Hegseth Speaks to Troops, NFL Players About Service and Warrior Ethos

View Online Hegseth Speaks to Troops, NFL Players About Service and Warrior Ethos April 2, 2025 | By David Vergun Today, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recognized Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones and Arizona Cardinals tight end Elijah Higgins for visiting troops abroad and carrying on their parents' legacy of service.  The secretary held a video teleconference from the Pentagon as they visited with members of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, in a USO-sponsored visit.  Each player comes from a family tradition of service. Jones' parents, Vurgess and the late Alvin Sr., both retired as Army sergeants major, having served for 27 and 29 years, respectively. His brother, Xavier, is an active-duty airman.  Higgins' father, George, spent 15 years in the Air Force maintaining air defense systems and deployed three times to Afghanistan.  Hegseth noted the comfort football often brings when troops are deployed and said service members enjoy watching football on the Armed Forces Network.  "It's a game that we all love," he said. "It just gives you a little bit of a slice of home to turn the game on and feel like 'I'm connected to what folks in the states are doing.'"  The secretary congratulated the two players, saying that kids whose parents serve, serve alongside them. He also encouraged them to put the troops through some NFL-level training and rigor to see if they could hang with them.  Jones said he grew up with the challenges of being a child of soldiers who deployed and frequently changed duty stations. He calls on his own childhood experience, when his parents were deployed to Iraq, and he saw firsthand the sacrifices made to serve one's country.  Higgins' father now serves as an Air Force Reserve recruiter.  Both players said it was an honor to be with the service members.  Addressing recruiting and retention, Hegseth said both have surged since President Donald J. Trump took office. To keep the momentum going, troops need adequate pay and quarters.  He added troops need meaningful training and exercises that contribute to greater lethality, and the Defense Department is in the process of eliminating procedures that don't focus on readiness.  "As much as we can, we're freeing up good training time," Hegseth said. "I think that's all troops really want to be doing," he said. "We want to restore the warrior ethos. We want to rebuild the military and reestablish deterrence. And what you are doing there is a part of that deterrence."  The troops serving in Kuwait are at the tip of the spear, he said, and through their service they are executing the warrior ethos.   "We are part of rebuilding the military here in Washington to make sure we have the funding and the systems in your hands to do your job," Hegseth said, although he is hopeful that through strength, the United States can establish deterrence to prevent conflict.  "You have an advocate here in the secretary's office for trying to see the world through that lens on your behalf and do right by you. You're not a number. You're an American who's raised your right hand to sign your life to defend the nation. We want to do everything we can to utilize you properly and then bring you home to your family as quickly as possible. So, thank you for everything you're doing," he added.

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Alert: UN condemns killing of 1,000 people in Gaza since ceasefire collapse

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Alert 2 April 2025

UN condemns killing of 1,000 people in Gaza since ceasefire collapse UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed grave concern on Wednesday over the human toll resulting from the intensified hostilities in Gaza.   Read more

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Contracts For April 2, 2025

View Online FOR RELEASE AT 5 PM ET Contracts For April 2, 2025 NAVY The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded a $133,500,000 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to an order (N6134022F0001) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N6134019G0002). This modification is adding scope to procure P-8A training systems phase two software development, integration and device installation for the government of South Korea, to include one operational flight trainer, one weapons tactics trainer, one maintenance electronic classroom, and one training system support center as well as associated electronic classroom instructor led training. Additionally, this modification provides logistics, engineering and management technical support required for the procurement, build, inspection and acceptance of the hardware for the P-8A training systems. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri (80%); and Pohang, South Korea (20%), and is expected to be completed in October 2028. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $133,500,000 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This action was not competed. Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity. Cardno TEC-Leidos LLC, Charlottesville, Virginia, is awarded a $50,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architectural-engineering and environmental services. Work will be performed at ranges and installations throughout the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Atlantic area of responsibility. Fiscal 2025 operation and maintenance, (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,000 are obligated on this award for the minimum guarantee and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was advertised on an unrestricted basis to allow maximum competition via the Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment Solicitation Module and www.sam.gov website, with one proposal received. NAVFAC Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N62470-25-D-4006). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Military Aircraft Systems, Melbourne, Florida, is awarded a $24,115,758 modification (P00044) to a cost-plus-fixed-fee order (N0001921F0889) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N0001920G0005). This modification exercises an option to provide continued sustainment and technical support in support of E-2C/D aircraft common and unique requirements for the governments of France, Japan, Taiwan, and Egypt. Work will be performed in Melbourne, Florida (59.9%); Misawa, Japan (22.6%); Dayton, Ohio (4.4%); St. Augustine, Florida (4.3%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (8.8%), and is expected to be completed in April 2026. Foreign Military Sales customer funds in the amount of $11,500,000 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This action was not competed. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY ASRC Federal Facilities Logistics LLC,** Fairfield, New Jersey, has been awarded a maximum $99,900,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for facilities maintenance, repair and operations supplies. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 3204 (a)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a 440-day bridge contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Hawaii, Guam, and the Kwajalein Atoll, with a June 15, 2026, ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2025 through 2026 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8E3-25-D-0016). AIR FORCE Lead Builders Inc., Newbury Park, California, has been awarded a $8,704,103 firm-fixed-price contract for building renovations. This contract provides for all management, personnel, vehicles, supplies, equipment, and incidental work required for renovation of the existing Child Development Center. Work will be performed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, and is expected to be completed by Aug. 3, 2026. This contract was a competitive acquisition, and three offers were received. Fiscal 2025 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $8,704,103 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Test Center, Edwards AFB, California, is the contracting activity (FA9301-25-F-0096). ARMY Kenneth Hahn Architects Inc.,* Omaha, Nebraska (W912DQ-25-D-A002); Yaeger Architecture Inc.,* Lenexa, Kansas (W912DQ-25-D-A003); Blair Remy Merrick MP JV LLC,* Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (W912DQ-25-D-A004); and Zapata Black & Veatch JV LLC,* Charlotte, North Carolina (W912DQ-25-D-A005), will compete for each order of the $25,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect engineering services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 27 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of April 1, 2030. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City, Missouri, is the contracting activity.  *Small business **Small-disadvantaged business

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