Showing posts with label JIEDDO. Show all posts
Showing posts with label JIEDDO. Show all posts

Sunday, October 4, 2015

Afghan War News Snippets


Resolute Support Annotated Bibliography Updated. The AWN RS Bibliography has been updated as of 1 October. Over 200 pages of links to websites and publications about the war in Afghanistan.
www.afghanwarnews.info/pubs/RSM-Bibliography.htm

High-Level UN Event on Afghanistan. The U.S., China, and Afghanistan co-chaired a "high-level event" on Afghanistan on September 26, 2015 in New York City. Participants included regional neighbors of Afghanistan, key donors to Afghanistan, and other UN member nations. Some of the event 'themes' included the constructive actions of China, the importance of the peace process (as if Pakistan and the Taliban really care about peace), donor fatigue, etc. Sounds to me it was just a mutual patting of the back by nations eager to convince themselves they are doing the right thing in Afghanistan. Read a "backgrounder" by the state department on the event (U.S. Department of State, September 26, 2015).

DSPO Not Getting it Done for Veterans with Problems. The Pentagon's suicide prevention office ". . . lacks clear guidance and authority to develop and execute effective programs . . . " Read more in "Report: Pentagon suicide prevention office in disarray", Military Times, October 2, 2015.

Golden Hour Policy in Afghanistan. A recent study says that adoption of the 'Golden Hour' for MEDEVAC saved lives. (Military Times, Sep 30, 2015).

ANA to Receive Commando Select Vehicles. Textron Systems Marine & Land Systems has received a contract to supply additional Commando Select four-wheeled armoured vehicles to the Afghan National Army (ANA). (army-technology.com, Sep 30, 2015).

ANA Officer Academy - Good and Bad News. Danielle Moylan, a freelance journalist living in Afghanistan, provides us with an account of her visit to the ANA's Officer Academy (ANAOA -also called Sandhurst in the Sand) located just outside of Kabul. In addition, she paints a less than rosy picture of how well prepared the Afghan army is in facing the Taliban insurgency. Certainly not an endorsement of Resolute Supports efforts thus far. (ABC.net.au, Sep 30, 2015).

Visit to 1st AD Sustainment Brigade. The cdr of the 1RSSB provided tour to senior army leaders visiting Bagram. (DVIDS, 19 Sep 2015).

Wounded Georgian Soldier Recovering. A Georgian soldier who was seriously injured in an attack in September is responding well to treatment at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. Read more in a news report (Agenda.ge, Sep 28, 2015).

Why Georgians are in Afghanistan. The country of Georgia has a significant troop presence in Afghanistan as part of the global anti-terrorist campaign. A recent new report explains why in "Georgians in Afghanistan Defending Their Country", Georgia Today, October 1, 2015.

Termez No Longer A German Stop-over. The German air base in Uzbekistan is now used only as a backup facility and is manned by a skeleton crew. The Uzbeks raised the rent for use of the base so high that the Germans have opted for other means. Termez was, since Feb 2002, a rear logistics and transit base for its military mission in nearby northern Afghanistan. Read more in "Germany No Longer Using Uzbekistan Air Base", Eurasia Net, October 2, 2015.

Germany Staying a Little Longer? According to some German newspapers we may see German troops at Camp Marmal for at least one more year. Seems their work is still not finished in northern Afghanistan. Perhaps they will reopen their Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Kunduz? Until October 2013, two years ago, a PRT operated in Kunduz province. The PRT's overall tasks were to improve security, extend the authority of the Afghan government, and facilitate reconstruction - all things that still need doing. You can read an account of the German-led PRT in The PRT Kunduz: An Unsuccessful Command Structure, by LTC Lars Werner, German Army, posted on the Global ECCO website. 

Former ANA Officer Now a Refugee. A former Afghan soldier's refugee trek to Europe is provided to us in this news report. His journey through Iran, Turkey and finally to Europe proper where he is now seeking refuge is documented. (CNN, Oct 1, 2015).

Pakistanis Executed by Taliban. Six abducted Pakistanis were killed in the border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan recently. They had been kidnapped by the Taliban and a video of their execution was released. 

How Much Have You Paid for the Afghan War? The 14+ year long war in Afghanistan has cost almost $1 trillion. Divided equally among Afghanistan's 30 million citizens the trillion dollars amounts to some $33,000 per head. Read more in a news report by Reuters, October 1, 2015.

New CSTC-A Cdr. MG Todd Semonite is leaving and MG Gordon Davis is arriving to take over the Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan (CSTC-A). Read a news release (CENTCOM, Oct 1, 2015). Watch a video on the same topic where Gen Campbell says nice things about Todd and Gordon. (Resolute Command, Oct 1, 2015, 1 min).

CSTC-A Not Only DoD Entity Having Trouble with SFA. It appears that the U.S. military and its allies are not the only organization having trouble with the Security Force Assistance mission (Kunduz - just saying). Read about the troubles the U.S. is having in its Iraqi army training program. (The Washington Post, Oct 1, 2015).

Joe Dunford - former ISAF Cdr - and Women in Combat. The former ISAF commander is now the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff - a relatively important position within the U.S. military establishment. He could be at odds with public opinion, the Obama administration, the SecDef, and the civilian head of the Navy (and Marines) on the topic of total integration of women in combat units. With he hold his ground like a true warrior or fold? Read more in "Dunford Deserves Credit for Sticking to His Guns on Women in Combat", Task & Purpose, September 30, 2015.

"Bulldogs" Return Home. 1st Bn, 327th Inf, 1st BCT, 101st Airborne Division has returned to Fort Campbell after a seven-month long deployment in southern Afghanistan. Read more in a news report by the Fort Campbell Courier, Oct 1, 2015.

JIEDDO 2.0. JIDA explained in a new report by Defense IQ, October 2, 2015.

Story on Route Clearance Company. The threat of IEDs is prevalent in Afghanistan and has causes numerous casualties to U.S. forces in the past. IEDs remain one of the biggest killers of members of the ANDSF as well. However, route clearance companies mitigate the IED threat. One such company is located at Bagram Air Field - A Company, 21st Brigade Engineer Battalion. Read more in "Company clears more than 5,000 miles in Afghanistan", Army.mil, September 28, 2015.

Monday, March 16, 2015

JIEDDO to Go Away

It appears that the Joint IED Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) is going away. The field agency of about 430 government civilians, 1,900 contractors, and numerous military personnel will have a name change, downsize its personnel significantly, and come under the authority of the undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition as a combat support agency. Read more in "Pentagon Dismantles JIEDDO Counter-IED Agency", by Richard Sisk in Military.com, March 14, 2015.

Learn more about JIEDDO at their website:
www.jieddo.mil

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Lanmark Technologies Gets $12M JIEDDO Contract

Lanmark Technologies, Inc. has been awarded a $12 million contract to provide JIEDDO deployable ORSA expertise in support of C-IED operations overseas. The Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) leads DoD actions to rapidly provide counter-Improvised Explosive Device capabilities in support of overseas commanders and to enable the defeat of the IED as a weapon of strategic influence. LMT provides a wide range of services to the defense department.
"Landmark Technologies, Inc., Vienna, Virginia, is being awarded a $12,467,465 time-and-materials contract for J9 Operations Research System Analysis support services. The J-9 ORSA will provide rapidly deployable ORSA expertise in all aspects of counter-improvised explosive device operations to support U.S. forces within and outside of the continental United States. Landmark Technologies, Inc., will perform support services at the primary location in Reston, Virginia, and overseas locations. If all options are exercised, work is expected to be completed by October 2017. Fiscal 2014 overseas contingency operations funds in the amount of $4,000,000 are being obligated at award. This contract was competitively procured, with 10 bids received. The contracting activity is the Joint IED Defeat Organization Contract Operations, Arlington Virginia (HQ0682-14-C-0006)."
www.defense.gov/Contracts/Contract.aspx?ContractID=5386