Search Results for: "Camp Contractors"
Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan
Relevance Score: 4.766 2009-05-07 01:16:24
TS2 was among the first telecommunications operators in the satellite technology field on the territory of Iraq and Afghanistan and as such we have enjoyed a successful cooperation with US Troops, DoD Contractors, Contracting Officers and Civilians from Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan. Satellite Broadband for Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan TS2's satellite products iDirect Evolution (Intelsat), LinkStar (NSS6), iDirect Infinity (Intelsat) and Inmarsat personal service (Inmarsat BGAN) are available in all US bases, including location of Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan. This broadband service offer two-way high-speed internet access with no phone lines, no cable, no dial-up modem. It's always online, available virtually anywhere, and affordable. Your computer or wireless / wired network can receive internet signal, through a special satellite VSAT modem which was usually set up in a building or tent when deployed. This type of Internet connection you can share with other soldiers from Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan. It is an ideal solution, if you want to start Internet cafe / cybercafe in your new location. Most soldiers deploy with a laptop in hand and a hookup to the Internet in their barracks. This is especially important for the many who are married, and have young children. The Internet access has resulted in major morale improvements. Troops no longer feel cut off from home. Not all the Internet connectivity is just for staying in touch with the folks back home. The troops from Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan use the Internet a lot for professional tasks, and not all of them are official business. Some troops blog, and many other stay in touch with military friends and associates in other parts of the world. The Internet has made possible many online communities composed of military professionals.
Satellite Broadband Internet in Iraq and Afghanistan for U.S. Troops
Relevance Score: 4.311 2009-06-28 22:04:20
WARSAW, Poland, Jan. 22 /Reuters/ -- TS2 Satellite Technologies' network in Iraq and Afghanistan has over 15,000 military users of local broadband satellite connections. "We were among the first telecommunications operators in the satellite technology in the territory of Iraq and Afghanistan, and as such we have enjoyed a successful cooperation with the U.S. Army for several years now," says Marcin Frackiewicz, CEO of the TS2 Satellite Technologies. TS2 Satellite Technologies offers two-way high-speed Internet access with no phone lines, no cable and no dial-up modem. It's always on, available virtually anywhere, and affordable. The laptop or Wi-Fi network can receive Internet signal through a special satellite VSAT modem, which was usually set up in a building or tent when deployed. The one VSAT access point provides the following services for soldiers: -- Broadband access to the Internet (WWW, E-mail, FTP etc.) -- Data transfer to many other users simultaneously -- Telephone connections including VoIP, IP phone -- Video-conference connections Advantages of the system: -- Short set-up time -- Fast and easy upgrades -- Possibility of guaranteed CIR -- Transmission in almost all weather conditions The communication among the bases is possible thanks to the simultaneous lease of bands on the Intelsat 10-02, Intelsat 901 and Eutelsat W6 satellites whose coverage enables configuration of connections between any place in Europe, Middle East and Southwest Asia. TS2's satellite military networks are located in Al Taqaddum Air Base, Bahgram AF, Balad Base, Baquba Airfield, Brassfield-Mora, Cob Adder, Cob Speicher, Camp Al Asad Airbase, Camp Bucca Basra City, Camp Buehring, Camp Charlie Basra, Camp Eggers, Camp Fallujah, Camp Grizzly, Camp Korean Village, Camp Liberty, Camp Mejid, Camp Ramadi, Camp Slayer, Camp Stryker, Camp Taji, Camp Victory, Fob Bagram, Fob Brassfield Mora, Fob Delta Al Kut, Fob Diamondback, Fob Falcon, Fob Garryowen, Fob Gardez, Fob Ghazni, Fob Kalagush, Fob Kandahar, Fob Lagman, Fob Mchenry, Fob Marez, Fob Normandy, Fob Rustamiyah, Fob Summerall, Fob Sykes, Fob Salerno, Fob Torkham, Fob Warhorse, Fob Warrior, Herat RTC, Jallahabad Air Base, Kabul Airport, Kabul Camp Eggers, Kandahar Air Base, Lsa Anaconda Balad, Q-West Base Complex and Tallil Ab Lsa Adder. Especially for U.S. Military Personnel, Contracting Officers and DoD Contractors, TS2 delivers satellite equipment to most of all military addresses in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Middle East, within maximum of 7 days. Supported military locations in Iraq - http://www.ts2.pl/en/Internet-in-Iraq-for-US-Army-Soldiers Supported military locations in Afghanistan - http://www.ts2.pl/en/Internet-in-Afghanistan-for-US-Army-Soldiers Contact: Piotr Kubiak and Michal Skrok TS2 Satellite Technologies phone +48 22 630 70 70 fax +48 22 630 70 71 http://www.ts2.pl
Military locations in Afghanistan supported by TS2 Satellite Provider
Relevance Score: 3.817 2008-06-01 11:48:22
TS2 was among the first telecommunications operators in the satellite technology in the territory of Iraq and Afghanistan and as such we have enjoyed a successful cooperation with the US Department of Defense, DoD contractors, Contracting Officers and U.S. Military Personnel from Afghanistan. Airfields Bagram Air base Chagcharan Chapman Airfield Bamian / Bamiyan Fayzabad / Faizabad Herat Jalalabad Kabul International Kandahar / Qandahar Khowst Mazar-e Sharif, AF Meymanah / Maimana Pul-i-Kandahar, AF Rhino FOB Shindand Air base Taloqan / Talulqan US Army Camps Kabul Compound Gardez Compound Camp Albert Camp Bagram Camp Barber Camp Black Horse Camp Blackjack Camp Bastion Camp Bulldog Camp Civilian Camp Cunningham Camp Dogan Camp Eggers Camp Gecko Camp Gibraltar Camp Hadrian Camp Holland Camp Harriman Camp Invicta Camp Julien Camp Kabul Camp Kandahar Camp Kearney Camp Lightning Camp Leatherneck Camp Marmal Camp Morehead Camp Nathan Smith Camp Phoenix Camp Rhino Camp Salerno Camp Souter Camp Spann Camp Tombstone Camp Vianini Camp Warehouse Camp Wilson Camp Wright FOB's FOB ABAD FOB Asadabad FOB Bermel FOB Blessing FOB Bostick FOB Cobra FOB Delhi FOB Dwyer FOB Fenty FOB Freia FOB Gereshk FOB Ghazni FOB Indianhead FOB Keating FOB Lagman FOB Lonestar FOB Lwara FOB Martello FOB Maimaneh FOB Mehtar Lam FOB Mizan FOB Naray FOB Orgun-e FOB Payne FOB Qalat FOB Rhino FOB Ripley FOB Salerno FOB Scorpion FOB Shank FOB Sharana FOB Sweeney FOB Tillman FOB Terrett FOB Thunder FOB Tiger FOB Zormat Fire Bases Fire Base Anaconda Fire Base Asadabad Fire Base California Fire Base Cobra Strike Fire Base Cobra Fire Base Gardez Fire Base Lagman Fire Base Maholic Fire Base Nixon Fire Base Orgun-E Fire Base Oulet Fire Base Phoenix Fire Base Shkin Fire Base Waza Khwa Fire Base Wilderness Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) PRT Asadabad - ISAF US PRT Baglan - ISAF PRT Bagram - ISAF US PRT Bamian (Bamyan) ISAF NZ PRT Chaghcharan - ISAF Lithuania PRT Farah - ISAF US PRT Feyzabad - ISAF Germany PRT Gardez - ISAF US PRT Ghazni - ISAFUS PRT Herat - ISAF Italy PRT Jalalabad - ISAF US PRT Kabul PRT Khandahar - ISAF Canada PRT Khowst / Khost - ISAF US PRT Konduz - ISAF Germany PRT Lashkar-Gah - ISAF UK PRT Mazar-E-Sharif - ISAF Sweden PRT Mehtar Lam - ISAF US PRT Meymaneh - ISAF Norway PRT Nurestan - ISAF US PRT Parwan – ROK/US PRT Panjshir - ISAF US PRT Pol-E-Khomri - ISAF Netherlands PRT Qalat - ISAF US PRT Qala-e-Naw - ISAF Spain PRT Sharana - ISAF US PRT Tarin Kowt - ISAF Netherlands/Australia PRT Wardak - ISAF Turkey
Top 10 World-Wide Defense Contractors
Relevance Score: 3.563 2009-07-01 09:18:32
Below is a list of the world’s top ten defense contractors ordered by greatest to least revenue. The Defense Contractors below provide most of the weapons systems, aircraft, electronic systems, and other military technology we have here at future firepower. Throughout our website you will find references to these defense contractors and the products they supply the Unites States and other Nations such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and other allies of the US with. Top 10 World-Wide Defense Contractors, 2006 Lockheed Martin U.S. 36,465 98.0 Boeing U.S. 30,791 56.1 Northrop Grumman U.S. 23,332 76.0 BAE Systems U.K. 20,935 79.0 Raytheon U.S. 18,200 83.1 General Dynamics U.S. 16,570 78.0 EADS Germany/France 9,120 22.5 L-3 Communications U.S. 8,549 90.5 Thales France 8,523 70.0 Halliburton U.S. 7,552 36.0
Army Camp Install LED Light Fixtures
Relevance Score: 3.367 2009-07-21 22:18:45
LEDtronics LED Wall-Paks illuminate the four bay doors at the fire station at Camp Humphreys in South Korea. The rest of the building is lit with 250W HPS (amber glow). The United States Army Garrison Humphreys in South Korea was known as a quiet post for years. However recent events in North Korea have tensed North Korea's relationship with the United States. This led to the decision to relocate all of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) south of Seoul. Camp Humphreys will be home to the (USFK) by 2012. Camp Humphreys is located in Pyeongtaek, Korea, about 55 miles south of Seoul. It is home to the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division, military intelligence units and several other military organizations. It is reportedly undergoing one of the largest transformations in the history of the Army; these vast changes will provide better accommodations and services to U.S. military members and their families. While not officially part of those strategic changes, when the Fire and Emergency Services of the Directorate of Emergency Services decided to replace some of the lights on its headquarters, adopting forward-looking LED technology was the sensible direction to take. Today, four LEDtronics WWL20 Wall-Paks illuminate the front of the firehouse building using only 56 Watts each (seen in the right side of the accompanying photo), while the rest of the edifice is lit by 250-Watt HPS Wall-Paks.
Military locations in Iraq supported by TS2 Satellite Technologies
Relevance Score: 2.747 2008-06-01 11:43:45
TS2 was among the first telecommunications operators in the satellite technology in the territory of Iraq and Afghanistan and as such we have enjoyed a successful cooperation with the US Department of Defense, DoD contractors, Contracting Officers and U.S. Military Personnel from Iraq. Air Bases Al Asad Air base Al Iskandariyah Air base Al Taqaddum Air base al-Asad Air base al-Iskandaryah Air base al-Sahra Air base Amarah Air base Baghdad Air base Balad Air base Baquba AF HAir basebaniyah Air base Jalibah Air base K-2 Air base Kirkuk Air base Kut Air base Mosul Air base Qalat Sukar Air base Quyarrah Air base Rasheed Air base Samarra East Air base Sather Air base Taji Air base Tal Ashtah Air base Tallil Air base Tuz Khurmatu Air base US Army Camps Camp Abu Naji [Al Amarah] Camp Adder [Tallil AB] Camp Al Asad [al-Asad AB] Camp Al-Adala [Kadhamiyah/Baghdad] Camp Al-Amal [Baghdad] Camp Al-Hurya Al-Awal [Baquba AF] Camp Al-Hurya Al-Thani [Green Zone] Camp Al-Isdehar [Al Salam] Camp Al-Istiqlal [Baghdad AB] Camp al-Nasr [Abu Ghurayb] Camp Al-Saqr [Rasheed AB] Camp Al-Sharaf [Green Zone] Camp Al-Tadamun [Adhamiyah/Baghdad] Camp al-Tahreer [Abu Ghurayb] Camp Al-Tawheed Al-Awal [Al Sijood] Camp Al-Tawheed Al-Thani [Al Sijood] Camp Al-Watani [Green Zone] Camp Anaconda [Balad AB] Camp Andaluz [Kufa] Camp Anderson [Diwaniyeh] Camp Arkansas [Al Salam] Camp Arrow [Ad Dawr] Camp Ashraf Camp Avalanche [Abu Ghurayb Prison] Camp Babylon Camp Baharia [Fallujah] Camp Balad [Balad AB] Camp Basilone [Qalat Sukar AB] Camp Black Jack Camp Blackjack [Abu Ghurayb] Camp Blue Diamond [Ar Ramadi] Camp Bonzai [Kadhamiyah/Baghdad] Camp Boom [Baquba] Camp Brassfield-Mora [Samarra] Camp Bucca [Umm Qasr] Camp Bushmaster [Najaf] Camp Bushwacker Camp Caldwell [Kirkush] Camp Cedar [Tallil AB] Camp Cedar II [Tallil AB] Camp Chesty [Kut AB] Camp Claiborne [Mosul AB] Camp Cobra [Abu Ghurayb] Camp Cold Steel Camp Condor [Amarah AB] Camp Cooke [Taji AB] Camp Cropper [Baghdad IAP] Camp Cuervo [Rasheed AB] Camp Dahuk Camp Diamondback [Mosul AB] Camp Dogwood [al-Iskandaryah AB] Camp Dragoon [Baghdad] Camp Duke [Najaf] Camp Eagle [Baghdad] Camp Eagle III [Najaf] Camp Edson [Diwaniyeh] Camp Falcon [Rasheed AB] Camp Fallujah [I MEF] Camp Fenway [Qalat Sukar] Camp Ferrin-Huggins [Rasheed AB] Camp Freedom [Mosul] Camp Freedom I [Baquba AF] Camp Freedom II [Green Zone] Camp Ganci [Abu Ghurayb Prison] Camp Golf [Najaf] Camp Graceland [Rasheed AB] Camp Greywolf [Al Sijood] Camp Griffin [Baghdad IAP] Camp Gunslinger [Adhamiyah/Baghdad] Camp Headhunter [Baghdad AB] Camp Honor [Green Zone] Camp Hope [Baghdad] Camp Hope [Diwaniyeh] Camp Hotel [Najaf] Camp Hurricane Point [Ar Ramadi] Camp Independence [Baghdad AB] Camp Iron Horse [Green Zone] Camp Ironhorse [Tikrit] Camp Jennings [Al Amarah] Camp Junction City [Ar Ramadi] Camp Justice [Kadhamiyah/Baghdad] Camp Klecker Camp Korean Village [Ar Rutbah/H-3(?)] Camp Lancer [K-2 AB] Camp Leader [Mosul] Camp Libeccio [Nasiriyah] Camp Liberty [Abu Ghurayb] Camp Lima [Baghdad] Camp Manhattan [Habbaniyah AB] Camp Marez [Mosul AB] Camp Marlboro [Sadr City] Camp Mercury Camp Muleskinner [Rasheed AB] Camp Nakamura [Nippur] Camp Normandy [Muqdadiyah] Camp Outlaw [Green Zone] Camp Pacesetter [Samarra East AB] Camp Paliwoda [Balad] Camp Patriot [Green Zone] Camp Performance [Mosul] Camp Prosperity [Al Salam] Camp Qayyarah [Quyarrah AB] Camp Raider [Tikrit] Camp Red Knight Camp Redcatcher [Rasheed AB] Camp Redemption [Abu Ghurayb Prison] Camp Renegade [Kirkuk AB] Camp Ridgway/Ridgeway [Al Taqaddum AB] Camp Rustamiyah [Rasheed AB] Camp Sather [Baghdad IAP] Camp Scania [Nippur] Camp Slayer [Radwaniyah] Camp Solidarity [Adhamiyah/Baghdad] Camp Speicher [al-Sahra AB] Camp St. Mere [Fallujah] Camp Steel Dragon [Green Zone] Camp Steel Falcon [Dora Farms] Camp Strike [Mosul] Camp Stryker [Baghdad IAP] Camp Sustainer Camp Sycamore [al-Sahra AB] Camp Taji [Taji AB] Camp Taqaddum [Al Taqaddum AB] Camp Thunder [Baghdad IAP] Camp Top Gun [Mosul] Camp Ultimo [Baghdad] Camp Union I [Al Sijood] Camp Union II [Al Sijood] Camp Victory (51 Papa) [Abu Ghurayb] Camp Victory [Abu Ghurayb] Camp Victory North [Abu Ghurayb] Camp Vigilant [Abu Ghurayb Prison] Camp Viper [Jalibah AB] Camp War Eagle [Baghdad] Camp Warhorse [Baquba AF] Camp Warrior [Al Sijood] Camp Whitehorse Camp Whitford [Tallil AB] Camp Wolfpack [Green Zone] Camp Zadan [Zadan] Forward Operating Bases in Iraq FOB al-Asad [al-Asad AB] FOB Al-Tawheed Al-Thalith [Green Zone] FOB Arrow [Ad Dawr] FOB Bandit Island FOB Bernstein [Tuz Khurmatu AB] FOB Blue Diamond [Ar Ramadi] FOB Brassfield-Mora [Samarra] FOB Broomhead FOB Buzz FOB Byers FOB Caldwell [Kirkush] FOB Champion Base [Ar Ramadi] FOB Chosin [Al Iskandariyah AB] FOB Cobra [Abu Ghurayb] FOB Constitution [Abu Ghurayb] FOB Cooke [Taji AB] FOB Danger [Tikrit] FOB Daquq FOB Delta [Kut AB] FOB Duke [Najaf] FOB Eagle [Balad] FOB Echo [Diwaniyah] FOB Eden [Hit] FOB Endurance [Quyarrah AB] FOB Ferrin-Huggins [Rasheed AB] FOB Gabe [Baquba] FOB Givens FOB Glory [Mosul AB] FOB Grant [Tal Ashtah AB] FOB Grizzly [Camp Ashraf] FOB Guardian City [Al Taqaddum AB] FOB Gunner [Taji AB] FOB Headhunter [Baghdad AB] FOB Hit [Al Anbar] FOB Honor [Green Zone] FOB Hotel [Najaf] FOB Hurricane [Ar Ramadi] FOB Ironhorse [Tikrit] FOB Junction City [Ar Ramadi] FOB Kalsu [Iskandariyah] FOB Latham FOB Laurie [Fallujah] FOB Lion [Balad AB] FOB Manhattan [Habbaniyah AB] FOB McHenry [Al Hawijah] FOB McKenzie [Samarra East AB] FOB Melody [Sadr City] FOB Mercury [Fallujah] FOB Miller FOB Morgan [Baghdad IAP] FOB Muleskinner [Rasheed AB] FOB Normandy [Muqdadiyah] FOB O'Ryan FOB Pacesetter [Samarra East AB] FOB Packhorse [Tikrit] FOB Paliden Base [Ar Ramadi] FOB Q-West [Quyarrah AB] FOB Quinn FOB Raider [Tikrit] FOB Red Lion [Camp Ashraf] FOB Ridgway/Ridgeway [Al Taqaddum AB] FOB Rough Rider [Mandali] FOB Sabre [Ar Ramadi] FOB Scania [Nippur] FOB Spartan [Camp Ashraf] FOB Speicher [al-Sahra AB] FOB St. Mere [Fallujah] FOB St. Michael [Mahmudiyah] FOB Steel Dragon [Green Zone] FOB Summerall [Bayji] FOB Tiger [Al Qaim] FOB Trojan Horse [Green Zone] FOB Union III [Green Zone] FOB Volturno [Fallujah] FOB War Eagle [Baghdad] FOB Warhorse [Baquba AF] FOB Warrior [Kirkuk AB] FOB Webster [Al Asad AB] FOB Wilson [Ad Dawr] FOB Wyatt [Balad AB] Other Nomenclature Al Azimiyah Palace al-Kufah Baghdad Convention Center Bashur AB Butler Range Complex Champion Base [Ar Ramadi] Champion Main [Ar Ramadi] CJTF Babylon CMOC Ar Ramadi CMOC Baghdad CMOC Diwaniyah CMOC Mosul CMOC Samarra CSC Scania [Nippur] Engineer Base Anvil [Rasheed AB] Essayons Base [Republican Palace] Fire Base Glory [Mosul AB] Firebase Melody [Sadr City] Firebase Shoemaker [Ar Ramadi] FLB Sycamore [al-Sahra AB] Green Zone [Baghdad] H-1 Airstrip Haditha Dam Hard Site [Abu Ghurayb] Hillah Hurricane Base [Ar Ramadi] International Zone [Baghdad] Kirkuk AB Kut AB Log Base Seitz Loyalty Base [Ar Ramadi] LSA Adder [Tallil AB] LSA Anaconda [Balad AB] LSA Diamondback [Mosul AB] LSA Highlander [Al Salam] LSA Viper [Jalibah AB] MEK Compound OBJ Jaguar [Quyarrah AB] OBJ Redskins [Al Taqaddum AB] OBJ Weber [al-Asad AB] Post Freedom [Mosul] Redcatcher Field [Rasheed AB] Rifles Base (3 ACR) [Ar Ramadi] Saddamiat Al-Tharthar Sinjar Stryker Island [Baghdad IAP] Taji Military Camp Tall 'Afar AB Tiger Base [Al Qaim] TSP Whitford [Tallil AB] Victory Base [Abu Ghurayb]
DOD uses real-time software to monitor contractors
Relevance Score: 2.702 2010-01-19 10:56:35
The Pentagon develops real-time monitoring software to track thousands of contractors providing support to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Imagine tracking a mobile workforce of nearly 200,000 contractors through rugged, hostile territory using only spreadsheets handled by officials who aren't inclined to share the data. The U.S. Department of Defense found itself in that position in Afghanistan and Iraq. It had hired tens of thousands of contractors to support its troops in those locales, yet officials had limited visibility into what contractors were doing. "We had no one managing the contractor side of the house," says Gary Motsek, a retired Army colonel who is now assistant deputy undersecretary of defense for program support. SPOT at a GlanceScope: The Department of Defense has 119,706 contractors and 135,000 military personnel in Iraq and 73,968 contractors and 58,000 military personnel in Afghanistan, according to Gary Motsek, assistant deputy undersecretary of defense for program support. Project champions: Those who have played leading roles in deploying SPOT include Army Lt. Col. Richard Faulkner, program manager for SPOT; Gary Motsek, assistant deputy undersecretary of defense for program support; and Niels Biamon, deputy G3/5 for current operations with the Army Materiel Command. IT team: About 15 to 18 IT people from Booz Allen Hamilton and the Army Materiel Command work on SPOT at any given time. Project ROI: For 2010, the estimated cost for SPOT is $21 million, which covers its operations for the Department of Defense, the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development. Military officials say SPOT reduces the time personnel spend manually entering and tracking data and thereby limits the corresponding cost of doing that manual work. Moreover, it allows military officials to better utilize contractor resources and make quicker decisions. It also prevents contractors from using military support services without authorization. Recognizing the need for better management, the DOD developed the Synchronized Predeployment and Operational Tracker, or SPOT. The project earned the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense the top spot in the government category in the 2009 Computerworld Honors Program. The software pulls together and organizes crucial information about contractors from databases throughout the U.S. military. According to defense officials, SPOT is the first and only single integrated database containing authoritative data about contractors on the battlefield. It provides visibility into contractor movements and capabilities, accounting for contractors from the time the contract is awarded through deployment, redeployment and closeout.
How to Survive Military Basic Training
Relevance Score: 2.478 2009-07-06 12:08:23
Can you believe it? Civilian "Boot Camps" are springing up all over the place. Folks are paying hundreds of dollars for the privilege of having someone yell at them while they do pushups, sit-ups, and run an obstacle course. Not quite the same thing as real military boot camp, however --at the end of a couple of hours, they get to go home and shower. By the time they are working on their first cup of carrot juice and granola bar, the real military recruit is several hours into his/her day -- with several more hours to go. Currently, over 40 percent of those who enlist in the military do not make it through the first four years. A significant portion of these do not even make it through boot camp. For many, this is because of unrealistic expectations. The military (and especially Boot Camp) is not what they thought it would be. Sometimes recruiters do too good a job of selling the military as just another occupation. Then, once the recruit wakes up at 0300 with a drill instructor screaming in their face, they say to themselves "Whoa! Where's the 'Condos' and the 'gourmet food?' Where's the NCO Club, and the Gym, and the discount PX items? Where's the job I was told about?" In this multi-part article, we'll examine military basic training. We'll discuss what it is, where it is, what you can expect, what you should bring, how you should act, and some basic tips on surviving 6 to 12 weeks of "Hell." Regardless of what your recruiter told you, being a member of the United States Armed Forces is not just like having a civilian job. You need to understand this right down to your toes before you sign that contract and take that oath. In the military, there will ALWAYS be someone telling you what to do, when to do it, and how to do it -- and you've got to do it. Sometimes they'll tell you to do something that you don't want to do, or tell you in a way that makes you angry. Failing to do it is not an option. The willful disobeying of a lawful order won't just get you "fired," as it would in a civilian occupation, it can get you sent to jail. In the military, you'll work the hours you are told to work, you'll work "overtime" with no additional pay, you'll do the tasks you're assigned to do (even if they don't relate exactly with your "job"), you'll live where you're told to live, and you'll deploy where and when you're told to deploy. If you're not absolutely willing to make these sacrifices, then do yourself and the government a big favor and don't join up. However, if you are willing to put the needs of your country and your service ahead of your own, you'll find several rewards in a military career (or even a short term of service). You'll also be one of the 60 percent who make it to the end of their service commitment and either reenlist, or walk away contented with an Honorable Discharge. Military boot camp is like nothing you've ever experienced. However, the rigid routine and absolute control over every aspect of your life is several times worse than normal military duty -- on purpose. It's the job of the Training Instructors (T.I.'s) and Drill Instructors (D.I.'s) to either adjust your attitude to a military way of thinking (self-discipline, sacrifice, loyalty, obedience), or to drum you out before the military spends too much money on your training. They do this by applying significant degrees of physical and mental stress, while at the same time teaching you the fundamentals of military rules; and the policies, etiquette, and customs of your particular military service. While it may seem sadistic to those who are going through it, the T.I.'s and D.I.'s really do not kill and eat small children in their off-duty time. Nor do they derive any particular pleasure in your pain and miscomfort (Okay, okay, Technical Sergeant Danelack, my T.I. probably did, but few others do). In fact, most of them are pretty nice folks. The training programs are scientifically and psychologically designed to tear apart the "civilian" and build from scratch a proud, physically fit, and dedicated member of the United States Armed Forces. Go into it with a little fore-knowledge, the right attitude, and a few tips, and you'll graduate with no problems. You'll find that boot camp simply gets just a little bit easier each and every day.
U.S. Moves to Replace Contractors in Iraq
Relevance Score: 2.476 2009-03-19 02:32:25
The decision not to renew Blackwater Worldwide's security contract in Iraq when it expires in early May has left the State Department scrambling to fill a protection gap for U.S. diplomats and civilian officials there. Two other U.S. security contractors with a far smaller presence in Iraq -- DynCorp International and Triple Canopy -- have been asked to replace the ousted company, according to State Department and company officials. To meet time, training and security-clearance pressures, officials said, one or both of the firms are likely to undertake the task by rehiring some personnel now working for Blackwater. The Iraqi government refused to issue Blackwater a license to perform security services after a 2007 incident in which company guards on a diplomatic protection mission shot and killed 17 civilians in Baghdad. U.S. prosecutors have indicted five of the guards on charges of manslaughter. Blackwater (which recently changed its name to Xe) still has State Department contracts for air transport in Iraq and security for U.S. diplomats in Afghanistan. ad_icon Meanwhile, fallout from the shootings -- including a new U.S.-Iraq status-of-forces agreement that places contractors under Iraqi legal jurisdiction for the first time -- has led both the Pentagon and the State Department to create new categories of "full-time, temporary" federal jobs to handle some tasks currently done by contractors. The Blackwater incident helped fuel a wider debate on the overall cost and conduct of contractors. President Obama last week ordered a government-wide review of federal contracting procedures, saying that his administration "will stop outsourcing services that should be performed by the government." Nowhere has that outsourcing been larger or more contentious than in Iraq, where contractors have long outnumbered the U.S. military presence, even at its peak of 160,000 troops. The days of massive U.S. reconstruction contracts in Iraq are over, with little to show for tens of billions of dollars spent, according to government auditors. While the military continues to outsource much of its supply chain, contracts for services such as transport and food will diminish as combat forces begin to draw down. More in The Washington Post
Not Intimidated TSF Returns With Results To Pakistan
Relevance Score: 2.348 2009-08-21 17:13:28
The timeline that reveals the persistent efforts of Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF) to assist is as follows: May 18th, TSF deployed to Pakistan to respond to the emergency in the North Western Frontier Province. Over 2 million people have been displaced since the latest outbreak of the conflict between the Pakistani army and the Taliban last April. TSF partnered with a local NGO called Youth Resources Center (YRC) and trained on site 20 local employees for its humanitarian calling operations. Despite the fact that their team evacuated after the terrorist attack on the Pearl Continental Hotel in Peshawar, TSF offered, from June 8th to the 15th, more than 1500 calls to the displaced population in the Mardan district. The calling operations resumed on July 28th; with the head of the mission returning to Islamabad to coordinate and monitor the mission on the ground that would cover districts other than Mardan, where many IDPs are sheltered, keeping in mind that over 25 refugee camps are installed in the six districts of the region. What is more, there are a number of "humanitarian hubs" set up to deliver help to people who are staying outside of the camps, such as those settled with family, friends or host communities. Currently there are 10 registration centers and 34 humanitarian hubs, which distribute food to IDPs. Ten more distribution points are inside the camps. Six teams (four teams comprised of male members and two teams of female members) are then covering different camps in Nowshera, Swabi and Mardan districts: • Chota Lahore and Shah Mansoor Camp-I & II in Swabi, where the activities began • Jalozai-I and Jalozai-II in Nowshera • Jalala, Mardan, Shankar College and Tarakai Camp in Mardan district An example of help provided: Naheed lives in the village of Tahirabad. She now has a new born 3-day-old baby, and in order to reach Jalala camp, 15 kms far from her village, she had to walk, while pregnant for more than 13 hours. Her feet were swollen and legs were aching, but she was grateful for the phone services as she called her husband who is working in Karachi. She was happy to hear he was safe and sound and could reassure him of their situation. Jalozai-2 is the biggest camp where more than 57,000 people are sheltered. From July 28th to August 1st, using mobile telecommunication equipment provided by TSF, the six teams were able to offer 1,378 calls to the displaced civilians (33 percent of the calls were international). The two teams of female personnel provide phoning services to women displaced in Shah Mansoor, Jalala, Jalozai-I & II and Tarakai camps. TSF is the only organization offering free international calls. Many Pakistanis have relatives abroad in the Middle East, in the UK or in other countries of Asia.