London, U.K. — Defence IQ, the leading online resource for military and defence news and analysis, has announced the release of its Social Media in Defence 2012 Report. The report explores the use of social media in the defence industry and is primarily focused on the commercial sector, considering what benefits, if any, social media offers to defence contractors and organisations.

A full copy of the report can be accessed here: Social Media in Defence 2012.

“The use of social media in the defence industry, particularly on the commercial side, has been limited to date,” said Andrew Elwell, Editor in Chief, Defence IQ. “While the report indicates that there is still resistance from industry, these perceptions are changing. The majority of survey respondents said that they will make significant changes to their social media policy over the next few years because it offers many advantages in terms of brand awareness and thought leadership.”

The report also examines the use of social media within a wider context, looking at how the defence media and journalists are utilizing social media as a tool to learn more about the industry and engage with suppliers.

“As with the advent of many new technologies, they are often viewed with suspicion until the benefits of using them become clearer,” said Elwell. “However, all indications are that in five or ten years the very premise of this report may seem bizarre to the leaders of the future because having a robust online presence and an engaging social media strategy will be fundamental, regardless of which industry you are in.”

For more information, please visit http://www.defenceiq.com

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Tuesday night, President Barack Obama arrived in Afghanistan on an unannounced visit to sign a strategic partnership agreement with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

The key agreement signed in Kabul by the two presidents defines the relations between United States and Afghanistan and the US military presence in the country after 2014, when the last NATO-led troops are due to leave.

Obama’s surprise visit comes exactly on the one-year anniversary of the raid that led to the killing of Al Qaeda’s leader Osama bin Laden in the city of Abbottabad, Pakistan.

“Together, we’re now committed to replacing war with peace,” Obama said after signing the agreement. “With this agreement I am confident that the Afghan people will understand that the United States will stand by them,” he added.

“I’m here to affirm the bond between our two countries and to thank Americans and Afghans who have sacrificed so much over these last ten years,” the U.S. President stated after the signing ceremony. “Neither Americans nor the Afghan people asked for this war yet for a decade we’ve stood together.”

The occasion was called as “a historic moment for our two nations”.

By signing the agreement after months of negotiations, the United States guarantees to Afghanistan its sovereignty, assuring also their support after the withdrawal of the military force from the country.

During his visit to Bagram Air Field, addressing to U.S. troops President Obama said, “I know the battle’s not yet over. Some of your buddies are going to get injured. And some of your buddies may get killed. And there’s going to be heartbreak and pain and difficulty ahead. But there is a light on the horizon because of the sacrifices you made.”

At 7.30 p.m. EST, 4 a.m. in Afghanistan, Obama delivered a live address to the Nation.

“My fellow Americans, we have traveled through more than a decade under the dark cloud of war. Yet here, in the pre-dawn darkness of Afghanistan, we can see the light of a new day on the horizon.” he said in speech excerpts released in advance of his televised delivery by the White House.

“The Iraq War is over,” he added. “We have a clear path to fulfill our mission in Afghanistan, while delivering justice to al-Qaida.”

“Last year, we removed 10,000 U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Another 23,000 will leave by the end of the summer. After that, reductions will continue at a steady pace, with more of our troops coming home. And as our coalition agreed, by the end of 2014 the Afghans will be fully responsible for the security of their country.”

Referring to the destruction of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, he added, “As we emerge from a decade of conflict abroad and economic crisis at home, it is time to renew America … a united America of grit and resilience, where sunlight glistens off soaring new towers in downtown Manhattan, and we build our future as one people, as one nation.”

This visit to Afghanistan and the signature of the U.S. Afghanistan agreement, emphasized by the anniversary of Osama bin Laden’s death, are aimed to underline the commitment  of the Obama administration for ending the war and supporting democracy in Afghanistan. Just the right move at a crucial time for a president who wishes to be re-elected, but how this event might affect the voters is yet to be seen.

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The Kroger Co. and the USO are strengthening their partnership with a fresh campaign to support men and women in the armed forces and their families.

In conjunction with the Daytona 500 celebration on Sunday, Feb. 26, Kroger will launch ‘Honoring OurHeroes’, a year-long initiative to raise funds for members of our armed forces in partnership with the USO, the leading organization for morale-boosting programs and services for American troops and their families. This is the second year Kroger is sponsoring Honoring Our Heroes.

Thirteen Kroger associates from across the company will join in presenting a $1.5 million donation to the USO prior to the race.  The funds were raised in 2011 in partnership with key suppliers and through the contributions of customers and associates at Kroger’s family of stores across the country. This donation will support USO programs serving members of the military, wounded warriors and their families.

“For more than 70 years, the USO has been lifting the spirits of America’s troops and their families in many ways, including free phone calls and internet to connect with their loved ones back home, care packages to let them know they are never forgotten, and USO Centers around the world, where they can rest or get a free bite to eat,” said USO President and CEO Sloan Gibson.

“None of this would be possible without dedicated partners like Kroger. Our partnership with Kroger makes it possible for our troops and their families to know that their efforts and sacrifices are appreciated.  And this is the best way we can honor our heroes.”

In addition to being Kroger associates, these men and women also are active-duty or reservist members of our armed forces. They represent all five branches of the military and the National Guard.

“We can’t think of more fitting ambassadors of our program than our own people, and we are pleased to recognize their service in front of the Daytona 500 race fans,” said Lynn Marmer, group vice president of Corporate Affairs for Kroger.  ”We thank all of our associates in the military for their service to our country, our communities, and our company.  The Kroger family of stores looks forward to helping the USO assist even more of our men and women in uniform.”

As it did in 2011, the Kroger-USO car, driven by NASCAR champion Bobby Labonte, will carry a special Kroger logo in this year’s Daytona 500. This emblem features the names of more than 350 Kroger associates who are active duty or reservist members of the U.S. military, in tribute to their service.  In addition, Labonte will wear a special helmet during Sunday’s race.  Featuring a striking eagle motif and customized paint scheme, the helmet was designed by an associate at Kroger’s general office in Cincinnati especially for this race.

“It’s great to work with Kroger again and have them on board for one of the most prestigious races of the season, the Daytona 500,” Labonte said. “The Kroger logo on the hood of our No. 47 Toyota Camry is pretty cool because it is paying special tribute to hundreds of Kroger associates from across the country.  We also have USO on the car. Kroger did an amazing job through Honoring Our Heroes. We’re proud to carry the USO in The Great American Race on Sunday.”

Kroger is the exclusive retail partner for the Daytona 500. Learn more about special in-store and online Daytona 500 promotions at Kroger and its family of stores at www.kroger.com.

Best known for its entertainment tours, the USO provides programs and services to those who need the USO the most, including deployed troops and their families, wounded, ill and injured service members and their families, as well as families of the fallen. To learn about the USO’s mission to lift the spirits of America’s troops and their families, visit www.uso.org.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.flickr.com/photos/imcomkorea/

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Spectrum Healthcare Resources (Spectrum), the government staffing division of TeamHealth, has been directed by the Army Medical Command to proceed with a contract originally awarded in 2009 and subsequently re-awarded in June 2011 for completing the construction of and providing clinical staffing and management services for two new Family Health Centers (FHCs) in Northern Virginia.

Although appeal activities are expected to continue, the directive to proceed is a result of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims’ resolution of protest issues associated with the original contract awards.

Located in Fairfax and Dumfries, Va., the Family Health Centers are extensions of the new Fort Belvoir Community Hospital (FBCH), in Ft. Belvoir, Va. Targeted for completion on or before July 1, 2012, the Family Health Centers will serve approximately 47,000 active and retired U.S. Military personnel and their dependents with primary care, laboratory, radiology and specialty healthcare services and pharmacies for the exclusive use of eligible patients.

“Spectrum Healthcare Resources is honored and privileged the Army has selected our organization to develop these impressive, state-of-the-art clinics in order to serve their beneficiaries,” said George Tracy, President of Spectrum. “We are excited to partner with the Army in transitioning the primary setting of care for so many individuals.”

Under its contract, Spectrum expects to complete construction of the new clinics on or before June 30 before beginning a five-year engagement to provide patient care services. More than 300 physicians, nurses, allied health professionals and administrative employees will staff these new clinics, and Spectrum will prioritize recruiting staff from FBCH’s current FHCs to transition with the patients to the new facilities.

Upon the completion of the clinic construction and commencement of clinical staffing and management services, annual revenues under the contract are estimated to be approximately $43 million.

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As the U.S. military withdraws its forces from Iraq, the families of more than 4,000 fallen American soldiers cope with another holiday season without their loved ones. Robert Stokely, the father of a fallen soldier, wanted to bring a sense of closure to his loss by visiting the location in Iraq where his son was killed.

His son, US.. Army Sgt. Mike Stokely, was killed by an Improvised Explosive Device attack on August 16, 2005, while serving in the Georgia National Guard. In November, several organizations volunteered to make Stokely’s wish a reality.  Soldiers’ Angel, a volunteer, non-profit charity coordinated the visit.

TigerSwan donated its services and support for the five day trip. TigerSwan is a North Carolina-based, veteran-owned business that specializes in vulnerability management, global stability, and training for military and law enforcement. James Reese, TigerSwan’s Chief Executive Officer, played a key role in planning the in-country support and security for the trip.

Reese personally led the team into Iraq which included Robert Stokely, Toby Nunn, executive director for Soldiers’ Angel, and Lucian Matthias, cameraman.

“When Soldier’s Angel approached me about providing support, I initially hesitated because of the risk,” said Reese.  “However, the soldier, leader, husband, and father in me knew it was the right thing to do.  I didn’t live my life as a soldier being risk adverse, and I also knew that if it was my son or daughter, I would want to do the same thing.”

Robert Stokely arrived in Amman, Jordan and linked up with Reese and TigerSwan’s Jordan staff.   The group conducted threat briefings before leaving for Baghdad International Airport. Once in Baghdad, the party was greeted by TigerSwan’s Baghdad team and escorted down a route that at one time was the most dangerous highway in the world.

Their first destination was the TigerSwan villa within the city to conduct final site visit planning. The next morning, Robert Stokely and the TigerSwan team put on Kevlar body armor and loaded into armored vehicles. The team drove to the 2005 attack site in Yusufyah, Iraq previously known as the ”Triangle of Death.”

Approaching a Muslim holiday, Shia pilgrims were walking to Najaf, which caused a heightened security alert. After a two-hour drive, the team arrived about 1,500 meters from the location Sgt. Stokely was killed. The team was stopped by Iraqi Security Forces at a checkpoint.   The Iraqi Security Forces refused entry saying the threat was too high.  Reese and his Iraqi head security officer decided to return to the villa and make another attempt the next day.

“It crushed me to turn around in the vehicle and tell Robert that it was not going to happen and to see the tears in his eyes,” said Reese. “The threat was too severe. Our first job is to keep our guests safe.”

The next day, they assessed the security situation based on a plethora of sources to determine if they would conduct another attempt.  Unfortunately, the threat remained too high, and the mission was cancelled.  That afternoon, a car bomb exploded killing several Iraqi citizens and injuring 50 more at a nearby market.

“While I did not get to the exact spot in the road where Mike fell, the trip was great success,” said Stokely.  “I had the opportunity to see the area in Baghdad and in Mike’s area of operations. I now have an understanding of where he was, what he was up against, and what it was like. I kept the promise I made to myself.  And in the end, I vainly proved to myself that I would not run scared of Iraq the rest of my life.”

The final evening in Iraq, Stokely and Soldier’s Angel conducted a heartfelt and emotional ceremony on the rooftop of the villa. Stokely presented Reese with an engraved marble marker he had made for the visit and a U.S. flag that flew over his son’s Georgia gravesite since 2005. He also had the opportunity to meet an Iraqi father who lost a son in the war, and the two men shared their experiences.

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