 78 tons of steel to the USS Alabama Battleship Commission to be used for restoration efforts on the superstructure of Battleship USS Alabama (BB-60).

Battleship USS Alabama (BB-60) is a National Historic Landmark and recently celebrated the 67th anniversary of her commissioning. Restoration and repairs to her main deck, superstructure, and cannons will require preparation, replacement, and coating of approximately 160,000 square feet of superstructure. The estimated cost of the project is $1.3 million.

With the support of SSAB Americas, the USS Alabama Battleship Commission will be able to continue their mission of memorializing veterans while preserving history for future generations.

Battleship Memorial Park has welcomed more than 13 million visitors from all 50 states and virtually every nation in the world. Last year alone, 332,122 visitors toured the Park with 80% of the visitors from outside the State of Alabama,

USS ALABAMA Battleship Memorial Park has had a local economic impact of $203,257,959 just from admissions revenue in our 45 years of operation. Although an agency of the State of Alabama, the Park has been self-sufficient for daily operations since opening to the public in 1965.

908th delayed again

The 908th Airlift Wing's deployment has been delayed again.

They're now scheduled to leave around noon Tuesday.

The delays are a result of the volcanic ash over Europe that is affecting air travel.

Maxwell opens new working dog kennel

Maxwell Air Force Base opened its new military working dog facility today.

The event included a demonstration from the working dogs and dog handlers. from Maxwell and also the Montgomery Police Department.

While the new kennel was being built, the Maxwell dogs stayed in the MPD kennels downtown.

The working dogs and their handlers are part of the 42nd Security Forces Squadron at Maxwell.

908th delayed again

The 908th Airlift Wing has been delayed again due to the volcanic ash over Europe.

The advance party left last week and the rest of the airmen were scheduled to leave over the weekend.

About 150 people are deploying with several of the wing's C-130 cargo planes. The 908th is the only Air Force Reserve unit in the state and this is their first time back to the desert since 2008.

They'll be flying combat support mission in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Horn of Africa for about four months. Flights crews, maintenance personnel and medical personnel are going on the volunteer deployment.

908th deployment delayed by volcanic ash

The 908th Airlift Wing was scheduled to leave today, but the volcanic ash in Europe changed their plans just a bit.

Instead, the main body of the 150 or so members deploying to Southwest Asia will leave Monday.

The wing is deploying for four months on a volunteer deployment to provide combat airlift support.

Alabama company awarded defense contract

Wyle Laboratories, Inc of Huntsville was awarded a $13,744,106 contract which will provide for the research, test, development, and delivery of system requirements for the Reliability Information Analysis Center.

At this time, $500,000 has been obligated. 55 CONS/LGCD, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., is the contracting activity.

Alabama company awarded defense contract

Alatec, Inc. of Huntsville was awarded on April 29 a $13,480,400 firm-fixed-price contract.

The contractor shall provide personnel expertise and skills required to support the Training and Doctrine Command Analysis Center (TRAC) White Sands Missile Range mission related to analysis, studies, modeling, simulation, and information technology.

TRAC supports the Training and Doctrine Command by providing the analytical capabilities required to support Army decisions.

Work is to be performed at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., with an estimated completion date of May 2, 2012.

Four bids were solicited with four bids received.

Mission & Installation Contracting Command Directorate of Contracting, White Sands Missile Range, N.M., is the contracting activity.