Dallas Cowboys - Spagnola: Defensive Questions Keep Us All Clueless

September 5, 2014 07:12 PM | Mickey Spagnola

IRVING, Texas - It's time, right? Time not only for the Dallas Cowboys to start the 2014 season, but time for every Tom, Dick and Mickey to have some preconceived opinion of who these Cowboys are, what they are and just what they will do. Based on ... What? Preseason, with Tony Romo playing like three of 16 quarters? Same for the likes ofDeMarco Murray, Jason Witten and Dez Bryant? Based on how they finished last year? Meaning playing that final winner-take-the-East game against Philadelphia with the likes of Everette Brown, Jarius Wynn, Edgar Jones and Frank Kearse rotating on the defensive front, and also having to start rookie free agent Jeff Heath at safety, DeVonte Holloman at middle linebacker for the second time in his life and former defensive end Kyle Wilbur at strong-side linebacker? Based on last year's defense being the worst in Cowboys' history, third worst in NFL history and needless to say ranked 32nd in the league, basically playing the final month of the season with no real replacement for Sean Lee, DeMarcus Ware playing with one arm and on a bad hammy, Justin Durant, the guy who was supposed to replace Lee, also suffering a season-ending injury, no Anthony Spencer, no Jay Ratliff and Morris Claiborne with a shoulder in need of immediate surgery following the season? Based on this defense's preseason performance, one the projected starting-11for Sunday's opener against the San Francisco 49ers at AT&T Stadium not having played one, single snap together in any of the four games the Cowboys lost? And please, help yourself, don't base any of this on the fact the Cowboys went 0-4 in the preseason. Why, I remember back to 1986, one of those preseasons the Cowboys went winless, in fact, 0-5 that year, yet getting off to a 6-2 start, tied with the Giants for first in the NFC East and leading the league in offense until quarterback Danny White broke his wrist in Game 9 vs. the Giants, the Cowboys only winning one more with the untested Steve Pelluer taking his place. Or 1989 when the new-regime Cowboys defeated the Houston Oilers on a last-second field goal, 30-28, to finish the first preseason under Jimmy Johnson at 3-1, and then proceeding to get coldcocked by New Orleans in the opener, 28-0, with things going downhill from there to 1-15. Or what about the 0-5 preseason of 1998 that turned into a 10-6 season, or the 3-1 preseason of 2004 in Bill Parcells' second year turning into a 6-10 regular season. Be careful what you subscribe to. See, the strange deal about trying to predict these 2014 Cowboys requires a flashback, taking us to July 18, five days before the Cowboys took off for training camp in Oxnard, Calif., back to my very words that day on DallasCowboys.com on what training camp would be all about: Defense ... defense ... defense. That will be the Dallas Cowboys battle cry when they land Tuesday at Naval Air Station Point Mugu in Southern California. Defense ... defense ... defense. That will be the Dallas Cowboys overriding priority during their upcoming three-and-a-half week training camp stay at the River Ridge Playing Fields in Oxnard, Calif., starting with the first practice on Thursday preparing for the 2014 NFL season. And for good reason. Right? And darn it, after all those OTA practices, the two minicamps, every one of those training camp practices and four preseason games, here it is, two days before the season opener and we really have no clue about this Cowboys defense. None. Not you. Not me. Not them. The preseason suggests the Cowboys will be just as bad, if not worse on defense, and all those glaring numbers have been incessantly thrown at you, probably beating you into submission. Now, I am not suggesting this defense will be better or even good enough to absolve this offense from having to score more than 30 points a game to give the Cowboys a chance to win. Not at all. But I am here to tell you, we just don't know. This next point can be equally encouraging and at the same time discouraging: The Cowboys' projected defensive starting 11 will be playing all together for the first time, and first time not just in the regular season, but the first time period, including those four preseason games. No snaps all together in the spots they're presently in. Same with this: The Cowboys will have new starters manning eight different positions from where they left off in the season finale against Philadelphia, the only holdovers being George Selvie, that is if the strong-side defensive end listed as questionable with a sprained shoulder indeed starts; cornerback Brandon Carr, who played sparingly in only two of those preseason games; and newly elected defensive co-captain safety Barry Church. Or this: After a summer of mixing and matching at the linebacker position, the Cowboys finally have settled on Rolando McClain in the middle, Durant on the weak side and Bruce Carter on the strong side, though the threesome has yet to take one single snap in more than practice together. Oh, and this: Rod Marinelli moves from defensive line coach to defensive coordinator, which appears will bring a much more aggressive approach, a good thing since sitting back last year absolutely did not work, even a series of backup quarterbacks all seemingly named Matt and Josh ripping them apart.  So again how would we know? Or as Durant says, reasoning, "you want to get as many reps together as possible, but it is what it is," yet admitting when it comes to knowing exactly how this new-look, no-name defense will perform for the first time all together, "We're all going to see on Sunday." That we will, Justin, the genesis at this point for a whole lot of high anxiety and low expectations for sure. Just don't know. Don't know for sure if Henry Melton can return to playing at his Pro Bowl level of 2012 with Chicago before tearing his ACL in Game 3 of last year. Don't know for sure if McClain, after two retirements and not having played in a real game since Nov. 25, 2012, can man the middle at the level he once did in Oakland. Just don't know if Claiborne, he, along with Melton, not having taken one preseason snap this summer, can return to the playing level he exhibited during the first few weeks of training camp, before tweaking a knee and then a shoulder. Just don't know if Selvie was but a one-hit wonder last season. Just don't know if the Cowboys have anyone to pressure the quarterback. Just don't know if the Cowboys can overcome the free-agency/salary-cap losses of DeMarcus Ware and Jason Hatcher, the season-ending injury to Lee and the suspension to Orlando Scandrick. Just don't know if Tyrone Crawford, returning from last year' season-ending torn Achilles, is ready to become more than merely a shadow of himself. Don't know if Anthony Spencer can eventually return, and same for rookie pass-rusherDeMarcus Lawrence, both direly needed to provide a respectable pass rush in Ware's absence. Don't really know if Sterling Moore can handle the slot in Scandrick's suspended four-game absence. And sure don't know if the recently-signedMichael Sam can work his way from the practice squad to becoming a pass-rush specialist with a real defensive end's number on his back instead of the practice squad's 46. That's a lot of ifs needing affirmative answers for this all to work. If the Cowboys win a majority of these ifs, then 9-7 is not out of the question, maybe even better with this offense. If not, if they can't even break even on those many ifs, then there will be no more than seven wins, maybe even fewer despite this projected offense's goodness. So as you can see, this whole thing will come down to the defense going from just awful last year to at least average this year, same place we were when training camp began. But unfortunately, we really just don't know … yet. Thanks goodness the seeing vividly begins on Sunday.

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Attorney General Holder Announces Next Steps to Address Concerns Regarding the City of Ferguson and St. Louis County Police Departments

Attorney General Eric Holder announced today that the Justice Department has launched two initiatives to address concerns about police services in the city of Ferguson and in St. Louis County, Missouri.  First, in addition to the ongoing criminal civil rights investigation, the Civil Rights Division has opened a civil pattern or practice investigation into allegations of unlawful policing by the City of Ferguson Police Department (FPD).  Second, the Attorney General announced that the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office has launched a Collaborative Reform Initiative with the St. Louis County Police Department (SLCPD).

“The Department of Justice is working across the nation to ensure that the criminal justice system is fair, constitutional and free of bias,” said Attorney General Holder.  “The interventions in Missouri are an important part of that commitment.  While there is much work left to do, we feel confident that there are solutions to any issues we find and that community trust in law enforcement can be restored and maintained.  Ferguson and St. Louis County are not the first places that we have become engaged to ensure fair and equitable policing and they will not be the last.  The Department of Justice will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that the Constitution has meaning for all communities.”

The pattern or practice investigation will look at whether officers of the Ferguson Police Department have engaged in systemic violations of the Constitution or federal law.  The investigation will focus on the Ferguson Police Department’s use of force, including deadly force; stops, searches and arrests; discriminatory policing; and treatment of detainees inside Ferguson’s city jail by Ferguson police officers.  The department will consider all relevant information, particularly the efforts that FPD has undertaken to ensure compliance with federal law, and the experiences and views of the community. 

Over the past five fiscal years, the Civil Rights Division has opened over 20 pattern or practice investigations into police departments across the country, which is more than twice as many as were opened in the previous five fiscal years.  The division is enforcing 14 agreements to reform law enforcement practices at agencies both large and small.  These agreements have already resulted in tangible changes in these communities by ensuring constitutional policing, enhancing public safety and making the job of delivering police services safer and more effective.

The investigation is being conducted by attorneys and staff from Civil Rights Division.  They will be assisted by experienced law enforcement experts.  The department encourages anyone wishing to provide relevant information to contact the department at 1-855-856-2132, or via email atcommunity.ferguson@usdoj.gov .

The COPS Collaborative Reform Technical Assistance process with the SLCPD is a voluntary process that will include an open, independent and objective assessment of key operational areas of the police department, such as training, use of force, handling mass demonstrations, stops, searches, arrests, and fair and impartial policing. The assessment will include the SLCPD police academy which trains officers for many police departments in the region, including the FPD.  The findings of this assessment, and recommendations to address any deficiencies that it uncovers, will be provided in a public report and shared with the community.  Additionally, SLCPD Chief Jon Belmar has requested that COPS conduct an after action report on the SLCPD’s response to the protests following the shooting of Michael Brown.

The Collaborative Reform process is an initiative in which the COPS Office, in partnership with a designated technical assistance provider and subject matter experts, works with a law enforcement agency to assess an issue that affects police and community relationships.  Grounded in the principles of constitutional policing and procedural justice, it is a means to organizational transformation through an analysis of policies, practices, training, and tactics around a specific issue that can jeopardize an agency’s legitimacy within its community.  It is not a short term solution for a serious deficiency, but a long term strategy that identifies the issues within an agency that affect public trust and offers recommendations on how to improve the issue and enhance the relationship between the police and the community.

The Collaborative Reform process was initially launched in 2011.  The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department was the first agency to participate and complete the process, which resulted in the adoption of over 75 recommendations regarding the use of force.  The COPS Office is currently working with the Philadelphia and Spokane police departments with this process.

“Today we are launching a comprehensive review of the Ferguson Police Department to assess whether police practices are constitutional and fair in Ferguson,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Molly Moran for the Civil Rights Division.  “We are encouraged by the pledge of cooperation from Mayor Knowles and Chief Jackson, and we look forward to working with them as our process moves forward.”

“The recent disturbances in Ferguson have revealed significant mistrust between the community and police agencies throughout the county, including the St. Louis County Police Department,” said COPS Director Davis.  “The county has expressed a strong desire to take steps to create a relationship of trust and to ensure fairness and equity in its policing practices, and I applaud St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar for seeking technical assistance and agreeing to the Collaborative Reform process.  The advancements that will be made through this effort will not only benefit the St. Louis county police department; they will serve as a model for all police agencies in the region and throughout the nation.”

The department is also conducting in a thorough, fair and independent criminal investigation into the circumstances of the fatal shooting of Michael Brown on in Ferguson on Aug. 9, 2014.  Although the department is working cooperatively with the local investigators, the federal investigation supplements, but does not supplant, the St. Louis County Police Department’s investigation into the shooting incident.  The initiatives announced today are also separate from the ongoing current criminal investigations related to the death of Michael Brown.

The Civil Rights Division has an ongoing, separate investigation of the St. Louis County Juvenile Court to determine whether it engages in patterns or practices of violations of young people’s rights.  The section is assessing whether there are violations of due process, equal protection or access to counsel.  Anyone wishing to provide information related to that investigation can email the department atCommunity.StLouis@usdoj.gov or call toll free 855-228-2151.

The Justice Department has taken similar steps involving a variety of state and local law enforcement agencies, both large and small, in jurisdictions throughout the United States using its authority under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  Under Attorney General Holder’s leadership, more investigations have resulted in comprehensive, court-overseen agreements to fundamentally change the law enforcement agency’s police practices than in any other five-year period in the department’s history.

DOD CONTRACTS

NAVY

CDM-AECOM Multimedia Joint Venture, Fairfax, Virginia, is being awarded a maximum amount $85,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, architect-engineering contract for architectural-engineering services involving preparation of studies, plans, specifications, design, reports, cost estimates and all associated engineering services in support of Navy and other Department of Defense environmental compliance programs for Navy, Marine Corps and other Defense Department installations and federal agencies within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Atlantic area of responsibility (AOR) worldwide. The services include petroleum storage tank and assets compliance, oil preparedness and planning compliance, Air Quality and Clean Air Act compliance, Safe Drinking Water Act compliance, Clean Water Act compliance (stormwater), Clean Water Act compliance (wastewater) and waste management. No task orders are being issued at this time. All work on this contract will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps facilities and other Defense Department installations and federal agencies within the NAVFAC Atlantic AOR world-wide including, but not limited to, California (20 percent); Virginia (20 percent); North Carolina (20 percent); Europe (20 percent); Florida (5 percent); Maryland (5 percent) Washington, District of Columbia (5 percent); and Georgia (5 percent). The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of September 2019. Fiscal 2014 operation and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $10,000 are being obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N62470-14-D-9016).

Lockheed Martin Corp., Littleton, Colorado, is being awarded a $45,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the production, installation and continued sustainment of a General Service, Cross Domain Solution (CDS), Radiant Mercury (RM). RM is a CDS that brokers the exchange of data between different security domains by sanitizing, downgrading, guarding and transliterating formatted data between different security compartment levels. The contract has a five-year ordering period, up to the contract award amount. Work will be performed in Littleton, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by Aug. 31, 2019. No contract funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as individual delivery orders are placed. No contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured because it is a sole source acquisition pursuant to FAR 6.302-1(a)(2) and FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(ii)(A) and (B). The Space and Navy Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N00039-14-D-0013).

Bell Helicopter Textron Inc., Hurst, Texas, is being awarded a $41,776,269 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of three UH-1Y flight training devices, one AH-1Z flight training device, aircraft and/or trainer driven revisions, aircraft common operational equipment, provisioned spares, associated technical data required for operational and maintenance support, and three months of initial operation evaluation period for each flight training device. Work will be performed at Broken Arrow, Oklahoma (46 percent); Fort Worth, Texas (33 percent); St. Louis, Missouri (15 percent); and Austin, Texas (6 percent), and is expected to be completed in June 2018. Fiscal 2012 aircraft procurement (Navy Reserve) and 2014 aircraft procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $41,776,269 is being obligated on this award, $29,120,770 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.302.1. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contract activity (N61340-14-C-1000).

Dawson-Hawaiian Builders I,* Honolulu, Hawaii, is being awarded a $16,231,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the design and construction of a low-rise building for the Third Radio Battalion Complex at Marine Corps Base Hawaii. The contract also contains one unexercised option, which if exercised would increase cumulative contract value to $17,003,000. The complex includes offices for Battalion Headquarters, Headquarters and Service Company, Company A and Company B. The project also provides for classroom and other training spaces and offices, platoon command offices and workspaces, mail room, family readiness and career planning offices, and other workspaces needed to support Third Radio. Work will be performed in Kaneohe, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed by October 2016. Fiscal 2010 and 2014 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $16,231,000 are being obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with nine proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-14-C-1310).

Raytheon Co., El Segundo, California, is being awarded $11,403,294 for firm-fixed-price delivery order 7040 under a previously awarded Basic Ordering Agreement (N00383-10-G-005H) for the repair of 288 radar component units consisting of 18 different weapons repairable assemblies used in support of the F/A-18 Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar System. Work will be performed in El Segundo, California; and work is expected to be completed March 27, 2015. Fiscal 2014 Navy working capital funds in the amount of $11,403,294 will be obligated at the time of award and funds will not expire before the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2304 (c)(l). The NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity.

Central Texas College, Killeen, Texas, is being awarded a $9,410,083 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm fixed-price task orders contract for the provision of education courses to sailors, both instructor led and distance learning, to include courses for academic skills, undergraduate and graduate levels. The contract will include a one-year base period and four one-year option periods, which if exercised, will bring the amount to $48,898,382. Work will be performed onboard various Navy ships (64 percent); San Diego, California (15 percent); Norfolk, Virginia (15 percent); Mayport, Florida (2 percent); Bremerton/Everett, Washington (2 percent); and Yokosuka, Japan (2 percent), and work is expected to be completed Sept. 30, 2015. If all options are exercised, work will continue through Sept. 30, 2019. Fiscal 2015 operations and maintenance (Navy) in the amount of $10,000 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire before the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with one offer received in response to this solicitation. NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center, Norfolk, Contracting Department, Philadelphia Office, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00189-14-D-Z038).

ATAP, Inc., Eastaboga, Alabama, is being awarded an $8,268,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Inspect Repair Only As Necessary (IROAN) of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Cougar. Work will be performed in Eastaboga, Alabama, and is expected to be completed September 2015. Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $8,268,000 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via solicitations to the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with four proposals received. The Marine Corps Logistics Command, Albany, Georgia, is the contracting activity (M67004-14-C-0029).

ARMY

Harry Pepper & Associates, Inc., Jacksonville, Florida, was awarded a $44,953,484 firm-fixed-price contract for the demolition and removal of the existing Herbert Hoover Dike culverts 12 and 2, and the construction of new water control structures S-274 and S-278. Fiscal 2014 other funds in the amount of $44,953,484 were obligated at the time of the award. Work will be performed in Clewiston, Florida, with an estimated completion date ofNov. 8, 2019. Bids were solicited via the Internet with two received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville, Florida is the contracting activity (W912EP-14-C-0025).

Gilbane Federal, Walnut Creek, California, was awarded a $32,929,672 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a general purpose warehouse at a defense distribution depot in San Joaquin, California. Fiscal 2014 military construction (Army) funds in the amount of $32,929,672 were obligated at the time of the award. Work will be performed in Stockton, California, with estimated completion date ofNov. 8, 2016. Bids were solicited via the Internet with 14 received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento, California is the contracting activity (W91238-14-C-0049).


Olgoonik Diversified Services, LLC,* Saint Robert, Missouri, was awarded a $24,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for a job order for various minor construction projects within the geographical boundaries of the Little Rock District and Southwestern Division Corps of Engineers. Work and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 31, 2017. Bids were solicited via the Internet with 10 received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Little Rock, Arkansas, is the contracting activity (W9127S-14-D-0016).

Nova Group, Inc., Underground Construction, Joint Venture, Napa, California, was awarded a $13,407,419 firm-fixed-price contract for fuel island upgrades at Hunter Army Airfield. Fiscal 2011 and fiscal 2013 military construction (Army) funds in the amount of $13,407,419 were obligated at the time of the award. Work will be done at Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia, with estimated completion date of March 15, 2016. Bids were solicited via the Internet with four received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah, Georgia the contracting activity (W912HN-14-C-0011).

Blackhawk enterprise Incorporated*, Waynesboro, Virginia, was awarded a $7,738,213 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to ensure the intelligence production and dissemination software applications and intelligence mission data, technology forecasting, and foreign material management software applications are continually maintained for appropriate security posture. Work and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 4, 2017. Bids were solicited via the Internet with five received. U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command Engineers Charlottesville, Virginia is the contracting activity (W911W5-14-D-0001)

STG, Inc., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $7,561,521 modification (P00004) to contract (W911QX-14-F-0019) for nine months of information technology support services, with an options for two one-month periods. Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance (Army) funds, and research, development, test and evaluation funds, in the amount of $2,575,160 were obligated at the time of the award. Work will be performed in Adelphi, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2015. Bids were solicited with one received. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Adelphi, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

AIR FORCE

Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., Sunnyvale, California, has been awarded a $42,880,040 modification (P00003) to previously awarded contract FA8810-13-C-0001 for dual band telemetry, tracking and communications capability for the Space-Based Infrared System Geosynchronous Earth Orbiting 5-6 space vehicles. Contractor will redesign the interfacing, software, power, thermal, and structures to accommodate the new dual band capable transponder box and cabling. This effort also adds a Unified S-Band uplink frequency and modulation scheme to the existing Space to Ground Link System L-Band uplink capability. Work will be performed at Sunnyvale, California, and is expected to be completed by July 31, 2021. Fiscal 2012 missile procurement funds in the amount of $10,673,074 are being obligated at the time of award. Space and Missile System Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, Marietta, Georgia, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $34,721,663 modification (P00270) to previously awarded contract FA8625-11-C-6597 for C-130J Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) acquisition, integration, and installation. Work will be performed at Marietta, Georgia, and is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2019. This contract involves foreign military sales to the government of Australia. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.

L-3 Communications-Platform Integration Division, Waco, Texas, has been awarded a $10,092,484 not-to-exceed, undefinitized contract action to provide C-27J aircrew and maintenance training to Australian Air Force personnel. Work will be performed at Waco and Arlington, Texas, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2017. This contract involves foreign military sales for the government of Australia. This award is the result of a country directed sole-source acquisition. The 338th Specialized Contracting Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA3002-14-D-0014).

Sahara Palms, Inc., Fruitland, Utah, has been awarded $7,091,268 firm-fixed price contract for paint bay equipment and renovation. Contractor will procure semi-off-the-shelf equipment and components, merge contractor equipment design with government design and specifications to renovate six existing paint bays to include: supply air fans, heating coils, humidity sections, exhaust fans, environmental controls, motors, and variable frequency drives. Work will be performed at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 5, 2015. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and unlimited offers were solicited; two offers were received. Fiscal 2014 working capital funds in the amount of $7,091,268 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Materiel Command, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8224-14-C-0063).

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Exelis, Incorporated, Clifton, New Jersey, has been awarded a maximum $15,380,162 cost-plus- fixed-fee contract for form, fit and function replacement of electronic countermeasures sets. This contract was a sole-source acquisition. Location of performance is New Jersey, with a March 3, 2017, performance completion date. Using military service is the Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 through fiscal 2017 Air Force working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia (SPRWA1-14-C-0006).

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FALCON READY

09/05/2014 04:18 PM CDT

Air Force Maj. Curtis Dougherty prepares to taxi his F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft for takeoff during a practice show in Kalispell, Mont., Aug. 29, 2014. Dougherty is a pilot assigned to the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds air demonstration team.

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COMBAT BREACH

09/05/2014 04:19 PM CDT

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Ace Rheaume breaks down a door during close-quarters battle training as part of Fleet Combat Camera Pacific's Summer Quick Shot 2014 in the Angeles National Forest, Calif., Sept. 2, 2014. Quick Shot is a semiannual field exercise designed to train combat camera personnel to operate in a combat environment.

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HOVERCRAFT

09/05/2014 04:27 PM CDT

A landing craft departs the well deck of the amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown for an equipment onload at White Beach, Okinawa, Japan. The Germantown is forward-deployed and assigned to the Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility.

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Commander of Underwater NASA Mission Available for Interviews

NASA will venture to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean this month to investigate technologies and procedures for use in near- and long-term space missions. The commander of the seven-day mission, NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik, will be available for media interviews via phone or Skype between 2:15 and 2:45 p.m. EDT Friday, Sept. 12.

To participate in the interviews, contact William Jeffs atwilliam.p.jeffs@nasa.gov by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10.

The 19th NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) mission begins Monday, Sept. 8. Bresnik will be joined by Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, and Herve Stevenin, ESA's Head of Extravehicular Activity Training at the European Astronaut Center in Cologne, Germany.

The crew members of NEEMO 19 will test technologies and training techniques for use aboard the International Space Station and future deep space exploration missions. Mission objectives include evaluating technologies to improve crew performance when executing standard space station procedures; testing tools and techniques to conduct spacewalk tasks in varying levels of gravity; and, investigating the capability of just-in-time training to decrease crew training time while increasing crew efficiency for space station and future exploration missions.

The NEEMO crew, along with two professional habitat technicians, will conduct this mission in Florida International University's undersea research habitat Aquarius Reef Base, located about six miles off the coast of Key Largo, Florida, and 62 feet below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean.

Embry Riddle Aeronautical University will conduct robotics and engineering investigations focused on technologies to support future space exploration missions and underwater operations.

The crew members will share their experiences during NEEMO 19 on Twitter at:

http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Andreas

http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Jeremy

http://www.twitter.com/ESAstro_trainer

For more information about NEEMO, the crew members, and links to follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/neemo

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Department of Defense Releases First Quarter Suicide Information

The Department of Defense released the quarterly suicide report (QSR), today, for the first quarter of calendar year 2014. The report summarizes suicide counts for all services and components. During the months of January through March of this year, there were 74 suicides among service members in the active component, 24 suicides among service members in the reserves, and 22 suicides among service members in the National Guard.

 

The report also shows 2013 annual counts and annual rates as published last month in the 2013 4th Quarter DoD QSR, as well as 2012 annual counts and annual rates as published in the DoD Suicide Event Report (DoDSER) Calendar Year 2012 Annual Report. The QSR is intended to communicate the department's suicide data on a routine and frequent basis. A breakdown of first quarter, 2014, suicide counts and resources for service members and their families, who may be facing challenges, can be found at:http://www.suicideoutreach.org/SuicideData/quarterly_reports.htm.

 

One resource is the Military Crisis Line, which offers free and confidential support to service members in crisis or anyone who knows a service member who is. The service is staffed by caring, qualified responders from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), many who have served in the military themselves. Support is offered through the crisis line, online chat, and text-messaging services for all service members (active, National Guard and reserve) and veterans 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year by visiting the Military Crisis Line website athttp://veteranscrisisline.net/ActiveDuty.aspx; Online Chat at:http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/ChatTermsOfService.aspx; sending a text to: 838255 or calling toll free at: 1-800-273-8255, Press 1

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BUNDLE DROP

09/05/2014 03:48 PM CDT

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. William Martin, left, and Staff Sgt. Christopher Rector observe a deployed bundle air dropped from a C-130 Hercules aircraft from a UH-1N Iroquois helicopter over Shimoda Bay, Japan, Aug. 31, 2014. Martin and Rector are assigned to the 459th Airlift Squadron.

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WARM GREETING

09/05/2014 03:51 PM CDT

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel greets German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen prior to a meeting during the NATO summit in Wales, Sept. 5, 2014

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SMALL CHAT

09/05/2014 03:52 PM CDT

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, center, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, and Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, right, have a lighthearted conversation prior to the start of a multilateral Iraqi support meeting during the NATO summit in Wales, Sept. 5, 2014.

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Study: California Latinos and African-Americans Are Left Behind in California’s High-Tech Economy

Californians of Color Will Be Unable to Participate in CA's Economy Unless Action is Taken

 

Los Angeles, CA – The Latino Institute for Corporate Inclusion ("LICI"), via a partnership with the Career Ladders Project and funding from the AT&T Foundation, today released anInformation Communication Technologies (ICT) Study that found that California Latinos and African-Americans, who comprise 76% of California's labor force, are being left behind in the state's high tech economy. The study also noted they will continue to be unable to participate in the high tech economy unless a Call to Action is heeded to build an inclusive ICT workforce.

 

"Unless we take action to address educational achievement gaps now, students of color will be unable to participate in the state's economy and ICT employers will have a hard time filling their workforce with Californians," said Luis Chavez, LICI Board Chairman. "Students of color make up a growing and substantially important segment of California's workforce. California's economy cannot grow unless this growing population is equipped to participate in the workplace of tomorrow."

 

The Information Communication Technologies (ICT) Study, conducted by LICI, in partnership with the Career Ladders Project, found that:

 

• People of color comprise more than 76% of California's labor force, yet Latinos and African-Americans have the lowest level of educational attainment in California.

 

• The creation and use of ICT lies at the heart of California's economy, daily lives and business endeavors.

 

• The changing demographics in California suggest that ICT employers will increasingly rely on a labor pool comprised of people of color.

 

• Key barriers for minority youth to ICT professions included financial hardship, lack of diverse role models, limited exposure and information about ICT careers and educational pathways, and lack of academic preparation and support.

 

"Changing the composition of the ICT workforce will not happen overnight," said Ruben Jauregui. President of LICI,  "We must engage youth in career exploration early and equip and prepare Latino and African-American youth with information and support about ICT careers, hands-on learning experiences in both educational and workplace settings, and leverage collective resources to help them attain post-secondary credentials to advance in ICT."

 

The ICT Study included recommendations for a Call to Action. Chief among them are:

 

• Crafting coherent ICT pathways, from K-12 to college, that scaffold achievement and learning over time.

 

• Investing in professional development and continued learning by supporting teachers and practitioners on the ground to transform ICT education.

 

• Committing to a heightened level of collaboration beyond the norm, including strengthening partnerships with the goal of expanding the roles of stakeholders to help change the ICT pathway system.

 

LICI, along with partner Career Ladders Project, have committed to taking the first step in this process. A complete copy of the report can be found here:www.latinoinclusion.org

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NATO Summit Steels Alliance Members for Future

By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5, 2014 - The NATO Summit in Wales came at a time of transition and testing for the alliance, President Barack Obama said at the conclusion of the meeting today.

As NATO ends combat in Afghanistan, the 28-member alliance finds itself facing challenges ranging from Russian actions against Ukraine to the terrorist threats in the Middle East and Africa.

"At this summit, our alliance has summoned the will, the resources, and the capabilities to meet all of these challenges," the president said.

The allies reaffirmed the central tenet of NATO enshrined in Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in 1949 -- that an attack on one ally is an attack on all.

"This is a binding treaty obligation. It is non-negotiable," Obama said. "And here in Wales, we've left absolutely no doubt we will defend every ally."

Resolute reassurance

The allies agreed "to be resolute in reassuring our allies in Eastern Europe," Obama said. Increased NATO air patrols over the Baltic republics will continue, as will rotations of NATO forces throughout Eastern Europe for training and exercises. Ship deployments to the Black Sea also will continue. "All 28 NATO nations agree to contribute to all of these measures for as long as necessary," the president said.

The alliance must have forces able to deploy quickly, and which can operate effectively for any contingency, Obama said, and the allies agreed to a new readiness action plan, which will update defense planning. "We will create a new highly ready rapid response force that can be deployed on a very short notice," he added. "We will increase NATO's presence in central and eastern Europe with additional equipment, training, exercises and troop rotations."

The president said the $1 billion program he announced in June in Warsaw will be the start of the strong and continuing U.S. contribution to this plan.

All NATO nations pledged to increase investments in defense. The alliance has long had a goal of each nation spending 2 percent of gross domestic on defense. The United States is one of only four alliance nations that actually meets that goal. "These resources will help NATO invest in critical capabilities, including intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and missile defense," the president said.

Fully united in support of Ukraine

Finally, NATO nations are fully united in support of Ukraine's "sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and its right to defend itself," Obama said. All NATO allies agreed to provide security assistance to Ukraine. This aid includes nonlethal support like body armor, fuel, and medical care for wounded Ukrainian troops. It also includes assistance to help modernize Ukrainian forces, including logistics and command and control.

All this sends the message to Russia and its leaders that their actions have consequences. "Today the United States and Europe are finalizing measures to deepen and broaden our sanctions across Russia's financial, energy, and defense sectors," the president said.

Still, alliance members strongly support Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's efforts to pursue a peaceful resolution to the conflict, the president said.

"The cease-fire announced today can advance that goal, but only if there is follow-through on the ground," he added. "Pro-Russian separatists must keep their commitments, and Russia must stop its violations of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

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Chronic Pain & Painkillers: Why You Should Consider Alternatives

Physician Offers 4 Natural Ways to End the Pain

Roughly 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain lasting more than six months, according to a report from the Institute of Medicine. Throughout the past decade, the use of painkillers such as Vicodin, Percocet and OxyContin has soared by 300 percent. For many – 17,000 people per year, or 46 each day – the treatment is worse than the pain; those are the number of users who die from the medicine, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

For every person who dies from the use of painkillers, 30 more are admitted to emergency rooms due to complications.

"Those figures are appalling," says Dr. Frank King, a doctor of naturopathy, president of King Bio natural medicine company, and author of The Healing Revolution (www.kingbio.com).

"Death is just one of the many side effects of heavy-duty pharmaceuticals, and researchers unanimously agree that addiction to painkillers has risen drastically in recent years. People are so focused on pain that they miss the fact that it is a signal of deeper health problems. Don't shoot the messenger! Listen to the pain, and it will lead you to the root causes."

With decades of experience helping patients, Dr. King offers four natural suggestions for pain management.

•  Identify the root causes of pain. Pain is a signal of deeper problems, similar to the warning light on the dashboard of your car. You can mask the light with duct tape, which is what prescription drugs do with pain. You can cut the wires, which might symbolize a surgical approach. Or you can look for the root causes, which is what our more natural, holistic approach seeks to do. Address the problem, and the pain will subside.

•  Make good choices. Most chronic conditions are caused by bad lifestyle choices. Try walking more, eating and sleeping better, eliminating stress and bad habits from your life, and watch pain decrease and health increase. It's that simple. Moreover, surround yourself with a healing community of like-minded "healing buddies" who support your healthy choices.

•  Explore natural healing techniques, and if necessary, see a natural healing practitioner. You are your best doctor, on call 24/7. I developed many self-healing techniques that address the needs of every aspect of mind-body health. These techniques are free and easy to implement at home, on the job, and wherever you might be. You might also explore meditation, yoga and other approaches for filling the holes in your wholeness.

•  Look into homeopathy.Homeopathy predates modern medicine. Homeopathic medicines are safe and effective, with no known side effects or negative drug interactions. They target the root causes, not the superficial pain. I have personally seen homeopathy dramatically raise the quality of life and happiness for countless of my patients.

With the appalling death toll due to pharmaceutical pain medication, natural solutions like homeopathy are our safest, brightest hope for the future of pain management.

About Dr. Frank King

Dr. Frank King is a chiropractor, doctor of naturopathy, and founder and president of King Bio, an FDA-registered pharmaceutical manufacturing company dedicated to education, research, development, manufacture and distribution of safe and natural homeopathic medicines for people and pets. Dr. King is also the author of, The Healing Revolution: Eight Essentials to Awaken Abundant Life, Naturally! (www.kingbio.com). A fourth-generation farmer, Dr. King raises yak, camel, boar, wisent and American bison sold under the Carolina Bison brand. He is a member of the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia Convention of the United States.

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Energy Department Awards $4.5 Million for Innovative Wind Power R&D Projects

The Energy Department today announced $4.5 million for four projects to help increase deployment of innovative wind power technologies by optimizing the operation, boosting efficiency, and improving the environmental performance of wind energy systems. The research and development (R&D) projects, located in Maine, North Carolina, Nebraska, and Texas, contribute to the Energy Department's effort to advance innovative technologies that reduce carbon emissions and support the President's goal to double renewable energy again by 2020. These projects will pursue R&D not significantly represented in our current portfolio as a way to support and explore innovative new approaches for integration into our future program plans.

• Biodiversity Research Institute of Gorham, Maine, will receive $1.1 million to develop a stereo-optic camera system to detect and document bird and bat flight behavior in the vicinity of wind turbines. This system will use near-infrared cameras and specialized software to detect animal movements throughout the day and night, and will work to automate the identification of different species of birds and bats. The project will help researchers better understand potential environmental impacts of wind turbines.
• Texas Tech University in Lubbock will receive $1.4 million to develop a first-of-its-kind, radar-based prototype to measure the flow of wind through wind farms, which will increase data availability and lead to improved modeling. While radar platforms have been used extensively in meteorological applications, this will be the first radar system specifically designed for wind energy research. This new design for a modular and portable system will require less power to operate and be able to measure larger areas than currently utilized conventional radar systems.   The project complements the Energy Department's ongoing Atmosphere to Electrons(A2e) Initiative, which aims to improve wind plant performance by increasing understanding of how wind moves throughout wind farms.
• The University of North Carolina at Charlottewill receive $500,000 to design and build a 30-kilowatt multistage magnetic gearbox, which will be validated for reliability, efficiency, and its potential to operate more quietly than currently available generators. The project will demonstrate that a magnetically geared generator has the potential to improve the reliability and efficiency of wind turbines.
• The University of Nebraska-Lincoln will receive $1.5 million to develop an online health monitoring system that uses the electric current signals produced by a turbine's generator in order to track the generator's performance and help determine when it needs to be repaired. This technology could reduce operating costs by decreasing unscheduled downtime due to unplanned maintenance.

The Energy Department's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) accelerates development and deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies and market-based solutions that strengthen U.S. energy security, environmental quality, and economic vitality.Learn more about EERE's ongoing wind energy research and development work.  Learn more about how wind turbines work through this Energy 101 video.

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