News-Travel agiency - Trekking agency

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• National Guard Bureau State Partnership Programs Update
• Today in the Department of Defense, 12/11/2012
• Director: Voting Assistance Programs Best They've Ever Been
• Contracts for December 10, 2012
• VA News Releases Update
• VA Fights to Prevent Heart Disease in Women Vets
• This Week in the National Guard
• New Process Improves Household Goods Shipments
• DOD Releases Report on Progress in Afghanistan
• Pakistan, Corruption Remain Stumbling Blocks in Afghanistan
• DOD Identifies Navy Casualty
• Face of Defense: Twins Complete Recruit Training Together
• Combined Force Arrests Taliban Leader in Helmand Province
• Pilot Calls F-35 'Big Leap' in Fighter Capability
• Propwash

National Guard Bureau State Partnership Programs Update Posted: 10 Dec 2012 04:13 PM PST Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. You are subscribed to State Partnership Programs for National Guard Bureau. http://www.nationalguard.mil/news/SPP/default.aspx   Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact support@govdelivery.com. This service is provided to you at no charge by the National Guard Bureau. SOCIAL MEDIA: http://www.flickr.com/photos/TheNationalGuard http://www.facebook.com/TheNationalGuard http://www.youtube.com/user/TheNationalGuard http://www.twitter.com/USNationalGuard This email was sent to smart_z64.1111@blogger.com using GovDelivery, on behalf of: National Guard Bureau · AHS 2 · 111 South George Mason Drive · Arlington, VA 22204 · 800-439-1420

Today in the Department of Defense, 12/11/2012 Posted: 10 Dec 2012 02:40 PM PST You are subscribed to Today in DoD for U.S. Department of Defense. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Today in the Department of Defense, 12/11/2012 12/10/2012 04:20 PM CST Today in the Department of Defense, Tuesday, December 11, 2012   Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta and Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton B. Carter have no public or media events on their schedules. Use Pick a Day to go to a different day. Check Other Events for additional listings, including air shows, band concerts, Congressional hearings, reunions and much more. What's New in DefenseLINK More: news, photos, advisories, contracts, transcripts Contacts Additions and corrections for Today in the Department of Defense are invited and should be directed to the press desk by calling +1 (703) 697-5131 or +1 (703) 697-5132. Media Questions News media representatives with questions for the Department of Defense may reach our press desk by calling +1 (703) 697-5131. Public Inquiries All others are invited to contact our public inquiries section by phone or U.S. mail or through the web. See our comment page for details. Duty Officer A public affairs duty officer is available 24 hours a day through +1 (703) 697-5131. In case of a family emergency, please contact your local American Red Cross. Today in DoD | Pick a Day | Other Events | Subscribe |   U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) On the Web: http://www.defense.gov/Today/ Media Contact: +1 (703) 697-5131/697-5132 Public Contact: http://www.defense.gov/landing/comment.aspx or +1 (703) 428-0711 +1 Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your User Profile Page. You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please e-mail support@govdelivery.com. Updates from the U.S. Department of Defense

Director: Voting Assistance Programs Best They've Ever Been Posted: 10 Dec 2012 02:34 PM PST You are subscribed to American Forces News Articles for U.S. Department of Defense. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Director: Voting Assistance Programs Best They've Ever Been 12/10/2012 04:21 PM CST Director: Voting Assistance Programs Best They've Ever Been By Claudette Roulo American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 2012 - Though overseas and absentee voting assistance programs for last month's election were the best they have ever been, Federal Voting Assistance Program officials plan to keep moving forward to improve, the program's acting director said here today. "That by no means should indicate that we can sit on our laurels and say, 'Wow, we did a great job. We're done.' Absolutely not," Pamela S. Mitchell said during a panel discussion at the Newseum. "Right now we're busy assessing the lessons learned from this election cycle," Mitchell said. "We will use those to improve our program as we move forward." The decision to vote is a personal one, Mitchell said, and FVAP concentrates on facilitating those who choose to exercise their right to vote. "First of all, we promote awareness of the right to vote," Mitchell said. Though that might sound strange, she added, not everyone understands their voting rights. FVAP also provides tools, resources and information for service members, family members and overseas U.S. citizens can exercise their right to vote no matter where they are in the world, Mitchell said. For the 2012 election, FVAP took a multi-pronged approach to voter education, she said. "We have an information-rich Web portal -- FVAP.gov -- which has just tremendous tools available for everyone," she explained. Voters could visit the website to ask questions of trained voting assistance personnel via live chat, request and print federal write-in absentee ballots and get assistance in registering to vote, Mitchell said. FVAP also operated a call center and trained voting assistance officers at the installation and unit level who were stationed around the world, she said. The program executed a social media campaign in an effort to reach younger voters -- even holding its first-ever Twitter town hall, she noted. Much of this outreach is done in partnership with the services and other state and federal agencies, Mitchell said. "There isn't any way that FVAP operating independently could provide the outreach needed and the tools and information needed to facilitate voting by those around the world," she said. For example, the services published voting information on leave and earning statements, she said, and provided voting awareness training to recruits. "I strongly believe ... that voter assistance is the best it's ever been," she said. "I think some of [the] metrics coming out of the election show that our resources were very popular." Since November 2011, more than 21 million visitors came to the FVAP website, she said, and about 10 million of those visits were in September and October 2012. More than 1.2 million people sought assistance from voting assistance officers, and the call center handled more than 54,000 requests for assistance, she continued. "Interestingly, in the days leading up to the election, they were handling some 1,000 requests a day," Mitchell said. The pace of technological development makes it difficult to predict how voting will happen in the future, she said, but that future may include online voting. The idea stirs strong opinions, Mitchell said, but "where we sit today at FVAP is not advocating in either direction, but rather advocating that we continue the discussion." Ensuring that the online voting process is secure is one problem that remains unsolved, she said. "One of the hard things to think about is how do you sever identity from the anonymity of the vote so that we maintain the anonymity of the vote? Or, the other side of that discussion is do we let folks choose whether or not to give up the anonymous vote?" For now, though, FVAP maintains voting security through a close partnership with the Justice Department, Mitchell said. "When we become aware of anything, we provide that information to them," she said. "Compliance is their domain," she added, noting that the Justice Department has been "very responsive to anything that we've passed on to them." The panel discussion, "To Serve and Vote: Military and Overseas Voting," was part of a two-day forum on voting in America that concludes tomorrow. The forum is sponsored by the nonpartisan Pew Center on the States.   Biographies: Pamela S. Mitchell Related Sites: Federal Voting Assistance Program Pew Center on the States Related Articles: Program Empowers Absentee, Overseas Citizen Voters   Defense Department News Through Facebook On American Forces Press Service's Facebook page, you can post comments and share news, photos and videos. Go to http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Forces-Press-Service/65137437532 or search for American Forces Press Service at Facebook.com. Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time by clicking on your 'User Profile' page at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDOD/subscriber/edit?preferences=true#tab1. You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please e-mail support@govdelivery.com. Have another inquiry? Visit the online FAQ at http://www.defense.gov/landing/questions.aspx for up-to-date information. Get the help you, your family, and fellow servicemembers need, when you need it. Visit www.WarriorCare.mil to learn more. Check out the National Resource Directory at www.nationalresourcedirectory.org, a new web-based resource for wounded, ill and injured service members, veterans, their families, families of the fallen and those who support them from the Departments of Defense, Labor, and Veterans Affairs. This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. Department of Defense. Visit us on the web at http://www.defense.gov/. Updates from the U.S. Department of Defense

Contracts for December 10, 2012 Posted: 10 Dec 2012 02:17 PM PST You are subscribed to Contract Announcements for U.S. Department of Defense. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Contracts for December 10, 2012 12/10/2012 04:01 PM CST FOR RELEASE AT 5 p.m. ET No. 964-12 December 10, 2012  CONTRACTS NAVY             Lockheed Martin Corp., Mission Systems and Sensors, Manassas, Va., is being awarded a $121,420,517 modification on previously awarded contract (N00024-11-C-6294) to exercise options for fiscal 2013 Acoustic Rapid Commercial-Off-The-Shelf Insertion (A-RCI) production.  The contract provides funding for the development and production of the A-RCI and common acoustics processing for Technology Insertion 12 (TI12) through Technology Insertion 14 (TI14) for the United States submarine fleet and for foreign military sales.  A-RCI is a sonar system that integrates and improves towed array, hull array, sphere array, and other ship sensor processing, through rapid insertion of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf based hardware and software.  Work will be performed in Manassas, Va. (60 percent) and Clearwater, Fla. (40 percent), and is expected to be completed by December 2013.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  Contract funds in the amount of 4,555,520 will be obligated at time of award.  The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.              Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded a $26,528,819 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a delivery order previously issued against basic ordering agreement N00019-12-G-0006.  This modification provides the Naval Rotary Wing Aircraft Test Squadron with on-site test management, flight test engineering, design engineering, and related efforts to support MV-22 flight and ground testing.  Work will be performed at the Naval Air Station, Patuxent River, Md. (52 percent); Philadelphia, Pa. (33 percent); and Fort Worth, Texas (15 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2013.  Contract funds in the amount of $26,528,819 will be obligated on the contract, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. is the contracting activity.              BAE Systems-Electronics Solutions, Nashua, N.H., is being awarded a three year $19,152,900 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity letter contract to manufacture MJU-68/69 flares and CCU-168 impulse cartridge for the Joint Strike Fighter program.  Work will be performed in Toone, Tenn., and work is expected to be completed by December 2015.  Contract funds in the amount of $2,264,724 will be obligated at the time of the award and will not expire before the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with U.S.C. 10 2304 (c)(1).  The NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support, Mechanicsburg, Pa., is the contracting activity (N00104-13-D-K017).  MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY             Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Sensors, Moorestown, N.J., is being awarded a contract modification (P00044) under the HQ0276-10-C-0003 contract.  The total value of this ceiling increase is $45,920,095, increasing the total contract value from $209,893,182 to $255,813,277.  Under this modification, the contractor will provide Aegis Ashore Engineering Agent engineering support and skid integration for host nation.  The work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey.  The performance period is from the date of award through Dec. 31, 2015.  Fiscal 2013 Research, Development, Test and Evaluation funds in the amount of $7,844,028 will be used to incrementally fund this effort.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This is not a Foreign Military Sales acquisition.  Missile Defense Agency, Dahlgren, Va., is the contracting activity.  AIR FORCE             Aerospace Testing Alliance, Tullahoma, Tenn., (F40600-03-C-0001, P00287) is being awarded a $43,100,803 cost-plus-award-fee contract modification for operarion, maintenance and information management support for the Arnold Engineering Development Complex.  The location of the performance is Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn.  Work is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2013.  The contracting activity is AEDC/PZZ, Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn.              The Boeing Co., Newark, Ohio, (F42610-99-D-0006-0069-02) is being awarded a $19,378,649 contract modification for the Minuteman III guidance system repair.  The location of the performance is Newark, Ohio.  Work is expected to be completed by April 30, 2014.  The contracting activity is AFNWC/PZBE, Hill Air Force Base, Utah.              Georgia Tech Applied Research Corp., Atlanta, Ga., (HC1047-05-D-4000-0228) is being awarded a $9,601,785 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Air Natonal Guard engineering development and test studies.  The location of the performance is Atlanta, Ga.  Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 6, 2015.  The contracting activity is ESG/PKS, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.              Trimble Military and Advanced Systems Inc., Sunnyvale, Calif., (FA8807-13-D-0017) is being awarded a $6,712,500 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for acquisition of Trimble GPS receivers.  The location of the performance is Sunnyvale, Calif.  Work is expected to be completed by December 2017.  The contracting activity is SMC/GPK, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif.  Contract involves Foreign Military Sales. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY             Physio-Control Inc., Redmond, Wash., was issued a modification exercising the second option year on contract SPM200-07-D-8261/P00009.  The modification is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery and indefinite-quantity contract with a maximum $43,027,375 for defibrillators, related components, and accessories.  There are no other locations of performance.  Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies.  There were ninety solicitations with 70 responses.  Type of appropriation is fiscal 2013 Defense Working Capital Funds.  The date of performance completion is Dec. 7, 2013.  The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa.              Dixon Shane doing business as R and S Northeast L.L.C.*, Philadelphia, Pa., was issued a modification exercising the fourth option year on contract SPM2D0-08-D-0252/P00136.  The modification is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery and indefinite-quantity contract with a maximum $15,281,256 for various pharmaceutical products.  There are no other locations of performance.  Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies.  There were three responses to the Web solicitation.  Type of appropriation is fiscal 2013 Warstopper Funds.  The date of performance completion is Dec. 11, 2013.  The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa.  *Small Business     U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) On the Web: http://www.defense.gov/Contracts/ Media Contact: +1 (703) 697-5131/697-5132 Public Contact: http://www.defense.gov/landing/questions.aspx or +1 (703) 428-0711 +1 Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your User Profile Page. You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please e-mail support@govdelivery.com. Updates from the U.S. Department of Defense

VA News Releases Update Posted: 10 Dec 2012 01:05 PM PST Veterans Health Administration Update VA News Releases Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. Report Reveals Further Reduction in Veterans Homelessness 12/10/2012 12:00 AM EST The Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced that a new national report shows that homelessness among Veterans has been reduced by approximately 7 percent between January 2011 and January 2012. The decline keeps the Obama Administration on track to meet the goal of ending Veteran homelessness in 2015.  Connect With Us        You have received this message because you are subscribed to Veterans Health.  Access your Subscriber Preferences to make changes to your subscription or Unsubscribe.  Get this as a forward? Sign up to receive updates from Veterans Health.  Have questions or problems? Please contact support@govdelivery.com for assistance.    Sent to smart_z64.1111@blogger.com on behalf of US Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration · 810 Vermont Avenue, NW · Washington, DC 20420 · 877-222-VETS (877-222-8387)

VA Fights to Prevent Heart Disease in Women Vets Posted: 10 Dec 2012 01:01 PM PST Veterans Health Administration Update: Inside Veterans Health VA Fights to Prevent Heart Disease in Women Vets 12/10/2012 11:00 AM EST Women Vets don’t realize their risk of heart disease. Through an outreach and patient education initiative, VA is raising awareness of the risks associated with heart disease and the importance of regular screenings. Connect With Us.   You have received this message because you are subscribed to Veterans Health.  Access your Subscriber Preferences to make changes to your subscription or Unsubscribe.  Get this as a forward? Sign up to receive updates from Veterans Health.  Have questions or problems? Please contact support@govdelivery.com for assistance.    Sent to smart_z64.1111@blogger.com on behalf of US Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration · 810 Vermont Avenue, NW · Washington, DC 20420 · 877-222-VETS (877-222-8387)

This Week in the National Guard Posted: 10 Dec 2012 11:50 AM PST Below are links to this week's stories about all the great work being done by you and your fellow National Guard members – both here at home and overseas. Maybe your state and your unit are featured in this week's lineup! Please visit our Website at http://www.nationalguard.mil and our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/TheNationalGuard for these and many other stories, photos and videos.   COL Eric D. Maxon Director, Public Affairs and Strategic Communications   For the latest state-by-state Hurricane Sandy coverage, check our microsite at http://www.nationalguard.mil/features/hurricaneseason2012/   Follow our senior leaders on their official Facebook pages: GEN Frank J. Grass: http://www.facebook.com/GeneralGrass LTG Harry M. Wyatt III: http://www.facebook.com/AirGuardDirector CMSgt Denise Jelinski-Hall: http://www.facebook.com/ChiefJelinskiHall CSM Brunk W. Conley: http://www.facebook.com/CSMConley   50 YEARS LATER, FLORIDA GUARD MEMBERS SHARE VIETNAM STORIES (12/5/12) – With time, memories and photos fade. The photos are black and white – images of young men in military fatigues and muddy combat boots staring knowingly into a camera. The edges of the glossy prints are starting to curl and yellow. http://www.nationalguard.mil/news/archives/2012/12/120512-Vietnam.aspx VA. GUARD ENGINEERS AND VDF TO SUPPORT 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG BOWLING GREEN, Va. (12/07/12) – Soldiers from the Virginia National Guard's Bowling Green-based 189th Engineer Company, 276th Engineer Battalion will provide the latest in military mobile bridging technology in support of Civil War re-enactors during the observation of the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Fredericksburg scheduled for Saturday. http://www.nationalguard.mil/news/archives/2012/12/120712-Fredericksburg.aspx NEW YORK NATIONAL GUARD'S 'FIGHTING 69TH' RETURNS TO FREDERICKSBURG FREDERICKSBURG, VA. (12/07/2012) - New York Army National Guard Soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry visit the historic battlefields of their regiment this weekend as part of the Civil War sesquicentennial commemoration Friday through Sunday at the National Military Park here. http://www.nationalguard.mil/news/archives/2012/12/120712-New.aspx SOUTH DAKOTA NATIONAL GUARD COMBAT LIFESAVERS TRAIN IN SOUTH AMERICA PARAMARIBO, Suriname (12/10/12) - The South Dakota National Guard sent three service members to South America on a medical training exchange with service members from South Dakota’s partner nation, Suriname. http://www.nationalguard.mil/news/archives/2012/12/121012-South.aspx NEW YORK ARMY NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS HELP KUWAIT MISSIONS MOVE FORWARD CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT (12/06/12) - They deployed in March and came to call themselves "The New York 39," but the New York Army National Guard Soldiers put their range of skills and experience to work in Kuwait, yielding lasting results for ongoing Army missions in the area. http://www.nationalguard.mil/news/archives/2012/12/120612-Kuwait.aspx DOD CLARIFIES POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION EXPECTATIONS WASHINGTON, (12/07/12) - The Defense Department has issued new policy guidelines intended to provide better protection for members of the military and veterans who seek tuition assistance for post-secondary degrees. http://www.nationalguard.mil/news/archives/2012/12/120712-DOD.aspx   Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact support@govdelivery.com. This service is provided to you at no charge by the National Guard Bureau. SOCIAL MEDIA: http://www.flickr.com/photos/TheNationalGuard http://www.facebook.com/TheNationalGuard http://www.youtube.com/user/TheNationalGuard http://www.twitter.com/USNationalGuard This email was sent to smart_z64.1111@blogger.com using GovDelivery, on behalf of: National Guard Bureau · AHS 2 · 111 South George Mason Drive · Arlington, VA 22204 · 800-439-1420

New Process Improves Household Goods Shipments Posted: 10 Dec 2012 11:24 AM PST You are subscribed to American Forces News Articles for U.S. Department of Defense. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. New Process Improves Household Goods Shipments 12/10/2012 12:59 PM CST New Process Improves Household Goods Shipments By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill., Dec. 10, 2012 - A system being implemented at U.S. Transportation Command is making permanent-change-of-station moves more convenient, while reducing lost and damaged shipments and saving the government money. The Defense Personal Property System is making permanent-change-of-station moves more convenient, reducing lost and damaged shipments and saving the government money. Here, a moving truck is unloaded as a military family moves into a new home at Camp Lejeune, N.C. Courtesy photo (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The Defense Personal Property System, introduced in 2009 as a pilot program at 17 installations, now supports 90 percent of all military moves, Jill Smith, personal property division chief at Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, told American Forces Press Service. The Web-based system automates many of the steps involved in military moves: pre-move counseling, scheduling, tracking, invoicing and claims filing for household goods shipments. "The beauty of DPS is that customers can do all this from the comfort of their own homes. They can do it early in the morning or at 11 o'clock at night, whatever works best for them," Smith said. "Plus, all the information they might want – whether it's about gypsy moths or weight allowances, or just tips about how they can have a smoother move – is right at their fingertips, a click away, and available 24/7." DPS also gives customers the opportunity to track their shipments online. If their shipment is lost or damaged, they can file a claim online and settle directly with the moving company. Moves not yet covered by DPS – generally those involving long-term storage or moves within an overseas theater – will be included as new features are added to make the system fully operational by September 2017, Smith said. Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, Transcom's Army component, processes about 600,000 personal property moves each year for soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, Defense Department civilian employees and their families, Smith reported. About one-third of these moves take place during the summer, and almost 70,000 include privately owned vehicle shipments. Collectively, they cost the Defense Department about $2.2 billion a year, Smith said. But with DPS, she projects between $117 million and $136 million in annual savings – while providing customers with better service. That's because rather than relying on "low-bid" transportation providers to conduct military moves, DPS provides "best value" services. This, Smith explained, factors in not just cost, but also variables such as timeliness, reliability, the incidence of lost or damaged shipments and ease in providing reimbursement for claims. "We want to provide carriers that are not only qualified, but fully capable of making sure that they protect the members' household goods, provide a great quality move and communicate with that customer," she said. "The bottom line for us is that we want to do business with carriers that pick up the household goods on time and deliver them on time, with no or the least amount of damage – whether [that carrier] happens to be cheaper or a little bit more expensive." Those determinations are based directly on customer satisfaction surveys that help ensure the best movers get singled out for DOD business. "We rely on these surveys because [customers] get to evaluate the [transportation service provider's] performance, and that ties directly into the best-value score," Smith said. "The higher the customer satisfaction, the higher the score and the more opportunity that [carrier] gets to participate in future traffic." As an additional incentive for moving companies to apply extra care while handling DOD shipments, carriers are now required to pay full replacement value for anything lost or broken. Before that change was introduced about five years ago, transportation carriers paid a depreciated value on all claims. The result has been a dramatic reduction in claims. "If they break your $500 china, that means they have to replace or repair it. So carriers have a tendency to be more careful," Smith said. "That is a good thing, because it helps make service members feel a little bit more comfortable about turning over their prized possessions, knowing that the carriers are going to be held responsible for it." Smith said she's looking forward to the complete rollout of DPS and the convenience it will provide DOD customers throughout the move process. "This will be a brand new era," she said. "Customers will have a centralized one-stop shop that gives them all the tools they need to plan and manage their moves, that provides them best-value service and uses their feedback to ensure other service members will, too."   Related Sites: U.S. Transportation Command Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command   Defense Department News Through Facebook On American Forces Press Service's Facebook page, you can post comments and share news, photos and videos. Go to http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Forces-Press-Service/65137437532 or search for American Forces Press Service at Facebook.com. Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time by clicking on your 'User Profile' page at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDOD/subscriber/edit?preferences=true#tab1. You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please e-mail support@govdelivery.com. Have another inquiry? Visit the online FAQ at http://www.defense.gov/landing/questions.aspx for up-to-date information. Get the help you, your family, and fellow servicemembers need, when you need it. Visit www.WarriorCare.mil to learn more. Check out the National Resource Directory at www.nationalresourcedirectory.org, a new web-based resource for wounded, ill and injured service members, veterans, their families, families of the fallen and those who support them from the Departments of Defense, Labor, and Veterans Affairs. This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. Department of Defense. Visit us on the web at http://www.defense.gov/. Updates from the U.S. Department of Defense

DOD Releases Report on Progress in Afghanistan Posted: 10 Dec 2012 11:02 AM PST You are subscribed to News Releases for U.S. Department of Defense. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. DOD Releases Report on Progress in Afghanistan 12/10/2012 12:29 PM CST IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 963-12 December 10, 2012 DOD Releases Report on Progress in Afghanistan             The October 2012 "Report on Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan," a biannual report to Congress in accordance with Section 1230 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (Public Law 110-181) as amended, was provided today to Congress.              It is posted at http://www.defense.gov/news/1230_Report_final.pdf     U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) On the Web: http://www.defense.gov/releases/ Media Contact: +1 (703) 697-5131/697-5132 Public Contact: http://www.defense.gov/landing/questions.aspx or +1 (703) 428-0711 +1 Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your User Profile Page. You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please e-mail support@govdelivery.com. Updates from the U.S. Department of Defense

Pakistan, Corruption Remain Stumbling Blocks in Afghanistan Posted: 10 Dec 2012 09:58 AM PST You are subscribed to American Forces News Articles for U.S. Department of Defense. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Pakistan, Corruption Remain Stumbling Blocks in Afghanistan 12/10/2012 11:45 AM CST Pakistan, Corruption Remain Stumbling Blocks in Afghanistan By Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 2012 - Safe havens in Pakistan, corruption and limited Afghan government capabilities are the greatest obstacles to stability in Afghanistan, according to a Pentagon report delivered to Congress and made public today. The Report on Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan also states that the coalition surge accomplished its mission. The enemy has lost capability, the report says. The number of attacks is down and, while the Taliban and its al-Qaida allies can launch a few flashy attacks, the terror group's capabilities have waned. Pakistan remains a problem, but there is some progress on that front, according to the report. "The insurgency and al-Qaida continue to face U.S. counterterrorism pressure within the safe havens," the report says. "U.S. relations with Pakistan have begun to improve following the re-opening of Pakistani ground lines of communication, and there has been nascent improvement with respect to cross-border cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan." In fact, the report continues, there has been some cooperation on both sides of the border in coordinating counterterror offensives. Most security metrics have improved, the report says. It compares the first year of the surge – 2010 – with April through September of this year, noting that enemy-initiated attacks have declined by 12 percent. Detonations of improvised explosive devices declined 9 percent. The percentage of civilian casualties caused by NATO forces declined 28 percent. Direct- fire attacks have dropped by 9 percent, and indirect-fire attacks are down by 24 percent. However, civilian casualties caused by enemy attacks are up 11 percent, according to the Pentagon report. The report's findings point to progress with the Afghan national security forces, which will take over security operations when U.S. and coalition forces leave at the end of 2014. "The ANSF has grown by 88,464 personnel, and has dramatically increased its capabilities," the report states. "The areas of the country influenced by the insurgents and the ability of the insurgency to attack the population have been significantly diminished." The report to Congress highlights the improvement in security of populated areas. "Security dramatically improved in most of Afghanistan's five most populous districts, with [enemy-initiated attacks] in the first nine months of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011 dropping 22 percent in Kabul, 62 percent in Kandahar, 13 percent in Herat, 88 percent in Mazar-e-Sharif, and rising 2 percent in Kunduz," the report says. Insurgent attacks are taking place away from these populated centers, the report says, noting that the majority of Afghanistan's 405 districts now experience very low levels of enemy attacks. Eighty percent of attacks occur in districts encompassing only 20 percent of the population, and nearly half of all attacks in Afghanistan occur in just 17 districts that contain only 5 percent of the population, the report states. The Taliban's ability to attack Afghans is diminished particularly in Kandahar, the group's operational and ideological base. But overall, the report paints a picture of mixed progress toward security and stability, with the area along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border remaining a hot zone. "Pakistani-based sanctuary for insurgents, such as the Haqqani Taliban Network in North Waziristan, as well as the financial and operational support that insurgents receive from various sources, keeps the security situation along the border with Pakistan in Regional Command – East volatile," the report says. While enemy attacks in the region declined slightly, eastern Afghanistan accounted for almost a third of all insurgent attacks throughout the country. "The Taliban-led insurgency remains adaptive and determined, and retains the capability to emplace substantial numbers of IEDs and to conduct isolated high-profile attacks," the report says. "The insurgency also retains a significant regenerative capacity." As ISAF and Afghan forces erode Taliban efforts, insurgents have increasingly resorted to asymmetric tactics in an attempt to regain territory and influence, including assassinations, kidnappings, intimidation tactics, encouraging insider attacks and strategic messaging campaigns, the report states.     Defense Department News Through Facebook On American Forces Press Service's Facebook page, you can post comments and share news, photos and videos. Go to http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Forces-Press-Service/65137437532 or search for American Forces Press Service at Facebook.com. Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time by clicking on your 'User Profile' page at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDOD/subscriber/edit?preferences=true#tab1. You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please e-mail support@govdelivery.com. Have another inquiry? Visit the online FAQ at http://www.defense.gov/landing/questions.aspx for up-to-date information. Get the help you, your family, and fellow servicemembers need, when you need it. Visit www.WarriorCare.mil to learn more. Check out the National Resource Directory at www.nationalresourcedirectory.org, a new web-based resource for wounded, ill and injured service members, veterans, their families, families of the fallen and those who support them from the Departments of Defense, Labor, and Veterans Affairs. This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. Department of Defense. Visit us on the web at http://www.defense.gov/. Updates from the U.S. Department of Defense

DOD Identifies Navy Casualty Posted: 10 Dec 2012 09:16 AM PST You are subscribed to News Releases for U.S. Department of Defense. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. DOD Identifies Navy Casualty 12/10/2012 11:02 AM CST IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 962-12 December 10, 2012 DOD Identifies Navy Casualty             The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.              Petty Officer 1st Class Nicolas D. Checque, 28, of Monroeville, Pa., died of combat related injuries suffered Dec. 8, while supporting operations near Kabul, Afghanistan.  Checque was assigned to an East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit.             For further information related to this release, please contact Naval Special Warfare Command Public Affairs at 619-522-2816 or 703-697-5342.     U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) On the Web: http://www.defense.gov/releases/ Media Contact: +1 (703) 697-5131/697-5132 Public Contact: http://www.defense.gov/landing/questions.aspx or +1 (703) 428-0711 +1 Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your User Profile Page. You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please e-mail support@govdelivery.com. Updates from the U.S. Department of Defense

Face of Defense: Twins Complete Recruit Training Together Posted: 10 Dec 2012 08:45 AM PST You are subscribed to American Forces News Articles for U.S. Department of Defense. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Face of Defense: Twins Complete Recruit Training Together 12/10/2012 09:59 AM CST Face of Defense: Twins Complete Recruit Training Together By Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Bridget Keane Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego SAN DIEGO, Dec. 10, 2012 - Born four minutes apart, Marine Corps Pvts. Shaun and Gabe Vanderwall, Platoon 1035, Company B, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, grew up nearly inseparable. Marine Corps Pvts. Shaun and Gabe Vanderwall are identical twins who went through recruit training together at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Bridget Keane (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The 21-year-old identical twins from Ludington, Mich., were always together and enrolled in the same activities since they were children. "I guess it made it easier for our mother so she didn't have to be in two places at once," Shaun said. "That's where our competitiveness came from." The twins would hold "friendly competitions" with each other during sporting events, trying to beat each other's times and scores. As they moved on to high school, they both joined track and swim and continued in their competitive nature. Although the boys' friendly rivalry was taken light-heartedly, they still pushed each other to excel in any activity. "We're brothers, we wouldn't want to see each other fail at anything," Shaun said. After graduating from Ludington High School in 2009 and receiving scholarships for their performance in track and swim, both soon realized how expensive college would be even with scholarships. "Since we were good at swimming, we decided it would be a good idea to join the Coast Guard," Shaun said. "We wanted to do something in search and rescue." The two went to speak with a recruiter, but were discouraged by the news they received. "We were told that we'd have to wait two years before we could join," Shaun said. "We decided we were going to wait." But the Vanderwall twins grew tired of their work at a local retirement home as servers and cooks. Gabe said they didn't want to wait any longer and went back to the recruiting center to look at a different branch of service. He spoke with a Marine Corps recruiter and was pleased to hear that he and his brother would be able to leave sooner. He returned home with the good news to Shaun, and the two enlisted in April. "We both wanted to get on with our lives, and the Marine Corps gave us so many options with jobs and benefits," said Gabe. The brothers shipped off to recruit training here Sept. 10 and were placed in the same platoon. Like most recruits, they had a hard time adjusting to the first few weeks of recruit training, they said, but the one thing they had was each other. The brothers said they motivated each other when times became tough and even kept up with their competitive games during training events such as the combat fitness test. "We both received a 300 on our CFTs and our times were close," Gabe said. "We both did 100 ammunition can lifts, our 880 was 2 minutes 29 seconds, but I beat Shaun by seven seconds on the maneuver under fire -- I got a minute 50 seconds and he got 57 seconds." Knowing that they could always rely on each other, they continued to push through training and were noticed individually in the platoon. "Shaun was more of a natural leader when he arrived, and Gabe was more reserved and quiet," said Marine Corps Sgt. Brandon Rogers, drill instructor. "Gabe is actually the most improved recruit in our platoon." Rogers, a 25-year-old Fairfield, Calif., native, explained that while Gabe struggled in the beginning but soon started to volunteer more and take charge, both developed into good leaders, morally and physically. "They motivated the platoon through their actions," he said. "When there was a task that needed to be done, they'd always get it taken care of." Though the Vanderwall twins now hold the title Marine, their Marine Corps journey isn't over yet. They are scheduled to continue Marine Combat Training at the School of Infantry at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Jan 8. Once they finish training there, they will go separate ways for the first time in their lives. It's going to be a big change in their lives, they said, but they're ready to experience it. "I think it will be a good experience for them," Rogers said. "I'm confident that they'll be fine on their own." Related Sites: Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego   Defense Department News Through Facebook On American Forces Press Service's Facebook page, you can post comments and share news, photos and videos. Go to http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Forces-Press-Service/65137437532 or search for American Forces Press Service at Facebook.com. Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time by clicking on your 'User Profile' page at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDOD/subscriber/edit?preferences=true#tab1. You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please e-mail support@govdelivery.com. Have another inquiry? Visit the online FAQ at http://www.defense.gov/landing/questions.aspx for up-to-date information. Get the help you, your family, and fellow servicemembers need, when you need it. Visit www.WarriorCare.mil to learn more. Check out the National Resource Directory at www.nationalresourcedirectory.org, a new web-based resource for wounded, ill and injured service members, veterans, their families, families of the fallen and those who support them from the Departments of Defense, Labor, and Veterans Affairs. This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. Department of Defense. Visit us on the web at http://www.defense.gov/. Updates from the U.S. Department of Defense

Combined Force Arrests Taliban Leader in Helmand Province Posted: 10 Dec 2012 08:44 AM PST You are subscribed to American Forces News Articles for U.S. Department of Defense. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Combined Force Arrests Taliban Leader in Helmand Province 12/10/2012 10:05 AM CST Combined Force Arrests Taliban Leader in Helmand Province Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 2012 - A combined coalition and Afghan security force arrested a Taliban leader in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Afghanistan's Helmand province today, military officials reported. The leader was a weapons facilitator directly involved in coordinating attacks targeting Afghan and coalition forces, officials said. He also directed assassinations, coordinated the shipment and distribution of bomb-making materials and weapons, and provided intelligence to Taliban senior leadership operating in the province. The security force also detained three suspected insurgents and seized an Afghan army uniform. In other Afghanistan operations today: -- A combined force in Kandahar province's Arghandab district arrested a Taliban facilitator who organized high-profile attacks while financing the manufacture of improvised explosive devices and vehicle-borne bombs. He also trained insurgents for IED attacks. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents. -- In Khost province's Terayzai district, a combined force arrested a Haqqani network leader responsible for commanding high-profile attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and the coordination and movement of IEDs and Haqqani insurgents. He conducted IED testing and was overseeing the shipment of weapons to support an impending attack. The security force also seized weapons and detained a suspected insurgent. -- A combined force in Wardak province's Nerkh district arrested a Taliban leader who directed attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and oversaw IED operations. -- In Balkh province's Balkh district, a combined force detained four insurgents during a search for a Haqqani network facilitator who coordinates suicide bombings. The security force also seized 10 pounds of illegal narcotics. In Afghanistan operations yesterday: -- A combined force in Paktia province's Sayyid Karam district arrested a Haqqani network leader who controlled a group that conducts IED attacks against Afghan officials and Afghan and coalition forces. He also built, stored and transported IEDs for insurgents operating in the area. The security force also detained a suspected insurgent and seized IED-making materials, grenades and a large amount of ammunition. -- In Kandahar province's Maiwand district, a combined force arrested a Taliban facilitator who was directly involved in IED operations and facilitated suicide-bomb attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also oversaw the transport of ammunition and IED-making materials to insurgents. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents. -- A combined force in Helmand province's Nahr-e Saraj district arrested a Taliban leader who procured heavy weapons, ammunition and bomb-making materials and advised Taliban insurgents. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents. -- In Balkh province's Chimtal district, a combined force arrested a Taliban leader responsible for planning and conducting attacks and kidnappings and for weapons procurement. In other recent operations: -- A combined force in Helmand province's Nahr-e Saraj district arrested a Taliban leader Dec. 8. He distributed IED materials, detained a suspected insurgent and seized bomb-making materials. -- In Uruzgan province's Shahid-e-Hasas district Dec. 7, Afghan and coalition security forces seized and destroyed weapons, ammunition and three motorcycles used by insurgents. Several insurgents were killed and three suspected insurgent were detained during the operation. Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force   Defense Department News Through Facebook On American Forces Press Service's Facebook page, you can post comments and share news, photos and videos. Go to http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Forces-Press-Service/65137437532 or search for American Forces Press Service at Facebook.com. Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time by clicking on your 'User Profile' page at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDOD/subscriber/edit?preferences=true#tab1. You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please e-mail support@govdelivery.com. Have another inquiry? Visit the online FAQ at http://www.defense.gov/landing/questions.aspx for up-to-date information. Get the help you, your family, and fellow servicemembers need, when you need it. Visit www.WarriorCare.mil to learn more. Check out the National Resource Directory at www.nationalresourcedirectory.org, a new web-based resource for wounded, ill and injured service members, veterans, their families, families of the fallen and those who support them from the Departments of Defense, Labor, and Veterans Affairs. This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. Department of Defense. Visit us on the web at http://www.defense.gov/. Updates from the U.S. Department of Defense

Pilot Calls F-35 'Big Leap' in Fighter Capability Posted: 10 Dec 2012 08:31 AM PST You are subscribed to American Forces News Articles for U.S. Department of Defense. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Pilot Calls F-35 'Big Leap' in Fighter Capability 12/10/2012 10:23 AM CST Pilot Calls F-35 'Big Leap' in Fighter Capability By Terri Moon Cronk American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 2012 - The F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter jet will be a strategic deterrent for the nation because of its "huge leap in capability," a Marine Corps pilot said. Lt. Col. Jeffrey Scott, commander of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing's Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., recently told the Pentagon Channel the F-35 will allow Marines to perform missions in high-threat areas, unlike existing aircraft. The F-35 will be able to do every mission now performed by the AV-8 Harrier does now, but will be able to do it in more situations, said Scott, who is involved with flying and testing the new aircraft. The new fighter will provide access to more areas, he explained, and will allow more time for rolling back enemy defenses. The Defense Department and Lockheed Martin reached an agreement in principle last week to manufacture 32 F-35s in the Pentagon's largest weapons program. Lockheed Martin will produce 22 F-35A conventional takeoff and landing variants for the Air Force, three F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing variants for the Marine Corps, and seven F-35C carrier variants for the Navy. Scott said flying the F-35 is an easy transition from the Harrier, and that it did exceptionally well, during a recent trial at sea. "The sensors and systems are the big leap deploying the aircraft in terms of tactics," he said. "The Lightning will fulfill a lot of the functions of Marine Corps aviation -- such as [our] air support role, antiair, targeting enemy ground locations and supporting the troops on the ground -- as Harriers and [F/A-18] Hornets do now," he added. "But it brings more in one aircraft in its ability to protect itself from the enemy." Scott said the F-35 will give the military "a huge leap in capability, probably five or six steps beyond what we now have." "We're going to have this aircraft for a long time," he said. "As we get more and more of these aircraft in all of the services, we're going to see a lot of the benefits that the aircraft has in terms of commonality. As we start operating tactically, some of the communications [and] capabilities will become more and more valuable to the services, ... and it will be in demand to combatant commanders around the world." Biographies: Marine Corps Lt. Col. Jeffrey Scott Related Sites: F-35 Lightning II Program Related Articles: DOD, Lockheed Martin Agree to More F-35s   Defense Department News Through Facebook On American Forces Press Service's Facebook page, you can post comments and share news, photos and videos. Go to http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Forces-Press-Service/65137437532 or search for American Forces Press Service at Facebook.com. Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time by clicking on your 'User Profile' page at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDOD/subscriber/edit?preferences=true#tab1. You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please e-mail support@govdelivery.com. Have another inquiry? Visit the online FAQ at http://www.defense.gov/landing/questions.aspx for up-to-date information. Get the help you, your family, and fellow servicemembers need, when you need it. Visit www.WarriorCare.mil to learn more. Check out the National Resource Directory at www.nationalresourcedirectory.org, a new web-based resource for wounded, ill and injured service members, veterans, their families, families of the fallen and those who support them from the Departments of Defense, Labor, and Veterans Affairs. This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. Department of Defense. Visit us on the web at http://www.defense.gov/. Updates from the U.S. Department of Defense

Propwash Posted: 10 Dec 2012 01:12 AM PST ----------------------------------------------------------------- Aero-News Network "Propwash" E-Mail Aero-News Summary A Free E-Mail Newsletter ISSN: 12.10.12 Issue 156/10 Aero-News.Net 'Propwash' Daily News Provided to registered subscribers, Daily: ISSN: 1530-9339 For Subscribe/Unsubscribe procedures: Manage Your Subscription here For Subscribe/Unsubscribe procedures and Privacy Statement, scroll to end. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Welcome to this day's ANN 'Propwash' Daily News Brief. We welcome and encourage your comments, criticism and suggestions... and hope that you'll become active members of the ANN community, though we'd like to ask you one big favor... PLEASE TELL EVERYONE ABOUT AERO-NEWS! NEWS SUMMARY: Remember... You Have to Go to www.aero-news.net to read the WHOLE story! There's much more! ----------------------------------------------------------------- ANN Daily Sponsor: 12.10.12 Edition: Airborne 12.07.12: Dynon ADS-B, Italian LSAs, New Army Helos Also: LightSquared Returns?, Trig Transponder, Iran Drone Claims, First A350 Moves, R.I.P. Spidernaut... Pilots of light sport and experimental aircraft will welcome the news that Dynon Avionics is now shipping the SV-ADSB-470 UAT Band Traffic and Weather Receiver for the SkyView system. This remotely mounted receiver module integrates with the SkyView system to provide easy access to weather and traffic information on top of the detailed navigational information SkyView already provides. Italico Aviation USA, a spin-off of the Italian ultralight builder Euroala, is opening an LSA manufacturing facility at Kissimmee Gateway Airport. The US Army's long serving OH-58 Kiowa Warrior scout helicopter, may be on its way out. According to Reuters, Army officials are backing a plan to replace the aging helo, which first flew in Viet Nam, rather than extend its service life. All this... and MORE in today's episode of Airborne!!! Airborne 12.07.12 is chock full of info about the half-week period ending Friday, December 7th, 2012... Presented by Aero-TV veteran videographer and Airborne Host Ashley Hale, and supported by ANN CEO/Editor-In-Chief Jim Campbell, Chief Videographer Nathan Cremisino, and Aero-Journalists Tom Patton, and Glen Moyer, this episode covers: 1) Dynon Ships New ADS-B “In” Weather, Traffic And TFR Receiver 2) Italian LSAs To Be Built In Kissimmee, FL 3) Army Reportedly Leaning Towards New Scout Helicopter 4) Barnstorming: LSA Needs To Get Its Act Together 5) LightSquared Makes Bid To Share Weather Balloon Spectrum 6) FAA Approves Trig’s ADS-B Out Transponder For Use With NexNav GPS 7) Iran Claims It Has Captured A U.S. Drone 8) First Flyable A350 XWB 'MSN-001' Structurally Complete 9) Smithsonian Spidernaut Has Died 10) TSA: No Snowglobes In Whoville Get Comprehensive, Real-Time, 24/7 coverage of the latest aviation and aerospace stories anytime, at aero-news.net. And be sure to join us again next week for the next edition of "Airborne" here on Aero-TV. Thanks for watching. See you, again, in just a few days! © 2012, Aero-News Network, Inc., ALL Rights Reserved. FMI: www.aero-news.net, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews, The Full ANN/YouTube AIRBORNE Roster -- www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL42E90078D99B1053&feature=view_all For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/featurestories.cfm?ContentBlockID=9eb60b50-03db-472f-a37d-6b8718869a35 ----------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Army Flies Autonomous Black Hawk Helicopter First Test Flight Had Pilots Aboard For Safety Over the skies east of San Jose, CA, a Black Hawk helicopter was seen flying low and slow November 5. There were pilots aboard the aircraft, but all maneuvers during this flight were being conducted autonomously. The U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command's Aviation and Missile Center successfully demonstrated low-level autonomous behaviors in a flight over the Diablo Range. This demonstration is critical to the next generation of technological advances in military rotorcraft: obstacle field navigation and safe landing area determination. Terrain sensing, statistical processing, risk assessment, threat avoidance, trajectory generation, and autonomous flight control were performed in real-time during the two-hour test flight. "This was the first time terrain-aware autonomy has been achieved on a Black Hawk," said Lt. Col. Carl Ott, chief of the Flight Projects Office at AMRDEC's Aero Flight Dynamics Directorate. Testing was conducted on the Rotorcraft Aircrew Systems Concept Airborne Laboratory, or RASCAL, a JUH-60A Black Hawk equipped with the H.N. Burns 3D-LZ laser detection and ranging system for terrain sensing. "The RASCAL aircraft was the ideal platform to demonstrate this technology. It provides a fully programmable, fly-by-wire flight control system and [has] advanced sensor interfaces for rapid prototyping of new concepts while maintaining the standard UH-60 hydro-mechanical flight control system as a safety backup," said Jay Fletcher, RASCAL project manager. Throughout the flight, the aircraft maintained an altitude of 200 and 400 feet above ground. During the final obstacle of the field navigation flight, the safe landing area determination algorithm autonomously identified a safe landing spot within a forest clearing and commanded the aircraft to approach and hover at 60 feet. Final hover was accurate within a foot. "A risk-minimizing algorithm was used to compute and command a safe trajectory continuously throughout 23 miles of rugged terrain at an average speed of 40 knots," said Matthew Whalley, the Autonomous Rotorcraft Project lead. "No prior knowledge of the terrain was used." Crew members on the historic flight were Army experimental test pilots Lt. Col. Mike Olmstead and Ott, RASCAL system operator Dennis Zollo, and Dr. Marc Takahashi. FMI: www.army.mil For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/military.cfm?ContentBlockID=769a486d-9faa-4dc5-bc8d-c2e3732838f9 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Klyde Morris (12.10.12) Klyde Seems Prepared For The Worst... FMI: www.klydemorris.com For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/featurestories.cfm?ContentBlockID=b1f55647-9464-4347-956e-035d4e1be462 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Ballooning Federation Of America Announce Youth Camps Ensure The Future Of Ballooning And Get A Tax Deduction The Ballooning Federation of America (BFA) will be holding two Youth Summer Camps in 2013, one in Dubuque, IA, (June 23-27) and the other in Reno, NV, (Dates TBA). The camps are organized and run by volunteers and volunteer counselors donate their time to the camps. Donations provide the scholarships for campers to attend and goes towards the campers expenses for the week. Most campers attend the camps every year for free thanks to donations from the ballooning community. The 2012 Camps in Dubuque, IA and Albion, MI were a huge success. Check out the summary of the Dubuque camp in the September/October issue of BALLOONING and the Albion camp summary in the current issue of BALLOONING (November/December). Cori Clemons, who attended the Dubuque camp thanks to the support of the Nebraska Balloon Club, spoke highly of her experience at balloon camp to her local balloon club. Her experience led the Iowa Balloonists Association to create a Jr. Balloonist camp scholarship to award every year. “Thanks to Nebraska Balloon Club I was able to go to the BFA Dubuque balloon camp," Clemons wrote in a thank-you note. "I learned a lot about things I already knew about and I learned a lot about stuff I know little to nothing about. I got to learn first aid, weather, mapping and plotting, how to relight a pilot light, and home building. "The first day we signed in, unpacked and got settled in are rooms and met our roommates. We then were introduced to the counselors. There was Adam Magee, Kim Wooge, Scott Wooge, Ryan Carlton, Jeanne Anson, Kay West, and Craig Stephens. The campers introduced themselves to everyone. All the counselors taught us weather, and how to relight a pilot light. Special guest speakers taught us home building (Ron Cassidy), first aid (Caleb Melton), mapping and plotting (Scott and Matt McClinton). "We got to go to Lindstrand. At Lindstrand we learned about building balloons and baskets. We learned about the shelf that is in the racers, and about all balloons. We got to ride in the cloud hopper basket. During the whole time we got to do different baggie tosses. Like maximum distance, to the center of the X. "In our free time we would play pool, ping pong, and go outside. One night we had half an hour before bed and we played man hunt. I was hiding behind a pile of gravel and I was surrounded so I ran for it and straight through some mud and lost one of my shoes. Ryan had to help me find it. The shoe I didn't lose tripled in size. "I had a great time at camp," she concluded. "Thanks to the Nebraska Balloon Club I was able to go. Thank you for awarding me the scholarship.” Balloon camp is an enjoyable experience for teens to learn about hot air ballooning. MSN.com put balloon camp in its top 10 list of Amazing Camps. 2013 looks to be another successful year of BFA Youth Summer Camps, registration forms will be out soon for both camps. Donations made to the Balloon Federation of America Youth Summer Camps made by December 31 are deductible from the contributor's 2012 taxes. FMI: www.bfa.net For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/sport.cfm?ContentBlockID=ef5db202-1747-477c-a24f-b2eb1ad2073a ----------------------------------------------------------------- ANN Readers! Are You Ready To Choose The Best of 2012? After A Tough Year, Let's Celebrate What We Think Is The Best And Brightest This Industry Has To Offer OK... 2012 is a year that many of us would just as soon forget. Still, we believe (and hope that you do, as well) that there was still a fair amount to celebrate about the year that is quickly coming to an end. That being the case, we'd like to ask your input as we try to decide what planes, products, company and persons made this tumultuous year better than it might otherwise have been. Let's face it, the year kinda sucked, and did so in a lot of ways... but if not for the best effort of a number of companies and people, it could have been a whole lot worse. SO... let's hear from you... what companies impressed you this year? What was the best airplane produced in 2012? What were some of the best products -- and why? What people really impressed you with their actions, initiative and efforts this year? Who and/or what made 2012 a lot better than it might have been? Feel free to opine on all aspects of the business... commercial, general, sport aviation, what have you... but PLEASE fill us in on the stars of 2012... and let's hope that 2013 shows serious improvement over recent years! FMI: OK, You Asked For It, ANN. Here Is My Vote For The Best Planes, Products And People Of 2012!!! For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/featurestories.cfm?ContentBlockID=bb40a0cf-def4-4233-86e1-8161971ff5dd ----------------------------------------------------------------- ASTM Sets January Meeting For GA Committee Held In Conjunction With Part 23 ARC Meeting In Daytona, FL ASTM International will hold a meeting of its F44 committee early in January in conjunction with its Part 23 ARC meeting in Daytona Beach, FL. The sessions will be held January 10th and 11th on the campus of Embry-Riddle University. The Committee F44 on General Aviation Aircraft addresses issues related to design and construction, systems and performance, quality acceptance tests, and safety monitoring for general aviation aircraft (also known as Part 23) that is less than 19,000 pounds and 12 passengers. Through the establishment of a Part 23 Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC), industry expressed an interest in evolving Part 23 regulations into a more performance based document, reliant on standards for the design and performance of aircraft, in order to leverage all the benefits that referencing standards has to offer. Ultimately, the desire is to reduce the regulatory burden on the industry (and therefore the cost of the aircraft) and leverage standards to allow technology to be readily updated in a streamlined certification process where appropriate. Committee F44 normally meets twice a year, usually in April and October, with 50 members attending two to three days of technical meetings. The meetings are scheduled in conjunction with ASTM committees F37 on Light Sport Aircraft and F39 on Aircraft Systems along with industry trade and airshows. The Committee, with a membership of approximately 100, currently has jurisdiction of over 6 draft standards. F44 standards will be published in the Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Volume 15.11. F44 has 6 technical subcommittees that maintain jurisdiction over these standards. FMI: www.astm.org For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/genav.cfm?ContentBlockID=58731e7c-5e12-4fbd-a2b2-dd2426c2de2b ----------------------------------------------------------------- FAA Approves Touch Trainer For Cessna Singles New Version Of BATD From FlyThisSim The FAA recently approved a new version of the FlyThisSim (FTS) TouchTrainer flight simulator using touch screen technology for many of the controls and avionics. The new version is approved as a Basic Aviation Training Device (BATD) for Cessna 172 (RG), 182 (RG), and 206 for six pack and Garmin G1000 aircraft. This new TouchTrainer compliments the version that was FAA approved in March of 2012 for the Cirrus SR 20/22 line of aircraft. In one turn–key package a TouchTrainer provides accurate simulation of performance, systems, and avionics enabling aircraft specific instrument and procedure training for both students and experienced pilots. According to the company, retractable gear and constant-speed propeller versions are also provided where appropriate. FAA approval means the time flying the TouchTrainer can be logged toward a private or instrument rating and toward maintaining instrument currency. Instrumentation is supported by high-fidelity electrical systems models that provide power to avionics as per aircraft so that systems and emergency training can be carried out. The FTS custom GPS WAAS simulation enables fully coupled LNAV, LNAV+V, and LPV approaches to be practiced along with the usual ground radio-based approaches, such as ILS. The approaches are based on current navigation database from the FAA National Flight Database rather than legacy data. Navigation data, updates, and technical support are included in the first year. (Image provided by FlyThisSim) FMI: www.flythissim.com For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/genav.cfm?ContentBlockID=c3e52146-7684-4467-82ef-46e218fb6dca ----------------------------------------------------------------- NASA Twin Spacecraft Create Most Accurate Lunar Gravity Map Moon 'Wears Its Gravity Field On Its Sleeve' Twin NASA probes orbiting the moon have generated the highest resolution gravity field map of any celestial body. The new map, created by the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission, is allowing scientists to learn about the moon's internal structure and composition in unprecedented detail. Data from the two washing machine-sized spacecraft also will provide a better understanding of how Earth and other rocky planets in the solar system formed and evolved. The gravity field map reveals an abundance of features never before seen in detail, such as tectonic structures, volcanic landforms, basin rings, crater central peaks, and numerous simple, bowl-shaped craters. Data also show the moon's gravity field is unlike that of any terrestrial planet in our solar system. These are the first scientific results from the prime phase of the mission, and they are published in three papers in the journal Science. "What this map tells us is that more than any other celestial body we know of, the moon wears its gravity field on its sleeve," said GRAIL principal investigator Maria Zuber of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. "When we see a notable change in the gravity field, we can sync up this change with surface topography features such as craters, rilles or mountains." According to Zuber, the moon's gravity field preserves the record of impact bombardment that characterized all terrestrial planetary bodies and reveals evidence for fracturing of the interior extending to the deep crust and possibly the mantle. This impact record is preserved, and now precisely measured, on the moon. The probes revealed the bulk density of the moon's highland crust is substantially lower than generally assumed. This low bulk crustal density agrees well with data obtained during the final Apollo lunar missions in early 1970s, indicating that local samples returned by astronauts are indicative of global processes. "With our new crustal bulk density determination, we find that the average thickness of the moon's crust is between 21 and 27 miles (34 and 43 kilometers), which is about 6 to 12 miles (10 to 20 kilometers) thinner than previously thought." said GRAIL co-investigator Mark Wieczorek of the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris. "With this crustal thickness, the bulk composition of the moon is similar to that of Earth. This supports models where the moon is derived from Earth materials that were ejected during a giant impact event early in solar system history." The map was created by the spacecraft transmitting radio signals to define precisely the distance between them as they orbit the moon in formation. As they fly over areas of greater and lesser gravity caused by both visible features, such as mountains and craters, and masses hidden beneath the lunar surface, the distance between the two spacecraft will change slightly. "We used gradients of the gravity field in order to highlight smaller and narrower structures than could be seen in previous datasets," said Jeff Andrews-Hanna, a GRAIL guest scientist with the Colorado School of Mines in Golden. "This data revealed a population of long, linear, gravity anomalies, with lengths of hundreds of kilometers, crisscrossing the surface. These linear gravity anomalies indicate the presence of dikes, or long, thin, vertical bodies of solidified magma in the subsurface. The dikes are among the oldest features on the moon, and understanding them will tell us about its early history." While results from the primary science mission are just beginning to be released, the collection of gravity science by the lunar twins continues. GRAIL's extended mission science phase began Aug. 30 and will conclude Dec. 17. As the end of mission nears, the spacecraft will operate at lower orbital altitudes above the moon. When launched in September 2011, the probes were named GRAIL A and B. They were renamed Ebb and Flow in January by elementary students in Bozeman, MT, in a nationwide contest. Ebb and Flow were placed in a near-polar, near-circular orbit at an altitude of approximately 34 miles on Dec. 31, 2011, and Jan. 1, 2012. (Images provided by NASA) FMI: http://bit.ly/grailtour For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/aerospace.cfm?ContentBlockID=46b96429-10fb-43da-8ecc-009691fcf0b4 ----------------------------------------------------------------- AdvAero Piaggio Avanti First To Be Equipped For LPV Universal Avionics' WAAS/SBAS-FMS Recently Installed On the Airplane A Piaggio P.180 Avanti belonging to Advanced Aerospace Solutions (AdvAero) has become the first of the airplanes to be outfitted with Universal Avionic's WAAS/SBAS-capable UNS-1Ew Flight Management System (FMS) and LP/LPV Monitor. Mid-Canada Mod Center (MC2), a Universal Avionics Authorized Dealer, performed the upgrade at their Toronto, Canada, Pearson International Airport location. This is the first Avanti equipped to be able to make use of Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance (LPV) Area Navigation (RNAV) (GNSS) approaches. “We’re privileged at Universal to have been selected to provide the FMS solution that the AdvAero team of test pilots and engineers will use in this unique platform for developing and testing new cockpit technologies. Special-use aircraft are a core focus for us,” said Norm Matheis, Universal’s Regional Sales Manager for Canada. “As CEO, I was responsible for the procurement of a flight management system to meet the challenging requirements of our Piaggio flight research platform, said John Maris, CEO of AdvAero (pictured). "AdvAero’s NextGen and NASA R&D and certification projects require full WAAS RNP and LPV approach capabilities, which were not options for the production aircraft at the time I made my decision. After careful evaluation of the available systems, I selected the Universal UNS-1Ew with an LP/LPV monitor, because of the system's combination of powerful integrated features, ease of use, and the extraordinary support provided by the company. Universal's superb after-sales and technical support has been essential for many of AdvAero’s past program successes, and consequently those of its very demanding customers.” With Universal Avionics’ WAAS/SBAS-capable UNS-1Ew FMS, the operator has access to RNAV approach types including those with RNAV (GNSS) LPV Level of Service. With Minimum Descent Altitudes (MDA) as low as 200 feet, with ½ mile visibility, this approach type improves safety and accessibility to airports which have much higher approach minima or no other published approach type at all. Enroute maneuvering features include a dedicated Direct-To function, FMS heading function, PVOR tracking, full-featured Vertical Navigation (VNAV) and user-defined holding patterns. The LP/LPV monitor provides monitoring and positioning information for RNAV (GNSS) approaches with LPV minima. The unit incorporates a second SBAS receiver to monitor the guiding WAAS/SBAS-FMS. (Image provided by Universal Avionics) FMI: www.uasc.com For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/commbus.cfm?ContentBlockID=0451a49a-cebb-476b-b967-7b5db59db049 ----------------------------------------------------------------- ALPA Pilots Call For Block Of Abu Dhabi Pre-Clearance Facility Union: No U.S. Carriers Currently Serve The Middle-Eastern City The Allied Pilots Association Intl. said Thursday that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection service should not open a pre-clearance facility in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The union said they oppose the creation of the facility because no U.S. airline operates at Abu Dhabi International Airport, so the center would benefit only foreign carriers. On its blog 'The Partisan Pilot', the union said allowing passengers flying to the United States to clear U.S. Customs while still in the UAE would provide a competitive advantage to the foreign-flagged airlines at the expense of U.S. carriers. The union says that the policy "jeopardizes pilot's careers by strengthening a competitor and disadvantaging U.S. carriers." The Department of Homeland Security reportedly has asked Congress for the authority to place additional pre-clearance facilities in several countries that are willing to pay to have them. The union argues that doing so would add to the competitive disadvantage of domestic airlines. The U.S. operates 15 pre-clearance centers in Canada, the Caribbean, and Ireland. Each of the airports where such a center is found is serviced by at least one U.S. carrier, and the union says the majority of flights operating to and from them are flown by U.S. pilots. FMI: www.alpa.org For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/commair.cfm?ContentBlockID=3548d11f-a918-4a88-9252-72ea47d3f808 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Army Developing Next-Generation Surveillance Aircraft Initial Low-Rate Production Expected To Begin Next Fiscal Year Army scientists, engineers and program developers are making substantial progress building and integrating a technically sophisticated battlefield surveillance aircraft called Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System in a laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, service officials said. The initial task, now underway at Aberdeen's Joint Test and Integration Facility, is aimed at engineering and integrating an Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System, or EMARSS, fuselage with cameras, sensors, software, antennas, intelligence databases and electronic equipment so that the Army can deliver four Engineering Manufacturing Development aircraft to Afghanistan as part of a forward assessment of the capabilities, said Raymond Santiago, deputy product manager, Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance Systems. "An EMARSS Forward Operational Assessment will place this system in the hands of our Soldiers, allowing them to inform an assessment as to whether the system meets the approved requirements. We will get to see the system being used to gather real-world data in a combat environment, with a high optempo. This will help us refine and establish the architecture for the platform," an Army acquisition official explained. The Army plans to complete the EMARSS EMD Phase with a minimum of four aircraft systems. Overall, the EMD contract has options to procure two additional EMD systems and 4-6 Low Rate Initial Production systems. Plans for the EMARSS aircraft include efforts to engineer a surveillance aircraft with a wide range of vital combat-relevant capabilities, such as the ability to quickly gather, integrate and disseminate intelligence information of great value to warfighters in real time; it is being built to do this with an integrated suite of cameras, sensors, communications and signals intelligence-gathering technologies and a data-link with ground-based intelligence databases allowing it to organize and communicate information of great relevance to a commander's area of responsibility, Santiago explained. The work at the JTIF laboratory, involving a significant development and integration-related collaborative effort with Army and industry engineers, is aimed at reducing risk through rapid prototyping and software and sensor integration. The EMARSS fuselage in the laboratory is a built-to specification model of a Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350, Santiago said. "The laboratory gives us the flexibility to try things out with the fuselage. This helps us with how we configure the equipment," Santiago added. A key aim of the effort is to engineer and configure a modular aircraft designed with "open architecture" and a plug-and-play capability, allowing it to successfully integrate and function effectively with a variety of different sensor payloads, software packages and electronic equipment, he said. "We want to build one bird with as many common capability packages on it as well as a full-motion video camera. We want it to be sensor agnostic," Santiago said. For example, the EMARSS aircraft is being configured to integrate a range of sensor packages such as Electro-Optical/Infrared cameras, MX-15 full-motion video cameras and an imaging sensor technology known as Wide Area Surveillance System able to identify and produce images spanning over a given area of terrain, Army acquisition officials explained. The EMARSS capability is unique in that it is engineered with a data-link connecting the aircraft to the Army's ground-based intelligence database called Distributed Common Ground System - Army. DCGS-A is a comprehensive integrated intelligence data repository, able to compile, organize, display and distribute information from more than 500 data sources; DCGS-A incorporates data from a wide array of sensors, including space-based sensors, geospatial information and signal and human intelligence sources. By having a data-link with information from the ground-bases DCGS-A, flight crews on board EMARSS will be able to use display screens and on-board electronics to receive and view intelligence information in real-time pertaining to their area of operations. Also, EMARSS' plug-and-play, open architecture framework is being engineered so that the aircraft could potentially accommodate certain radar imaging technologies in the future, such as Ground Moving Target Indicator, a radar imaging technology able to detect moving vehicles and Synthetic Aperture Radar, a radar system able to paint an image or picture of the ground showing terrain, elevation and nearby structures, Santiago said. Given that all the sensors, antennas, cameras and electronics are designed to operate within a common architecture, one possibility is to strategically disperse various sensor capabilities across a fleet of several EMARSS aircraft, thus maximizing the ability to gather and distribute relevant intelligence information, Santiago explained. The Army Training and Doctrine Capability Manager for Intelligence Sensors (TCM Intel Sensors) is also working on the Capabilities Production Document which, according to plans, will eventually be submitted to the Joint Requirements Oversight Council before the EMARSS program can achieve a Milestone C production decision paving the way for limited rate initial production of the system in FY 13, Army acquisition officials explained. (Image provided by the U.S. Army) FMI: www.army.mil For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/military.cfm?ContentBlockID=24e7a643-d089-4570-ba6a-2520134c8012 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Delta Connection FAs Request Release To Strike Negotiations With Compass Airlines Reportedly Reach Stalemate Compass Airlines flight attendants have requested a proffer of arbitration from the National Mediation Board (NMB), indicating willingness to strike should management fail to negotiate a new agreement for the airline's nearly 450 flight attendants. If the NMB grants AFA's request and agrees that management has refused to make significant movement, then negotiations will be declared deadlocked and both parties will be released into a 30-day "cooling off" period leading to a strike deadline. "Compass flight attendants remain focused on reaching an agreement that provides fair wages, working conditions and benefits. Management's unwillingness to engage in productive negotiations leading to an acceptable tentative agreement is self-evident, and we are asking the NMB to hold them accountable for their lack of action," said Catriona Bagley, AFA Compass President. Compass, a Delta Connection carrier, provides approximately 190 daily flights to over 50 Delta Air Lines destinations. Compass Airlines is wholly owned by Trans States Holdings of St. Louis and is headquartered in Minneapolis. "Compass flight attendants are determined to reach an agreement. We are committed to the success of our airline and our contributions continue to make the company a top-of-the-industry performer. If management continues to choose obstruction over cooperation, then they should be prepared for CHAOS." CHAOS, or Create Havoc Around Our System, is AFA's trademarked strike strategy. With CHAOS, a strike could affect the entire system or a single flight. The union decides when, where and how to strike without notice to management or passengers. Throughout negotiations, AFA has continued to address Flight Attendant concerns while management has consistently made proposals that are below industry standards. FMI: www.afacwa.org For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/commair.cfm?ContentBlockID=c5cb4813-1c7d-431c-a6dc-999b867e12bf ----------------------------------------------------------------- Atlas Air Worldwide Takes Delivery Of Seventh Boeing 747-8 Freighter Airplane Placed Into Service With DHL Express Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings has taken delivery of its seventh Boeing 747-8 Freighter aircraft and placed it into service with DHL Express. The company announced Thursday that the aircraft will be operated by Atlas Air Worldwide’s unit, Atlas Air, Inc., in the Polar Air Cargo Worldwide express network under an ACMI arrangement for the benefit of DHL Express and Polar’s other customers commencing immediately. It joins Atlas Air’s sixth 747-8F aircraft, which began service for DHL Express in October. These aircraft are the first of their type to be flown for DHL Express and will operate in DHL’s Asian and transpacific markets. The newest aircraft replaces a Boeing 747-400 Freighter previously in service for DHL Express. Atlas Air expects to receive two additional 747-8Fs in the first half of 2013, for a total of nine aircraft, completing the delivery of its order program. Atlas Air Worldwide is the parent company of Atlas Air, Inc. (Atlas) and Titan Aviation Leasing (Titan), and is the majority shareholder of Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc. (Polar). Atlas Air Worldwide also maintains a 49% interest in Global Supply Systems Limited (GSS). Through Atlas and Polar, Atlas Air Worldwide operates the world’s largest fleet of Boeing 747 freighter aircraft. FMI: www.atlasair.com For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/commair.cfm?ContentBlockID=16e06dbe-5773-48a6-b986-78afcd7eb282 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Dad Builds Quadcopter To Follow His Son To The Bus Stop Decided It Was Easier Than Walking With The Boy In The Cold After deciding he'd rather not have to walk the 400 yards to the bus stop in December and January with his grade-school-aged son, Paul Wallich used his technical knowledge to build a camera-carrying quadcopter to follow his son to the bus stop. He says that the son thinks its great that his dad can build such a device, but wrote in the tech journal IEEE Spectrum that if he used it for things like spying on the neighbors, that wouldn't be so cool. Wallich told his story to NBC news, which was relayed by the Huffington Post. Wallich wrote that the aircraft isn't a perfect solution. He said that a GPS tracker in his son's backpack is supposed to guide the quadcopter, but that sometimes trees and other obstacles get in the way. He also said that battery life is an issue. For those reasons, he said, he usually does the trip to the bus stop in person. Wallich said he built the quadcopter out of off-the-shelf parts, and used a smartphone with video chat for the communications link. We'll leave comments on his parenting skills to those with more expertise in that field. (Quadcopter example shown in YouTube file image) FMI: http://hackaday.com/2011/07/27/how-to-build-your-own-quadcopter-step-by-step/ For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/genav.cfm?ContentBlockID=a2f99ee2-e461-4c98-b256-7f22253be3ec ----------------------------------------------------------------- French Ramjet Testing And Development Consolidated In Three-Way Deal MBDA Acquires Roxel's Ramjet Integration And Testing The ramjet integration and testing activities of Roxel France was acquired by MBDA France on December 1. This development - which does not include Roxel’s ramjet integral booster or thermostructural materials activities - follows the signing of an agreement between MBDA and Herakles (a subsidiary of Safran group), equal joint shareholders of the Roxel group. This transaction sees the transfer to MBDA France of 18 Roxel France employees, site facilities as well as ramjet test benches all of which will remain on the same Bourges-Subdray site in the Centre region of France. This industrial optimization aims to bring together engineering and test activities in order to create a more integrated and coordinated approach whilst working towards future developments. “By optimizing the industrial and commercial basis of their organisations in this way, MBDA, Herakles and Roxel aim to maintain a sovereign capability in France at the best possible cost to the tax payer," said Antoine Bouvier, CEO of MBDA. "This capability is unique in Europe and is one that has been patiently developed over the course of more than half a century. It is a capability that will be critical in the coming years in controlling costs and lead times for future French and European long-range super- and hyper-sonic missile programs thereby preserving the competitiveness of the missile sector in Europe." “As a result of this transfer, Roxel will be able to continue to invest and to develop its core business, namely solid-fuel rocket motors for tactical missiles, an activity in which it is the European leader and one of the world’s leading companies as well," added Philippe Schleicher, CEO of Herakles. "Herakles will work together with Roxel in this process and will continue to provide the skills it has acquired in the area of ballistic missile and space launch vehicle propulsion." Specializing in tactical propulsion technology in France and in the UK, the Roxel group will continue to supply rocket motors for MBDA missiles as well as those of other suppliers. MBDA has now become the technical authority for ramjets in France as well as in Europe. (Image provided by Roxel) FMI: www.mbda-systems.com, www.herakles.com, www.roxelgroup.com For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/military.cfm?ContentBlockID=ef4a5f63-8538-4268-b250-b933e4347ca8 ----------------------------------------------------------------- AeroVironment To Offer Tier II VTOL UAS Makes Strategic Investment In CybAero AB AeroVironment has entered into a strategic relationship with Sweden-based CybAero AB to develop and distribute a Tier II vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft system in response to unmet requirements from multiple customers. The relationship gives AeroVironment exclusive rights to provide CybAero AB systems to United States customers and to government customers in NATO and other countries. AeroVironment has agreed to purchase up to $3 million in convertible notes from CybAero to facilitate the company’s growth. United States military customers typically segment the numerous types of unmanned aircraft systems they employ by size, weight, endurance and range into different tiers. Man-portable, hand-launched systems such as AeroVironment’s RQ-11B Raven, RQ-20A Puma AE and Wasp AE that weight less than 20 pounds comprise the Tier I segment. Tier II UAS include heavier, larger and longer endurance systems with longer range, such as CybAero’s VTOL offering. Tiers III and IV include air vehicles of increasing size, capable of even longer endurance and range and requiring larger support teams and infrastructure requirements. “CybAero is a pioneer and leader in the Tier II VTOL market. Our joint team has demonstrated this reliable, cost-effective Tier II UAS solution that will build on AeroVironment’s family of small UAS, expanding our customer offering,” said Roy Minson, AeroVironment senior vice president and Unmanned Aircraft Systems general manager. “With its significantly greater endurance and payload capacity, small footprint and ease of use, this new system will join our family of UAS and deliver a robust vertical takeoff and landing capability to current and new customers seeking that Tier II solution.” “We are working with CybAero to integrate their product into our system solution and will invest to add critical capabilities required to bring the most competitive offering to market,” Minson added. AeroVironment and CybAero say they have been working together very effectively to incorporate capabilities required to meet the requirements of United States government and other customers. FMI: www.avinc.com For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/military.cfm?ContentBlockID=7855e59f-ec10-4c3d-9e70-269eeb3ab902 ----------------------------------------------------------------- JLENS Simultaneously Tracks Swarming Boats, Cars, Aircraft Airborne System Proves Ability To Defend Congested Vital Waterways Swarming boats operating in highly-trafficked strategic waterways will soon be easier to detect, target and engage. During a recent test, a Raytheon Company JLENS simultaneously detected and tracked double-digit swarming boats, hundreds of cars and trucks, non-swarming boats and manned and unmanned aircraft. The swarming boats, similar to swarming boats in the inventories of hostile navies in high-threat regions of the globe, simulated a real-world scenario with a series of tactical maneuvers at low and high speeds. The aircraft and other vehicles JLENS tracked were similar to the other kinds of systems that might operate in the vicinity of busy vital waterways. "This test proved JLENS can help keep important chokepoints free from the growing threat of swarming boats by detecting them from hundreds of miles away in a congested environment, enabling commanders to take appropriate action," said David Gulla, vice president of Global Integrated Sensors for Raytheon's Integrated Defense Systems business. "This success, which comes on the heels of a JLENS-enabled intercept of an anti-ship cruise missile, demonstrates that JLENS is ready to deploy for a Combatant Commander operational evaluation." JLENS, an elevated, persistent over-the-horizon sensor system, uses a powerful integrated radar system to detect, track and target a variety of threats. This capability better enables commanders to defend against threats, including hostile cruise missiles, low-flying manned and unmanned aircraft, and moving surface vehicles such as boats, automobiles and trucks; and provide ascent phase detection of tactical ballistic missiles and large caliber rockets. "JLENS' 360-degree long-range surveillance capability expands the battlepsace because JLENS can simultaneously detect and engage threats like swarming boats and anti-ship cruise missiles from up to 340 miles away," said Dean Barten, the U.S. Army's JLENS program manager. (Image provide by the U.S. Army) FMI: www.raytheon.com, www.army.mil For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/military.cfm?ContentBlockID=a10dbb1c-9541-4865-a445-498fe60b7d05 ----------------------------------------------------------------- ANN FAQ: Aero-Casting 101 -- Your Message Heard Here How To Advertise With Audio As you know, ANN's addition of DAILY Aero-Casts (often known as "podcasts") to our news line-up has become a wildly popular feature of our news programming. Adding DAILY audio products is an unprecedented move by the Aviation World's Most Comprehensive DAILY News Service. Our audio staff has been in the radio business for more than 30 years now -- they've written, produced and, of course, heard their share of commercials over three decades. But Aero-Casting is a new technology, especially to aviation businesses that generally don't advertise in the mainstream media. So here's a quick Q&A on some of the particulars you might want to know if you want to use this exciting new medium to get your message across to our listeners. Who Can Advertise On Aero-Casts? Well, just about anyone, come to think of it. But you might consider who you're trying to reach. Our audience is made up of aviation professionals, hobbyists and enthusiasts -- so if you're trying to reach a crowd of peers, this might just be the place for your message. But consider the demographics generally associated with aviation fans. They have above-average educations, above-average incomes and are very technology-minded. They're both men and women -- slightly more men -- between 25 and 74. If you're trying to reach an audience like that, then it really doesn't matter whether your product is aviation-oriented -- you've got one of the most sought-after demographics in the business right here at Aero-News. How Much Time Do I Have To Get My Message Across? We offer "spots" (yeah, it's an insider term for "commercials") of either 30- or 60-seconds in length. That's an industry standard and, while it doesn't sound like a lot of time, it really is more than enough to get most messages across. A 30-second spot is about two paragraphs of typewritten copy. A 60-second spot is, as you might expect, about twice that. What Do I Say? Here's where we can help you. I suggest the following process: 1) Boil your message down to a single sentence of no more than 30 words. Then expand on it until you've written a few paragraphs. Keep your idea simple and center it on that one sentence. Make sure you include your organization's name and contact information as well as your message. 2) Remember that the purpose of advertising is to motivate. You want the listener to do something, go somewhere or come around to your way of thinking on a particular issue. 3) Keep it simple. I can't stress that enough. Write short, declarative sentences and make it VERY conversational. Remember, you're talking to friends here. 4) When you've written your spot, grab a stopwatch and time it. Remember, if you want to use music or sound effects (use the effects sparingly), they take extra time. 5) Your message can take the form of a direct, one-on-one appeal to the listener. It can also be something like a skit, where the listener is a fly on the wall. You can use one voices or several. Get A Second Opinion When you've written your commercial, run it by a friend. If your friend "gets it," then you've probably written an effective spot. But to be sure, find a sympathetic ear that's not attached to someone in your organization. Aero-News has a full staff of media professionals who are able to hone your message until it's razor-sharp. Even if you've only sketched out the bare essentials of your spot, our staff can work and rework it until you've got a world-class commercial that perfectly suits your intent. Repetition is the key to radio (or Aero-Cast) advertising. When you consider how to schedule your spots, remember that repeating yourself is a good thing. Industry wisdom says, "Tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them." In other words, a listener needs to hear your commercial at least three times before it begins to sink in. The beauty of Aero-Casting is that you can afford to do that much more so than you can with general media. Mix It Up Consider a mixture of audio and print advertising with Aero-News. That way, you're reaching our entire audience. Aero-Casting allows listeners to pick and choose exactly what they want to hear. That means they're already inclined to receive your message. Now, all you have to do is get it to them. Have More Questions? Drop me a line. I'll be happy to help. You can reach me at editor@aero-news.net. FMI: www.aero-news.net For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/featurestories.cfm?ContentBlockID=df8d0c51-d9cd-4ba1-ae91-4da1c9548bac ----------------------------------------------------------------- ANN FAQ: ANN's 'Aero-Casting' Features Thousands Of Episodes And Counting!! For the very many of you who wrote so favorably about our podcasting efforts and made suggestions, we'd like you to know that we heard you -- as you heard us... loud and clear. Beginning with a trial run in 2005 at Oshkosh, ANN has now produced thousands of professional audio news and feature programs which fill a unique need for busy people. In addition to the appeal of the audio format itself, the convenience and practicality of being able to listen on a portable MP3 player, in the car, or even at your desk while scanning the morning's e-mail makes our Aero-Casts a unique fit in the lives of aviation enthusiasts who multi-task to make the most of their day. In the years since we launched Aero-Casting, a few things have changed. Fast internet access and far more capable mobile devices have made internet-distributed video available in your pocket. ANN's Aero TV arm is increasingly the medium of choice for seeing new products up close and in the air. And yet, the audio format does things no video can do, especially in situations requiring you to do more than one thing at a time. To adapt, ANN has adjusted its Aero-Cast schedule to let video be the primary medium for feature reporting, while preserving our news-focused audio service. Our Aero-Casts now include two unique products. Our Aero-Briefing is produced five days a week, and features news, commentary, and occasional brief interviews from all segments of aviation and aerospace in a roughly 12-minute package. The Aero News Special Feature is a vehicle through which we can provide greater detail on important individual stories, including expanded coverage of major aviation events. We also use this Aero-Cast to raise crucial aviation safety issues each Monday. Both Aero-Casts are available as free downloads from www.aero-news.net, or on an automatic, daily basis using a "podcast" platform, which employs XML technology to allow your mobile MP3 player or computer to quickly find and download new audio programs automatically, even while you sleep. In all cases, Aero-Casts are free to you, supported by ads in the audio. In 2005, this was a fairly new medium. It's now a mature medium, but not stagnant -- Your insight and suggestions on what you want to hear, and how you want it presented, are still important to us. We urge you to be an active part of the process by keeping us updated as to how you think we might serve you better. FMI: www.aero-news.net/podcasts For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/featurestories.cfm?ContentBlockID=bdbf2127-63c1-4770-8331-eaee03748435 ----------------------------------------------------------------- ANN's Daily Aero-Term (12.10.12): Hold For Release Aero-Terms! Aero-Terms are designed to be a daily reminder of the terms, names, acronyms and explanations of the unique language that populates the aviation world. Aerospace, sport aviation, fixed wing, helo, you name it... it's all fair game. Aero-Terms should serve as a quick but intriguing reminder of the terms you may use every day, or an introduction to an aspects of the Aero-World you may not yet be familiar with. ANN also encourages readers to go beyond the FMI link, and further research any intriguing terms. Suggestions for future Aero-Terms are ALWAYS welcome, as are additions or discussion of the explanations given for each Aero-Term. Hold For Release Used by ATC to delay an aircraft for traffic management reasons; i.e., weather, traffic volume, etc. Hold for release instructions (including departure delay information) are used to inform a pilot or a controller (either directly or through an authorized relay) that an IFR departure clearance is not valid until a release time or additional instructions have been received. FMI: www.faa.gov For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/featurestories.cfm?ContentBlockID=fad2e372-1149-4155-aa8a-4d33aac0c2e3 ----------------------------------------------------------------- ANN's Daily Aero-Term (12.09.12): High Speed Taxiway Aero-Terms! Aero-Terms are designed to be a daily reminder of the terms, names, acronyms and explanations of the unique language that populates the aviation world. Aerospace, sport aviation, fixed wing, helo, you name it... it's all fair game. Aero-Terms should serve as a quick but intriguing reminder of the terms you may use every day, or an introduction to an aspects of the Aero-World you may not yet be familiar with. ANN also encourages readers to go beyond the FMI link, and further research any intriguing terms. Suggestions for future Aero-Terms are ALWAYS welcome, as are additions or discussion of the explanations given for each Aero-Term. High Speed Taxiway A long radius taxiway designed and provided with lighting or marking to define the path of aircraft, traveling at high speed (up to 60 knots), from the runway center to a point on the center of a taxiway. Also referred to as long radius exit or turn?off taxiway. The high speed taxiway is designed to expedite aircraft turning off the runway after landing, thus reducing runway occupancy time. FMI: www.faa.gov For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/featurestories.cfm?ContentBlockID=8ee8d725-db59-4855-91df-fbc43e567752 ----------------------------------------------------------------- ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (12.10.12) Aero-Linx! Scouring the information super airways can sometimes be a tough, if educational, task for the Aero-News staff... but it also allows us to check out some truly neat and exciting sites, so it's not that bad a gig. On any given day, we may check dozens (and often hundreds) of different sources for story ideas, and facts confirmation. And, as is the nature of our business, much of this is done on the Internet. The ANN gang decided we probably shouldn't keep some of the neat sites, info resources, and organizations we've discovered to ourselves... so we decided to bring you Aero-Linx. These are the sites that WE check out -- when we need added perspective, a new spin on a day's topic... or just want to escape into cyber-aero-space for awhile. Look for some of our favorite sites, coming each day to ANN via Aero-Linx. Suggestions for future Aero-Linx segments are always welcome, as well. Aero Linx: B-52 Stratofortress Association Welcome to the Official Site of the B-52 Stratofortress Association. Here you can find collections of stories and news relating to the history and current operations of the World’s Greatest Warplane: the Boeing B-52. We bring together all those who have been or are associated with the BUF—designers and builders, aircrew, maintainers, enthusiasts — to exchange memories. We try to help old buddies find each other. Anything it takes to keep alive the history of the weapon known in its early days as “America’s Long Rifle.” FMI: www.stratofortress.org For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/featurestories.cfm?ContentBlockID=3ad5fa14-3a8e-4611-ad2f-a4feee3b0632 ----------------------------------------------------------------- ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (12.09.12) Aero-Linx! Scouring the information super airways can sometimes be a tough, if educational, task for the Aero-News staff... but it also allows us to check out some truly neat and exciting sites, so it's not that bad a gig. On any given day, we may check dozens (and often hundreds) of different sources for story ideas, and facts confirmation. And, as is the nature of our business, much of this is done on the Internet. The ANN gang decided we probably shouldn't keep some of the neat sites, info resources, and organizations we've discovered to ourselves... so we decided to bring you Aero-Linx. These are the sites that WE check out -- when we need added perspective, a new spin on a day's topic... or just want to escape into cyber-aero-space for awhile. Look for some of our favorite sites, coming each day to ANN via Aero-Linx. Suggestions for future Aero-Linx segments are always welcome, as well. Aero Linx: The National Airline History Museum The National Airline History Museum is excited and proud to be heading into our Silver Anniversary. We have come a long way in 25 years. What started with two men sitting in an airport office dreaming of how to restore a Lockheed Constellation has grown into a National museum with international ties. With 25 years under our belt, it is now time to look forward to the next 25 years! FMI: www.airlinehistory.org For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/featurestories.cfm?ContentBlockID=5c44acd5-a848-47f8-aa9b-42141f27785b ----------------------------------------------------------------- Aero-News: Quote Of The Day (12.10.12) Aero-News: Quote of the Day ANN's Quote of the Day usually derives from current news, though we reserve the right to pick quotes out of history that have a bearing on the day's events and issues. Sometimes, you'll find them timely and in keeping with the content of the day's news... and sometimes, they'll just be thought-provoking. Reader suggestions and comments are welcome... and if particularly intriguing, timely, or poignant, may themselves become future Quotes of the Day. Let us hear from you, folks! Aero-News Quote of the Day "A risk-minimizing algorithm was used to compute and command a safe trajectory continuously throughout 23 miles of rugged terrain at an average speed of 40 knots. No prior knowledge of the terrain was used." Source: Matthew Whalley, the Autonomous Rotorcraft Project lead, commenting on a November 5th flight over the skies east of San Jose, CA, where a Black Hawk helicopter was flown autonomously. There were pilots aboard the aircraft, but all maneuvers during this flight were being conducted autonomously. FMI: www.army.mil For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/featurestories.cfm?ContentBlockID=31d6f8b9-91e6-4ef0-97ad-520aac20580e ----------------------------------------------------------------- Aero-News: Quote Of The Day (12.09.12) Aero-News: Quote of the Day ANN's Quote of the Day usually derives from current news, though we reserve the right to pick quotes out of history that have a bearing on the day's events and issues. Sometimes, you'll find them timely and in keeping with the content of the day's news... and sometimes, they'll just be thought-provoking. Reader suggestions and comments are welcome... and if particularly intriguing, timely, or poignant, may themselves become future Quotes of the Day. Let us hear from you, folks! Aero-News Quote of the Day “We’re privileged at Universal to have been selected to provide the FMS solution that the AdvAero team of test pilots and engineers will use in this unique platform for developing and testing new cockpit technologies. Special-use aircraft are a core focus for us...” Source: Norm Matheis, Universal’s Regional Sales Manager for Canada, following the announcement of a Universal Avionics' WAAS/SBAS-FMS having recently been installed on a Piaggio P.180 Avanti belonging to Advanced Aerospace Solutions (AdvAero). FMI: www.uasc.com For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/featurestories.cfm?ContentBlockID=3f8d2d3d-e582-4c87-ade7-d92ad221e82c ----------------------------------------------------------------- AD: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH Helicopters AD NUMBER: 2012-23-07 PRODUCT: All Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH (ECD) Model EC135 helicopters, except the EC 135 P2+ and T2+. SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2012-23-07 ACTION: Final Rule SUMMARY: This AD requires inspecting each upper and lower plain journal bearing (bearing) and replacing the swashplate assembly with an airworthy swashplate assembly if a bearing is not correctly positioned. This AD was prompted by two reports of the bearings moving in relation to the main rotor swashplate sliding sleeve (sliding sleeve). The actions of this AD are intended to detect shifting of the bearing, which could limit the movement of the collective control and result in subsequent loss of control of the helicopter. DATES: This AD is effective January 11, 2013. FMI: AD For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/commbus.cfm?ContentBlockID=aaeb74ba-7c5e-4590-933c-d6a16fee33ad ----------------------------------------------------------------- ANN Senior Staff Roster J.R. 'Zoom' Campbell CEO/Editor-In-Chief jim@aero-news.net Glen Moyer Aero-Cast Producer gmoyer@aero-news.net Tom Patton News Editor editor@aero-news.net Nathan Cremisino Ashley Hale Aero-TV Video Production Team Aero-TV HQ MKTG Inquiries Marketing Director mktg@aero-news.net Note: This newsletter is supported solely by sponsors like the one(s) listed herein. We stand 100% behind every ad that we run. If you ever have a problem with a company that advertises here please contact us and we will try to get it resolved. -- Aero-News Network Aero-News Network POB 305, Green Cove Springs, FL, 32043. 863-299-8680, www.aero-news.net ANN Aero-Casts /podcasts Provided to registered subscribers, Daily. ISSN: 1530-9339 For Subscribe/Unsubscribe procedures: Click here to manage your subscription To ensure future delivery of Aero-News Network's "Propwash" E-Mail newsletters to your inbox (and NOT to your junk or delete folders), please add our "From" address (either propwashtext@aero-news.net , propwashhtml@aero-news.net , or propwashpdf@aero-news.net -- depending on the type of newsletter you subscribe to) to your address book or e-mail whitelist. editor@aero-news.net For General Mail, Story Ideas, Questions or Concerns mktg@aero-news.net For Advertising and Marketing Topics news-spy@aero-news.net For Hot News Tips and Story Leads news@aero-news.net For Calendar Items, Press Releases or Questions about ANN News Coverage publisher@aero-news.net For All Web and Html Related Topics- Corrections Welcome! jim@aero-news.net Want to Get Right to the Boss? This Is His Address Get ANN's Free News Ticker We have designed a small "portable" News Ticker that will offer current ANN headlines about what is happening in the aviation world. It can be copied to virtually any Web site (including YOURS!) on the Internet by simply requesting the code and permissions from us. In addition to staying abreast of the latest headlines, you can click on any one of these News Tickers, no matter who's site it is on, and then go directly to ANN to read the news, in-depth, anytime you choose. You may request the code using our request form by logging on to www.aero-news.net/ANNTicker.cfm For those of you with web sites, be sure to drop us an e-mail at editor@aero-news.net and we'll be sure to check out your site for inclusion in our link sites, shortly. AND... don't forget to send your news and press releases to us via news@aero-news.net ! We want our coverage to include EVERY facet of aviation... so we need ALL the feedback we can get! Please Forward This Issue If you haven't already done so, please forward this issue to one or two of your friends or business associates. Thanks so much! Copyright (c) 1998-2012: Please do NOT reprint, publish, or host on your Web site without our explicit permission. However, if you found this newsletter helpful, we grant you permission, and strongly encourage you, to e-mail it (unmodified) to a business associate or a friend. Thank you. "Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time." Marion Wright Edelman

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