Air Force
Dick Pacific awarded munitions storage contract
Dick Pacific Construction Co. Ltd. (Guam) was awarded an $11 580 422 firm-fixed-price contract for the design and construction of 12 munitions storage igloos at Andersen; will be used to support forward positioning of munitions according to a Feb. 16 release from Andersen Air Force Base. The new munitions storage . Dick Pacific will provide the design and construction including standard Air Force modular storage magazines at designated munitions storage areas on Andersen; access roadway and site preparation; electrical power lighting; lightning protection; and intrusion detection and telecommunication systems. Project completion is expected by September 2007.
Members of the 36th Contingency Response Group assist with mudslide
Members of the 36th Contingency Response Group already deployed to the Philippines were due to participate in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations at the request of the Filipino government according to a Feb. 19 release from Andersen Air Force Base.
The members of the 36th CRG are in the Philippines as part of the annual U.S.-Philippines joint exercise – Balikatan 2006 in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija – and will work in conjunction with other units of the U.S. Pacific Command. Many members of the 36th CRG have disaster relief experience from the Tsunami relief efforts of Operation Unified Assistance in 2005.
Andersen also received aircraft which refueled and received additional supplies en route to the Philippines. The Pacific Air Forces first C-17 from Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii landed on Guam for its first strategic airlift mission on Feb. 21. Along with support personnel the aircraft also carried water MRE’s [meals ready to eat] tents cots and heavy equipment.
Army Corps of Engineers
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awards Dick Pacific $24 million contract
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded Dick Pacific Construction Co. Ltd. a $24 144 900 contract for the fiscal 2005 Drum road Upgrade Phase I project Helemano Military Reservation Oahu Hawaii. The project entails upgrades to an existing 23.5-mile dirt and gravel road. The project is 900 calendar days from the issuance of Notice to Proceed.
Department of Defense
Secretary of Defense releases contents of 2006 Quadrennial Defense Report; Guam Chamber delegation to head to D.C.
Donald Rumsfeld U.S. secretary of state for defense made public the content of the Quadrennial Defense Report on Feb. 3. The QDR is a comprehensive overview of U.S. defense strategy. It serves to outline what senior Defense Department leadership believes is the status of the department today and where it needs to go in order to fulfill its responsibilities to the American people for future defense needs.
The QDR features a statement by the U.S. Navy which pertains to the Asia-Pacific region. In the statement the Navy recognizes the need for a greater fleet presence in the Pacific consistent with the growth of global trade and transport in the Asia-Pacific region. Consequently the QDR reports the Navy plans to adjust its force posture and basing to provide at least six operational available and sustainable carriers and 60% of its submarines in the Pacific to support engagement presence and deterrence operations in the region.
L. Carl Peterson president of Money Resources Inc. and chairman of the Armed Forces Committee of the Guam Chamber of Commerce; told the Journal the QDR "Reaffirms what has been in the making. People are starting to realize the potential hotspots and growth of the Pacific region. It reaffirms the importance of the Pacific.
Peterson and other members of the committee will be traveling to Washington D.C. on April 23 through the first week of May. There they will be discussing ways to solve infrastructure problems on Guam among other things. Peterson said the list of people who will be accompanying him to Washington D.C. hasn’t been finalized but among the possibilities besides himself are Gerald S.A. Perez general manager of the Guam Visitors Bureau and vice chairman of the committee; James Adkins president of East West Rental Center and former chairman of the committee; Joey Crisostomo president of Cars Plus LLC; and Larry K. Butterfield president of Citizens Security Bank.
National Guard
Send-off ceremony held for deploying National Guard soldiers
A send-off ceremony for Guam National Guard soldiers was held at the National Guard Readiness Center Phase III on Feb. 8. At the ceremony Gov. Felix P. Camacho addressed the members of the 1st-294th Infantry Battalion (Light) Team Charlie as they prepared to relieve Team Bravo currently deployed in the Horn of Africa.
Team Charlie’s primary mission will be to provide support to the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa a multilateral coalition focused on regional cooperative security and stability.
The team will provide force protection for the various joint U.S. forces that are providing civil affairs medical veterinary engineering and military operations to improve the infrastructure security and health of the host nations.
National Guard soldiers return after extended Horn of Africa mission
Two National Guard soldiers from the 1st-294th Infantry Battalion (Light) returned to Guam from the Horn of Africa on Feb. 10 after an extended deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Sgt. Jack Mangtamag and Spc. Rodney Aguon who were both deployed with Team Alpha extended their tour with Team Bravo and were deployed an additional six months. Their tour lasted 24 months.
National Guard soldiers from California arrive on Guam
More than 80 National Guard soldiers from the 185th Infantry and the 186th Armory arrived on Guam on Feb. 20 from California. The soldiers flew to Guam to perform readiness processing with the Guam National Guard as they prepared to depart for the Philippines on Feb. 26 for the U.S.-Philippines Balikitan 2006 exercises in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija which are due to end in the second week of March.
There the Guard members will support the more than 100 airmen and soldiers from the Guam Guard in the joint exercises to conduct bilateral training and cultural exchanges with the Armed Forces of the Philippines. They will also perform civil military operations such as military to military training force protection and security and medical assistance to the people of the Philippines.
The objective of the exercise is to improve Philippines and U.S. combined planning combat readiness and interoperability while enhancing security relations and demonstrating U.S. resolve.
Guam Visitors Bureau
GVB to market to military with DVD’s
The Guam Visitors Bureau will begin to market Guam to the military through a DVD. The DVD will be available free to military personnel. In order to receive the DVD military personnel only need to fill out a form from GVB. The Navy has already approved the form and once it is approved by the Air Force personnel will be able to fill it out and request a DVD. Approval of the request form is expected by early to mid March. The form also has a section where personnel can request that a DVD be sent to friends or family members.
The 10-minute DVD highlights different activities which military personnel new to the island might find interesting including night clubs scuba diving and golfing. The DVD also markets Guam as a gateway to other destinations such as the Northern Mariana Islands Palau the Federated States of Micronesia Australia and various Asian destinations.
Pilar Laguana marketing manager for GVB told the Journal "The DVD will be used to attract military personnel throughout the Asia-Pacific region to Guam as an R&R destination." She said not all places throughout the Asia-Pacific region are safe or endorsed by the military whereas Guam is a U.S. territory.
Transportation Security Administration
Three canine teams certified for duty on Guam
Three canine teams have been fully certified for duty on Guam at the Antonio Won Pat Guam International Airport. According to a Transportation Security Administration release of Feb. 3 the teams graduated from the national Explosives Detection Canine Team Program and have begun patrolling and screening the airport environment and cargo for explosives.
The teams graduated after completing a 10-week course at the national Explosives Detection Canine Handler course at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio Texas where law enforcement officers receive instruction on explosives detection handler skills explosives safety and safe handling and accountability of explosives canine training aids.
The NEDCTP is a cooperative partnership with participating airports. MBJ
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