AFCEA - Los Angeles

Airmen from the 18th Wing here got together Sept. 2, 2010, to clean up debris at the Okuma Recreation Area after Typhoon Kompasu struck Okinawa Aug. 31.

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After spending the better part of the past decade defending the Defense Department's computer networks, the Joint Task Force Global Network Operations command cased its colors.

The task force was deactivated in a ceremony Sept. 7 here at the Defense Information Systems Agency. The task force's people and operations and personnel now fall under U.S. Cyber Command at Fort Meade, Md.

Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, the commander of U.S. Strategic Command, presided over the ceremony.
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After spending the better part of the past decade defending the Defense Department's computer networks, the Joint Task Force Global Network Operations command cased its colors.

The task force was deactivated in a ceremony Sept. 7 here at the Defense Information Systems Agency. The task force's people and operations and personnel now fall under U.S. Cyber Command at Fort Meade, Md.

Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, the commander of U.S. Strategic Command, presided over the ceremony.
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Defense Department officials are putting some of their most vexing challenges on the Internet for the public to help solve as part of a new initiative to invite creative solutions to government problems.

Pentagon officials submitted four challenges to the Challenge.gov website that launched today. The site, a White House initiative administered by the General Services Administration, offers millions of dollars in prizes to those who find solutions to challenges that span all areas of government, from improving health and public schools to advancing science, technology and the environment.
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Defense Department officials are putting some of their most vexing challenges on the Internet for the public to help solve as part of a new initiative to invite creative solutions to government problems.

Pentagon officials submitted four challenges to the Challenge.gov website that launched today. The site, a White House initiative administered by the General Services Administration, offers millions of dollars in prizes to those who find solutions to challenges that span all areas of government, from improving health and public schools to advancing science, technology and the environment.
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Contracts valued at $5 million or more are announced each business day at 5 p.m.

On Dec. 1, 2009, President Barack Obama announced that an additional 30,000 troops would be sent to Afghanistan to help stabilize the country.

Whether in support of airlift missions or combat operations, aircraft fuel delivered by members of the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron here is vital to the success of this surge.

The 908th EARS' KC-10 Extender aircrews deliver more than one million pounds of fuel in support of Afghanistan operations daily. That total is approximately 50 percent of the total amount of fuel distributed in the Afghanistan theater.
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The Air Force Enterprise Architecting Division was recognized for excellence in leadership and results during the EA 2010 Conference and Exhibition at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center here Sept 8.

Air Force EA Division Chief Col. David Geuting accepted the 2010 Excellence in EA Award from the Federated Enterprise Architecture Certification Institute, which, in partnership with the California State University at East Bay and the National University in San Diego, is the premier certification institution for Enterprise Architects.
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Mobility Airmen have been involved in the Pakistan flood relief effort since floods began affecting the country in late July.

Among the Airmen deployed to Pakistan are about 30 members from Air Mobility Command's 818th Contingency Response Group, 621st Contingency Response Wing, from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., who deployed to the region as a contingency response element Aug. 28, and have been continuously supporting the flow of aid.

"Anytime that the people of the United States see other citizens of the world in dire need, we have historically always felt the need to assist," said Lt. Col. Shawn Underwood, the CRE commander. "Coming here is doing the work of the American people, and it's fulfilling a promise that we've made to ourselves to be good citizens of the world. And to me, being personally involved is a very humbling experience."
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Ten members of the Uruguayan armed forces visited Air Force Reserve Command's 920th Rescue Wing here Aug. 29 through Sept. 2 to get hands-on rescue orientation and training.

The South American team was made up of pilots, a loadmaster and pararescue jumpers.

Air Force officials, through the American Embassy in Uruguay, invited the visitors as part of an ongoing exchange program with U.S. Southern Command, which fosters close ties between the two nations.

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During the month of September, Tricare officials continue their strong commitment to the battle against childhood obesity. By observing Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, Tricare representatives are active participants in the Let's Move! program for military kids.

The national Let's Move! program works to combat the epidemic of childhood obesity through engaging every sector impacting a child's health. It provides schools, families and communities simple tools to help kids be more active, eat better and get healthy.
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The commander of Air Combat Command visited here Aug. 31 through Sept. 2, and met with Airmen to show his appreciation for their work and answer their questions.

Gen. William M. Fraser III also addressed a range of concerns from Ellsworth Air Force Base Airmen, including deployment tempos, how local numbers of maintenance personnel are affecting the B-1 Lancer fleet, and the upcoming operational readiness inspection.

"I know there's a lot of pressure on the wing, people are working very hard, and they're focused on ensuring their success," he said. "I've always tried to stress that if we really live by our core values: integrity, service, and excellence in all we do, then we shouldn't care who comes in to take a look at us, because we'll always be prepared to accomplish the mission and we'll be proud to show off our ability to do it."
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The Air Force chief of staff is putting himself on the starting line during Air Force Marathon events here, joining thousands of others ready to show their dedication to physical fitness.

Gen. Norton Schwartz plans to return to the Air Force Marathon for the second year in a row, this time running the 10K race with his wife, Suzie during the 14th annual event on Sept. 18.

At last year's Air Force Marathon, the general presented trophies to the top finishers of the full and half-marathons, as well as to the top finishers of the wheelchair and 10K races.
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With the flu season approaching quickly, Army and Air National Guard officials have released guidance for their 2010-2011 vaccination campaigns, and will start shipping vaccinations to the U.S. for immediate distribution.

Army Maj. Gunnar D. Kiersey, a medical readiness officer with the Army Guard chief surgeon's office, said the Military Vaccine Agency is expected to start deliveries by October.

Air National Guard units are scheduled to receive their doses of the flu vaccine within the next month, said Maj. James Coker, the chief of the Air Surgeon's Public Health and Prevention branch.
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Edging past more than 500 fire departments, the fire department here was named the 2009 Department of Defense medium-unit fire department of the year at the annual DOD Fire and Emergency Services Award Banquet in Chicago Aug. 27.

The DOD award for the medium-unit fire department of the year is a competition between all branches of the military and is intended to recognize a unit's heroism, devotion to service and skill.

"The award is very much earned," said Mark Farias, the Vandenberg AFB fire chief. "We have a strong desire to consistently improve, and by doing that, we prove that we're the best."
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Contracts valued at $5 million or more are announced each business day at 5 p.m.

Before candy gets stocked in supermarkets for the upcoming Halloween season, teams already will be busy taping at overseas locations throughout the world for special greetings to be aired during the holiday season.

Three separate broadcast teams from the Joint Hometown News Service in San Antonio are boarding planes this week to begin taping video holiday greetings of service members and their families stationed overseas during the holiday season.

Service members and civilian employees from all branches of service, their family members, and DOD civilians are eligible to participate, according to Erich Schwab, this year's holiday greetings coordinator. According to Mr. Schwab, who also is the European team chief, three teams comprising three members per team will travel to the Pacific, Europe and Southwest Asia theaters, setting up their cameras in more than 60 locations.
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America's support of our troops and their families has been a welcome theme during this past decade of war. The stories of support are abundant, from top leaders encouraging Americans to salute troops to neighbors pitching in to help a deployed family.

Some people have taken this support even a step further, creating innovative programs and organizations that are doing extensive work on behalf of military families.

Eight of these organizations were lauded for their efforts to improve military families' quality of life during the 11th Annual Newman's Own Awards ceremony Sept. 1.
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When servicemembers go outside the wire here for missions on the ground, they have a "big brother" in the sky.

That big brother is the MQ-1B Predator from the 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron.

"My Dad used to be an Army Ranger, and he used to do the same kind of stuff as the guys that are going into harm's way," said Senior Airman Ashley Burchinal, a 46th ERS mission intelligence coordinator. "So it's personal for me to help provide support for the guys on the ground, and hear them say 'thank you' when we debrief them."
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A senior NCO assigned to Pope Air Force Base recently defeated top chess players from each service to take home the top prize during the 2010 Interservice Chess Championship.

Master Sgt. Dan Ranario, of the 3rd Aerial Port Squadron, will join the U.S.-led team participating in the 2010 NATO Chess Championship.

"It was really exciting to do so well in this year's tournament because this is my last year competing," Sergeant Ranario said. "I will be retiring this year, so I'm glad that I will get to be a part of the U.S. team and hopefully we will do well in the NATO tournament."
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