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• 20,000,000 usd for investment
• Statement by Secretary Panetta on the Passing of Senator Daniel Inouye
• Readout of Secretary Panetta's Meeting with Norwegian Minister of Defense Strom-Erichsen
• National Guard Bureau State Partnership Programs Update
• National Guard Bureau Guard News Update
• Contracts for December 17, 2012
• Today in the Department of Defense, 12/18/2012
• 'Wreaths Across America' Honors Fallen Service Members
• USO Trouper Kellie Pickler Entertains, Salutes Troops
• DOD Identifies Navy Casualty
• 'Wreaths Across America' Honors Fallen Service Members
• Chairman's USO Tour Show Entertains Troops in Afghanistan
• Face of Defense: Sailor Goes From Beat Cop to 'Doc'
• Northcom Strives to Promote Safe, Secure Arctic
• ISAF Commander Condemns Kabul Explosion, Offers Condolences
• DOD Announces 2013 Housing, Subsistence Allowance Rates
• Progress on Goal of Ending Veteran Homelessness by 2015
• Department of Defense Releases 2013 Bah Rates
• Propwash
• Greetings

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Statement by Secretary Panetta on the Passing of Senator Daniel Inouye Posted: 17 Dec 2012 04:50 PM PST You are subscribed to News Releases for U.S. Department of Defense. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Statement by Secretary Panetta on the Passing of Senator Daniel Inouye 12/17/2012 06:38 PM CST IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 989-12 December 17, 2012 Statement by Secretary Panetta on the Passing of Senator Daniel Inouye             "The men and women of the Department of Defense have lost one of their most dedicated advocates, and I have lost a dear friend, with the passing of Sen. Daniel Inouye.  His life of service to the people of Hawaii and to this nation embodied the essence of the American dream, and the heroism of the greatest generation.              "A World War II veteran of the legendary 442nd Regimental Combat Team, his display of leadership and valor in a gun battle that cost him his arm rightfully earned him the Medal of Honor.  His determination to recover and his extraordinary career that followed continue to inspire wounded warriors today.  In the U.S. Senate, he was one of the most stalwart and effective advocates of the Department of Defense, and a relentless champion of our men and women in uniform and their families.  I was honored to have the opportunity to work closely with him when I served as a member of Congress, and in the Clinton and Obama administrations.              "Daniel Inouye's legacy will long endure in the better quality of life he helped bring to generations of military personnel and their families, to the people of Hawaii, and in the contribution he made to a stronger defense of the United States of America.  The thoughts and prayers of all of us at the Department of Defense are with the Inouye family in this time of grief and remembrance." 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

Readout of Secretary Panetta's Meeting with Norwegian Minister of Defense Strom-Erichsen Posted: 17 Dec 2012 04:44 PM PST You are subscribed to News Releases for U.S. Department of Defense. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Readout of Secretary Panetta's Meeting with Norwegian Minister of Defense Strom-Erichsen 12/17/2012 06:31 PM CST IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 988-12 December 17, 2012 Readout of Secretary Panetta's Meeting with Norwegian Minister of Defense Strom-Erichsen             Press Secretary George Little provided the following statement:              "Today at the Pentagon, Secretary Leon Panetta met with Norway's Minister of Defense Anne-Grete Strom-Erichsen.  The secretary expressed his gratitude for Norway's continuing support to operations in Afghanistan and for its steadfast commitment to NATO.  The secretary underscored the importance of Norway's involvement in alliance operations, and praised Norway for expediting its acquisition of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.  The secretary highlighted the importance of defense spending and developing future alliance interoperability through the NATO Response Force.  Having both recently returned from visiting Turkey, the leaders discussed the upcoming NATO deployment of Patriot batteries and strong support for our ally. They also discussed the strategic importance of access to the Arctic."     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

National Guard Bureau State Partnership Programs Update Posted: 17 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

National Guard Bureau Guard News Update Posted: 17 Dec 2012 04:13 PM PST Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. You are subscribed to Guard News for National Guard Bureau. Hardship withdrawal rules relaxed to help victims of Hurricane Sandy 12/17/2012 11:52 AM EST The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board announced it has made temporary changes to the Thrift Savings Plan hardship withdrawal rules to help victims of Hurricane Sandy pursuant to the guidance issued by the Internal Revenue Service on Nov. 16... NORAD elves ready to track Santa's flight 12/17/2012 11:52 AM EST At the North American Aerospace Defense Command, they're gearing up to track Santa's yuletide journey... Guard members prepare for variety of roles in presidential inauguration 12/17/2012 11:52 AM EST Approximately 6,000 Army and Air National Guard members from 15 states and territories are preparing to take part in and support the 57th Presidential Inauguration, said officials...   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

Contracts for December 17, 2012 Posted: 17 Dec 2012 02:23 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 17, 2012 12/17/2012 04:00 PM CST FOR RELEASE AT 5 p.m. ET No. 987-12 December 17, 2012 CONTRACTS DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY             McKesson Corp., San Francisco, Calif., was awarded contract SPM2DX-13-D-1000.  The award is a firm-fixed-price, prime vendor, requirements type contract with a maximum $2,609,494,450 for delivery of mail order pharmaceutical products.  Other location of performance is Arizona.  Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and individuals authorized medical treatment through military services.  There were four responses to the Web solicitation.  Type of appropriation is fiscal 2013 Defense Working Capital Funds.  The date of performance completion is June 16, 2015.  The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa.              Foster Caviness*, Colfax, N.C., was awarded contract SPM300-13-D-P171.  The award is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, sole source contract with a maximum $25,200,000 for fresh fruit and vegetables.  There are no other locations of performance.  Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Department of Agriculture.  There was one solicitation with one response.  Type of appropriation is fiscal 2013 and fiscal 2014 Defense Working Capital Funds.  The date of performance completion is May 29, 2013.  The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa.              PPL Energy Plus L.L.C., Allentown, Pa., was awarded contract SPE600-13-D-8015.  The award is a firm-fixed-price contract with a maximum $13,541,861 for electricity.  Other location of performance is Philadelphia and Mechanicsburg, Pa.  Using service is Navy.  There were one hundred and ten solicitations with seven responses.  Type of appropriation is fiscal 2012 through fiscal 2014 Navy Funds.  The date of performance completion is Dec. 31, 2014.  The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Va. AIR FORCE             Intelligent Software Solutions Inc., Colorado Springs, Colo., (FA8750-13-D-0013) is being awarded a $593,000,000 indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity, research and development, with cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price contract for Air Space Precision Engagement Research and Engineering software development, maintenance, enhancements and hardware.  The location of the performance is Colorado Springs, Colo. Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 17, 2017.  The contracting activity is AFRL/RIKF, Rome, N.Y.              Lockheed Martin Corp., Fort Worth, Texas, (FA8615-10-C-6051, PZ0022) is being awarded a $563,000,000 contract modification contract for development, integration and delivery of 20 F-16C/D (16 C's and 4 D's) Block 52 aircraft.  The location of the performance is Fort Worth, Texas.  Work is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2014.  The contracting activity is AFLCMC/WWMK, Wright-Patterson, Air Force Base, Ohio.  Contract involves Foreign Military Sales.              The Boeing Co., Seattle, Wash., (F33657-01-D-0013, 0365) is being awarded an $80,505,903 delivery order contract for C-32A and C-40B/C integrated fleet support.  The locations of the performance is at Joint Base Andrews, Scott Air Force Base, Ramstein Air Base, Hickam Air Force Base and other locations as necessary to support the aircraft.  Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2013.  The contracting activity is AFLCMC/WLKLB, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.               Diversitech Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio, (FA8601-11-D-0001 P00009) is being awarded a $7,229,299 contract modification contract for civil engineering support.  The location of the performance is Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.  Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2013.  The contracting activity is AFLCMC/PZIO, Wright-Patterson, Air Force Base, Ohio.   NAVY             Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $254,627,806 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-12-C-2000) to exercise an option for the procurement of 252 Tomahawk Block IV All-Up-Round (AUR) missiles for the U. S. Navy.  The Tomahawk Block IV missile is capable of launch from surface ships equipped with the Vertical Launch System (VLS) and submarines equipped with the Capsule Launch System (CLS).  This effort provides for the procurement of 132 VLS missiles and 120 CLS missiles.  Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz. (32 percent); Camden, Ark. (11 percent); Ogden, Utah (8 percent);  Anniston, Ala. (4 percent); Minneapolis, Minn. (4 percent); Ft. Wayne, Ind. (4 percent); Glenrothes, Scotland (4 percent); Dallas, Texas (4 percent); Spanish Fork, Utah (3 percent);  Vergennes, Vt. (3 percent); Walled Lake, Mich. (2 percent);  Berryville, Ark. (2 percent); El Segundo, Calif. (2 percent); Westminster, Colo. (2 percent);  Middletown, Conn. (2 percent);  Huntsville, Ala. (1 percent); Farmington, N.M. (0.2 percent); and various locations in the continental United States and outside the continental United States (11.8 percent); and is expected to be completed in August 2015.  Contract funds in the amount of $254,627,806 are being obligated on this award, 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, Information and Electronics Systems Integration Inc., Nashua, N.H., is being awarded a $50,810,844 firm-fixed-price contract to procure 543 AN/ALE-55 Fiber Optic Towed Decoys (FOTDs) and 117 Electronic Frequency Converters (EFC).  The AN/ALE-55 FOTDs and EFCs are components of the Integrated Defensive Electronic Counter Measures (IDECM) suite.  The AN/ALE-55 provides the capability to transmit complex Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) techniques from an off-board transmitter.  Work will be performed in Nashua, N.H., and is expected to be completed in March 2015.  Contract funds in the amount of $50,810,844, will be obligated at the time of award, $264,402 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.302-1.  The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. is the contracting activity (N00019-13-C-0010).              General Dynamics, Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Conn., is being awarded a $47,660,176 firm-fixed-priced modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-12-C-4301) to exercise the option for the execution work necessary to prepare for and accomplish maintenance and modernization work of the fiscal 2013 dry-docking selected restricted availability of the USS Toledo (SSN 769).  This scope of work encompasses required maintenance activities necessary to maintain full unrestricted operation of the submarine, as well as upgrades and modernization efforts required to ensure the submarine is operating at full technical capacity.  Work will be performed in Groton, Conn. (95 percent) and Quonset Point, R.I. (5 percent), and is expected to be completed by September 2013.  Contract funds in the amount of $47,660,176 will be obligated at time of award.  Contract funds in the amount of $47,660,176 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.                        Hamilton Sundstrand Corp., Windsor Locks, Conn., is being awarded a $29,051,451 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the procurement of engineering services in support of the oxygen generating plant, gas management system, integrated low pressure electrolyzer, advanced integrated low pressure electrolyzer, and electrolytic chlorine generator systems for U.S. Navy submarines.  Work will be performed in various locations (70 percent) and Windsor Locks, Conn. (30 percent), and is expected to complete by December 2017. Contract funds in the amount of $11,786 will be obligated at the time of contract award. Contract funds in the amount of $62,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, Ship System Engineering Station, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (N65540-13-D-0002).              The Boeing Co., Seattle, Wash., is being awarded a $16,082,606 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee contract (N00019-04-C-3146) for the procurement of  Non-Recurring Engineering and labor for the redesign and conversion of the existing P-8A System Development and Demonstration Liquid Air Palletized System (LAPS) to change the cooling medium from polyalphaolefin to ethylene glycol and water to ensure compatibility between the LAPS and the Special Mission Cabin Equipment; and manufacturing and procurement of three P-8A A-Kits.  Work will be performed in Seattle, Wash. (81.6 percent); Huntsville, Ala. (8.8 percent); Mesa Ariz. (7.6 percent); St. Louis, Mo. (2.0 percent) and is expected to be completed in December 2014.  Contract funds in the amount of $14,000,000 are being obligated on this award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River Md., is the contracting activity.              Excelis Inc., Colorado Springs, Colo., is being awarded a $15,714,232 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide professional, technical, programmatic, and operational engineering services in support of Navy Reentry Systems programs, including:  a) Reentry Body (RB) systems assessment, vulnerability, and nuclear safety and surety support;  b) RB Life extension studies and analysis;  c) support for the development of refurbished reentry systems;  d) support for Strategic Systems Program's declassification review program;  e) support for Nuclear Weapons System Safety, and;  f) support to weapons facilities manager.  This contract contains options, which if exercised, will bring the contract value to $44,422,555.  Contract funds in the amount of $4,371,011 will be obligated at the time of award.  Work will be performed in Colorado Springs, Colo. (95 percent); College Park, Md. (2 percent); and various locations throughout the continental U.S. (3 percent), and work is expected to be completed September 2013.  If all options are exercised, work will continue through March 31, 2016.  Contract funds expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1).  Strategic Systems Program, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00030-13-C-0016).  U.S. SPECIAL COMMAND             General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Conn., is being awarded a $44,269,290 letter contract to develop and test the User Operational Evaluation System for a dry combat submersible.  This includes designing, constructing, testing, and delivering a complete, commercially-classed prototype dry combat submersible system.  The design and construction work will primarily be performed in Italy.  The Government testing will be performed at a location to be determined within the United States.  This contract is expected to be completed by December 2015 (H92222-13-C-0006).     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

Today in the Department of Defense, 12/18/2012 Posted: 17 Dec 2012 02:16 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, 12/18/2012 12/17/2012 04:02 PM CST Today in the Department of Defense, Tuesday, December 18, 2012   Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta delivers remarks at 12:50 p.m. EST at the National Press Club Luncheon at The National Press Club, Washington, D.C. Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton B. Carter has no public or media events on his schedule. 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

'Wreaths Across America' Honors Fallen Service Members Posted: 17 Dec 2012 01:24 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. 'Wreaths Across America' Honors Fallen Service Members 12/17/2012 02:25 PM CST 'Wreaths Across America' Honors Fallen Service Members By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, Va., Dec. 17, 2012 - As thousands of volunteers fanned out here this weekend, placing holiday wreaths at the white headstones as part of the "Wreaths Across America" tribute, Sheila Patton kept vigil at one particular gravesite. Sheila Patton, mother of Army Staff Sgt. James R. Patton, who was killed in Iraq in 2010, traveled with her daughter from Fort Campbell, Ky., to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia to participate in the "Wreaths Across America" tribute to fallen U.S. service members, Dec. 15, 2012. DOD photo by William Miles (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Patton and her daughter stationed themselves at the grave of their son and brother, Army Staff Sgt. James R. Patton. Twenty-three-year-old "Jimmy" was serving his seventh overseas deployment since 9/11 with the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, when he was killed in a helicopter crash in Tikrit, Iraq, on April 18, 2010. Patton said she travels here from Fort Campbell, Ky., as often as possible. Patton felt a special calling, she said, to participate in the largest single venue of the nationwide "Wreaths Across America" tribute. "This was something very important to me," she said. "I really wanted to be here, to be a part of all this, and to be able to honor Jimmy and all the others who are buried here." Arriving at the cemetery early Saturday, Dec. 15, Patton and her daughter were in good company. They were among more than 25,000 volunteers who converged here in the early hours to lay an estimated 110,000 balsam fir wreaths, each adorned with a festive red bow. "It's amazing to see all this," Patton said. "It's really inspiring to see all these volunteers come out and [to] realize how much they care." This year's turnout was the largest since the annual "Wreaths Across America" tradition started in 1992. Morrill Worcester, president of the Worcester Wreath Company from Harrington, Maine, began donating holiday wreaths to decorate veterans' graves. The gesture caught on like wildfire, expanding every year to more military cemeteries nationwide. This year, thousands of volunteers laid an estimated 400,000 evergreen wreaths at almost 800 cemeteries in all 50 states and 24 overseas sites. At Arlington, the largest venue, a convoy of 34 trucks traveled from Maine to transport the donated wreaths. Worcester and his wife, Karen, recognized a milestone in the "Wreaths Across America" effort as he presented the 1 millionth wreath since the program's inception to a Gold Star family and wounded warrior. Mary Byers and her husband, Lloyd, who lost their son, Army Capt. Joshua Byers, in Iraq in 2003, and Army Sgt. Justin Lansford, wounded in Afghanistan this past spring, placed the wreath at the grave of Wilbur Trevant, a Vietnam veteran who died in April. Looking out over the sea of volunteers as they gathered for opening ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery's Amphitheater, Karen Worcester challenged them to live up to the spirit reflected in Byers' last words as he told his fellow soldiers to "keep moving forward." Worcester spoke about the deadly shooting in Connecticut the previous day and called on the group to take inspiration from Byers and the others buried at Arlington as they deal with life's challenges. "We need to take some advice from Josh and 'keep moving forward' with what they've taught us," she said. "And we need to teach our kids about the character of America, which is to take care of each other. By taking care of each other we take care of our country and share the lesson that our heroes have taught us." Among the hundreds of school, church, community and veterans groups participating in this year's "Wreaths Across America" were men and women in uniform, many of whom placed wreaths at the graves of friends killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Marine Gunnery Sgt. Brian Evans, assigned to the Combat Service Support Company at The Basic School at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., said he felt moved to see so many people take time out of their busy holiday schedules to honor the fallen. "This is a chance to recognize and show others we remember those that went before," he said. "And it really does show that the majority of the public still remembers and appreciates what we do." "You know the public appreciates what you do and when you see all this, it proves that they really do care," echoed Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Andrew Boehmer from the Wounded Warrior Regiment at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dominique Purvis, among about 50 members of the 579th Medical Group based at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C., who journeyed to Arlington to participate in the tribute, struggled for words to describe her emotions. "It's a beautiful, beautiful thing," she said. "You just can't really understand this kind of outpouring until you see it for yourself. It's overwhelming."   Related Sites: Photo Essay Related Articles: Americans Honor Veterans at Arlington National Cemetery   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

USO Trouper Kellie Pickler Entertains, Salutes Troops Posted: 17 Dec 2012 01:24 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. USO Trouper Kellie Pickler Entertains, Salutes Troops 12/17/2012 02:52 PM CST USO Trouper Kellie Pickler Entertains, Salutes Troops By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr. American Forces Press Service BAGRAM, Afghanistan, Dec. 17, 2012 - Country music star Kellie Pickler is among the celebrity entertainers taking part in Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey's annual USO holiday show tour, which entertained Afghanistan-deployed U.S. troops posted here and at Kandahar Airfield. Kellie Pickler, a country singer and former contestant on the television show "American Idol," sits in a mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle simulator wearing during a USO holiday tour show stop at the Transit Center of Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Dec. 15, 2012. DOD photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr. (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. On this trip, the USO troupe also has entertained service members aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis and at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan. Pickler, an Albemarle, N.C., native, is traveling on her sixth USO tour and she's keenly aware of the difficulties troops and their families endure during the holiday season. "It's always different coming here this time of the year," she said. "[During] the holidays -- Thanksgiving has already passed -- everyone wants to be home with their families and loved ones. "Then, Christmas is right around the corner," Pickler continued. "It's a hard time for all of you." The country music singer and former "American Idol" contestant said she enjoys touring with the USO and has done so for quite some time. "I love it," Pickler said. "My very first trip was in [2007] ... and it's by far the most life-changing thing I've ever been a part of." Pickler performed with her husband, Kyle Jacobs, and with David Michael Baker, who provided the musical backdrop for her vocal performances. "We look forward to doing shows, but I think that the small intimate moments -- just having breakfast together, lunch together, dinner together ... [are] where we can just sit, talk and listen to one another," Pickler said. The singer, who said she comes from a military family, "gets" how hard it is for troops being away from their loved ones. "I know it's just as hard for your families back home, so they're making a sacrifice as well," Pickler said. Pickler said she always looks forward to USO trips. "I always take a little something from each place when we go to each base," she said. "I always have a little special memory that I cherish and I never forget about it." She said the USO tour's visit to a hospital was one example of those special moments. "We were able to go to the hospital and try to take a little piece of home in there," she said. "[And] that's our goal coming out here. We just want to bring a little piece of home to you all." Pickler was accompanied on the tour by Washington Nationals Major League Baseball players Ross Detwiler and Craig Stammen; Matt Hendricks from the National Hockey League's Washington Capitals; comedian Iliza Schlesinger, winner of NBC's Last Comic Standing. Sloan D. Gibson, president of the USO, and Shane Hudella, of "Defending the Blue Line," an organization that donates hockey equipment to military families, also joined the celebrities. Pickler praised U.S. troops and their families for their sacrifices, and wished them all happy holidays as she joined Dempsey in serenading the troops with Bing Crosby's "A White Christmas." "I just want to say thanks so much for all that you do," she said. "Thank you to your families -- we know that they make a huge sacrifice." "This time of the year is really hard so I hope that you know that we love you," Picker said. "The USO, all of us, we are praying for a safe return home for you all. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year."   Biographies: Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey Related Sites: Travels With Dempsey United Service Organizations Kellie Pickler, a country singer and former contestant on the television show "American Idol," addresses the audience before she begins her USO holiday tour show performance at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Dec. 16, 2012. DOD photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr. Download screen-resolution Download high-resolution   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. 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DOD Identifies Navy Casualty Posted: 17 Dec 2012 12:01 PM 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 12/17/2012 01:53 PM CST IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 986-12 December 17, 2012 DOD Identifies Navy Casualty             The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.              Lt. Leonard Robinson, 29, of Spring Lake, N.C., died Dec. 15, of non-combat related injuries while home on leave in Fayetteville, N.C.  Robinson was assigned to the Naval Hospital Sigonella, Italy detachment located at the Naval Branch Health Clinic in Bahrain.             For further information related to this release, please contact Navy Medicine East public affairs at 757-953-1942.     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

'Wreaths Across America' Honors Fallen Service Members Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:27 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. 'Wreaths Across America' Honors Fallen Service Members 12/17/2012 12:56 PM CST 'Wreaths Across America' Honors Fallen Service Members By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, Va., Dec. 17, 2012 - As thousands of volunteers fanned out here this weekend, placing holiday wreaths at the white headstones as part of the "Wreaths Across America" tribute, Sheila Patton kept vigil at one particular gravesite. Patton and her daughter stationed themselves at the grave of their son and brother, Army Staff Sgt. James R. Patton. Twenty-three-year-old "Jimmy" was serving his seventh overseas deployment since 9/11 with the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, when he was killed in a helicopter crash in Tikrit, Iraq, on April 18, 2010. Patton said she travels here from Fort Campbell, Ky., as often as possible. Patton felt a special calling, she said, to participate in the largest single venue of the nationwide "Wreaths Across America" tribute. "This was something very important to me," she said. "I really wanted to be here, to be a part of all this, and to be able to honor Jimmy and all the others who are buried here." Arriving at the cemetery early Saturday, Dec. 15, Patton and her daughter were in good company. They were among more than 25,000 volunteers who converged here in the early hours to lay an estimated 110,000 balsam fir wreaths, each adorned with a festive red bow. "It's amazing to see all this," Patton said. "It's really inspiring to see all these volunteers come out and [to] realize how much they care." This year's turnout was the largest since the annual "Wreaths Across America" tradition started in 1992. Morrill Worcester, president of the Worcester Wreath Company from Harrington, Maine, began donating holiday wreaths to decorate veterans' graves. The gesture caught on like wildfire, expanding every year to more military cemeteries nationwide. This year, thousands of volunteers laid an estimated 400,000 evergreen wreaths at almost 800 cemeteries in all 50 states and 24 overseas sites. At Arlington, the largest venue, a convoy of 34 trucks traveled from Maine to transport the donated wreaths. Worcester and his wife, Karen, recognized a milestone in the "Wreaths Across America" effort as he presented the 1 millionth wreath since the program's inception to a Gold Star family and wounded warrior. Mary Byers and her husband, Lloyd, who lost their son, Army Capt. Joshua Byers, in Iraq in 2003, and Army Sgt. Justin Lansford, wounded in Afghanistan this past spring, placed the wreath at the grave of Wilbur Trevant, a Vietnam veteran who died in April. Looking out over the sea of volunteers as they gathered for opening ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery's Amphitheater, Karen Worcester challenged them to live up to the spirit reflected in Byers' last words as he told his fellow soldiers to "keep moving forward." Worcester spoke about the deadly shooting in Connecticut the previous day and called on the group to take inspiration from Byers and the others buried at Arlington as they deal with life's challenges. "We need to take some advice from Josh and 'keep moving forward' with what they've taught us," she said. "And we need to teach our kids about the character of America, which is to take care of each other. By taking care of each other we take care of our country and share the lesson that our heroes have taught us." Among the hundreds of school, church, community and veterans groups participating in this year's "Wreaths Across America" were men and women in uniform, many of whom placed wreaths at the graves of friends killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Marine Gunnery Sgt. Brian Evans, assigned to the Combat Service Support Company at The Basic School at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., said he felt moved to see so many people take time out of their busy holiday schedules to honor the fallen. "This is a chance to recognize and show others we remember those that went before," he said. "And it really does show that the majority of the public still remembers and appreciates what we do." "You know the public appreciates what you do and when you see all this, it proves that they really do care," echoed Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Andrew Boehmer from the Wounded Warrior Regiment at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dominique Purvis, among about 50 members of the 579th Medical Group based at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C., who journeyed to Arlington to participate in the tribute, struggled for words to describe her emotions. "It's a beautiful, beautiful thing," she said. "You just can't really understand this kind of outpouring until you see it for yourself. It's overwhelming."   Related Sites: Photo Essay Related Articles: Americans Honor Veterans at Arlington National Cemetery   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. 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Chairman's USO Tour Show Entertains Troops in Afghanistan Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:26 AM PST American troops show their excitement with a sea of hands during the USO holiday tour show at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Dec. 16. 2012. DOD photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr. Download screen-resolution Download high-resolution   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 You are subscribed to American Forces News Articles for U.S. Department of Defense. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Chairman's USO Tour Show Entertains Troops in Afghanistan 12/17/2012 01:02 PM CST Chairman's USO Tour Show Entertains Troops in Afghanistan By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr. American Forces Press Service BAGRAM, Afghanistan, Dec. 17, 2012 - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff greeted and praised troops at two U.S. bases in Afghanistan during his annual USO holiday tour show. Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, onstage, hosts one of his annual USO holiday tour shows at Bagram Airfeld, Afghanistan, Dec. 16, 2012. DOD photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr. (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, along with his senior enlisted advisor, Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia, and their spouses visited Bagram Airfield here, followed by a visit to Kandahar Airfield the following day, entertaining troops with what the general called "some extraordinarily talented people." "They're great Americans, and they're patriots," Dempsey told troops at Bagram. "And they really care about you. They've given up their holidays. I'm actually very privileged to be traveling with them, and bringing them here to you tonight." Battaglia, who spoke after the chairman and before the start of the entertainment portion of the show, had a similar message for service members at both bases. "As our 18th chairman said, it is, indeed, a privilege and honor to spend part of Christmas and the holiday season with you all," he said. "We'd love to stay here with you through Christmas, through New Years, you know we would." The sergeant major said while it's unfortunate that most of the troops are unable to be home with their families for the holidays, they are certainly not alone. "While you're not at home or not able to be home with your biological family to spend the holiday season, you're here, by God, with your uniformed military family to spend it," Battaglia said. "And it doesn't get much better than that, right?" Both senior leaders used different, but effective methods, to energize the crowds. Battaglia led service members in a raucous chant of "U-S-A," while Dempsey highlighted the troops' individual pride of their units and branches of service. "Those folks that the chairman are going to introduce you to, in just a minute here, are from a country that you love, they're from a country that you protect, and from a country in which you live," Battaglia said. "It's the USA, and that would be the most motivating force right now. Those three letters -- all in unison." Dempsey introduced each USO celebrity to kick off both shows. Washington Nationals Major League Baseball players Ross Detwiler and Craig Stammen; Matt Hendricks from the National Hockey League's Washington Capitals; comedian Iliza Schlesinger, winner of NBC's Last Comic Standing; and country music singer Kellie Pickler and her band performed on behalf of the USO. Additionally, the chairman recognized USO President Sloan D. Gibson, and Shane Hudella of "Defending the Blue Line," an organization that donates hockey equipment to military families. Following both shows, Dempsey showcased his own talent, serenading the packed venues with his rendition of singer Bing Crosby's "A White Christmas." "It is Christmas and I hope that you had a few moments to remember that and to forget about everything else in your life right now," the chairman said. Dempsey also praised the troops for their service to the nation. "I hope you know how proud we are of what you do every day for the country," he said. "We're proud of your service. You're all volunteers -- that includes the civilians out there that have come over here to help support the men and women in uniform. And we're really proud of you."   Biographies: Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia Related Sites: Travels With Dempsey NATO International Security Assistance Force United Service Organizations Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia, senior enlisted advisor to Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, greets troops at the USO holiday tour show at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Dec. 16, 2012. DODphoto by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr. Download screen-resolution Download high-resolution

Face of Defense: Sailor Goes From Beat Cop to 'Doc' Posted: 17 Dec 2012 09:30 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: Sailor Goes From Beat Cop to 'Doc' 12/17/2012 11:23 AM CST Face of Defense: Sailor Goes From Beat Cop to 'Doc' By Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Robert L. Fisher III 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit USS NEW YORK, Atlantic Ocean, Dec. 17, 2012 - From a police officer in Kingston, Jamaica, to a barber in New York City, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Steve A. Barnes, 35, has held many jobs throughout his life. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Steve A. Barnes, a corpsman with Company A, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, stands in the hospital bay of the USS New York, Dec. 10, 2012. Barnes has served the last nine months deployed with the 24th MEU, which is currently returning home after completing a successful deployment as an expeditionary crisis response force in the Navy's 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Robert L. Fisher III (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. But his time as a corpsman with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, he said, has tested him much differently than any of his previous experiences. Barnes is a corpsman with Company A, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th MEU, and has been deployed since March. Since completing field medicine school and jumping into the Fleet Marine Corps, Barnes said he has had rare opportunities to practice. That changed quickly April 11, 2012, when an MV-22B Osprey crashed in Morocco, killing two Marines and seriously injuring two others. "My guys were 200 yards away from the crash," Barnes recalled. "We have two bags for field medicine; I remember I grabbed my big bag and just started running. After I got there, it was chaos. We set up a receiving area and they pulled the first guy out, he was in pain. That's when this deployment became real for me." Barnes said he went straight to work cordoning the area so the other corpsman could aid the Marines being pulled out of the downed aircraft. He then kept the unit's leadership informed, relaying the injured Marines' information and medical condition. "After the adrenaline wore off, it was surreal, like a dream," he said. "I've never lost a Marine, but I felt like I lost mine that day." The experience, Barnes said, led him to reflect on much of his life and the events that have led him to where he is today. Before Morocco and the 24th MEU, Barnes said he spent much of life bouncing between occupations. He began his multiple-career journey as a police officer in Jamaica. Barnes worked the beat for a year, he said, then moved to a quick-response team, working gun-related crimes until he became part of a crime investigation division, where he learned crime scene photography. "As a police officer, you're dealing with people from every walk of life," he said. "Fighting crime, you help a lot of people so there's a lot of mentoring and you learn about other people's problems and how you can help them." Barnes said he moved to the U.S. in 2005 and settled in New York City. He worked an assortment of jobs there -- including a stint as a barber -- over the next few years, he said, until he enlisted in the Navy in 2010. "It's said Jamaicans have a lot of jobs. This is true, you learn a lot of skills so you can make money here and there. Versatility comes with travel. You'll find Jamaicans all over the world. In order to survive, you learn to do a lot of stuff," he said. Barnes said his decision to join the Navy came during a lull in his life. "I was bored. I wanted to do something but I didn't want to be a cop again," he said. "The Navy offered going all over the world, so why not?" Going "green" was the next step in his future travels as a corpsman, Barnes explained. Green-side corpsmen are those who work directly with Marines and undergo rigorous field training, which differentiates them from blue-side corpsmen that practice primarily in hospitals and clinics. The green-side corpsmen, known among Marines as "docs," attend field medical training where they conduct several long-distance hikes while also learning urban warfare and land navigation. "When I was going to join, I was going to be a green-side corpsman," Barnes said. "I'm an adrenaline junkie and all the guys at my course were like, 'Let's go to field medicine.' I felt like it was the right thing to do ... I get be called doc, a title of endearment." Barnes said joining the Navy offered fresh challenges. "After being a police officer, I wondered if I could handle the physical training again because I'm in my 30s but I roughed it out and here I am," he said. The 24th MEU will return home in the coming weeks to its home bases in and around Camp Lejeune, N.C. The 24th has been deployed for nine months as an expeditionary crisis response force in the U.S. Navy's 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility.     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

Northcom Strives to Promote Safe, Secure Arctic Posted: 17 Dec 2012 08:38 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. Northcom Strives to Promote Safe, Secure Arctic 12/17/2012 10:03 AM CST Northcom Strives to Promote Safe, Secure Arctic By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo., Dec. 17, 2012 - The Arctic, the northernmost part of the Earth, is one of the last frontiers -- a region so isolated and impenetrable that few humans have ever experienced its unforgiving conditions and austere beauty. The melting Arctic icecap is expected to bring new opportunities but also safety and security challenges. Here, U.S. Coast Guard Seaman Leon Chingcuangco, foreground, removes tiedowns as part of landing operations in the Bering Sea with an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter air crew as part of Operation Arctic Shield 2012, Aug. 24, 2012. The Coast Guard conducted the exercise in conjunction with federal, state and tribal officials to test their capabilities to respond to an oil spill or conduct search-and-rescue missions in the Arctic regions of Alaska. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Timothy Tamargo (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. But with increased melting of the Arctic ice cap, officials at U.S. Northern Command recognize new opportunities opening up for the international community, but also the related safety and security challenges. The Arctic ice shelf shrank to its lowest size in recorded history on Sept. 19, 2012,  when it measured about 1.5 million square kilometers below the previous all-time low reported in the summer of 2007, Canadian Air Force Brig. Gen. A.D. "Al" Meinzinger told American Forces Press Service. Meinzinger is deputy director of North American Aerospace Defense Command's and Northcom's strategy, policy and plans directorate. Although analysts' time estimates range from about five to 25 years, almost all envision a day when the Arctic has no discernible ice mass for at least part of the summer season. "We recognize some fundamental changes occurring," Meinzinger said. "And from a security perspective, we recognize that with that change coming, human activity in the Arctic will be increasing." Much of that activity will be a quest for the region's vast resources, from fish populations to oil and natural gas reserves to rare minerals within the Arctic seabed, Meinzinger said. He cited estimates that as much as one-quarter of the world's oil and gas reserves lie beneath Arctic waters, and commercial ventures are already under way to tap them. And, just as Antarctica, the earth's southernmost continent, has become an eco-tourist destination, Meinzinger anticipates a similar development in the Arctic. But the opening of the Arctic will have an economic impact that extends well beyond the region, Meinzinger said. For the first time in history, shipping companies will have new, shorter and commercially viable sea routes between Europe and Asia, at least for one or two months each summer. Some shippers already have begun transiting through the Bering Strait using two main Arctic routes: the northern sea route along the Russian coast and the northwest passage that runs along the Canadian coast. Army Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr., who commands Northcom and NORAD, noted in congressional testimony earlier this year that sea traffic in the Arctic has increased more than 60 percent since 2008, and drilling started in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas this past spring. As these activities unfold, they raise safety and security concerns for the United States, Canada and other Arctic nations, Jacoby said. "Security interests follow closely behind economic interests, and we will be participating in a number of venues to help lead that for the Department of Defense," he told the Senate Armed Services Committee. Jacoby recognized that Northcom could be called on to support civil authorities in an environmental-disaster response in the Arctic or to support search-and-rescue operations there. DOD's unified defense plan identified Northcom as the department's advocate for Arctic capabilities in April 2011, reflecting the command's dual roles in defending the homeland and providing military support to civilian first responders, when requested. In Northcom's Arctic role, it is responsible for working with stakeholders across the U.S. military, the interagency, and the international community to promote safety and security in the region. Jacoby and Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Robert J. Papp Jr. signed a report in March that identifies gaps in communication, domain awareness, infrastructure and presence. This analysis will help guide investments to prepare for the eventual opening of the Arctic, including infrastructure that Meinzinger said often takes four times longer and costs four times as much as similar projects in less isolated and demanding environments. Northcom also is collaborating with the Navy, other DOD entities, the Department of Homeland Security and the Canadian government to enhance collective capabilities in the Arctic. Last week, Jacoby joined Canadian Army Lt. Gen. Stuart Beare, commander of Canadian Joint Operations Command, to sign the Tri-Command Framework for Arctic Cooperation that promotes enhanced military cooperation to support safety, security and defense operations in the region. "We have an opportunity, while we watch the Arctic begin to open up, to get ahead of potential security requirements," Jacoby told the Senate Armed Services Committee. The foundations of this effort already are taking shape. Before Shell Oil Company launched its well-drilling operation this past summer, company officials traveled here to discuss potential issues that could arise in the Arctic with Northcom, Coast Guard and other interagency officials. They war-gamed scenarios and procedures Shell would take in the event of an oil spill or vessel collision, and ensured a common understanding of how the company would interact with government agencies should a contingency occur, Meinzinger said. He ran through the line diagram, beginning with local and state authorities, who, if overwhelmed, would ask for federal support. Northcom would have a role only if the lead federal agency requested specific help. During this year's drilling season, the Coast Guard conducted an exercise in the region to ensure it was ready to respond, if needed. "This was great because we were able to monitor the activities and be in place in case an issue arose that needed to be managed," Meinzinger said. "That's important to us, because we expect this level of activity to continue," with other U.S. and Canadian oil companies planning similar operations. Despite press coverage about the "militarization" of the Arctic and the rush for resources there, Meinzinger said he's encouraged by the cooperative spirit among the eight countries that ring the North Pole. Most of the region's resources fall within specific countries' economic exclusion zones, reducing the likelihood of conflict, he noted. Meinzinger pointed to the peaceful settlement between Russia and Norway over a border dispute and nations' efforts to ensure the Arctic opens in a stable, secure manner. "We have common interests," Meinzinger said. "The eight [Arctic] nations understand that this is a fragile environment, and we have a mutual interest in ensuring the Arctic opens in a peaceful manner and that conflict is not on anybody's priority list." The Arctic Council, an intergovernmental forum that promotes cooperation, coordination and interaction among Arctic states, established treaty agreements that lay a framework for collaborative search-and-rescue support and oil-spill prevention. That cooperation has extended to the security sector as well. This past May, Jacoby traveled to Canada to represent the Defense Department at the first-ever Northern Chiefs of Defense conference in Goose Bay in Labrador. Senior representatives of all eight Arctic nations came together to discuss the safety and security challenges associated with the region, and ways they can work together to address them. "As we look to the opening of the Arctic, General Jacoby's prime focus is on ensuring a peaceful opening of the region," and ensuring that Northcom is prepared to respond, if necessary, to a crisis or contingency, Meinzinger said. "We need to anticipate the Arctic operations today so we are prepared for the Arctic operations of tomorrow," he said. Biographies: Army Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr. Related Sites: U.S. Northern Command Related Articles: U.S., Canada Expand Arctic Cooperation, Military Training A U.S. Army Sherpa aircraft cruises 5,000 feet above the Brooks Range, 600 miles north of the Arctic Circle at Anaktuvuk Pass, during Arctic Care, a medical reserve joint operation training exercise, April 25, 2011. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Craig Anderson Download screen-resolution Download high-resolution   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

ISAF Commander Condemns Kabul Explosion, Offers Condolences Posted: 17 Dec 2012 07:37 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. ISAF Commander Condemns Kabul Explosion, Offers Condolences 12/17/2012 07:44 AM CST ISAF Commander Condemns Kabul Explosion, Offers Condolences Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2012 - The commander of the International Security Assistance Force and U.S. forces in Afghanistan strongly condemned today's explosion in Kabul, which reportedly killed at least one Afghan civilian and injured more than a dozen others, military officials said. "Like many of the insurgents' attacks, this morning's explosion in Kabul served only to kill and injure innocent Afghan civilians," Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen said in a statement. "I condemn this act, and all indiscriminate insurgent attacks that harm Afghan civilians. "I offer condolences to the family and friends of those killed and injured in Kabul this morning," Allen continued. "I also extend my continued thanks and admiration to the Afghan National Security Forces, who immediately secured the scene and rendered assistance to the innocent civilians harmed in this attack. The ISAF community of nations stands with these brave protectors of the Afghan people." In Afghanistan operations today: -- An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader in the Nad 'Ali district of Afghanistan's Helmand province today, military officials reported. The arrested Taliban leader had emplaced improvised explosive devices and coordinated attacks against Afghan and coalition forces throughout the Nad 'Ali district, officials said. The security force also detained one other suspected insurgent. In other Afghanistan operations today: -- A combined force arrested two insurgents during a search for a Haqqani leader in the Pul-e 'Alam district of Logar province. The sought-after insurgent leader coordinates and plans attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. -- In the Jaghatu district of Wardak province, a combined force arrested two insurgents and seized several weapons during a search for Taliban suicide attack planners. The planners are believed to have been preparing for an attack against Afghan and coalition forces. -- A combined force arrested a Haqqani leader, detained four other suspects and seized several weapons and ammunition in the Sabari district of Khost province. The arrested Haqqani leader conducted rocket-propelled grenade attacks against Afghan and coalition troops. He also acquired and transferred grenade launchers, rockets and other weapons for Haqqani insurgents operating in the district. Yesterday, a combined force arrested a Taliban facilitator in the Jalalabad district of Nangarhar province. The facilitator had provided direct support to the insurgents who conducted the Dec. 2 attack on Jalalabad Airfield. In a Dec. 15 operation, an Afghan-led, coalition-supported force arrested a Taliban leader and detained two other suspects in the Kandahar district of Kandahar province. The Taliban leader supplied insurgents with weapons and ammunition, coordinated attacks and oversaw the transfer of homemade explosives and IED-making materials. And on Dec. 14, a combined force discovered an IED cache in the Washir district of Helmand province. The cache contained seven IEDs, weapons and IED-making materials. All the items found in the cache were destroyed.   Biographies: Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen 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

DOD Announces 2013 Housing, Subsistence Allowance Rates Posted: 17 Dec 2012 07:37 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. DOD Announces 2013 Housing, Subsistence Allowance Rates 12/17/2012 08:00 AM CST DOD Announces 2013 Housing, Subsistence Allowance Rates By Claudette Roulo American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2012 - On Jan. 1, 2013, service members can expect to see an average increase of about $60 in their 2013 basic allowance for housing, Cheryl Anne Woehr, the BAH program manager, said Dec. 13. Overall, rates went up an average of 3.8 percent, Woehr said. Rate increases were spread throughout the country. "There wasn't any particular one region that was a big winner or a big loser this year," she said. Service members in New York City will receive the largest increase this year -- 14.7 percent on average -- followed closely by Altus Air Force Base, Okla., which will see a 14.1 percent average increase. Rates for BAH are set through annual reviews of market rents, utility costs and renter's insurance rates, Woehr said. "We measure those in each location for various types of housing," she said. The BAH program office surveys property managers to determine current rental rates in each duty location. Housing types considered include apartments, town homes and duplexes, as well as single-family rental units of various bedroom sizes. Utility information is derived from the American Community Survey, conducted annually by the Census Bureau, and renter's insurance information comes from area insurance companies, she said. "We want to make sure [service] members are able to afford adequate and appropriate housing within a reasonable distance of their duty station," Woehr said. About one million service members receive BAH, she said, which is paid to service members in the U.S. who live off base or in privatized base housing. The allowance is designed to cover the total housing cost for the median rental housing type for the service member's pay grade, Woehr said. Service members who reside outside the U.S. receive an overseas housing allowance, which is not affected by changes to BAH, she said. BAH varies between pay grades because, by law, it is also determined in part by assessing the housing of civilians in similar pay brackets, Woehr said. "We look at what civilians in a typical income range typically live in ... and we price that type of housing for equivalently paid military personnel," she said. About 21 percent of BAH localities saw a net decrease, but service members already receiving a higher allowance at those locations will continue to receive it, Woehr said. "We recognize that they've already made housing decisions based on that amount," she said. "It's only members newly reporting that will receive the new lower rates." Department of Defense officials also announced the new basic allowance for subsistence, or BAS, rates for military members. The new rates will take effect Jan. 1, 2013. Enlisted service members will receive $352.27 a month, up from $348.44 per month this year. Officers will receive $242.60 a month, up from $239.96 in 2012. Annual adjustments to BAS -- a monthly, nontaxable cash payment intended to be used to buy food -- are linked to changes in food prices as measured by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The index rose by 1.1 percent between the beginning of October 2011 and the end of September 2012, forming the basis for the increased BAS rates.   Related Sites: Basic Allowance for Housing DOD News Release   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

Progress on Goal of Ending Veteran Homelessness by 2015 Posted: 17 Dec 2012 07:07 AM PST Veterans Health Administration Update: Inside Veterans Health Progress on Goal of Ending Veteran Homelessness by 2015 12/17/2012 08:00 AM EST A new report shows that homelessness among Veterans was reduced between January 2011 and January 2012. We are on track to meet the goal of ending Veteran homelessness in 2015, a top priority at VA. 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)

Department of Defense Releases 2013 Bah Rates Posted: 17 Dec 2012 05:13 AM PST You are subscribed to News Releases for U.S. Department of Defense. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Department of Defense Releases 2013 Bah Rates 12/17/2012 07:05 AM CST IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 985-12 December 17, 2012 Department of Defense Releases 2013 Bah Rates             The Department of Defense released today the 2013 Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates, which take effect Jan. 1, 2013.  Overall rates will increase an average of 3.8 percent this year.              For members with dependents, average increases in BAH are approximately $60 per month.  A typical E-6 with dependents, for example, will find his/her BAH about $60 per month higher than last year, while an O-3 with dependents will receive about $55 more than last year.              In areas where rates will decrease, the decrease will only apply to members newly reporting to those locations.  Members are protected by individual rate protection which ensures that those already assigned to a given location will not see their BAH rate decrease, however, they will receive the increase if the rate goes up.  This assures that members who have made long-term commitments in the form of a lease or contract are not penalized if the area's housing costs decrease.              Three components are included in the BAH computation:  median current market rent; average utilities (including electricity, heat, and water/sewer) and average renter's insurance.              Total housing costs are calculated for six housing profiles (based on dwelling type and number of bedrooms) in each military housing area.  Basic Allowance for Housing rates are then calculated for each pay grade, both with and without dependents.  An estimated $20 billion will be paid to more than 1 million service members in 2013.              For more information on BAH, visit https://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/bah.cfm     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

Propwash Posted: 17 Dec 2012 01:13 AM PST ----------------------------------------------------------------- Aero-News Network "Propwash" E-Mail Aero-News Summary A Free E-Mail Newsletter ISSN: 12.17.12 Issue 156/17 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: 12.17.12 Edition: Airborne 12.14.12: Riggs Stays Grounded, AIG Sells Out, X-37B Orbits Also: USAFA Soars, Falcon 2000S Exceeds, Remembering Vicki, NASA Awards As this edition of Airborne went into production, David Riggs' hearing before the NTSB had was well into its second day with Riggs' attorney trying to mount a defense against the Emergency Revocation Order issued by the FAA ordering Riggs to surrender his pilot certificate. We have now learned that the NTSB has upheld the FAA Emergency Revocation order and barring a successful last minute appeal, Riggs is grounded for at least a year. American International Group and an investor group led by Mr. Weng Xianding, the Chairman of New China Trust Co. Ltd., announced Sunday that they have entered into an agreement under which AIG will sell up to a 90 percent stake in International Lease Finance Corporation. All this... and MORE in today's episode of Airborne!!! Airborne 12.14.12 is chock full of info about the half-week period ending Friday, December 14th, 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) Riggs Scandal/Court Hearing/Witness Tampering 2) AIG To Sell Up To 90 Percent Of ILFC 3) X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Successfully Launched 4) NavWorx ADS-B Is 'Fully Operational,' TSO Anticipated 5) Delta To Acquire 49 Percent Of Virgin Atlantic 6) Dassault's Falcon 2000S Beats Performance Targets 7) USAF Cadets Soar To 8th Straight National Sailplane Racing Championship 8) Barnstorming: Remembering A Special Flyer's 45th Birthday 9) NASA Awards Commercial Crew Contracts 10) Quadcopter Follows Kid 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=e5bd29b7-3a55-4777-8c1a-6985b0a00903 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Aero-TV: Redbird's Sharp--Transforming the Art & Craft of Flight Instruction (1) Redbird's Roger Sharp Reports Results On The First Year Of An Exciting Experiment (Part 1 of 5) Aviation has been undergoing some rough years... and the future is, as yet, quite uncertain. There are few facets of the aviation world more uncertain, though, than that of the flight training industry and community. Years of "...that's the way we've always done it," have created a serious culture clash among those who feel the old ways are the good ways, and those who feel that its time for something "completely different." Redbird Flight Simulation's Skyport experiment was specifically designed to look at the future of flight training... to retain the best of what works and to overhaul what doesn't. At its Migration Flight Training Conference last October, Redbird announced the school has graduated 20 Private Pilots, as well as completed 18 instrument ratings, one multi-engine rating and one instrument instructor certificate. It took an average of 38 flight hours to complete the private pilot rating, which is less than two-thirds the national average. Roger Sharp, Director of Flight Operations for the Skyport, offered up an extensive report on what they have learned... from Skyport as well as the 46 products that have come out of this process thus far -- with more on the way. "We found that we needed to completely rethink the learner, the materials and delivery methods... We identify better methods every week." Some of these products are high-tech, such as a Guided Independent Flight Training or GIFT, which demonstrates maneuvers in the simulator and scores student performance on that maneuver automatically. Sharp points out that most instructors don't enjoy teaching the basics in a simulator, so GIFT and the communications-training software Parrot automate the process until the student is ready to practice with live person watching. The instructor can be more a coach and mentor that a primary teacher, which suits most instructors better. ANN is pleased to present an excerpted hour of one of the most intriguing presentations we witnessed in 2012... and look forward to far more in 2013. Copyright 2012, Aero-News Network, Inc., All Rights Reserved. FMI: http://redbirdskyport.com, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/featurestories.cfm?ContentBlockID=63bafb33-9bf4-4a97-a541-c03f5606bce5 ----------------------------------------------------------------- AOPA Winds Up 2012: Sweetheart Deals, Big Salaries And 'No More Questions' After Much Delayed Receipt Of AOPA's Latest IRS-Form 990s, We Have More Questions Than Answers -- And AOPA Isn't Interested In Talking Anymore... First of all, ANN realizes that it has had some pretty tough questions to ask of and about AOPA this year... but after the last few years of aero-decline, we felt that it behooved us to demand more of what our associations are supposed to be doing for us, than ever before. It took ANN what we consider to be in inordinate amount of time to get AOPA to cough up the latest IRS Form 990 (for 2011), which are required to be disclosed to the public. Despite promises that the documents, signed by former AOPA CFO Doug Kitani on August 9th, 2012, would be available by the first week of November, we did not get them (and only after several requests and some mysterious delays), until over a month later. First... a little 'good' news... Total AOPA revenue in 2011 increased to $34,470,816, compared to $32,631,227 in 2010. In addition, Membership dues revenue was up in 2011, $16,051,829, compared with $15,390,752 in 2010. For 2011, AOPA reported a small decrease of 3.1 percent in total assets ($90,333,696) and its total liabilities ($16,784,550) remained virtually the same with an increase of less than one percentage point. Big Bucks Now... the no-so-good: Despite the fact that AOPA claims that salaries are declining at what they unabashedly call the most powerful voice for general aviation, the ratio of top salaries to the amounts taken in by the association are kinda worrisome. AOPA CEO Craig Fuller received a combined total of $815,293... supposedly a 4% cut from the previous years total (as claimed by AOPA's Katie Pribyl). Former CFO Roger Myers pulled down a total of $800,817 (with some of that being deferred funds). (Then) COO Roger Moran took down some $462,387 (Moran has since departed AOPA). 'Director' Diana Roberts received $416,219 (also from what appears to be some deferred funding). Sr. VP For Gov't Affairs, Melissa Rudinger received $321,757. There are a number of other salaries in the 200-300K range, but its obvious that while aviation struggles to survive, that the upper reaches of the AOPA staff are experiencing little of the hard times that the rest of the industry is battling. While the numbers appear sky-high, AOPA's Pribyl states that, "AOPA’s compensation practices are reviewed by an independent compensation consultant to ensure that our compensation policies and practices are reasonable and comparable to other organizations similar to AOPA. Ultimately, our goal is to attract and retain the talent we need to best serve our members; therefore our compensation and benefits structure is based on competitive market rates." ANN submitted about a dozen questions to AOPA, via Pribyl, over the past several days, and received a number of short answers, that were limited in detail -- before basically being told that they were not going to answer our questions anymore. Among the questions that ANN brought up were questions as to the true nature of some $5,030,256 in expenses, that were written off in a non-descript category listed as "Other." When questioned, Pribyl told ANN that "Regarding the $5,030,256 figure -- the 'other' notation is classified as such based on the IRS definitions used to prepare the 990. That is, if professional fees do not fall into the other categories listed in a-f, then they are classified as 'Other'. These fees were paid for a host of services, including research, show logistics, magazine production, creative services, software maintenance agreements, software hosting fees, web development, etc." Mind you, there are a number of classifications for expenses and money asserted to have been paid for items like Magazine production, and the like... so something a little more detailed would clear up a lot of confusion that such a short-shrift answer creates. Please keep in mind that we are not accountants and that much of the forms and language one needs to wade through does require careful study and accounting-specific knowledge/explanations that AOPA should be able to answer and explain. If they want to. But we clearly get the impression that AOPA does not. ANN has been seeking the guidance of folks with accounting credentials and we're learning that they seem to have as many questions as we do... and we will present those shortly. Still; there are some glaring issues that truly concern us. More than the sky-high salaries for an organization representing an industry in decline, more than the issue of increasing membership dissatisfaction with the direction of the organization, more than the multiple reports of (occasionally lavish services and treatment received by Fuller and other senior members of AOPA, and even more than issues raised about conflict of interest; we simply see an organization that is increasingly antagonistic towards who question it, as well as being more and more evasive about its mission, conduct and internal operations. ANN is receiving, on a seemingly daily basis, calls and emails from members, former staff, current staff, major donors, senior advisers and/or industry players that are voicing extreme concerns about the direction and conduct of AOPA. Some of the information they impart and the stories they tell are occasionally very worrisome, while others are sadly amusing (the stories of Craig and his many 'pseudo-pontifical' Limousine arrivals, in particular, have been voiced by quite a few -- and the specifics of those tales would be funny if not for the fact that we need 'lean' leadership, not outwardly extravagant operations at a time when much of the industry is simply struggling to stay alive. Fuller's predecessor was known, for instance, to be highly averse to the use of limousine services, reportedly noting that he thought that members seeing him hopping into or out of a limousine was an image he did not want his members to be subjected to. Fuller, apparently, doesn't have the same concerns... with a number of detailed reports of extensive limousine usage, expensive dinners and social events, and quite a bit of "no expense spared" treatment being accorded to the AOPA President on many of this travels. One intriguing issue that AOPA glossed over was the use of two high-end eating establishments, both reportedly having Fuller as a financial partner/investor, for AOPA functions. Pribyl stated that there is no conflict of interest in using those businesses (one right in Frederick, MD) for AOPA business. Pribyl stated that, "There is no conflict of interest. Craig Fuller had a small investment in 2 restaurants when he joined AOPA in 2008, which was fully disclosed as required. AOPA hosted events at dozens of establishments during the year and only involved a restaurant in which he had an investment 5 or 6 times that yielded no direct benefit to Mr. Fuller." Sweetheart Deal? Finally (for now), there was the glaring issue of an item that appeared in a document that Pribyl claimed was an independent audit of AOPA for the years, 2010-2011. A lone item caught our attention right away... in the last few pages of the report (Page 22 of 24), under a heading of "Note J-Subsequent Events," we read the following data, "In February 2012, a subsidiary corporation was formed to manage the relationship with and a potential investment in an aviation technology organization (the "ATO'). AOPA entered into a financing agreement with the subsidiary to provide a $650,000 line of credit at a rate of one month LIBOR plus 100 basis points to support the short-term working capital needs of the subsidiary. The subsidiary entered into a commercial agreement with the ATO to support the development of aviation software. An advance against the ATO's share of revenue from potential, jointly developed products in the amount of $300,000 was made in February 2012." The published statement did not identify the "ATO" and gave no clue to the ID of that organization or more detailed info as to the services provided, but questions put to AOPA just before they decided that they would not answer any more of them, identified the ATO as Seattle Avionics, the so-called partner for AOPA's very controversial "FlyQ" offering. In other words... AOPA made hundreds of thousands of AOPA member dollars available to Seattle Avionics for what appears to be one heck of a sweetheart deal in which they not only got to be the beneficiary of a partnership with AOPA and its willingness to play favorites, but in a way that just reeks of all manner of concerns. No one among the many players in the online/computer based flight planning community reports having been offered a similar deal... there is no evidence that the matter was put to fair (much less, public) bid, and there still seems to be little or no concern on the part of AOPA about the damage that might be done to those private businesses (the same companies that literally created the aero-business segment that AOPA has now entered and is attempting to profit from) that not only have to compete with AOPA's anointed flight-planning partner (one whom has been the subject of multiple complaints here at ANN). To many who have commented to ANN about the FlyQ matter, the general sentiment seesm to be, "This deal stinks..." and the news that AOPA put hundreds of thousands of member dollars up in a reportedly no-bid gig to a player that has an "interesting" history could make this all the more problematic. AOPA itself admits the funds were "new product seed money" -- and further notes that other details of this so-called 'sweetheart' deal are "proprietary" (though AOPA members may have their own opinion of about that--it was THEIR money, after all) and that they will not be discussed with ANN... and that further, they seem to have had enough of our questions... end of story. No More Questions ANN is studying a lot of data right now... and we have a pretty (and growing) unsettled feeling about it all. No matter how contentious some of our questions may have been with other aviation leaders, we do not recall such a wholesale repudiation of a series of what appear (to us) to be appropriate questions. Tom Poberezny never pulled this (and even admitted that he occasionally enjoyed our 'pain-in-the-ass' questions). Phil Boyer never pulled this (and often enjoyed a good "heated discussion" so long as it remained respectful). Rod Hightower didn't pull this (and in fact, granted reluctant approval to one of the tougher series of questions we asked last year). Pete Bunce never pulled this. Ed Bolen never pulled this.... you get the idea. We are relying on professional experts to look over some accounting topics and issues in the most recent 990s as well as other issues that continue to be brought up by folks that allegedly have significant knowledge of AOPA and AOPA operations. At a time when aviation is all but swirling the drain, we SO need VERY strong, 'beyond reproach' leadership that is dynamic, professional, on-mission, innovative, caring and TRULY devoted to the best interests of the average Mom and Pop Aviator... and concerns seems to be growing that AOPA is not living up to those desires. We're hearing from hundreds of readers and industry personnel... and we're beginning to feel very strongly that an overhaul of AOPA's leadership, protocols and mission may be necessary if it is going to be of real value to an industry that needs all of that... and then some. More info to follow... FMI: Hey ANN Readers -- What Do You Think Of AOPA 2012??? For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/genav.cfm?ContentBlockID=568942b1-3b6b-4e35-9549-f23580a4e205 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Klyde Morris (12.17.12) Detroit? .... But Seriously Now, Detroit???? Really??? FMI: www.klydemorris.com For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/featurestories.cfm?ContentBlockID=da932cbf-bafa-441d-af22-279bc99fbf43 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Qatar Airways Grounds One Of Its Three Dreamliners Airplane Developed An Electrical Problem Similar To One That Cropped Up On A UCH 787 Qatar Airways says it has been forced to ground one of its three Dreamliners because of an electrical problem that forced them to take the jet out of service. A similar problem was discovered recently in a 787 belonging to United Continental Holdings. Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker was not pleased. He said in an interview at Heathrow in London Thursday that the airline would "demand compensation from Boeing," according to a report from Reuters. The airplane was grounded December 9th. Al Baker said that the airplane would not fly until Boeing had repaired the aircraft, which the company said it was working to get done. But the planemaker said it was not certain that the issue was with a power generator, as was the case with a Dreamliner belonging to United Continental which was forced to make an emergency landing December 4 when one of the three units on board failed. Boeing said it would "evaluate the findings in Qatar" to get to the root cause of the problem before determining what the next steps should be. Al Baker said that he was concerned that having similar problems occur on such new airplanes could be a symptom of wider problems with the jet. He blamed the Dreamliner's delays for slowing the airline's expansion plans. Qatar Airways has 60 Dreamliners on order, with the next deliveries scheduled for December 19th. (Image from file) FMI: www.boeing.com For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/commair.cfm?ContentBlockID=57701ec3-535f-450c-b61a-243ab396e603 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Profit Growth Grounded In Canada's Aerospace Industry Economic Conditions Expected To Push The Bottom Line Down In 2013 A slowdown in new orders earlier this year and the ongoing global economic uncertainty are pushing profit levels down in Canada's aerospace product manufacturing industry in 2012 and likely will again in 2013, according to The Conference Board of Canada's Autumn edition of its Industrial Outlook. Industry profits have been on a turbulent ride since the 2008-09 recession. After reaching a recent high of $710 million in 2010, profits fell in 2011 and are projected to dip again in 2012 and 2013. At the end of next year, profits are expected to be slightly more than $500 million - a decline of 30 per cent since 2010. "The aerospace industry is still coping with the lingering effects of the 2008-09 recession," said Maxim Armstrong , Senior Economist. "And while new orders indicate that the industry is showing signs of recovery, the financial turmoil in Europe is creating uncertainty and making the comeback difficult. Growth in global demand for air transportation can currently be described as modest at best, which is delaying the need to expand capacities or to replace existing aircraft worldwide." The outlook mirrors global economic trends, with modest growth this year and next, followed by progressive improvement in the later years of the five-year forecast. U.S. economic growth remains slow, but American companies have improved their financial position - which is expected to lead to increased demand for business jets. The improved outlook in 2015 and beyond will coincide with the anticipated arrival of Bombardier's CSeries jets on the market. The CSeries development fueled industry growth in research and development in recent years. (Image of CSeries aircraft provided by Bombardier) FMI: www.conferenceboard.ca/e-library/abstract.aspx?did=5250 For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/aerospace.cfm?ContentBlockID=ee510edf-37a3-4627-8f1b-d9bb14029784 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Russia Certifies Embraer Lineage Executive Jets Lineage Follows Closely The Certification Of The Company's Regional Airliners Russia's Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC), also known by its Russian acronym MAK, has granted type certification to Embraer for the Lineage 1000 business aircraft, opening the door for Russian customers to register and operate the type in Russia. “This is exceptionally exciting news that the Lineage 1000 has received validation from the Russian authorities, a strong endorsement of our product,” said Colin Steven, Vice President Sales – Europe, Middle-East and Africa, Embraer Executive Jets. “Embraer Executive Jets has already received strong market acceptance in the country with more than 40 Legacy 600s and 650s owned by Russian customers now flying in the region today. We are pleased to be able to better serve our customers by offering the Lineage 1000 on the Russian register for those who wish to operate the aircraft in Russia.” The Lineage 1000 is Embraer Executive Jets’ largest executive aircraft in a seven-strong family of business aircraft models. It provides a balance of performance, intelligent luxury and high reliability. Its range, listed as 4,500 nautical miles with four passengers and NBAA IFR fuel reserves, gives the aircraft the capability to fly nonstop from Moscow (Russia) to New York (U.S), from Beijing (China) to Dubai (United Arab Emirates), from Hong Kong to Sydney (Australia), and from London (UK) to Dubai. The aircraft is equipped with the Honeywell Primus Epic avionics suite and a fly-by-wire flight control system, which provide pilots with a highly intuitive cockpit. Earlier this week, the MAK granted type certification to Embraer for its E190 and E195 regional airliners. (Lineage 1000 image provided by Embraer) FMI: www.embraer.com For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/commbus.cfm?ContentBlockID=3a2cee5a-7f22-4eaa-804f-62fd8c7150bd ----------------------------------------------------------------- Five Companies Drop Out Of USAF SAR Helicopter Competition Potential Bidders Say Process Favors Sikorsky For 112 Aircraft Contract Five major defense contractors have pulled out of an Air Force competition to produce 112 new SAR helicopters, saying the bidding process is unfair. But the Air Force says the requirements for the helicopter will drive the competition. The companies that have said they will not offer bids include Northrop Grumman, which had teamed with Finmeccanica of Italy, the parent company of AgustaWestland; Boeing; Bell Helicopter; and American Eurocopter. The companies said that the way the Air Force had structured the bidding process would have required them to spend money in an effort that had little or no chance of producing a winning aircraft. EADS/Airbus had similar comments when Boeing won the contract to build the KC-45A tanker. Reuters reports that a senior defense official not authorized to talk to the media said the Pentagon had insisted that the Air Force be specific about the requirements for the new helicopter, and let potential bidders know how valuable additional capabilities might be. Those who withdrew from the competition said that the requirements clearly favor Sikorsky's Black Hawk, and that any additional capabilities would not be enough to tip the scales in their favor. The unnamed official said that the Defense Department was committed to open and transparent competitions, but with clearly defined requirements for the aircraft. He said no company had been pre-selected to build the helos. The Pentagon does have policies in place to deal with a sole-source competition, but the Air Force has not yet said if it will change the bidding process in an effort to attract additional bids. FMI: www.af.mil, www.dod.gov For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/military.cfm?ContentBlockID=65e0c37f-bb2d-4335-bf72-3870784cbb6c ----------------------------------------------------------------- NASA Progressing Toward First Launch Of Orion Spacecraft But The First Flight Is Still More Than A Year In The Future Recent engineering advances by NASA and its industry partners across the country show important progress toward Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1), the next step to launching humans to deep space. The uncrewed EFT-1 mission, launching from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida in 2014, will test the re-entry performance of the agency's Orion capsule. "These recent milestones are laying the foundation for our first flight test of Orion in 2014," said Dan Dumbacher, deputy associate administrator for exploration systems development at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "The work being done to prepare for the flight test is really a nationwide effort and we have a dedicated team committed to our goal of expanding the frontier of space." A tool that will allow the titanium skeleton of the Orion heat shield to be bolted to its carbon fiber skin is at the Denver facility of the spacecraft's prime contractor Lockheed Martin (pictured). This will enable workers to begin assembling the two pieces of the heat shield. Almost 3,000 bolts are needed to hold the skeleton to the skin. A special stand was built to align the skin on the skeleton as holes for the bolts are drilled. Work to bolt the skeleton to the skin will be completed in January. The heat shield then will be shipped to Textron Defense Systems near Boston where the final layer, an ablative material very similar to that used on the Apollo spacecraft, will be added. The completed heat shield is scheduled to be ready for installation onto the Orion crew module at Kennedy next summer. To test the heat shield during EFT-1's re-entry, Orion will travel more than 3,600 miles above Earth's surface, 15 times farther than the International Space Station's orbital position. This is farther than any spacecraft designed to carry humans has gone in more than 40 years. Orion will return home at a speed almost 5,000 mph faster than any current human spacecraft. This week, engineers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL, received materials to begin manufacturing the adapter that will connect the Orion capsule to a United Launch Alliance Delta IV heavy-lift rocket for EFT-1. Two forward and two aft rings will be welded to barrel panels to form two adapters. This adapter design will be tested during EFT-1 for use during the first launch of NASA's next heavy-lift rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), in 2017. SLS will launch NASA's Orion spacecraft and other payloads beyond low Earth orbit, providing an entirely new capability for human exploration. Data from the adapter on the flight test will provide Marshall engineers with invaluable experience developing hardware early in the design process. Designing the adapter once for multiple flights also provides a cost savings. Of the two adapters welded at Marshall, one will attach Orion to the Delta IV heavy-lift rocket used for EFT-1. The other adapter will be a structural test article to gain knowledge on the design. NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations (GSDO) Program also has passed a major agency review that lays the groundwork at Kennedy to support future Orion and SLS launches. The GSDO Program completed a combined system requirements review and system definition review, in which an independent board of technical experts from across NASA evaluated the program's infrastructure specifications, budget and schedule. The board confirmed GSDO is ready to move from concept development to preliminary design. The combination of the two assessments represents a fundamentally different way of conducting NASA program reviews. The team is streamlining processes to provide the nation with a safe, affordable and sustainable launch facility. The GSDO program last week also led the third Stationary Recovery Test Working Group session in Norfolk, Va. The team presented to the U.S. Navy detachment that will recover the capsule during EFT-1 a complete list of tasks required to accomplish stationary recovery test objectives. The working group outlined the plan for roles and responsibilities to accomplish required test procedures. Included in these presentations were the commanding officer of the USS Mesa Verde and the fleet forces command director of operations, who both expressed complete support for the test. (Images provided by NASA) FMI: www.nasa.gov/exploration For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/aerospace.cfm?ContentBlockID=033bfb9b-2257-4868-9018-6e18b9baa34b ----------------------------------------------------------------- China's Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport In The '30 Million' Club Fifth Airport In China To Reach 30 Million Passengers In case you were wondering why all those commercial airliner sales forecasts point to China as a significant growth area, here is some evidence. At 9:05 am, on December 12 th, 2012, CA4440, flying from Gui Yang, landed smoothly on the runway at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CDIA). That's not exactly news, but the flight pushed the number of passengers traveling through CDIA past 30 million, making CDIA the fifth airport in mainland China and also the only one in central-western China to step into that rather exclusive "club". It has been only three years since the passenger numbers broke through 20 million in 2009. Located in the southwestern part of China, Chengdu is the capital city of Sichuan Province. In 2010, Chengdu ranked first as the next decade's Fastest-Growing City by Forbes magazine. Now, 243 Fortune 500 companies have settled here. The 2013 Fortune Global Forum will be held in Chengdu. As the international comprehensive transportation hub in central-western China, the CDIA serves a population of nearly 500 million. CDIA has developed very fast in recent years. In 2004, the passenger numbers broke through 10 million, reached 20 million in 2009, and welcomed 29 million in 2011, which ranked it fourth among cities in mainland China and is part of the world's Top 50. As the fourth largest aviation city in mainland China, CDIA has 54 international (regional) routes covering 51 cities, and 141 domestic routes covering 95 cities. Now, CDIA aims to be the best airport operator in China. FMI: www.cdairport.com/front_en/index.jsp For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/commair.cfm?ContentBlockID=7d4fde03-5709-4c32-8a6a-04778f10f621 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Eurocopter Completes Deliveries Of Four EC135s In Finland Aircraft Upgrade The Helicopter Fleet Of Finnish Emergency Medical Services Provider SHT The deliveries of four new EC135s to Skärgårdshavets Helikoptertjänst Ab (SHT) during the fourth quarter of 2012 is enabling this Finnish operator of emergency medical airlift services and air ambulance flights to modernize its helicopter fleet. These rotorcraft are replacing three older EC135s operated by SHT, bringing its total inventory to five of these twin-engine helicopters that are flown from bases across the country. SHT is a well-established operator of Eurocopter rotorcraft, having logged 11,000 hours to date with its EC135s. The company began emergency medical airlift services and air ambulance flights in 1990 with a Bo 105 CB, which provided 15 years of loyal service. “Our EC135 delivery surge for SHT underscores Eurocopter's ability to support customers' needs through the timely supply of helicopters in meeting their schedules and operational requirements,” said Roman Seidel, the Head of the EC135 program at Eurocopter. “With SHT's record of reliability rates already in the 98 percent bracket, the new EC135s will further enhance its high-quality service.” SHT locates one of its Eurocopter rotorcraft at helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) bases in Helsinki, Turku, and Tampere; and at a combined HEMS/air ambulance base in Mariehamn. Another helicopter is used for HEMS crew training and as a backup aircraft. In addition, SHT is a member of Eurocopter's Reliability Data Group, composed of customers who agree to regularly provide technical and operational data on their rotorcraft. This data enables the helicopter manufacturer further improve component reliability and boost serviceability for operators worldwide. (Image provided by Eurocopter) FMI: www.eurocopter.com For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/commbus.cfm?ContentBlockID=abb08c85-d891-43fc-8d4d-a6eede022191 ----------------------------------------------------------------- FAA Issues SAIB For Some Cessna 206 Airplanes In-Flight Fire Caused By V-Band Coupling Malfunction The FAA has issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) concerning Cessna Aircraft Company Model T206H airplanes. The SAIB is the result of an in-flight fire on a Cessna T206H with only 1,000 hours time-in-service (TIS) since new. Investigation revealed the V-band coupling that secures the tailpipe to the turbocharger housing had failed in-flight resulting in hot exhaust gas impingement on the firewall and consequent burning around the base of the firewall into airplane structures. The amphibious airplane had spent approximately 700 hours TIS of its life in or near salt water. Per the recommendations contained in the Cessna T206H maintenance manual (MM); up to the time of the fire, the incident airplane should have undergone (20) 50-hour specific inspections of the V-band coupling and had (10) annual inspections, which also identify the specific inspection of the V-band coupling. This indicates the need for greater diligence in inspection and replacement of the exhaust system V-band couplings and adherence to the recommended inspection intervals and procedures contained in the maintenance manual. Additionally, the incident V-band coupling had a design feature that is not documented by Cessna to be included in their approved type design. The incident coupling was of a (3) segment type, having three separate v-segments inside the flat band versus (2) v-segments called for in the Cessna type design. The agency has been provided one other failed example of a 3-segment coupling from the field as well. The 3-segment couplings from the incident airplane and the field appear to be the correct diameter. However, the failed couplings are distorted, corroded, and exhibit no discernible identification markings. According to the SAIB, the agency is not aware of any FAA PMA for V-band couplings on the Model T206H airplane that use a 3-segment V-band coupling. The FAA said the conditions does not warrant the issuance of an AD. The agency made seven recommendations to owners and operators of the airplanes that would correct the unsafe condition. (Cessna 206 image from file) FMI: SAIB For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/genav.cfm?ContentBlockID=4fc20072-c0e0-49db-9a62-8abfe5c97e7e ----------------------------------------------------------------- Hong Kong Flight Attendants May Stage 'Surly' Strike Threaten To Not Serve Alcohol Or Food, Or Even Smile Due To A Pay Dispute Cathay Pacific flight attendants are feeling pretty grumpy about how negotiations are going between their union and the airline, and have voted to begin a labor action which may include flight delays and a cut back on the service for which the airline is noted. The union has demanded a five percent pay raise for the FAs. The airline, which posted a $120.5 million loss in the first half of 2012 according to a report appearing on Fox News, offered two percent and a 13 month bonus. That wasn't good enough for the flight attendants union, which has not revealed how the job action may proceed. Union General Secretary Tsang Kwok-fung said it might include withholding food and beverage service from passengers, which would require travelers to bring their own. Tsang said that the FAs might even stop smiling and greeting passengers. "We cannot smile because of the situation, because of how the company treats us," Tsang said. One of the tactics under consideration is "working to rule," which means that the FAs would provide the very minimum work required, and following things like baggage restriction rules to the letter. Such an action could delay flights 20-30 minutes, the union leader said. While a general strike is not out of the question, the union said it would happen only as a last resort, and not until after the first of the year. The airline, for its part, had reportedly taken out ads in Hong Kong newspapers on Thursday asserting that it has invited the union to return to the negotiating table, but has not had a response. Cathay Pacific COO Ivan Chu said at a news conference that the airline has a "contingency plan," but did not offer any details. FMI: www.cathaypacific.com/us For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/commair.cfm?ContentBlockID=23845910-b285-463e-be78-842276756d26 ----------------------------------------------------------------- USAIG Plans Aviation-Specific Workers Compensation Program Plan Will Be Activated On January 1 On January 1, 2013, USAIG will roll out a new, full-featured workers’ compensation insurance package – AeroComp by USAIG – designed specifically to address the needs of aviation operators, including both commercial and business operations. USAIG is a leading provider of insurance to the aviation and aerospace industries. “This new program leverages our 80-plus years of expertise as an insurance underwriter focused exclusively on aviation, as well as 37 years of experience providing industry-leading and well-known aviation workers’ compensation programs that have generated remarkable returns for program participants,” says USAIG President and CEO David McKay. “With its safety training, customized pricing options and excellent claims service, this program will be of particular interest to current customers, as well as other commercial and business aviation operations that focus on operational safety and excellence.” USAIG continues its partnership with Liberty Mutual Insurance, a leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance, to offer the new program. USAIG member companies also participating in AeroComp include Berkshire Hathaway affiliates General Reinsurance and Columbia Insurance, which have earned A.M. Best ratings of A++. All member companies also are top rated by S&P, Fitch and Moody’s. USAIG says that AeroComp is rooted in a philosophy of superior insurance products backed by industry-leading claims service and full online service capability. The program features access to a range of safety products and services designed to complement ongoing safety initiatives by bridging gaps in or reinforcing safety training and compliance. All AeroComp participants receive full access to workplace safety programs through Liberty Mutual SafetyNet, a web-based program that delivers the latest safety research, OSHA compliance tools, industry analysis and training materials. SafetyNet can help operators reduce cost of risk by improving workplace safety. AeroComp participants who take advantage of additional USAIG coverages – such as aircraft hull and liability, airport premises, products and hangarkeepers – have further access to valuable safety initiatives from USAIG’s Performance Vector safety initiative, including reimbursement for any industry-recognized line service training, and operational safety programs emphasizing human factors to minimize error in aviation. These programs include forward-looking, practical human factors training and strategic tools to enhance safety management systems. AeroComp participants who qualify for schedule rating may also receive credits related to the safety of their operation. The new program does not affect the insurance coverage of current USAIG workers’ compensation policyholders, who may automatically qualify for participation in AeroComp when their current policy expires. FMIL www.usaig.com For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/commbus.cfm?ContentBlockID=2488b350-2c26-4ae6-9598-3a60f4204155 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Dual Now Shipping The XGPS170 GPS Plus ADS-B Weather, Traffic Receiver The First App To Support The XGPS170 Is WingX Pro7 From Hilton Software Dual Electronics' new XGPS170 GPS + ADS-B Weather & Traffic Receiver for iPad, iPhone and Android devices is now shipping to authorized resellers in the U.S. Designed to work with 3rd party EFB apps, the in-flight weather and traffic information from the XGPS170 is seamlessly integrated into WingX Pro7 from Hilton Software. Additional compatible apps for Apple, Android and Windows devices will soon be available from a number of software companies including: Avilution, Flight Guide, Fltplan.com, Global NavSource, Jeppesen, and Naviator. “The XGPS170 is an ideal upgrade from the popular XGPS150 for those wanting weather and traffic in the cockpit,” said Greg Lukins, Vice President, Business Development, Dual Electronics. “The advanced display capabilities of WingX Pro7 combined with the reliable performance of the XGPS170 deliver all the benefits of the ADS-B broadcast in an easy-to-use solution,” added Lukins. The XGPS170 features the same high-accuracy WAAS GPS as the XGPS150/150A, plus an ADS-B receiver for weather and traffic data. The receiver connects wirelessly via Bluetooth to two tablets simultaneously, leaving both tablets free to connect to other WiFi devices. The built-in rechargeable battery lasts up to 5 hours of continuous use, and a 12-28V charger is included. The XGPS170 comes with a convenient non-slip pad that holds the receiver in place on horizontal as well as vertical surfaces. Current owners of the Dual GPS receivers can now take advantage of the recently announced $50 trade-in program by sending their XGPS150/XGPS150A products along with a proof of purchase of a new XGPS170 to Dual Electronics. The program is valid on purchases of the XGPS170 made on or before March 31, 2013.The receiver will carry a suggested retail price of $799. (Image provided by Dual Electronics) FMI: www.xgps170.dualav.com For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/genav.cfm?ContentBlockID=bdbe97ac-2b9c-4de7-96a2-5d24cfb68965 ----------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Navy Awards $400 Million Aircraft Maintenance Contract BAE Systems To Maintain T-34, T-44, T-6 Trainers The U.S. Navy has awarded a contract to maintain and service T-34, T-44 and T-6 trainer aircraft valued at approximately $400 million over five years to BAE Systems. The company will perform scheduled inspections, along with required repairs, modifications and logistical support, for more than 300 aircraft operated by the Chief of Naval Air Training. “We continue to execute on our strategy to grow our services footprint within BAE Systems,” said Dave Herr, president of BAE Systems Support Solutions. “This win strengthens our position in the aviation services market and creates opportunities for additional organic growth.” The contract was awarded by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), based at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland. The work will be conducted at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi in Texas, at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida and at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, also in Florida. BAE Systems will be actively recruiting from the existing skilled workforce at each site to fill maintenance positions. “This is a major win for our team, significantly expanding our support to the U.S. Navy for trainer aircraft,” said Gordon Eldridge, vice president and general manager of Aerospace Solutions at BAE Systems. “We’re excited to have this opportunity to serve NAVAIR and the Chief of Naval Air Training, and we look forward to serving the warfighters who fly and train in these aircraft.” The winning BAE Systems team includes support subcontractors Elbit Systems of America’s subsidiary M7 Aerospace LLC, PKL Services, Inc., Hawker Beechcraft, StandardAero, and Sensenich Propeller Service. The aircraft variants involved are the single-engine T-34, the twin-engine T-44A and T-44C, and the single-engine T-6A and T-6B. The contract includes an initial base term plus multiple options. The period of performance will be five years if all options are exercised. (Pictured Top: T-34C. Bottom T-6B) FMI: www.navy.mil, www.baesystems.com For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/military.cfm?ContentBlockID=22adc405-8bb6-44b3-a4f5-43557394cd6e ----------------------------------------------------------------- T56 Engine Enhancement For USAF Exceeds Expectations Rolls-Royce Engine Powers Legacy C-130 Aircraft The United States Air Force has completed flight testing for the latest enhancement for the Rolls-Royce T56 engine, and preliminary results have exceeded expectations for reduced fuel consumption and reliability improvements. The Rolls-Royce T56 engine powers all legacy C-130 aircraft, with the Series 3.5 program the latest improvement aimed at enhancing performance. Recent flight tests with an installed Series 3.5 engine demonstrated a 9.7 per cent reduction in fuel consumption and more than 22 per cent increase in reliability, achieved through a significant reduction in operating temperatures. “The flight test data from the USAF demonstrates even better results than were expected," said Tom Hartmann, Rolls-Royce, Senior Vice President – Defence. The USAF flight test team has confirmed that by inserting new technology we can bring dramatic improvements in fuel consumption and engine reliability to C-130 operators.” The C-130H test aircraft completed its flights in October at Edwards Air Force Base, CA. A final report on the test data is expected later in the year, with Accelerated Mission Testing under way at Rolls-Royce facilities in Indianapolis. Certification of the Series 3.5 by the FAA and qualification by the USAF are expected in 2013. The Series 3.5 engine enhancement uses proven technologies from other Rolls-Royce commercial and military engines, including new materials for blades and vanes, and advanced aerodynamic designs for turbine airfoils. The Series 3.5 will also improve performance in ‘hot and high’ conditions, and dramatically reduce emissions. The Series 3.5 engine enhancement will enable the USAF to continue to operate its C-130H fleet until 2040, and a USAF analysis estimated its long-term savings from the program could exceed $2 billion. The engine improvements can be accomplished as part of a conventional engine overhaul, and do not require any aircraft or engine control system modifications. Each C-130 aircraft has four Rolls-Royce T56 engines, with approximately 220 USAF C-130H models eligible for updating. The Series 3.5 program will help the Air Force to achieve its goal of reducing consumption of aviation fuel by 10 percent by 2015. (T56 engine pictured in file image) FMI: www.rolls-royce.com/civilaerospace For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/military.cfm?ContentBlockID=30e4f2bc-c614-48ab-93e6-201c29fcfdff ----------------------------------------------------------------- UTC To Focus On Core Aerospace And Commercial Business Sells Pratt & Whitney Power Systems Unit To Mitsubishi Heavy Industries United Technologies Corp. said Wednesday that it has reached agreement to sell its Pratt & Whitney Power Systems unit, currently part of Pratt & Whitney, to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI). Terms of the agreement were not disclosed and the transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2013. Divesting Power Systems allows UTC to focus on its core aerospace and commercial businesses. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. "We are pleased to announce Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' agreement to purchase Pratt & Whitney Power Systems. It is a significant step in UTC's ongoing portfolio transformation," said Pratt & Whitney President David Hess. "Pratt & Whitney Power Systems is a solid company with many talented employees, and we are pleased to place it with a company that will provide it with the resources and capabilities for future growth. We will remain focused on our customers, providing them with superior products and services, and I know that MHI will do the same." The Hartford Courant reports that the Power Systems division builds electric generation turbines that run on natural gas which are based on aircraft engines. The affected facilities are in Hartford, CT, and San Antonia, TX. Sonia Williams, a spokeswoman for Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas, based in Lake Mary, FL, said that the company does not anticipate any changes in the current organizational structure, and that the company would continue to "(manufacture) the smaller and medium sized aero-turbines." FMI: www.mpshq.com For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/commbus.cfm?ContentBlockID=4ea8537b-c368-4b21-97e3-08c649922c1e ----------------------------------------------------------------- ANN FAQ: How Do I Become A News Spy? We're Everywhere... Thanks To You! Even with the vast resources and incredibly far-reaching scope of the Aero-News Network, every now and then a story that should be reported on slips through our fingers. There's a lot of news out there, and sometimes we just don't get to all of it. Fortunately for us, we realized early on we couldn't be everywhere at once -- curse the laws of physics! -- so we came up with the idea of News-Spies. Just as the title suggests, a News-Spy is a reader who notices a news item -- be it in the newspaper, on television, or something they came across at their own airport, town hall, at the office water cooler or just by walking down the street -- basically, any item a reader may think is newsworthy, that pertains to the world of aviation. Our News-Spies have given us some great leads, on stories we might not have noticed but certainly deserved to be brought to our readers' attention. And YOU can be a News-Spy, too! To learn more about being an ANN News-Spy, click on the FMI link below or simply email news-spy@aero-news.net. Remember... Aero-News isn't just what WE make it, but what YOU want it to be, too. And one of the best ways to make ANN what you want it to be, is to become a News-Spy! FMI: Become A News Spy! For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/featurestories.cfm?ContentBlockID=b38d57ad-94bb-4770-a262-7970c28e2c17 ----------------------------------------------------------------- ANN FAQ: Feel The Propwash! Get Aero-News Delivered To Your E-Mail We know you, like many of our readers, make it a point to check out the latest news and information daily on Aero-News... but did you know that we will also bring the news to you, for free? (Why? Because we're nice guys, that's why!) If you don't want the added complexity of typing out www.aero-news.net every day -- or clicking on your Favorites bar -- then all you need to do is set up a FREE account and soon you'll receive our newsletter, Propwash, right to your email!! To set up your account, click on the "Subscribe" link at the left of our Top News page, or click on the FMI link at the bottom of this story: Next, enter your email address and select which edition of Propwash you would like to receive -- HTML, PDF, or text only. Click on the "Show Me" link to the right of each option to see what each version of Propwash looks like (hint: go with one of the graphics options -- they're worth it!) And that's it! Welcome to the Aero-News Network subscriber family! You will now receive a copy of Propwash online every morning, Monday through Saturday. Note the Monday edition features expanded content, covering events of the previous weekend. You may also choose to unsubscribe at any time, no questions asked. We can't imagine why you'd do it, but we do provide the option. All you have to do is click on "Subscribe" once again, enter your email address, and select "Unsubscribe." That's all there is to it! Please note we will never, EVER share your email address with a third party, or sell it to anyone -- no matter how high fuel prices get. There's nothing like feeling the Propwash when you're in your airplane -- or at your computer, with Aero-News! FMI: Subscribe to Propwash! For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/featurestories.cfm?ContentBlockID=fa742d98-4944-426c-9d4a-7bc6bac8a777 ----------------------------------------------------------------- ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (12.17.12) 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: International Society of Air Safety Investigators ISASI is a society formed to promote air safety by the exchange of ideas, experiences and information about aircraft accident investigations, and to otherwise aid in the advancement of flight safety; to promote technical advancement by providing professional education through lectures, displays and presentations and by the exchange of information for mutual development of improved investigations; to broaden professional relationships among members; to maintain and increase the prestige, standing and influence of the Air Safety Investigator in matters of air safety. The Society was founded in the United States under articles of incorporation in the District of Columbia on August 14, 1964. At the organizational meeting, the governing by-laws of the Society were adopted, and the first slate of officers elected. Mr. Joseph 0. Fluett of the U. S. Civil Aeronautics Board and the initiator of the preliminary action to establish the Society, was elected the first President. FMI: www.isasi.org For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/featurestories.cfm?ContentBlockID=1a92cba6-519e-414e-8a74-6d1cf47ea7a8 ----------------------------------------------------------------- ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (12.16.12) 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: American Bar Association Forum Committee on Air and Space Law The Forum’s conferences and other activities serve as the one-stop shop for attorneys interested in all aspects of domestic and international air and space law, as well as regulatory issues arising from governmental entities such as FAA, DOT, NASA and EASA. FMI: www.americanbar.org/groups/air_space.html For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/featurestories.cfm?ContentBlockID=d301e5e4-a2b0-4195-9a75-519185af68ca ----------------------------------------------------------------- ANN's Daily Aero-Term (12.17.12): Precision Approach Radar 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. Precision Approach Radar Radar equipment in some ATC facilities operated by the FAA and/or the military services at joint-use civil/military locations and separate military installations to detect and display azimuth, elevation, and range of aircraft on the final approach course to a runway. This equipment may be used to monitor certain nonradar approaches, but is primarily used to conduct a precision instrument approach (PAR) wherein the controller issues guidance instructions to the pilot based on the aircraft's position in relation to the final approach course (azimuth), the glidepath (elevation), and the distance (range) from the touchdown point on the runway as displayed on the radar scope. FMI: www.faa.gov For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/featurestories.cfm?ContentBlockID=6e358e9f-785c-4c2e-8d63-67e6c6b7f4bd ----------------------------------------------------------------- ANN's Daily Aero-Term (12.16.12): Pilot's Discretion 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. Pilot's Discretion When used in conjunction with altitude assignments, means that ATC has offered the pilot the option of starting climb or descent whenever he/she wishes and conducting the climb or descent at any rate he/she wishes. He/she may temporarily level off at any intermediate altitude. However, once he/she has vacated an altitude, he/she may not return to that altitude. FMI: www.faa.gov For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/featurestories.cfm?ContentBlockID=7e96f1f3-8616-4977-b9d6-61119e3c9164 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Aero-News: Quote Of The Day (12.17.12) 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 found that we needed to completely rethink the learner, the materials and delivery methods... We identify better methods every week." Source: Redbird's Roger Sharp, reporting after the first year of the Skyport experiment... in which the redbird operation announced that their school had graduated 20 Private Pilots, as well as completed 18 instrument ratings, one multi-engine rating and one instrument instructor certificate. It took an average of 38 flight hours to complete the private pilot rating, which is less than two-thirds the national average. FMI: www.redbirdflightsimulations.com For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/featurestories.cfm?ContentBlockID=889d1dee-ae22-4733-991e-cb2e6ae06a9c ----------------------------------------------------------------- Aero-News: Quote Of The Day (12.16.12) 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 cannot smile because of the situation, because of how the company treats us." Source: Union General Secretary Tsang Kwok-fung, discussing the issues surrounding the fact that Cathay Pacific flight attendants are feeling pretty grumpy about how negotiations are going between their union and the airline, and have voted to begin a labor action which may include flight delays and a cut back on the service for which the airline is noted -- even to the point where they might even stop smiling and greeting passengers. FMI: www.cathaypacific.com/us For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/featurestories.cfm?ContentBlockID=996be545-ef6d-495c-883d-e85fa69238a8 ----------------------------------------------------------------- AD: The Boeing Company Airplanes (747) AD NUMBER: 2012-24-10 PRODUCT: Certain Boeing Model 747-400 and -400F series airplanes. SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2012-24-10 ACTION: Final Rule SUMMARY: This AD was prompted by multiple reports of integrated display unit (IDU) malfunctions and mode control panel (MCP) malfunctions. This AD requires installing new software, replacing the duct assembly with a new duct assembly, making wiring changes, and routing certain wire bundles. The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent IDU malfunctions, which could affect the ability of the flightcrew to read primary displays for airplane attitude, altitude, or airspeed, and consequently reduce the ability of the flightcrew to maintain control of the airplane. DATES: This AD is effective January 16, 2013. FMI: AD For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/commair.cfm?ContentBlockID=ff3e83cb-59bf-46c6-ace7-4882dc8aa7a9 ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. 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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! 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Greetings Posted: 16 Dec 2012 10:35 PM PST Greetings, Please allow me to intimate you with a business transaction that would benefit both of us. My name is Eugene Toure, I am the director of the project and engineering division of Petroivoire oil and gas company Côte d'Ivoire. I will want you to assist me in the claim and transfer of Seven Million Euros. This amount was realized from over-invoiced contract amount awarded by us in 2009 to expatriate companies. The Contract's Amount was deliberately overestimated to read more than the actual cost of the project thus leaving a surplus of Seven Million Euros. However, as a staff of Petroivoire oil and gas company  I cannot claim this money without a foreign partner who will act as the contract beneficiary and as such, entitled to receive the funds as payment. This is why I am contacting you to allow this money to be transferred into your account and to be my custodian for the money. If you are willing to assist me in this transaction please get back to me so I can give you further details about this transaction. I am willing to give you 25% of the total amount after the transfer, the rest will be held and released to me when I get to your country. I look forward to hear from you. Regards, Mr.Eugene.

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