Philadelphia @ MindSay 
philly
This year, the timing was perfect. Lorelei's niece, C.C., was getting married on April 25 at 10 a.m. So I flew out the evening of the 24th to Salt Lake City. Lorelei drove down from Portland and shared a hotel room with me. We went out that night with C.C.'s two sisters, one of whom brought her hubby. (Last time I'd seen them was at their wedding.) My friend malkross and his new (to me, anyway) girlfriend also joined us as we all congregated at a coffee shop. Yes, Utah does actually have coffee shops. And, as of very recently, they also have legal homebrewing. Go figure.
The wedding the following morning was very nice, and I got to see the bride's brother and parents, as well as Lorelei's mother and her now ex-husband. Yeah, the one who, during their split, was rude as hell toward me when I went to the aforementioned other wedding.
I never really held that against him, honestly. I knew how much pain he was going through, and he's the type who needs to deflect it onto others. So I greeted him no differently than I would have if that had never happened... shook his hand, asked about his daughter and her family, and so on. At the end of the wedding, before I had to dash back to the airport, I said goodbye to him, then the rest. And when I turned to go, there he was again... for a second goodbye. He was clearly choked up, his voice quavering as he shook my hand again and said, "I'm really glad you're doing well."
Unexpected... but appreciated.
The event itself? Probably the best one, yet. Our company Prez said last week that this was the first one of these events in which he didn't receive some sort of complaint from a member. High five.
Got to do some fun stuff there, though. Got together with Lauren, the daughter of one of my co-workers, who I met for the first time on this trip last year. She's super-cool. Got to meet Lauryn, a new employee in our D.C. office, who's also super-cool. Maybe it's the name.
Brent is a die-hard Yuengling fan. And it's a decent brewery, I'll admit. But nothing like the stuff served here. I ordered him two beers that afternoon: a Piraat and a Delerium Tremens. He liked the Piraat and loved the DT. Mission accomplished.
One day, we drove up to Wilkes-Barre, where we got together with another dear friend, beccapooka, and her husband. We had lunch at a Thai restaurant and kicked around a bookstore and used record store for a while. Then it was back "home."
I'd planned to get together with siannon, but she was really sick. (Hope it's not the pig flu, hon!)
Then on Sunday, it was time to come back to Sac.
And when we landed? EMTs came on the flight again to remove yet another sick person. (No details on that one, but I know a bunch of us were starting to wonder what was in the air.)
Naturally, most of us with connecting flights missed them. And because it was late in the day, there weren't any other flights from Salt Lake City to Sacramento. So they ended up putting us up in a hotel and giving us two $7 food vouchers - one for dinner and one for breakfast.
Given the late hour, though, the only food we could get at the hotel (without cabbing it to a restaurant) was Domino's. I'd rather go hungry for a night than eat Domino's, which is what I did.
Oh, I should point out that, by the time we got to our hotel, it would've been about the same time I'd have arrived home in Sacramento. Good times.
And they weren't over, yet.
My flight out of SLC was at 8:40. But the only open shuttle the hotel had for me was at 6:00. Talk about overkill. I got some good reading done in the terminal, though, before leaving.
Long story ... well ... less long ... I got home at 10:30 Monday morning, when I should've gotten home at 10:30 Sunday night.
At any rate, it's nice to be back. Lots of work waiting for me in the orifice, but I expected as much.
The Philadelphia Phillies await the winner in the World Series. The Phillies took out the Dodgers in 5 games in the NLCS. The Phillies are looking for their 1st World Series championship since 1980.
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Red Star Enterprises Limited, Gibraltar is being awarded a maximum $720,568,375 fixed price with economic price adjustment, sole source contract for fuel deliveries. Other location of performance is Bagram Air Base Afghanistan. Using service is Army. This was proposal was originally Web solicited with one response. This contract is for a period of two years with a one year option. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Sept. 1, 2011. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-08-D-1017).
BMI Defense Systems, Inc., College Station, Texas, was awarded on Jul. 31, 2008, a $6,995,365.20 firm fixed price, contract for driver protection package, ballistic blanket kit for light armored vehicles. Work will be performed in College Station, Texas, and is expected to be completed by Mar. 31, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There was one bids solicited on Jun. 10, 2008, and one bid was received. U.S. Army TACOM Office of the Program Management for Light Armored Vehicles, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-08-C-0488).
General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Mich., was awarded on Jul. 31, 2008, a $24,171,854.00 FFP/CPFF production contract, contract for production of vehicles to meet anticipatory war loss requirements. Work will be performed in Ontario, Canada, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There was one bids solicited on Mar. 17, 2008, and 1 bid was received. TACOM, LCMC, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-06-C-0255).
Inglett and Stubbs, International, Smyrna, Ga., was awarded on Jul. 31, 2008, a $34,975,000.00 firm fixed price, contract for construction of a power plant for Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. Work will be performed in Afghanistan, and is expected to be completed by Oct. 31, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There was one bid solicited on Jul. 18, 2008, and one bid was received. Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (W912BU-05-D-0004).
Clark/Hunt, Joint Venture, Tampa, Fla., was awarded on Jul. 31, 2008, a $126,101,402 firm fixed price task Order, contract for construction at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas. Work will be performed in San Antonio, Texas, and is expected to be completed by Jul. 15, 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Two bids were received on Dec. 21, 2007. US Army Engineer District, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-08-C-0036).
Lockheed Martin Corp., Grand Prairie, Texas, was awarded on Jul. 30, 2008, a $68,950,208 firm fixed price and cost plus fixed fee, contract for guided multiple launch rocket systems. Work will be performed in Dallas, Texas; East Camden, Ark.; and Orlando, Fl., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There was one bid solicited on May 31, 2007, and one bid was received. US Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-08-C-0021).
Navistar Defense LLC, Warrenville, Ill., was awarded on Jul. 30, 2008, an $11,310,971 firm fixed price, contract for heavy equipment tractor truck tractors and spare parts. Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, Texas, and is expected to be completed by Aug. 31, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was received on April 3, 2008. TACOM, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-08-C-0435).
BAE Systems, Anniston, Ala., was awarded on Jul. 31, 2008, a $21,561,457.21 cost reimbursement, contract for long lead items for the reset of M113 vehicles. Work will be performed in Anniston, Ala., and is expected to be completed by Oct. 31, 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There was one bid solicited on Jun. 23, 2008, and one bid was received. TACOM, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-05-G-0005).
Parsons Infrastructure & Technology Group, Pasadena, Calif., was awarded on Jul. 31, 2008, a $15,072,345 cost-plus award fee, modification for balance of the closure of the Newport Chemical Agent Disposal Facility. Work will be performed in Newport, Ind., and is expected to be completed by May 31, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There were 32 bids solicited on Mar. 9, 2008, and two bids were received. US Army Sustainment Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity (original contract DAAA09-99-C-0016; Modification P00166).
BAE Systems Analytical Solutions, Huntsville, Ala., was awarded on Jul. 30, 2008, a $12,733,800 cost-plus-fixed-fee, IDQ, task order, level of effort, contract for support for the Training and Doctrine Command Deputy Chief of Staff, G-2 in strategic, operational and tactical program analysis. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Ala., and across the continental United States, and is expected to be completed by Jul. 24, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Two bids were received on Jun. 12, 2008. US Army Space & Missile Defense Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity (W91260-06-D-0005).
Veterans Enterprises Technology Services, LLC, was awarded on Jul. 31, 2008, a $19,100,000 firm fixed price, contract for designing and building dining facilities at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. Work will be performed in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and is expected to be completed by Jul. 31, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There were six bids received on Nov. 4, 2007. US Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk, VA., is the contracting activity (W91236-08-D-0055).
Navistar Defense LLC, Warrenville, Ill., is being awarded a $29,355,367 firm-fixed-priced modification to delivery order #0007 under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032) for sustainment items needed to support Category I Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) vehicles in theater. This order will also be used to support several Engineering Change Proposals to increase the vehicles' capabilities. Work will be performed in West Point, Miss., and work is expected to be completed Apr. 2009. Contract funds will not expire by the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Navistar Defense LLC, Warrenville, Ill., is being awarded a $27,394,820 firm-fixed-priced modification to delivery order #0002 under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032) for sustainment items needed to support Category I Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Low Rate Initial Production vehicles in theater. This order will also be used to support several Engineering Change Proposals to increase the vehicles' capabilities. Work will be performed in West Point, Miss., and work is expected to be completed Apr. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Complex Solutions, Inc., Kailua, Hawaii, is being awarded an $18,091,192 time and materials, indefinite-delivery modification to previously awarded contract (N00244-07-D-0035) to exercise an option for technical and educational support services to the Naval Postgraduate School's Center for civil military relations education and training program. Work will be performed in Kailua, Hawaii, (6 percent); Monterey, Calif., (8 percent); various locations in the United States (24 percent); and various locations outside the Continental United States (62 percent), and work is expected to be completed by Jul. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This offer was awarded competitively through Navy Electronic Commerce Online, with two offers received. The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.
Raytheon Co., Integrated Defense Systems, Keyport, Wash., is being awarded a $5,965,173 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-04-C-6101) to provide cost growth funding for the P2U NRE (Producibility 2nd Year Upgrade) completion efforts and to convert the effort to Firm-Fixed Price (FFP). This effort is a continuation of MK48 ADCAP, MK48 CBASS and MK54 torpedo programs under contracts N00024-98-C-6107, N00024-00-C-6100, N00024-00-C-6102 and N00024-03-C-6104. Work will be performed in Keyport, Wash., (50 percent) and Portsmouth, R.I., (50 percent), and is expected to be completed by Sept. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
General Dynamics Land Systems, operating through its division General Dynamics Amphibious Systems, Woodbridge, Va., is being awarded a $766,816,525 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for the development and manufacture of System Development and Demonstration two (SDD-2) Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV) prototypes. In addition, the contractor will modify existing EFV prototypes, procure preliminary spares and repair parts, long lead materials for the SDD-2 prototypes, and conduct systems engineering, studies and analysis, logistics support and test support. Work will be performed in Va., (55 percent), Ind., (10 percent), Mich., (9 percent), Germany, (9 percent), Ohio, (4 percent), and various other states (13 percent), and work is expected to be completed Sept. 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively awarded. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M67854-08-C-0003).
Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded a $91,805,665 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-08-C-0025) for Phase II of the CV-22 aircraft Block 20 Upgrade consisting of follow-on efforts to the CV-22 Block 20 Phase I, effort including the design, development, integration, and testing of the CV-22 Block 20 improvements and enhancements. The modification includes performance upgrades to enhance the CV-22 aircraft, such as Terrain Following (below 50 knots), Terrain Following Logic Improvements, Communication Co-Site Interference, Advanced Mission Computer (AMC) Thru-put, flight test engineering support, and logistics and supply support. Work will be performed in Hulbert Field, Fla., (70 percent); Ridley Park, Pa., (15 percent); and Amarillo, Texas, (15 percent), and is expected to be completed in Sept. 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $12,639,173 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-06-C-0086) for H-1 Upgrade logistics products and services. This modification includes logistic management support, technical material for maintenance planning, design interface, supply /material support, support of support equipment, technical data, distribution and inventory management/packaging, handling, storage & transportation, configuration management, supportability analysis, aircraft acceptance discrepancies, and contractor logistics support/technical liaison. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in May 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $9,979,205 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-04-C-0569) for the procurement of 22 each Tomahawk Block IV Mid-body Range Safety System (M-RSS) kits and Flight Test Kits (FTKs) for the U.S. Navy, (20) and the United Kingdom, (2). In addition, this modification provides for one set of RSS components for the U.S. Navy. Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz. (25 percent); San Diego, Calif., (14.5 percent); Bristol, Pa., (10.7 percent); Westminster, Colo., (10 percent); Largo, Fla. (5.8 percent); Middletown, Conn., (5.3 percent); Lancaster, Pa., (1.8 percent); Los Angeles, Calif., (1.1 percent); and various locations within the United States (25.8 percent), and is expected to be completed in Jun. 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $6,773,166 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the U.S. Navy, ($9,090,171; 91 percent) and the United Kingdom, ($889,034; 9 percent) under the Foreign military Sales Program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
SFA Inc, Crofton, Md., is being awarded a $9,910,834 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the research, development and applications-oriented activities in the generation of sensing systems, integrated optics and communication systems. The contract is for "Optical Techniques, Devices, and Measurements." This contract contains options, which if exercised, will bring the total contract value to $52,879,393. Work will be performed in Washington, D.C., and work is expected to be completed Jul. 2009 (Jul. 2013 with options exercised). Contract funds in the amount of $1,475,232 will expire at end of current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured under a Request for Proposal No N000173-08-R-JR03, with one offer received. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N000173-08-R-JR03).
WareOnEarth Communications, Inc.*, North Charleston, S.C., is being awarded a $9,452,343 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee, performance-based contract (with provisions for firm-fixed price orders) to provide technical services supporting U.S. tactical and strategic operations with emphasis on Information Assurance (IA) and automated sensor systems for military health systems and require expertise in the full range of the IA disciplines, architecture development, requirements management, vulnerability management, electronic key management, IA and sensor security logistic and life cycle management, certification and accreditation, risk management, security awareness, training and education and security engineering. This contract includes options, which, if exercised, will bring the total cumulative value of the contract to the estimated amount of $48,815,599. Work will be performed in Charleston, S.C., and is expected to be completed by Jul. 2009 (July 2013 with options exercised). Contract funds will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured and nine offers were received via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center E-commerce website. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Charleston, S.C., is the contracting activity (N65236-08-D-6809).
Seyer Industries, Inc.*, St. Peters, Mo., is being awarded a $7,051,226 firm-fixed-price contract for the manufacture of various pieces of Peculiar Support Equipment for the U.S. Marine Corps, (332 pieces) and the U.S. Air Force, (218 pieces), to support the V-22 Aircraft at the Organizational and Intermediate (I&O) levels of maintenance. Work will be performed in St. Peters, Mo., and is expected to be completed in Jun. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured by electronic request for proposals, with two firms solicited and one offer received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, N.J., is the contracting activity (N68335-08-C-0346).
Gyrocam Systems, LLC, Sarasota, Fla., is being awarded a $6,665,204 firm-fixed-priced delivery order #0002 under a previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5075) for the purchase of sustainment services, parts, training, and the replacement of six camera systems due to battle loss. Work will be performed in Sarasota, Fla., and is expected to be completed by Aug. 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $6,665,204 will expire by the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $6,515,699 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-06-C-0086) for non-recurring engineering necessary to build, install and test of the combining Gearbox Test Stand in support of the H-1 Upgrades Aircraft. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in Jun. 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Z Corp,* Norfolk, Va., is being awarded a $5,695,000 firm-fixed-price contract for design and construction of MP (military Police) Co., Operations Complex, Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, N.C. The work to be performed includes the design and construction of multi-story and single-story operations facilities for the MP Co., 2D Marine Logistics Group. Construction will include administrative space, storage space, drive-through equipment maintenance bays, communications/electronic equipment repair; secure weapons armory, dedicated NMCI telecommunication rooms, showers and locker areas and all incidental related work. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, N.C., and is expected to be completed by August 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured among the four contractors on the eight (a) Multiple Award Contract with three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (N62470-05-D-6832).
General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Mich., is being awarded a $5,500,493 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for research and development for applications of Intelligent Machining (IM) of Advanced Defense Materials at the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center (JSMC) Lima, Ohio. Work will be performed in Lima, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by Jul. 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $2,914,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity for contract (M67854-08-C-0009).
BAE Systems Advanced Information Technologies of Burlington, Mass., is being awarded a cost plus fixed fee contract for $21,490,727. This effort will develop, demonstrate and deliver a single platform and multiple platform software system that enables long term maritime and ground target tracking. The effort will involve development in Technology areas including advance radar sensor networking and communication. The performance of the single platform and multiple platform configurations will be evaluated and demonstrated in a laboratory simulation environment utilizing real and simulated data. The software system will also be used and evaluated during a series of flight tests and demonstrations. At this time $7,688,926 has been obligated. Air Force Research Laboratory/RIKF, Rome, N.Y., is the contracting activity (FA8750-08-C-0217).
Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., of Herndon, Va., is being awarded cost plus fixed free contract for $11,494,519. This action will provide technical and analytical support to the Program Executive Office Combat Support and the Tank and Automotive Research and Development Team. At this time $135,266 has been obligated. 55th Contracting Squadron, 55 CONS/LGCD, Offutt AFB, Neb., is the contracting activity (SP0700-03-D-1380, DO 0264).
Entereza Network Solution, Inc., of Albuquerque, N.M., is being awarded a firm fixed, cost reimbursement contract for a maximum of $6 million. The overall objective of the work effort under this training services contract as defined in Performance Work State of Word dated Mar. 4, 2008, is to effectively and efficiently meet the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center (AFOTEC) mission. AFOTEC is responsible for planning, executing, and reporting independent Operational Test and Evaluations (OT&E). AFOTEC supports Air Force (AF), Department of Defense (DoD), and other government agencies by evaluating operational capabilities and limitations to meet warfighter mission needs. The mission of AFOTEC is to assess the capability of new systems and provide operational effectiveness, operational suitability, and operational impact expertise from concept through system employment in the battlespace environment, AFOTEC's Test and Evaluation University (T&EU) was formed to provide in-house course development, updates, and instruction to support the technical training needs of the OT&E workforce. The contractor will provide subject matter experts (SME) to instruct, develop courses, and maintain/update course materials using Instructional Systems Development (ISD) methodology. In addition to performing instructional duties, the contractor will up existing courses as required, as well as develop, instruct, and update emerging courses and associated courseware. Instructional staff may, within the discretion of the Government, include augmentation from Government SMEs. At this time $284,529 has been obligated. Headquarters, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, HQ AFOTEC/A7K, Contracting Division, Kirtland AFB, N.M., is the contracting activity (FA7046-08-D-0002).
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), of San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a cost plus fixed fee contract for $5,913,886. The action will provide for Air Force Research laboratory/RYZT requires the use of R&D support contract to accomplish specialized research, analysis, test, and development for combat identification work. At this time $1.5 million has been obligated. AFRL/PKSR, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-08-C-1373).
By Marine Corps Cpl. Ryan Tomlinson
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 19, 2008 - Marine Corps Cpl. Andrew E. Nelson doesn't mind admitting he very easily could have amounted to nothing in life. "I started from nothing to making something of my life," the personnel clerk with 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 5, said. "I was broke then, and now I have goals, my credit cards are paid, and I can go to school again."
The tough Philadelphia neighborhood where he grew up was full of metaphorical signposts pointing to the wrong road in life, Nelson said.
"I didn't want to fall into that dead-end crowd a lot of the people I grew up with fell into," he said. "Friends I went to high school with are either locked up or dead, and I didn't want to end up like that."
Nelson and his younger sister were mentored by their mother to stay out of trouble and remain in school. The maturing young man faced many temptations of bad influence.
"I grew up in what many people would call a bad neighborhood," he said. "I woke up every day to find myself living on streets ridden with crime and abandoned buildings."
Instead of falling in with a bad crowd, Nelson decided to make his mother and himself proud. He stayed in school, graduated and then attended college at DeVry University in Fort Washington, Pa.
"My mom was real hard on me. When I grew up, she turned into a mentor and a friend; I tell her everything," he said. "I try to be her strength, instead of her weakness."
Nelson was attending college while working a full-time job for a shipping company to make ends meet, supporting himself and his mother, who cares for his sister and niece. But the stress of doing so much was too intense, he said, and he decided to drop out of school. He went broke, constantly overdrawing his bank accounts and maxing out his credit cards.
"So many nights, I would see me mother crying, looking to God for guidance," he recalled.
Nelson said that led him to pray and became more involved in his faith. He sensed that the answer to his prayers would be to join the service he dreamed of joining since he was a child.
Nelson enlisted in the Marine Corps in May 2006 to pursue his dream and to serve his country.
"Joining the Marines Corps had always been at the back of my mind since I could remember," he said. "I had to get out of the glut I grew up in and do something in my life that had purpose."
Nelson is deployed to Iraq for his first tour after his promotion to corporal in less than 18 months of service. He changed his life, and he said that ever since the first day he earned the title "Marine," he has had more pride in himself and his family than ever before.
"The Marine Corps has given me a lot of ambitions and pride," he said. "I want to be a drill instructor, to take a young man and change his life like my drill instructors did for me."
He added that having the ability to do that would bestow the same feeling he got when graduating from boot camp: the greatest satisfaction.
"Nelson took it upon himself to train every Marine in our section," said Cpl. Mehmet S. Bayar, 22, a company clerk with Headquarters and Service Company, 2nd LAR. "He even took me in to help me out with everything. I thank him every day for helping me become the Marine I am today."
Nelson said he plans to re-enlist in the Marine Corps and marry his long-time girlfriend. He remains close with his mother and said he is there to support her at any given time.
"I wouldn't change anything from my past, even after the struggles," he said. "I have no doubt in my mind that if I hadn't gone through the hard times and struggles, I wouldn't appreciate everything in life as much."
(Marine Corps Cpl. Ryan Tomlinson serves with Regimental Combat Team 5.)
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Graybar Electric Inc., St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded a maximum $74,000,000.00 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contract for Maintenance, Repair and Operations supplies. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Federal Civilian Agencies. This contract is exercising option year three. This proposal was originally Web solicited with seven responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of performance completion is May 18, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM500-04-D-BP07).
Allied Mechanical, Greenville, Wisc., was awarded on May 14, 2008 a $12,486,732.00 firm-fixed price contract for BDU-50C/B practice bomb assembly, cast ductile iron. Work is to be performed at Greenville, Wisc., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2011. Bids were solicited via the web with one bid received. Army Sustainment Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity. (W52P1J-08-D-0052).
Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Conn., is being awarded a $38,031,795 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to the previously awarded contract (N00024-96-C-2100) for the execution of the USS Hawaii (SSN 776) Post Shakedown Availability (PSA) to include the maintenance, repair, alterations, testing, and other work. Work will be performed in Groton, Conn., (99 percent); Quonset Point, R. I., (1 percent), and work is expected to be completed by Mar. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Supervisor of Shipbuilding Conversion and Repair, Groton, Conn., is the contracting activity.
Scientific Research Corp., Atlanta, Ga., is being awarded a $28,442,422 indefinite-delivery-indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee (with an option to issue cost-plus-incentive-fee and fixed priced orders), performance based contract for engineering, technical, logistical, sustainment and administrative requirements on software defined radio systems/equipment. The work required under the contract will be performed over a number of current and future systems and architectures for a variety of different sponsors. This contract includes four one-year options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $164,997,475. The work for the contract will be performed in Charleston, S.C., (90 percent) and San Diego, Calif., (10 percent) and is expected to be completed by May 2009. If all options are exercised, work could continue until May 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. The contract was competitively procured under full and open competition. The Request for Proposal was posted on the SPAWAR Systems Center E-Commerce website and one offer was received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Charleston, is the contracting activity (N65236-08-D-5803).
Northrop Grumman Space & Mission Systems, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $18,553,362 five year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for highly specialized, critical and essential subject matter expertise to perform studies, analysis, tradeoffs, requirements analysis, design, development, test certification and documentation and/or enhance existing combat system interface simulation, and test and analysis systems associated with combat system development and life-cycle engineering support. In addition, the contractor shall install and checkout simulators, and test equipment at various AEGIS Land Based Test Sites (LBTSs) and/or shipyards. Work will be performed in Dahlgren, Va., (90 percent); Moorestown, N.J., (5 percent); Wallops Island, Va., (3 percent); and San Diego, Calif., (2 percent), and work is expected to be completed by May 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with one proposal solicited and one offer received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, Va., is the contracting activity (N00178-08-D-2003).
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