BREAKING NEWS!
May 15, 2012
NHDF Announces Grants of $48,800
The National Homeland Defense Foundation (NHDF) announced that it has made grants of $48,800 to various military programs in Colorado through the Homeland Defender’s Fund™ that the Foundation administers.
Programs receiving grants at Ft. Carson include rehabilitation for wounded warriors, family programs on marriage counseling, domestic violence seminars, and support for the Fallen Heroes Center and the Family Readiness Center. The Colorado National Guard was awarded a grant to support child care programs, and the US Air Force Academy received a grant for their Airman and Family Readiness Center program.
“We are grateful to the many citizens of our community who have so generously donated to the Fund that allows support of these very worthy programs for our military members and their families. The State of Colorado continues to be very supportive of our men and women in service to our nation,” said Don Addy, President of NHDF.
The Homeland Defender’s Fund is a charitable non-profit fund that receives donations from citizens and corporations who want to support military programs. Donations and gifts to the fund are combined with others and then contributed to various support programs at Colorado military installations. For more information on how to contribute, click on www.thehdfund.org or call 719-577-7417.
April 27, 2012
Northeastern University wins top award; USMA West Point is second; University of Calgary third
Northeastern University captured the top prize of $10,000 for their entry in the 2012 National Security Innovation Competition held at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs on Friday, April 27, 2012.
Congratulations to all the finalists for a job well done. We look forward to seeing you in 2013.
ADM Winnefeld's Testimony before the House Armed Services Committee on the importance of the Arctic
The Arctic is fast becoming a new flash point between nations. Admiral James Winnefeld testified before the House Armed Services Committee in March of 2011 on just this topic. He also made it a point to include the Arctic in his top eight priorities while in command of NORAD/ US Northern Command.
The Following is a Excerpt from his testimony:
EXCERPT FROM:
STATEMENT OF
ADMIRAL JAMES A. WINNEFELD, JR., U.S. NAVY
COMMANDER
UNITED STATES NORTHERN COMMAND
AND
NORTH AMERICAN AEROSPACE DEFENSE COMMAND
BEFORE THE HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE
30 MARCH 2011
The Arctic. The geopolitical importance of the Arctic has never been greater, because as far as we know, the natural environment in the Arctic in civilized times has never changed faster. Up to 25% of the world’s remaining undiscovered oil and natural gas deposits may lie beneath the Arctic ice cap. While most experts believe it will be some time before commercial Arctic shipping routes through the Northwest Passage and the Northern Sea Route see a significant increase in volume, some countries and commercial interests are actively testing the waters and making plans to increase their activity. We have seen a marked increase in Arctic ecotourism, and its attendant safety concerns, including the grounding of a cruise ship in the Northwest Passage last summer.
Because these changes involve a complex mosaic of issues, challenges, and opportunities, and because a peaceful Arctic is central to the continued safety and security of the United States, I have elevated the Arctic to the status of a key focus area. We are crafting a Commander’s Estimate on the Arctic for use within DOD, and my commands are examining how we can best support our interagency partners in this region with search and rescue assets, humanitarian assistance, disaster response capabilities, and support to law enforcement. We are also working hand-in-hand with Canada Command as a vital partner to produce a concept of operations regarding how we would partner in the Arctic to ensure our efforts are coordinated and that we pursue complementary rather than redundant capabilities in accordance with our respective national direction.
Regarding capabilities, we are maturing our understanding of our gaps in this unique environment. We face shortcomings in all-domain awareness, communications, infrastructure (to include a deepwater port), mobility (to include adequate national icebreaking capability), search and rescue enabling capabilities, Arctic Ocean charting, and the ability to observe and forecast Arctic environmental change.
The good news is that cooperation is on the rise in the Arctic, and we must continue that trajectory using the array of mechanisms available to us, such as the Arctic Council, the International Maritime Organization, and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. I would like to add my voice to those of the Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Chief of Naval Operations in urging the Senate to ratify the latter. Becoming party to the Convention would protect and advance U.S. interests in the Arctic by bolstering our national security, securing U.S. rights over extensive marine areas, and giving the United States a seat at the table when our vital interests are at stake—without abdicating any sovereignty.
