LeFever, Herb appointments
Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta announced on July 7th that the President has nominated Navy Vice Adm. Michael A. LeFever for reappointment to the rank of vice admiral and for assignment as deputy director, Strategic Operational Planning, National Counter Terrorism Center, Washington, D.C. LeFever is currently serving as chief, Office of the Defense Representative-Pakistan, U.S. Central Command, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead announced on July 5th the following assignment:
Rear Adm. (lower half) Martha E. G. Herb (wife of Mike Herb '76) will be assigned as deputy commander, Navy Personnel Command, Washington, D.C. Herb is currently assigned as chief secretariat, Military Technical Agreement Joint Coordinating Body, International Security Assistance Force, Afghanistan.
Allen Takes Reins as ISAF Commander
From an International Security Assistance Force News Release
KABUL, Afghanistan, July 18, 2011 – Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen assumed command of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force and U.S. forces in Afghanistan here today.
|
Allen succeeds Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, who will retire from the Army this summer and will then serve as CIA director.
Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff and Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis, commander, U.S. Central Command, were on hand for the change-of-command ceremony.
Allen served as Centcom’s deputy commander from July 2008 until last month. From 2006 to 2008, he was deputy commander of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force and commander of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, deploying to Iraq as deputy commander General of Multinational Force in Anbar Province.
He was the first Marine Corps officer to serve as commandant of midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy, served as a Marine Corps Fellow to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and was the first Marine Corps officer inducted as a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
The general received his fourth star from Mullen before the change of command.
“Throughout, we will keep our eyes on the horizon – the future of Afghanistan – a nation of free people at peace, governed under its constitution, pursuing economic enterprise and development, in a secure and stable environment free from the extremism and terrorism that has plagued this wonderful country and its people for more than a generation,” Allen said after taking command. “In the end, together, we will prevail.”
Mike LeFever assigned as Deupty Director, Strategic Operational Planning
Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta announced today that the President has nominated Navy Vice Adm. Michael A. LeFever for reappointment to the rank of vice admiral and for assignment as deputy director, Strategic Operational Planning, National Counter Terrorism Center, Washington, D.C. LeFever is currently serving as chief, Office of the Defense Representative-Pakistan, U.S. Central Command, Islamabad, Pakistan.
John Allen to receive 4th Star
June 2011 - "Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced today that the President has made the following nomination:
Marine Corps Lt. Gen. John R. Allen for appointment to the rank of general and for assignment as Commander, International Security Assistance Force/Commander, U.S. Forces-Afghanistan. Allen is currently serving as the special assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff."
FindingGod’s Bearings by Doyle Kitchin
June 2011 - Doyle Kitchin (12th Co) has written a wonderful book that just got published about his experiences in the Navy, including his experiences at the Academy. The sincerity, humility and unpretentious manner with which Doyle describes his feelings about his experiences are superb, it was difficult to keep a dry eye at times. I can certainly relate to his academy experiences and although I was a career Naval Aviator and not a SWO, I can put into my aviation based lexicon a good deal to his ship based 'sea stories' as well.
I just wanted to acknowledge this recent accomplishment by a fellow classmate.
http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=978-1-61739-553-6
Lt. Gen. John Allen to lead in Afghanistan
By Gina
Cavallaro - Staff writer All Marine Corp News
Posted : Wednesday Apr 27, 2011 16:46:36 EDT
Marine Lt. Gen. John Allen will be nominated to replace Army Gen. David Petraeus in Afghanistan and is expected to take command by September, a senior White House official said Wednesday.
Allen will leave his position as deputy commanding general of U.S. Central Command, where he has been since July 2008, and become special assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington for the next few months.
During that time, the official said, Allen will “work through the transition, he’ll spend quite a bit of time in Afghanistan and assuming Senate confirmation, will take command in the beginning of September.”
In confirmed by the Senate, Allen would become the first Marine Corps general at the helm of U.S. operations in Afghanistan since operations began there in October 2001.
The official also announced that Petraeus will be nominated to become the next director of the Central Intelligence Agency and would retire to take the job; Leon Panetta, the current CIA director, has been tapped to be the next secretary of defense and would replace Robert Gates this summer; and Ryan Crocker will replace retired Army Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry as U.S. ambassador in Afghanistan.
When Petraeus was tapped to replace Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal as commander of International Security Assistance Force and commander of U.S. Forces-Afghanistan in June 2010, Allen became interim commander of U.S. Central Command and is now working under its new commander, Gen. James Mattis.
According to the official, Allen was the first choice nominee of Gates, Joint Chiefs chairman Adm. Mike Mullen, Mattis and Petraeus.
“We are very familiar with him here at the White House, we have spent [tons] of hours working with Allen on some of the toughest problems in his area of operations, including Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran,” the official said.
Allen is a 1976 graduate of the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md
Bill Ostendorff to be Nominated for Nuclear Regulatory Commission by President
15Apr11 - The following information was released by the White House: Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individual to a key Administration post: William C. Ostendorff, Nominee for Commissioner, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Bill Ostendorff was sworn in as a member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on April 1, 2010 for a term ending June 30, 2011. Prior to his appointment to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, he served as Director of the Committee on Science, Engineering and Public Policy at the National Academies. He came to the National Academies after serving as Principal Deputy Administrator at the National Nuclear Security Administration from April 2007 until April 2009. From 2003-2007, he was a member of the staff of the House Armed Services Committee where he served as counsel and staff director for the Strategic Forces Subcommittee. Mr. Ostendorff was an officer in the United States Navy from 1976 until he retired in 2002 in the grade of Captain. During his naval career, he commanded an attack submarine, an attack submarine squadron and served as Director of the Division of Mathematics and Science at the United States Naval Academy. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas. Mr. Ostendorffs education includes a degree in systems engineering from the United States Naval Academy, a JD from the University of Texas and an LLM from the Georgetown University Law Center.
Golden Torch Awards to Honor Three Impactful Engineers
5Apr11 -
ST. LOUIS (NNS) -- Commander, Naval Surface Forces presented Golden Torch
Awards to honor three impactful engineers, including a Navy Captain, March 26,
at the 37th Annual National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Convention in St.
Louis.
Vice Adm. D.C. Curtis
presented the Golden Torch Award for "Lifetime Achievement in
Government" to Capt. Richard R. Bryant, special assistant to the Chairman,
Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Curtis also presented
Golden Torch Awards to Milton B. Lee, CPS Energy chief executive officer; for
"Life-time Achievement in Industry" and to Travis E. Wiltshire,
president/owner, CNG Engineering, as "Entrepreneur of the Year."
"The Navy is proud
to present awards to these remarkable individuals who operate at the top of
their fields," said Curtis. "Each of them holds similar traits: hard
work, confidence, sacrifice when needed, and personal pride."
Curtis said the Navy has
changed in his 35 years of service, becoming the most diverse force in the
nation's history. He expressed pride in Navy advances that promote professional
development, personal development and education across a force that growingly
reflects the diversity of the nation it defends.
Assisted by Rear Adm.
Robin Graf, deputy commander, Navy Recruiting Command, Curtis presented five
Navy-sponsored scholarships, including two full Naval Reserve Officers Training
Corps (NROTC) scholar-ships to college bound students.
EADS North America announces John Schumacher to be Vice President, Space Line of Business
8Apr11 -
EADS North America today announced that it has further integrated and expanded
the company's Space and related product activities in the U.S., supporting
government agencies, private sector customers and academia. The line of
business (LOB) will be led by John Schumacher, who will serve as Vice
President, Space line of business.
"John Schumacher brings decades of demonstrated leadership in
developing and growing world-class co-operative programs in Space-based
research, exploration, human Space flight, and communications, as well as
formulating government policy related to this key area of aerospace and
defense," said Sean O'Keefe, CEO of EADS North America. "John will
take the lead in expanding EADS' U.S. presence and in leveraging the company's
broad Space product and technology offerings to meet the needs of our U.S.
customers."
The U.S. line of business
will draw on ASTRIUM, EADS' Space division, and its vast capabilities, products
and services. ASTRIUM is one of the world's largest Space providers, supporting
globally recognized cus-tomers and projects including Ariane, the Automated
Transfer Vehicle and the Columbus modules of the International Space Station,
Envisat, Helios, the French deterrence force and Skynet 5.
Prior to joining EADS North
America, Mr. Schumacher was the Vice President of Washington Operations for
Aerojet General Corporation, responsible for leading and expanding Aerojet's
activities with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and
other U.S. government, civilian and military customers.
Mr. Schumacher spent nearly 25 years in government service. He was Chief of
Staff at NASA during a fundamental redirection of America's Space program and
the agency's return to human Space flight following the loss of the Space
Shuttle Columbia in 2003. He previously served as NASA's Associate
Administrator for External Relations, where he led the agency's efforts to
expand cooperative programs in science, technology and human Space flight with
partners across the globe.
Mr. Schumacher graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and served as a
commissioned officer. He also received a Juris Doctor degree from Columbia
University in New York City and an advanced degree from Georgetown University
in Washington, D.C. His awards include Senior Executive Service Presidential
Rank (Distinguished and Meritorious); NASA's highest award, the Distinguished
Service Medal; and the Department of Defense Legion of Merit.
Additionally, EADS North
America has named Dr. Reinhold Lutz as special advisor to support the Space
LOB's marketing, business development and product introduction efforts.
"I also am very pleased to welcome Reinhold Lutz to the EADS North America
team. His background in Space-related engineering, business and strategy will
be critical in advancing our business goals here in the U.S. market," said
Sean O'Keefe.
Dr. Lutz served as ASTRIUM's head of corporate executive strategy and business
development, as well as managing director of ASTRIUM GmbH in Ottobrunn,
Germany. In this position he had oversight of all busi-ness operations while
leading a staff of more than 800 employees.
He holds a Doctorate from the University of the German Armed Forces in Munich.
He has been published numerous times on the topics of Space-borne imaging
instruments and the general theory of oscillators and active filters, and holds
patents for Space-borne optoelectronic instruments.
Corinne Kaplan, who previously served as the Vice President for Space, has
assumed new responsibilities as Vice President, Affiliate Trade and Export
Compliance. Ms. Kaplan developed and led the company's U.S. Space activities
beginning in 2003, including building the EADS North America team and capturing
the company's first federal contracts in the Space market, while also
performing responsibilities in operational support and export control. In her
new role Ms. Kaplan will manage EADS North America's domestic and international
affiliate business units in addressing U.S. export laws and regulations.
"Corinne has been
instrumental in establishing our U.S. Space footprint and in building
recognition of our products and technologies with key customers," said
Sean O'Keefe. "Her expertise in export control and ITAR regulations will
be essential in achieving further growth."
Ms. Kaplan has more than 25 years of technical and management experience in
Space and defense, includ-ing strategic development, program management,
product marketing and transatlantic cooperation, having held positions in both
Europe and in the US.
Ms. Kaplan received a
post-graduate degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Nancy and
is a magna cum laude graduate of Ecole Nationale d'Electricite et de Mecanique
of Nancy, France.
About EADS North America EADS North America is the North American
operation of EADS, a global leader in aerospace, defense and related services.
As a leader in all sectors of defense and homeland security, EADS North America
and its parent company, EADS, contribute over $11 billion to the U.S. economy
annually and support more than 200,000 American jobs through its network of
suppliers and services. Operating in 17 states, EADS North America offers a
broad array of advanced solutions to its customers in the commercial, homeland
security, aerospace and defense markets.
About Astrium Astrium is the number one company in Europe for space
technologies and a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS, dedicated to providing
civil and defence space systems and services. In 2010, Astrium had a turnover
of EUR 5 billion and more than 15,000 employees in France, Germany, the United
Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands. Its three main areas of activity are
Astrium Space Transportation for launchers and orbital infrastructure, Astrium
Satellites for spacecraft and ground segment, and Astrium Services for
comprehensive end-to-end solutions covering secure and commercial satcoms and
networks, high security satellite communications equipment, bespoke
geo-information and navigation services worldwide.
About EADS EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defense and related
services. In 2009, the Group -- comprising Airbus, Astrium, Cassidian and
Eurocopter -- generated revenues of EUR 42.8 billion and em-ployed a workforce
of more than 119,000.
Contact
Guy M. Hicks
Office 1-703-236-3319
E-mail: Email Contact
www.eadsnorthamerica.com
Stewart Navarre named CNS Response Vice-President for Customer Relations
23Mar11
- CNS RESPONSE INC ("CNSO-L") - Retired U.S. Marine Colonel To Head
Military Sector For Cns - Response's Referenced-eeg
CNS Response, Inc. announced that retired U.S. Marine Colonel Stewart Navarre
has been named the company's vice president, customer relations, and will head
its military sector efforts for the company's Referenced-EEG(r). Referenced-EEG
(rEEG(r)) is an online database providing medical professionals with
information on mental health medication response in patients. The database
helps physicians reduce trial and error in medication prescribing for patients,
improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and decrease the suffering
of patients and their families.
"As a Marine and now as a civilian, I have seen the impacts of depression,
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health disorders on
individuals and on families," said Navarre. "I am proud to be working
with an innovative company like CNS Response that can help improve military
mental health."
Most physicians in other disciplines have access to objective data gathered
from EKGs, MRIs, CT scans, blood tests and similar procedures. However, broadly
speaking, such advances have not previously been available to medical
professionals treating mental illness. Developed by CNS Response,
Referenced-EEG provides objective, personalized, statistical data on a
patient's neurophysiology.
Navarre brings to his new position significant background in business
development, operations, logistics and large scale project management. Most
recently he served as business development director, federal sector pursuits,
for Bethel Services, Inc. Prior to that he was managing director, project
management - Southern California for CB Richard Ellis, the world's largest
commercial real estate firm.
A retired U.S. Marine Colonel, Navarre has more than 30 years' experience in
overseas operations and conflict, including battlefield situations, and in
domestic leadership positions. His military assignments include serving as
commanding officer for a Marine infantry regiment in Iraq; as branch head at
the service headquarters at the Pentagon; as an operations officer for the
Joint Staff at the Pentagon, and as chief of staff, Camp Pendleton, Calif.,
where he directed a 12,000-member workforce operating seven major Department of
Defense installations.
Navarre is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy with a bachelor's degree in
biology and chemistry. He received a master's degree in business from the
University of Evansville, Indiana. He is also a graduate of the National
Defense College in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Originally from Monroe, Mich.,
Navarre graduated from Monroe High School.
Navarre currently resides in Rancho Santa Margarita, Orange County, Calif.,
with his wife, Yana. They have two children, Alexandra and Zachary. Alexandra
is a graduate of Vanguard University and is a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army
Reserve. Zachary returned from Afghanistan in 2010 and completed a four year
enlistment in the Marine Corps. He is pursuing an undergraduate degree in
international business.
About CNS Response
CNS Response provides reference data and analytic tools for clinicians and
researchers, using a novel neurometric database called Referenced-EEG(r)
(rEEG). Developed by physicians as a platform to exchange objective,
neurophysiology-based data on medication response and outcomes, physicians
using rEEG in clinical trials have consistently reduced their use of trial and
error pharmacotherapy and improved patient outcomes, thereby helping patients
feel well sooner and reducing healthcare costs.
In a study published in the January 2011 issue of the Journal of Psychiatric
Research, physicians who used rEEG achieved a 65 percent success rate in
treating patients with depression, compared to a 39 percent success rate with
the control group. Those results were even more significant because the
subjects in the study, selected through a randomized process, had failed an
average of four previous treatments for depression.
To read more about the benefits of this patented technology for patients,
physicians and payers, please visit the CNS Response website, www.cnsresponse.com <http://www.cnsresponse.com> .
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1995
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the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These
forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties as set forth in the
Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks and
uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from any
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CONTACT: TEL: 949.553.9748 Marty Tullio Managing Partner Investor Relations
McCloud Communications, LLC LOAD-DATE: March 23, 2011
Change of Command Rear Adm. Richard J. O'Hanlon
4Mar11
- NORFOLK, Va., March 2 -- The U.S. Navy issued the following press release:
Command of Naval Air Force Atlantic changed hands during a ceremony aboard
aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) Feb. 25.
Rear Adm. Ted N. Branch relieved Rear Adm. Richard J. O'Hanlon as Commander,
Naval Air Force Atlan-tic(COMNAVAIRLANT), during the change of command ceremony
in the ship's hangar bay.
During his farewell address, O'Hanlon cited his appreciation of the significance
of Naval aviation and its relevance to the Navy and our nation as a whole.
"Naval aviation grew over the past one hundred years," O'Hanlon said.
"From Eugene Ely's Curtiss Pusher bi-plane, that defied the skeptics of
the day, to fly from the decks of USS Birmingham and USS Pennsylva-nia; to the
Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet that I had the distinct privilege to fly just last
week, thanks to the Gladiators of VFA-106. It has been an incredible evolution
- an evolution of technology, of tactics, of strategic value, of relevance.
And, naval aviation has never been more relevant to our nation and our Navy
than it is today."
O'Hanlon has commanded Naval Air Force Atlantic since Jan. 2009. The end of
this tour marks the culmination of more than 34 years of naval service.
He invoked the words of President John F. Kennedy as he concluded his Navy
career, saynig, "any man who may be asked in this century what he did to
make his life worthwhile, I think can respond with a good deal of pride and
satisfaction: 'I served in the United States Navy.'"
"I can certainly say with pride and satisfaction that I served in the U.S.
Navy," O'Hanlon said. "It has been my highest privilege to have spent
the past 34 years as part of this organization, this team, this family."
Branch, a pilot who has logged combat time over Grenada, Lebanon,
Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iraq, most recently served as Commander, Carrier Strike
Group One, based in San Diego, Calif.
"I am honored and humbled by this set of orders," Branch said.
"When I look at the picture board in the headquarters or the plaque in New
Hampshire House with all the former AIRLANT commanders, it is like looking at a
roster of naval aviation legends. Several are personal heroes of mine and all
have helped to lead naval aviation through good times and not so good
times."
A native of Long Beach, Miss., Branch graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in
1979. Following a brief period of duty at Navy Military Personnel Command, he
reported to flight training and was designated a Naval Aviator in August 1981.
He also earned a master's degree in international relations from the Naval War
College in Newport, R.I.
"We are in the centennial year of naval aviation; immensely proud of, and
celebrating, the accomplishments of our forbearers in this great
endeavor," Branch said. "We still have pioneers in our midst in
manned and unmanned aviation, ships, networks, and weapons systems. And while
it is true we have challenges, we will continue to operate at the tip of the
spear as the preeminent force from the sea, and we are literally at the dawn of
a new era -- rich with opportunities. I couldn't be more excited than to be
here with you and be part of it."
Headquartered in Norfolk, Va., Naval Air Force Atlantic is the logistic and
administrative command for all Naval Air Forces assigned to U.S. Fleet Forces
Command.
It is composed of more than 40,000 men and women who maintain and operate six
aircraft carriers, more than 60 aircraft squadrons with over 1,000 aircraft,
and a number of supporting shore facilities. It provides combat-ready air
forces to fleet commanders operating in areas ranging from the North Pole to
the Antarctic and from the East Coast of the United States to the Indian Ocean.
For any query with respect to this article or any other content requirement,
please contact Editor at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
Allen Named Acting Commander Of CENTCOM
(NAVY TIMES 01 JULY 10) ... Gina Cavallaro
Marine Corps Lt. Gen. John Allen was named acting commander of U.S. Central Command on Wednesday.
Allen's appointment comes on the heels of the Senate's confirmation of Gen. David Petraeus as the new Afghanistan war commander, ending his tenure as CENTCOM chief.
Allen had been deputy commander of CENTCOM since July 15, 2008. He replaces Petraeus, who was reassigned by the White House in the wake of Gen. Stanley McChrystal's resignation as the Afghanistan war commander following controversial remarks he and his staff made in a Rolling Stone magazine article.
The Defense Department has not announced a permanent replacement for Petraeus.
CENTCOM is a unified combatant command with responsibility for maintaining relationships, supporting development and assisting with security in more than 20 countries in the Middle East and Central Asia.
The last Marine to head CENTCOM, a four-star command, was Gen. Anthony Zinni, who held the position from 1997-2000.
Allen, 56, was deputy commander of II Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C., and served as deputy commanding general of Multinational Force-West in Anbar province, Iraq, from 2006-2008. He served at II MEF under then-Lt. Gen. Jim Amos, who has been tapped by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to succeed Gen. James Conway as commandant of the Marine Corps.
Allen is a 1976 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy.
NFF Announces 2010 FBS College Football Hall of Fame Class
NEW YORK, May 27, 2010 – From the national ballot of 77 candidates and a pool of hundreds of eligible nominees, Archie Manning, chairman of The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, announced the 2010 College Football Hall of Fame Football Bowl Subdivision Class, which includes the names of 12 First Team All-America players and two legendary coaches.
CHET MOELLER
United States Naval Academy
Defensive Back, 1973-75
The 1975 East Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC) Player of the Year, Chet Moeller
revolutionized the position of safety en route to becoming one of the most
decorated football players in Navy history.
A two-time ECAC All-Conference selection, Moeller was only the sixth Midshipmen
to be selected as a unanimous All-American. He served as co-captain and
registered 275 tackles during his career at Navy. Named an AP Player of the
Week, he received the Ernie Davis Award at the Coaches All-America Game. He was
given the Navy Academy Athletic Association Sword and named a Battalion
Commander. Moeller was a second team NCAA Academic All-American and was a
finalist for the NCAA Today’s Top Five. While at the Naval Academy, he earned
Navy Academy Merit List and Superintendent’s List honors.
Following his career at Navy, Moeller served as an officer in the United States
Marine Corp. He has served as a board member for the Fellowship of Christian
Athletes, a deacon in his church and is currently serving as a church elder. He
was selected to the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial All-Stadium Secondary Team and
is a charter member of the Fairmont Hall of Fame.
Moeller now works as a computer consultant. He and his wife Jenny reside in
Montgomery,
Ala., with their two children.
Gates Picks Vice Admiral To Run Troubled F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Jet Program
March 17, 2010 By Roxana Tiron
After weeks of speculation, Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Tuesday picked
Vice Adm. David Venlet to run the troubled F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program.
Venlet, a three-star officer, will need Senate confirmation for the position,
which will bring more attention to the program.
Gates announced in early February that he would remove Marine Corps Maj. Gen.
David Heinz as manager of the JSF and replace him with a three-star officer,
partly to bring more accountability to the program.
The nomination comes as the Pentagon prepares to formally inform Congress that
the cost of the F-35, the Pentagon's largest and most expensive program to
date, has increased by more than 50 percent.
The price for one F-35 fighter jet in 2001 was estimated to be $50 million.
Since then, the price tag has risen to between $80 million and $95 million per
plane, calculated in 2002-constant dollars. In today's dollars, one aircraft
would cost an average of $112 million, according to Michael Sullivan, the
director of the acquisition team at the Government Accountability Office.
Some of the first jets are expected to cost about $205 million apiece, the
Pentagon's acquisition chief, Ashton Carter, told the Senate Armed Services
Committee last week.
The Pentagon in 2001 estimated the cost of one F-35 at $50.2 million for an
order of 2,852 jets. In 2007, the Pentagon updated that estimate to $69.2
million for a reduced order of 2,443 jets.
Venlet is currently serving as the commander of Naval Air Systems Command
William C. Ostendorff, Nominee for Commissioner, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Bill Ostendorff is currently the Director of the Committee on Science,
Engineering and Public Policy and Director of the Board on Global Science and
Technology at the National Academies. He came to the National Academies
after serving as Principal Deputy Administrator at the National Nuclear
Security Administration from April 2007 until April 2009. From 2003-2007,
he was a member of the staff of the House Armed Services Committee where he
served as counsel and staff director for the Strategic Forces Subcommittee with
oversight responsibilities for the Department of Energy’s Atomic Energy Defense
Activities as well as the Department of Defense’s space, missile defense and
intelligence programs. Mr. Ostendorff was an officer in the United States
Navy from 1976 until he retired in 2002 in the grade of Captain. During
his naval career, he commanded an attack submarine, an attack submarine
squadron and served as Director of the Division of Mathematics and Science at
the United States Naval Academy. Mr. Ostendorff education includes a
degree in systems engineering from the United States Naval Academy and law
degrees from the University of Texas and Georgetown University. He is a
member of the State Bar of Texas.
|
Montgomery man named one
of Navy football's top players of past 50 years November 11, 2009 Chet Moeller's passion for football helped him make an impact at Navy in the 1970s. His performance on the field led to consensus first-team All-America honors during his senior season in 1975. Today, Moeller is a vice president with Wilson Price Information Technology. Though it has been more than 30 years since his playing days at Navy, Moeller is still recognized as one of the Midshipmen's top defensive players. Moeller, a Montgomery resident, was recently named to the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial All-Stadium team. The team is a compilation of the Midshipmen's top players during the past 50 years, in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Moeller and the seven other defensive backs selected to the team were recognized during the Temple game Oct. 31. "I've been telling people it's not really that big a deal," said Moeller, an Ohio native who has lived in Montgomery since the 1980s. "Down here, compared with Auburn and Alabama, it's not a big deal." Navy football may not generate as much attention in Alabama, but don't let Moeller's modesty fool you. Longtime followers of the Midshipmen hold Moeller in high esteem. Navy's news release announcing the selection to the team said Moeller is "considered by many observers to be the finest player on the defensive side of the football to ever play at the Naval Academy." Bill Wagner, the Navy beat writer for The Capital, recently wrote "in the discussion of former Navy football greats, two names stand above the rest." The Oct. 31 story said former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach is recognized as Navy's top offensive player. Moeller is considered to be the top defensive player. A candidate for the College Football Hall of Fame, Moeller has received praise and recommendations from some of college football's greats. Names ranging from Staubach and USC head coach Pete Carroll to Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel and former Auburn and Miami Dolphins linebacker (and Moeller's brother-in-law) Mike Kolen have touted Moeller's accomplishments at Navy. In a letter recommending Moeller for the College Football Hall of Fame, Carroll called Moeller "one of the greatest safeties ever to play college football" and said the Trojans still teach their players "techniques based on what I learned from watching Chet play." Moeller said the recognition to the 50-year Navy team and the praise from others has been "humbling." "I guess it's the way I was raised, but any time you're honored for an individual award, I believe you have to give credit to your teammates and coaches," Moeller said. "George Welsh was our head coach, Lenny Fontes (brother of former NFL coach Wayne Fontes) was my position coach and Rick Lantz was the defensive coordinator. "Those coaches, along with my teammates, I hope they know that they're a part of this award. All of them were so instrumental in the success we had." Moeller said other than the Midshipmen's 27-24 loss to Temple the day was wonderful. "The best part was having my family there," Moeller said. "I've got a great-nephew, Mike Kolen's grandson, that is interested in Navy. So we took him and (several family members) to the game. "There was a tailgate party for us and it was nice to talk with the other recipients. It was good to see (former teammate and fellow honoree) John Sturges and meet the younger guys that were chosen." Moeller said the best part of his playing days was the camaraderie with his teammates. "We played together and we had fun together," Moeller said. "(In 1975), we weren't as athletic as a lot of the teams we were playing, but we pulled together and had success. We finished as the No. 3 ranked defense in the country. "And we weren't playing a bunch of slouches. We didn't play Penn State that year, but we played Boston College, Georgia Tech, Washington and Notre Dame that year." The 7-4 record was Navy's best since a 9-2 mark in 1963. In that span, Navy had posted one winning season, a 5-4-1 mark in 1967. "You have to understand the atmosphere at the Academy when I was there," Moeller said. "We hadn't won since Staubach was there. My senior year, we were 7-4, with one-point losses on the road at Georgia Tech and Washington. We weren't too far from a 9-2 season." Moeller said among the lasting memories are a 7-6 upset of Penn State in 1974 and a 17-0 win over Pitt and Tony Dorsett in 1975. "Penn State was a huge win," Moeller said. "I remember that it rained so hard, it equalized the teams. They were running a Wing-T offense. I don't know why, but when we played against that offense, we felt like we knew what was coming. "Shutting out Pitt on their field was another big win. Pitt won the national championship the next year." After his playing days at Navy, Moeller served in the United States Marine Corps. Following his service, he tried out with the New York Giants when Ray Perkins was head coach. Although he didn't make the team, Moeller appreciated his chance. Moeller said he never thought of himself as a world-class athlete, just a player who worked hard to accomplish his goals. His two main rules were to never stand still and practice as hard as he was going to play. "My main motivation was that I loved the game of football," Moeller said. "People in practice didn't like it because I was going to hit them as hard as I would in a game. But I had to practice that way to play that way. "As for standing still, I believed if you stood still you had a better chance of getting hurt. I was fortunate, other than a broken thumb my senior year, I never had a serious injury." After football and the Marines, Moeller moved into the field of information technology. Part of Moeller's motivation in football carries over today -- there's no time for standing still "I majored in systems engineering and worked with the communication and computer side of things in the Marines," Moeller said. "It's a field that changes so quickly, you have to stay on your toes." |
The Frontier Post
National Daily Published from Peshawar and Quetta
SIGAR: America’s eyes in Afghanistan
September 24, 2009
KAPISA PROVINCE (Agencies): An inspection team, charged with providing oversight of funds used for development in Afghanistan, visited the Nijrab valley, to inspect construction projects and report findings to U.S. Government officials. Members from the office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction travelled with members of Kapisa/Parwan Provincial Reconstruction Team to inspect seven projects during a two-day period, including three roads and four schools in the region.
Guy Sands, assistant inspector general for inspections, joined SIGAR's deputy chief of staff, Bradley Little, on the PRT-led mission. U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Graham Auten, a civil engineer with the PRT, introduced the SIGAR team to Afghan contractors while mentoring workers at the various sites.
As the public looks for transparency with how America's tax dollars are being used to develop Afghanistan, SIGAR provides the answer. It gives reports to Congress quarterly, detailing the effectiveness of Afghanistan reconstruction programs while detecting any waste, fraud and abuse of the money used to execute them.
As the PRT interviews contractors about construction methods, Sands asks locals about big-picture issues related to the projects. For example, while Auten inquires about the quality of mortar used at the Kohi Girls School, Sands inquires as to the number of teachers that will be available and the likelihood for long-term education in the region. According to Sands, such scrutiny is what the public expects. "The mission of SIGAR is to deploy forward with auditors and inspectors to ensure projects are built to standard and can be sustained," said Sands. "We also have investigators who prepare for prosecutions when evidence of wrongdoing or criminal misconduct is present."
Little is an engineer, who, as part of SIGAR, provides expertise that is helpful when compiling the data to be presented to Congress. He knows about quality and the importance of following established methods when building structures. "The truth is these are fairly sophisticated construction projects for Afghanistan," said Little. However, a lack of common standards can hinder progress. "We saw three different schools (during this visit,)" said Little. "Each showed us three different levels of performance."
Little's conclusions will be drawn from such findings. Both men agree it takes effective oversight to ensure a quality product upon completion, but clarify that SIGAR should not be the only set of eyes on site. Aside from SIGAR and military engineers like the PRT's Auten, Sands expects more involvement from Afghan government officials in the districts they serve. "It's time we move away from the idea of Americans doing everything," said Sands. We need to get the (Afghan) Line Ministry involved," Sands added. "They need to be out there, looking at these projects and ensuring that the contractors that are getting paid are doing (the work) to standard, and assisting in solving the occasional problems that arise, rather than running to the PRT."
Auten understands the need for increased involvement. "My job is to help ensure quality work by performing quality assessments on projects and helping contractors with the technical aspects of their work," said Auten. "When problems arise, I try to point them in the direction of their local government officials rather than simply solving it myself.
SIGAR's visit today helped me reinforce that message with the people I work with." As part of the U.S. non-kinetic effort in the country, more than $38 billion has been appropriated for reconstruction and development since 2001, including over $5 billion for fiscal year 2009.
To those who are concerned about how building roads and schools helps fight insurgents, Sands and Little offer a reminder of how development supports success. "For every school, every health facility built to standard with qualified medical personnel, those are places where the metrics of violence will eventually go down," said Sands. "Once you show that the people are receiving services and goods from their government that is one less place where coalition forces will have to put boots on the ground."
Little agreed with Sands and iterated the importance of the reconstruction projects. "Some say that we (the Coalition) don't know how to win a war like this ... that's not true," said Little. "What we're doing on the non-kinetic side is where the war is going to be won or lost. This (reconstruction) is, in every sense of the word, the front lines of this war."
'Pussian Blue': Terrorism Strikes American People (Davis’76)
23Sep09 - KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- America's greatest fears
become reality in John Davis' "Prussian Blue," published by
iUniverse. The novel is set in the near future as President Barack Obama begins
the withdrawal of American military troops from the Middle East, however,
tragedy strikes and threats of WWIII put the country's safety at risk.
It is October 2010 and the withdrawal of American forces is well underway when
radical Islamic groups from Iran and Saudi Arabia destroy a United States Navy
battle group while steaming into the Persian Gulf. After declaring this assault
an unprovoked "act of aggression," the President orders the
redeployment of soldiers, ships and supplies, but shortly thereafter, the
priorities change when the United States is attacked. Determined to cripple
America's government, financial markets and infrastructure, the terrorists have
devised an evil plan to drive Americans inland and our once great and
prosperous nation into obscurity.
"Prussian Blue" follows Dr. Rex Bent's suspicion of an Islamic
group's relation to sick Asian sailors found near Texas and Louisiana. Dr. Bent
relays his theories to government agencies, but is soon framed by the
terrorists and labeled a traitor. On the run from the American government, Dr.
Bent and his wife stumble upon the radical group's central base in Whiskey Bay,
Louisiana. The Bents realize that America's survival depends on their actions.
Complacency is a result of preoccupation and with America's focus on national
political topics, "Prussian Blue" hits close to home. Davis
incorporates his expertise in healthcare as a catalyst for Bent's discovery of
the terrorists' plans. The author utilizes the recent political climate along
with his military and travel experience to amplify the suspense. For more
information, please visit http://www.prussianbluenovel.com.
About the
Author
John A. Davis III was born in New London, Connecticut. The son of a submarine
commander, he moved around every two years but primarily grew up in the
Hawaiian Islands. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1976
with a BS in analytical management. He served as an engineering officer in the
Navy until 1981 before returning to school where he later earned an MBA and
Doctorate of Medicine. In his free time, he enjoys scuba diving and traveling.
Davis currently resides in Knoxville, Tennessee and works as an emergency room
physician.
iUniverse is the premier book publisher for emerging, self-published authors.
For more information, please visit http://www.iUniverse.com.
Matthew Freeman ‘02
The Class of ‘76 extends its deepest sympathies to Gary Freeman and his family. Gary’s son, Marine Capt. Matthew Freeman ‘02 died 7 August while supporting combat operations in Kapisa province, Afghanistan.
Chuck Direnzo now at SATCOM
Chuck Dirienzo recently changed jobs and is now a Systems Administrator/Team lead at General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies in Newton, North Carolina.
Surgeon To Lead Medical Society (Timothy F. Kresowik ’76)
28May09 - You never know where life is
going to take you. Just ask Dr. Timothy Kresowik, whose career has taken him
from the medical school at the University of Michigan to University Hospitals
and, most recently, to being elected president-elect of the Iowa Medical
Society. Not bad for the vascular surgeon and UI professor of surgery who, as a
kid growing up in Detroit, never imagined a career in the medical field.
"I would say it was the farthest thing in my mind," Kresowik said.
"I had no medical people in my family. I didn't even consider medicine
until I was in college."
After graduating from high school, Kresowik went to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., with the intent of being a Navy pilot. While he was there, Kresowik took an interest in medicine, but being a Navy physician would have required a 12-year commitment.Instead of staying in the Navy, Kresowik returned to Michigan and enrolled at the University of Michigan, beginning his 14 years of education there. "It was an excellent educational institution," Kresowik said. After completing his medical training in 1988, Kresowik went to another Big Ten university to work: the University of Iowa. As a vascular surgeon at University Hospitals, Kresowik operates on people who have hardened arteries, aneurisms or other blood vessel diseases. Although Kresowik has lived in Iowa City for more than 20 years now, he said he has only become a true Hawkeye fan in the last six to seven years. Kresowik said it was difficult to root against his alma mater. "It took me a while," he said.
Kresowik also has been heavily involved with improving the health care system
in the state and nationwide. He was a member of the board of directors for the
Iowa Medical Society for six years before being elected to his new post.
Next year, he will assume the presidency. "It is an opportunity to try to
hopefully contribute to the improvement of the delivery of health care in our
state and nationally," Kresowik said. "I've always had strong
opinions about what needs to be done. "I see it more as an opportunity to
contribute to this whole ongoing effort to improve things and create a better
health care system for all Iowans and all Americans." John Sharp, a fellow
vascular surgeon at University Hospitals, said Kresowik is very dedicated to
his work.
"He's an excellent collegeague (and) a thoughtful physician," Sharp
said. "(He's) very passionate about his work and his beliefs and he's
intensely interested in health care policy." Michael Kitchell, current
president of the Iowa Medical Society, credited Kresowik's commitment to
improving the medical field. "He's very knowledgeable about health care
reform," Kitchell said, noting that Kresowik was one of two physicians who
served on a state commission on affordable health care. "He's been very
instrumental in developing quality measures."
Timothy Kresowik
* Age: 54.
* Occupation: Vascular surgeon and professor of surgery, University Hospitals.
* Hometown: Iowa City.
* Education: Kresowik completed his undergraduate and medical school programs
at the University of Michigan.
* Family: Wife, Becky; six adult children, including four sons and two
step-daughters.
* Did you know? Kresowik is an avid golfer.
Tanker pilot knows area well
By Julian J. Ramos/Staff Writer/Santa Maria Times
May 13, 2009 A Righetti High School graduate was at the helm of the DC-10 super tanker that was used to drop retardant on the Jesusita Fire. Dennis DeGeus, Class of 1972, is one of three captains of the former commercial airliner converted to aerial firefighter. On Friday, the plane’s first day on the blaze, DeGeus piloted four flights from Victorville, where the aircraft is based, to drop a total of 48,000 gallons of retardant on the fire. DeGeus said flying over the fire was exhilarating, and the views of Santa Barbara and the ocean in the background were breathtaking. After dropping the first load of retardant on a ridge where a large plume of smoke was rising, DeGeus said, he flew back to Victorville for reloading. When he returned, the plume had died down, meaning the retardant line had held and ground crews had taken the upper hand.
“It’s very satisfying when you see that,” he said. Unlike other fires, this recent blaze was “more defined” and not spotty. The tanker used Friday was Tanker 911, a more recent version of the other DC-10 tanker jet, Tanker 910. Both are owned by 10 Tanker Air Carrier of Victorville, and are under exclusive contract with the state. DeGeus, who was off duty on Tuesday and back home in Nevada, said the crew on standby was expected to be released that night.
After graduating from Righetti, DeGeus, 54, attended the U.S. Naval Academy, from which he graduated in 1976. At Annapolis, he was part of a championship four-man rowing team. A Naval aviator for more than 20 years, he also flew commercial and private flights before becoming a DC-10 tanker pilot three years ago. DeGeus is one of three full-time DC-10 tanker captains. On each flight, there are at least two pilots and an engineer. Sometimes, a pilot or engineer in training joins them.
The tanker was activated Friday morning, DeGeus said. After a 5 a.m. phone call, he drove from his home outside Las Vegas to Victorville’s Southern California Logistics Airport, formerly known as George Air Force Base. Total flight time for the four trips was four hours — about half an hour each way; turnaround time for retardant refueling was between 15 to 20 minutes. The DC-10 aircraft are a powerful fire fighting tool because they are capable of dropping 12,000 gallons (100,000 pounds) of retardant over an area three-quarters of a mile long and 50 feet wide in an 8-second run from as low as 300 feet above the ground. Major advantages over other aerial tankers include a superb thrust-to-weight ratio, as the jets are not burdened by full fuel tanks, passengers or heavily loaded like cargo planes; jet speed; high maneuverability; and cost effectiveness.
Tanker 911 rolled out for the first time in November 2008, and is a more recent version of the Tanker 910 plane. It has slightly more powerful engines and a 10-foot wider wing span than its sibling. Three tanks totaling 12,000 gallons are attached to the belly of the aircraft. They are computer controlled by the flight engineer and the drops are programmed by what is needed. Flying a wide-body jet like its a small plane in tight spaces is a “dream come true for a pilot,” DeGeus said.
“It’s great flying,” he said. But there is little room for error when flying low in mountainous terrain, he said. However, he feels “very safe.” “It’s pretty safe flying in the environment we do,” he said. “We have to be careful.” DeGeus travels to Santa Maria about three to four times a year to visit his older brothers Leonard and Les and friends. He enjoys going to Pismo Beach and eating at the Far Western in Guadalupe.
Leonard DeGeus, the oldest of five brothers, said while watching clips of the tanker on TV or a computer, he wishes his brother could stick his face out the window and wave. “It would be neat to see him,” he said. Leonard DeGeus said he has concerns for his brother’s safety when he’s piloting the tanker through high winds and large flames. “Flying over fires is a tricky thing,” he said. All the DeGeus brothers have been on one of the DC-10 tankers together in Victorville but it was just for a visit, not a flight, he said. Dennis DeGeus has a twin, Doug, who is 10 minutes younger.
With a longer runway and a permanent air tanker base at Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) in place, there has been talk of the DC-10 tankers operating out of Santa Maria in the future. However, Rick Hatton, managing partner of 10 Tanker Air Carrier, said the likelihood is “fairly low.” DeGeus said Victorville, on the southern edge of the Mojave Desert, is a model location for the tankers, but he wouldn’t mind flying into SMX. “There’s very little (air) traffic (in Victorville),” he said. “It’s ideal for us. Although I’d love to get into Santa Maria.”
Stephen Bedard [‘76]; Go-To Finance Guy Life Blood Of City
27May09 - This might be a boring story about a number-cruncher - about the budgets he manages, the rainy-day fund he oversees, the deals he makes. It might be a dry story about sound fiscal policy, municipal challenges, teamwork and respect among suits, a story in which the drama comes in the form of new real estate development and triple-A ratings.
Perhaps you are more interested in the arts, or the ongoing debate about gentrification, or how your child will fare in the Memorial Day Weekend Soccer Tournament.
Here's the thing: This number-cruncher fellow, Stephen Bedard, actually is behind all of it. He is the stage manager, the go-to guy, the chief negotiator, the man who gets it done. He is the one who ensures that the city of Charleston is funded and that every project it pursues is paid for.
You see an improved cityscape along Upper King Street. Bedard and his team made it happen using the city's prerogative to fund the project with tax-increment financing.
You attend concerts that are part of the Piccolo Spoleto Festival. Bedard and his team provided the Office of Cultural Affairs with funding and leverage to ensure the festival can thrive.
You park your car in a conveniently located garage near the College of Charleston. Bedard negotiated its purchase, guaranteeing reasonable rates and city income.
You enjoy the harbor view from Waterfront Park. Bedard and his team made possible the transformation of a disused, obsolete port into an award-winning public landscape that has helped revitalize the area.
Bedard, who holds the very sexy title of chief financial officer, is the consummate behind-the-scenes operator. Don't know him? You're not supposed to. Mayor Joe Riley is the face of the city. Riley conveys the vision, sets policy. Riley cuts the ribbons and gives the speeches. He is the decider.
Bedard is the implementer. Or, as Riley put it, the cardiologist who keeps the heart healthy and the blood flowing.
Tennis
In 2000, the people running the Family Circle Cup tennis tournament decided to move the event from Hilton Head Island because of competition with the Heritage golf classic. Two big-time sporting events were one too many, and tennis organizers were planning to take their tournament out of the state.
Enter Bedard, with his quick thinking and fast arrangements. Up to New York he flew to convince the Family Circle people that Charleston should be the cup's new home.
Daniel Island had been recently annexed but had little development. "It looked like Kansas," said Charlton deSaussure Jr., Charleston's lead attorney and a friend of Bedard.
But the implementer closed the deal and, through a public-private partnership, found financing and contractors. Only 50 weeks later, the stadium was built and tennis stars were swatting balls back and forth.
Of course, it was done with a larger purpose in mind, Bedard said. A stadium in the middle of nowhere, but conveniently located on a peninsula of land easily accessed by people in Charleston, North Charleston, Mount Pleasant and Berkeley County likely would help spark the development of a new planned community, driving commerce to the area and expanding the city's tax base.
Navy
Bedard will be 56 in June. Born in Denver, he grew up in Santa Maria, Calif., northwest of Santa Barbara. His father, Robert, worked for Lockheed Martin on missile systems at nearby Vandenberg Air Force Base. His mother, Shirley, was a homemaker. The Bedards had two boys, Steve and Randy, before they divorced. Robert Bedard remarried and started a new family, so Steve Bedard has a stepmother (Margie) and three half siblings (Paul, Robert and Deborah). Brother Randy teaches math at a Catholic high school in Northern Virginia.
Steve Bedard is a Navy man. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1976 with a degree in applied mathematics. He served three years as a navigator on a frigate based in San Diego. Then he switched to the business side of the Navy, specializing in financial management in the Supply Corps, helping to procure and manage inventory. In 1984, he graduated from the University of Georgia with an MBA in finance.
Stationed in Charleston, he served as controller at the Naval Supply Center on the Navy base. In 1992, he left Charleston for a government post in Washington, D.C. - Navy commander liaison - providing the House and Senate appropriations committees with information about undersea warfare programs. He worked with congressional staff to develop spending bills for weapons procurement.
It was in Washington that Bedard began to appreciate the essential role of behind-the-scenes players. "Professional staff people do a lot of things," he said. "They're the ones who put the 1,000-page bills together. It's very important to the workings of government."
After his retirement from the Navy in July 1996, he worked under contract with the Defense Advance Project Research Agency, helping allocate research and development dollars for the Department of Defense.
In 1997, Bedard returned to Charleston to work for County Administrator Ed Fava. About a year later, Riley's "Excellence in Government" initiative consolidated various finance positions, creating a single CFO post. On May 1, 1998, Bedard moved into his new office with the city.
Triple-A
When Bedard joined the city as CFO, Charleston had about $3 million in reserve. "The goal was to get the reserve to 15 percent of the operating budget," he said, well above the 8 percent typical for most municipalities.
Last year, the balance in the rainy-day fund was $18.4 million, representing about 15 percent of the $126.5 million general operating fund. (The total city budget, after adding in enterprise and business funds of $21.5 million derived mostly from parking garage revenue, is $150 million, Bedard said.)
In January, when the city issued $18 million worth of general obligation bonds to fund the purchase of another parking garage, Standard & Poor's Rating Services liked what it saw: "Exceptional and consistent financial performance, supported by good embedded financial management policies and procedures, as evidenced in eight consecutive general fund operating surpluses."
So it raised the city's financial rating from AA+ to AAA, the highest achievable.
Riley said the new rating gives the city flexibility in a difficult economy. Property tax revenues have declined from 57 percent of total annual revenue to 38 percent in the past few years since local and state governments decided to rely more on less-reliable sales tax revenues. As the city's revenue base became more diversified and subject to fluctuation, the mayor and his team decided to bolster the balance of the undesignated fund, he said. What's more, a bigger rainy-day fund is needed in case of, well, rainy days. What if a hurricane hits?
Riley said the high rating was a tribute to Bedard, deSaussure (who as city attorney is involved in bond issuances) and City Council. But citing the fiscal delay effect where income tends to lag behind expenditures, he acknowledged, "We've got difficult budget years ahead of us."
The goal, Riley said, is to avoid layoffs and furloughs, to ensure that those earning less than $60,000 receive small pay increases and to continue to enhance city services despite economic challenges.
Bedard said it's likely the city will use $2 million of the rainy-day fund to subsidize expenses in 2009.
'Straight shooter'
Riley was full of praise for Bedard, calling him "a solid, smart public servant with great skills," "creative," "passionate" and "a great strategic thinker." But perhaps the highest compliment came in the form of a confession.
"Steve is the kind of co-worker that you look forward to meeting with," Riley said. "It's always hard work, but you look forward to it."
No other department is so involved in every aspect of the city's operations than finance, deSaussure said. The Office of Cultural Affairs has little interaction with the Board of Zoning Appeals; the fire department doesn't need to work day to day with the Office on Aging.
"But everyone has a relationship with finance," deSaussure said. "Steve as that particular department head is in an extremely interesting and important position. He has all the skills of a CFO, but a wonderful way of dealing with people." He's a straight-shooter. "He brings to the job those qualities I think you find in military officers: loyalty, discipline, integrity, a sense of duty, a sense of obligation to others."
Ellen Dressler-Moryl, director of the Office of Cultural Affairs, agrees.
"Steve is really one of the most creative thinkers I've ever met," she said. "He is knowledgeable about what all the local arts groups do, how they serve the community and the importance of public and private support."
Though city funds contribute only a small portion of the Piccolo Spoleto budget (which was reduced from $1.2 million to $803,000 this year), Bedard is always looking for ways to raise money. Recently, he applied for part of a $50 million National Endowment for the Arts grant that, if landed, would provide the city with $250,000 a year for two or three years, he said. The money would be divided among local arts organizations.
Values
The retired Navy man and former Washington insider has raised three children with his wife, Marie. Alexandra, a Clemson graduate, works at the Charleston Visitor Center. Stephanie is a rising junior at the University of South Carolina's Moore School of Business. David will graduate from Wando High School this spring and attend Vanderbilt University in Nashville on a Naval ROTC scholarship, studying quantitative economics.
When he's not crunching numbers, Bedard is spending time with his family. He'll take out the small boat, read or walk. He'll think about his children's achievements. He'll think about the beautiful Wando River.
And he'll think about what CFOs think about: the exquisite art of budget maintenance. For tomorrow is another day of revenue flux and spending demands.
And the buck stops with Bedard.
Reach Adam Parker at 937-5902 or aparker@postandcourier.com
Copyright 2009 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
Noted Ocean Explorer, David Jourdan, To Discuss Search For Israel's Lost Submarine Dakar
11May09 - The following information was released by the Library of Congress:
On Jan. 25, 1968, the Dakar, Israel's just-commissioned submarine, disappeared without a trace in the eastern Mediterranean. Israel spent the next 31 years looking for the massive submarine and her crew of 69 officers and seamen. In 1996, the country invited a noted ocean explorer, David Jourdan, to investigate, and in 1999 Jourdan and his team solved the legendary mystery.
Jourdan will discuss "Never Forgotten," his newly released book about the quest to find the missing sub, at the Library of Congress at noon on Monday, June 8, in the Mary Pickford Theater on the third floor of the James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C. The lecture is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed.
The illustrated presentation is sponsored by the Library's Science, Technology and Business Division and the Library employees' Hebrew Language Table, in cooperation with the Embassy of Israel. A book signing will follow the discussion.
"Never Forgotten" traces the Dakar from its origins in the British Navy in World War II through its sale to Israel and the fateful voyage across the Mediterranean. The book describes the search for and discovery of the submarine, and it also tells the story of the boat's crew and the impact the tragedy had on an entire nation.
Jourdan is the co-founder and president of Nauticos, an ocean
exploration company in Cape Porpoise, Maine. A 1976 graduate of the U.S. Naval
Academy, Jourdan served as a U.S. Navy submarine officer. He holds a master's
degree in applied physics from The Johns Hopkins University.
The Science, Technology and Business Division of the Library of Congress
maintains one of the largest and most diverse collections of scientific and
technical information in the world. The division provides reference and
bibliographic services and develops the general collections of the Library in
all areas of science, technology, business and economics, with the exception of
clinical medicine and technical agriculture, which are the subject specialties of
the National Library of Medicine and the National Agricultural Library. For
more information, visit www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/.
Schools Fete New Hall Of Fame Class (Gallagher ’76)
24Apr09 - The 2008-09 class of Battle Creek Central/Springfield High School Hall of Fame members were honored Saturday at a reception held at Battle Creek Country Club. The recipients are:
*Vice Adm. Richard K. Gallagher (Springfield, 1971). A class
valedictorian at Springfield, Gallagher went on to graduate from the U.S. Naval
Academy and is now deputy commander of U.S. European Command in Stuttgart,
Germany. Gallagher holds an array of commendations and service medals and has
logged 4,000 flight hours and 800 carrier landings.
Northampton, Freedom Announce Their Halls Of
Fame Inductees (Thomas J. Panik '76)
FREEDOM'S FINEST
The ceremony at Freedom will induct Tom Panik, Andy Donatelli, Kelly (Finken)
Shak, William Deibler, William DeNofa, Jr. and Tom Norton.
Panik (Class of '72) played three years of varsity soccer and helped the
1969-70 team win the school's first East Penn League and District 11 titles. In
1971, Panik was the league's MVP and a first-team all-star. He was selected
all-state and All-American and helped the program go 26-4-8.
He entered the U.S. Naval Academy, where he was an all-Southern Conference
selection and named an All-American.
Richard O’Hanlon
Military Roundup: New Commander For Naval Air Force Atlantic (Richard J. O'Hanlon ’76)
13Jan09
- NORFOLK - Rear Adm. Richard J. O'Hanlon will relieve Rear Adm. Bill
Goodwin as commander of Naval Air Force Atlantic during a change of command
ceremony Tuesday.
O'Hanlon, a Navy pilot with more than 4,000 flight hours in over 30 different
aircraft, most recently served as director of readiness and training for U.S.
Fleet Forces Command. He previously served as chief of staff to the naval air
force commander. A native of New York, O'Hanlon graduated from the United
States Naval Academy and was designated a naval aviator in September 1977. He
is also a graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and completed the
nuclear power training program in 1995.
Headquartered in Norfolk, Naval Air Force Atlantic is the logistic and
administrative command for all Naval air forces assigned to U.S. Fleet Forces
Command. It includes more than 40,000 men and women who maintain and operate
six aircraft carriers, more than 60 aircraft squadrons with over 1,000
aircraft, and a number of supporting shore facilities. Its operations range
from the North Pole to the Antarctic and from the U.S. East Coast to the Indian
Ocean.
Goodwin has commanded Naval Air Force Atlantic since May 2007. He will
become assistant chief of operations at Next Generation Enterprise Network in
Washington, D.C.
Brad Little
Accepts Role with Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction
WASHINGTON DC, January 2009 – It was announced December 8, that Bradley J. Little, Executive Vice President in DHR’s Washington DC office, will accept a temporary position with the Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction (SIGAR). Congress created the Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) under authority of National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (PL110‐181). Major General Arnold Fields, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.), was appointed by President George W. Bush on June 12, 2008 to be the first SIGAR. The Mission of SIGAR is to provide for the independent and objective conduct and supervision of audits, inspections, and investigations relating to US and International Community reconstruction funds. These funds currently exceed $57 Billion.
It is anticipated that Mr. Little’s service will last six to twelve months and will involve substantial travel to and from Afghanistan. “DHR International is pleased to support the critical requirements of the Federal Government in this important role,” said Stephen A. Hayes, Vice Chairman of DHR International. “Given the significant presence DHR brings to the Washington Marketplace and Brad’s high visibility practice within the Intelligence, Security and National Resilience sector we are not surprised that the Government is eager to call on his substantial skills.” Mr. Hayes went on to say that during Mr. Little’s sabbatical his responsibilities within the Intelligence, Security and National Resilience practice will be absorbed by the professional staff within DHR.
This represents a return to temporary government service for Mr. Little. Most recently he served in the Iraq Reconstruction Management Office (IRMO) managing the expenditure of US Reconstruction funds there. He had the opportunity to work with General Fields while at IRMO. “As a startup organization, SIGAR faces the significant challenges of recruiting, staffing, provisioning and hostelling that are expected in an expeditionary environment” according to Mr. Little. “I am gratified that General Fields has asked me to assist in these endeavors; I am honored to serve once again.”
Mr. Little holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Systems Engineering from the United States Naval Academy and an MBA from The Anderson School (UCLA). In addition to his primary practice in the Defense, Intelligence and Security sectors, Mr. Little brings substantial success in a variety of operational roles, including several startup endeavors. He also serves as a principal consultant to the Federal Government in areas relating to terrorism and the Middle East. In addition to his active practice in the Middle East, Mr. Little has extensive consulting experience in geographies that include Korea, Taiwan, Israel, South America and Australia. He is a highly sought after speaker who has spoken on Iraq, the Middle East and Terrorism in a variety of venues.
John Allen
Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced that the President has nominated Marine Corps Maj. Gen. John R. Allen for appointment as the deputy commander, U.S. Central Command, and for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general. Allen is presently serving as the deputy commanding general, II Marine Expeditionary Force; and commanding general, 2d Marine Expeditionary Brigade, in Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead announced the following flag officer assignment:
Rear Adm. Michael A. Lefever is being assigned as Chief, Office of Defense Representative - Pakistan, U.S. Central Command, Islamabad, Pakistan. Lefever is currently serving as director, Military Personnel Plans and Policy Division, N13, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.
Congratulations to Mike on his new assignment. He led the US and international efforts to provide support to Pakistan following their devatating earthquake a few years back; he is undoubtedly the right guy in the right place for this critical job.
Flying Back in Time, In His Own Warplane; Ex-Test Pilot, Bold and Quirky, Pursues a Costly Love (Arthur L. Nalls, Jr. ’76)
2jan08 -
St. Mary's County Regional Airport is home to a fleet of single-engine Cessnas,
many of them owned by amateur pilots and parked in tidy rows just off the
runway. But in a hangar at the edge of the grounds sits a Harrier, a hulking
jet that takes off and lands vertically, cruises at speeds in excess of 600 mph
and is similar to the Marines' primary attack aircraft.
That is Art Nalls's plane.
Nalls, a 53-year-old former Marine test pilot who made a fortune in real
estate, has turned flying into an extraordinarily expensive hobby. He believes
that his newest acquisition -- the Harry, as he calls it -- is the world's only
privately owned, flyable Harrier. Although Nalls wouldn't say how much he paid
for the plane, he said fuel alone costs about $75 for every minute in the air.
But in jets, Nalls says he has found a fountain of youth. "When I am up
there, it's just like I'm 25 again," he said.
He and his planes are regular topics of conversation at the small airport in
Southern Maryland, a stomping ground for retired military pilots, some of whom
trained at the nearby Patuxent River Naval Air Station, one of only two
military test pilot schools in the country.
On a recent morning, in a lounge facing the runway, pilots swapped stories
about Nalls's latest adventure: Problems with the Harry's hydraulic system
forced an emergency landing at the military base in November, on its second
flight. Since he couldn't fly it back, Nalls had the jet hooked to a pickup
truck and towed nearly eight miles to the airport, escorted by a half-dozen
police cars. He sat in the cockpit, dressed as Santa Claus.
"Ho! Ho! Ho!" Nalls bellowed, waving at truckers and other motorists
as the jet limped along Route 235, narrowly missing traffic lights and
straddling a median as it turned onto Airport Road.
Such antics explain why Nalls has earned a reputation as a cowboy, a
millionaire fond of indulging idiosyncratic interests. In the 1970s, he held a
Guinness record for building and riding the world's smallest rideable bicycle,
which was less than five inches tall.
Nalls, who was born and raised in Fairfax County, learned to fly as a
midshipman at the Naval Academy. On his second flight, he was flipping
loops and executing rolls. In 1985, he was the only Marine to attend the test
pilot school at Edwards Air Force Base.
After graduating, Nalls began to test the Harrier II and another jet. One test
required him to shut down the engine in flight, falling like a rock as the
engine cooled, and then restart it. His total flight time in planes with their
engines off is more than six hours.
Nalls spent most of his career in Harriers, including an AV-8A that he launched
off ship decks more than 400 times. He traveled widely and was in Beirut for a
stint that ended just before the Marine barracks there was bombed in 1983.
Then, in 1990, Nalls took a beer bottle to the face when he intervened in a
Marine bar fight; his nose was broken and his hearing was affected. Grounded
for medical reasons, Nalls was reassigned to a desk job investigating Saddam
Hussein's use of chemical weapons. He soon retired from the military.
He turned to real estate and development, buying and renting apartments,
houses and commercial buildings in Northern Virginia and the District,
where he lives with his wife, Pat. Nalls, whose holdings have included more
than 250 units and buildings, did well in real estate, but he missed flying.
So, in 2001, Nalls began to buy jets. First there was the Russian Yak-3, a jet
he calls Red Heat. Then came a Czech Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros, an
"absolute rocket ship" that he refers to as the Black Jet.
But what Nalls really wanted was a Harrier. Getting one from the Marines was
out of the question because the Corps' retired Harriers are dismantled. Two
years ago, Nalls found a British dealer selling a Sea Harrier FA.2 that had
been used by the Royal Navy.
Nalls flew to England. The plane's engine wasn't working and its wiring was a
tangled mess, but he bought it. Although he wouldn't say what he paid, a
similar plane in working condition was once valued at more than $20 million.
At the St. Mary's airport, a crew of mostly volunteer mechanics and plane
enthusiasts brought the Harrier back to life, cobbling together parts from eBay
and elsewhere. Nalls prepared for the maiden flight in simulators -- after all,
it had been 16 years since he had made a vertical landing.
Questions remained, however, even on the eve of the flight. "We didn't
even know if it would hover," Nalls said. "You don't know until you
get up there."
On Nov. 10, he successfully flew the Harry, lifting off and then landing from a
perfect hover at the St. Mary's airport.
The next day brought the emergency landing at the naval base. About 12 minutes
into the flight, a hydraulic warning light clicked on, and the Harrier's
landing gear would not lock into place. Nalls asked for permission to land at
the base, threw the plane into a hover and slowly lowered it to the ground, where
a crash crew waited.
The plane fell the final three feet, landing with a smack. Nalls said officials
at the base weren't thrilled with the spur-of-the-moment visitor or the large,
slightly damaged British jet. It was the second civilian emergency landing of
the year at the base, said John Romer, a base spokesman.
Nalls hopes to fix the problem in the next two months and have the Harry back
in the sky soon. Until then, he is left to fly his other two jets.
So it was that on a recent Saturday he pulled on thick boots and zipped up an
olive flight suit decorated with badges he earned as a test pilot and with his
call name, Kaos. He jumped into the cockpit of the Czech plane and strapped
himself into a parachute-packed ejection seat.
The glass dome came down, sealing him inside but not tightly enough to lock out
the smell of burning jet fuel. Nalls adjusted his headset.
"Ready to rock and roll?" he asked. Then came the speed. The runway
ran out, and the jet was hoisted into the air, swept up in the wind and blown
away like a dandelion. It drifted higher and higher, then tilted to one side,
opening up the view below.
Nalls pointed out landmarks below: the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, the
Gov. Thomas Johnson Bridge, the approaching blue of the Chesapeake Bay. He
rolled to the other side and felt the push of 2 Gs. The only bumps came when he
jiggled the controls, gently rocking the jet from side to side.
He sat perfectly still as the world rushed around him in a swirl.
"I love it out here," he murmured into his headset. "I love this
plane."
Copyright 2008 The Washington Post
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The Washington Post
Avid Gets New Chief Exec (Gary G. Greenfield ‘76) Taps Turnaround Specialist Greenfield
1Jan08 -
Nonlinear editing and content storage supplier Avid Technology has finally
found a new chief executive officer to replace David Krall, who left Avid in
July just weeks before the company announced a restructuring and major layoffs
in its video division.
Taking the helm is Gary Greenfield, a turnaround specialist who led software
company Peregrine Systems out of bankruptcy after it suffered an accounting
scandal, and also served as CEO of technology firms Merant and Intersolv.
Greenfield, a Naval Academy graduate and Harvard M.B.A., has been CEO of
Gaithersburg, Md.-based business-to-business solution provider GXS since 2003.
At the same time, he has served as an operating partner of technology-focused
buyout fund Francisco Partners, which owns a controlling stake in GXS.
Greenfield, who has no direct experience in the media industry, will also serve
as chairman of the Avid board, effective immediately.
Tewksbury, Mass.-based Avid, which announced last month that it would skip
exhibiting at the NAB show in 2008 to focus its marketing dollars on other
events, has signed Greenfield to a five-year deal in which he will receive a
base salary of $900,000 per year, be eligible for a performance-related bonus
equivalent to 100% to 135% of his salary, receive a one-time signing bonus of
$600,000 and be reimbursed for relocation expenses. Avid has also given
Greenfield 100,000 shares in restricted stock, worth more than $2.5 million
based on Dec. 19's closing price of $25.42, as well as options to purchase 725,000
shares of common stock at the same price.
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