(SkyNewswire.com) --- Operation Gratitude and BJ’s Wholesale announced today that they collected 108,816 letters for deployed troops during May in honor of Military Appreciation Month. The letters will be included in Operation Gratitude Care Packages to be shipped to individual U.S. Service Members in 2010. BJ’s Charitable Foundation will also donate $50,000 to the nonprofit to help defray the cost of shipping care packages. “BJ’s Wholesale Club is extremely proud of the tremendous response from our club members, team members and Operation Gratitude, who together collected more than 100,000 letters,” said Laura Sen, President and CEO of BJ’s Wholesale Club. “We are deeply pleased that so many U.S. Service Members will receive personal letters showing our sincere thanks and admiration.”


BJ’s challenged the communities in which it has clubs to write personal letters for deployed troops throughout May. BJ’s Members, Team Members and local community organizations collected 71,031 letters and Operation Gratitude volunteers in Southern California contributed another 37,785. Letters were dropped in the Operation Gratitude mailbox at any BJ’s Club, submitted online via BJ’s Facebook page or mailed directly to the nonprofit. BJ’s Charitable Foundation additionally pledged to donate $1 for every letter received, up to $50,000, for Operation Gratitude.

(SkyNewswire.com) --- Famed producer Suzanne DeLaurentiis, who already has acquired countless awards for filmmaking, can add a different kind of award to the list. The United States Military will bestow upon her the Oregon National Guard Commendation (ORCOM) for her tireless work benefitting the Oregon National Guard and wounded soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The award, rarely given to civilians, will be presented to DeLaurentiis for her outstanding achievement and unselfishness, devoting numerous hours to wounded military overseas and in the States.

General Mike Caldwell will present the Award at Clakamas Community College in Oregon on June 26th before two thousand American soldiers. Oregon Senator Ron Wyden will be present as well as a number of other dignitaries. This is a great honor for DeLaurentiis, since less than fifteen civilians have received the prestigious accommodation. The award is given to only those who are recognized for their significant and meritorious achievements. Co-founders of the Cinema City International Film Festival, Suzanne DeLaurentiis and Partner Juliette Harris have inspired peers and persons of influence to support the military by not taking political sides and honoring the soldiers themselves and their families for their bravery and dedication to their country.

(SkyNewswire.com) --- The 19th Special Forces Group received donations from the military organization LowVARates.com to help cover the price of necessary equipment for the group’s current deployment to Afghanistan. The group received very late notice of their deployment and left from Florida in May. Consequently, the deployment funds from the Florida budget had already been taken and the group was unable to utilize the benefit.


The 19th Special Forces group is stationed in Utah, but was also unable to use Utah’s funds because the unit was not deploying directly within the state. “We needed some equipment before we left and were unable to get it through our supply in the time that we needed it,” Sgt. Chappell of the Special Forces Group said. “LowVARates really came through and helped us when no one else could.”

(SkyNewswire.com) --- Burton and the British Forces Foundation are teaming up again after last year's success saw hundreds of happy dad's come Father's Day as the exclusive 'Dad's Army' tees completely sold out. Burton has committed to donating GBP1.50 for every T-Shirt sold to the BFF, which will ensure that the good work the company do supporting and raising the morale of our troops serving on the front line around the world is set to continue. This Father's Day, opt for a wonderfully nostalgic tee to keep all of the dads and all British servicemen smiling. Each tee is GBP16 and is available in selected Burton stores and online at www.burton.co.uk.


Glen George, Head of Buying at Burton said: "We are delighted to be continuing our relationship with The British Forces Foundation; after last year's success, we are proud to, again, show our support to the cause. We hope it'll raise awareness to the fine job these men do and to be even more successful than last year." Plus, as another exclusive, Burton Online has teamed up with Kahuna watches to offer the chance to win one of 5 watches that are up for grabs. The partnership emphasises the long-term relationship between the two companies where Kahuna watches continue as part of Burton's accessory offering.

(SkyNewswire.com) --- Macro Sensors (www.macrosensors.com) has designed a series of high temperature and rugged LVDT linear position sensors that can be used in various military and defense applications such as fuel / oil level monitoring, load leveling of artillery platforms and controlling flight surfaces of airplanes and rudder positions of aircraft carriers, tankers, ships as well as submarines. Built to withstand 400º temperature spikes, the HSTAR 750 Series Hermetically Sealed Position Sensors http://www.macrosensors.com/HSTA_HSTAR_750.html can withstand the harsh environments and high temperature peaks common in military aircraft and equipment.


As position feedback components for closed-loop servo systems, these LVDT linear position sensors can serve as single or multiple channel devices, depending on redundancy and reliability requirements. Most perform in quad channel systems for military aircrafts such as the C-17 to the JSF fighter. With the advent of ratiometric LVDTs and digital signal processing techniques, the position sensor has greatly improved in temperature stability and accuracy, ensuring greater precision in fuel monitoring and positioning of aircraft. If these feedback sensors were inaccurate, then planes and ships would zig -zag to their destinations while wasting fuel in the process.

(SkyNewswire.com)--- Mobile Epiphany demonstrated how Touch Inspect, its geospatial data-based technology, can easily be used as an intelligence gathering and distribution solution for today’s warfighter while at this year’s GRIT Conference (GPS Receiver Integration and Technology Conference). GRIT is a conference of military personnel to discuss GPS technology for military use. The event was hosted by the MITRE Corporation, a not-for-profit organization which supports a range of research and development requirements for several government agencies, including the Department of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

“We feel honored to have been the only mobile software developer invited to this year’s conference,” said Mobile Epiphany CEO, Glenn Kletzky. “Our Touch Inspect software is a powerful intelligence gathering and sharing technology that can be very valuable to the warfighter’s mission success. We’re excited to have had the opportunity to show how Touch Inspect solves common intelligence gathering problems warfighters face in their missions.”

(SkyNewswire.com)--- Mobile Epiphany demonstrated how Touch Inspect, its geospatial data-based technology, can easily be used as an intelligence gathering and distribution solution for today’s warfighter while at this year’s GRIT Conference (GPS Receiver Integration and Technology Conference). GRIT is a conference of military personnel to discuss GPS technology for military use. The event was hosted by the MITRE Corporation, a not-for-profit organization which supports a range of research and development requirements for several government agencies, including the Department of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

“We feel honored to have been the only mobile software developer invited to this year’s conference,” said Mobile Epiphany CEO, Glenn Kletzky. “Our Touch Inspect software is a powerful intelligence gathering and sharing technology that can be very valuable to the warfighter’s mission success. We’re excited to have had the opportunity to show how Touch Inspect solves common intelligence gathering problems warfighters face in their missions.”

(SkyNewswire.com)--- The new 'Missiles Market 2010-2020' report available on ASDReports.com, analyses the global market for missiles. The report calculates that in 2010 the global market for missiles will amount to over $9.4bn. Missiles remain at the core of defence acquisitions. After all, these are what provide firepower to the simplest missile-firing platform up to the most advanced aircraft and ships. The acquisition of air and missile defence systems along with surface attack weapons contribute in large part to the steady growth that is expected in the missiles market.


There are several missile development and acquisition programmes worldwide. Foremost among these are the efforts of a number of countries to acquire high-end air defence systems that can intercept ballistic missiles. There are also several acquisition programmes of fighters and warships that will require the corresponding purchase of missiles. Some of these programmes are initiated by the US, along with varied nations such as India, the UK and France, the United Arab Emirates, and several others. There are also a number of programmes that are multi-national in nature.

(SkyNewswire.com)--- The worldwide military communications market was worth a total of $15.2bn in 2009 with continuing demand in the global marketplace from 2010 onwards, new market research available on ASDReports.com.


Modern armed forces operating on the network-centric battlefield of the future will depend on having access to the most advanced equipment, particularly in the field of communications.


Information must be acquired, processed and shared in real time if highly mobile adversaries are to be defeated. Advanced communications systems are also essential for minimising casualties by helping to remove friendly forces from harm's way. Acquiring improved capabilities for distributing data, video and voice information therefore looks set to remain a high priority.

(SkyNewswire.com)--- As an owner of a small business, "I wanted to do something to help support our men and women in the armed forces," said Debbie Pollick. May is Military Appreciation Month so the timing was perfect. The Party Starts Here sells party invitations. When creating this business, part of the mission statement was to use this business to give back to the community. Tying it into what the company does was the goal. The "Party for a Hero" idea was born from this effort.


The Party Starts Here is fortunate to have a great design team that creates exclusive invitations for the company. One of our talented design team create an invitation especially for a going away or welcome home party for someone in the military. The scene on the invitation includes a house with a banner that can be personalized with your very own hero’s name. The American flag proudly flies in the background and a tree with a yellow ribbon tied around it stands in the front. The Party Starts Here is offering 20 free invitations of this design to anyone giving a party for one of these heroes. When ordering, click on the invitation called "Welcome Home Hero" and add your text. Use the code "AH20" and the price for 20 invitations will be deducted from your order.

(SkyNewswire.com)--- We remember our soldiers and pay tribute to those who have served on Memorial Day every year. This year two young men who currently serve in the United States Military give back to their country by raising awareness and support for those that have been wounded by the war and have no financial support to pay for their care through the charitable foundation of the Wounded Warrior Project. This is truly a commemorable cause that will take these two young men on a 78 day journey across America 55 miles a day. Both Akron natives, Finley was in the Air Force National Guard for six years and served in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Messenger, a Navy veteran, will trek across the country officially starting May 26th. They will ride from Florence, Oregon to Yorktown, Virginia, more than 3,000 miles between May and August.

When asked why they decided to ride across the country in support of the Wounded Warrior Project they simply stated: “We decided to do this for several reasons. We have both served in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Neither of us saw combat, but we got a close look at the sacrifices that have been made by so many. We both knew we wanted to support veterans in some way, and we also knew we wanted some adventure in the process. We discussed a few different event ideas that were a little less ambitious, such as a cross-state walk or run, but neither of us felt that excited about those ideas. We realized that we both wanted to do something bigger. A long story short, we got off the phone with nothing more than a very serious commitment to helping our fellow veterans and a wild idea to ride our bikes across the nation”. You can follow their journey on their website www.Ride4theWounded.com. If you want to find out how you can get involved in Ride4theWounded, visit their site where you can donate to either the Wounded Warrior Project or to Sponsor the riders journey; estimated cost for the entire trip per rider is $3,520.00. Currently, those sponsoring this event include Iron Cycles of Chicago, BikeTrailerShop.com and EdenScape.

About the Ride4theWounded:
In support of the Wounded Warrior Project, two military members will begin riding their bikes across the United States from May 2010-August 2010. This cause is to raise awareness for soldiers serving in the United States Military who have been wounded due to the war and have no financial support for their medical costs.

(SkyNewswire.com)--- Debuting at Toronto's Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, the film Human Terrain analyzes the ethical minefield in Afghanistan where social scientists advise military commanders on how to win the hearts of Afghanis and Iraqis. How can American forces in Afghanistan and Iraq not only battle insurgents and preserve troop morale but also better acquaint themselves with Middle East culture? How can the American soldier become a professional killer and an empathetic foreigner? Those questions are explored in a new documentary screening next week at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in Toronto. Human Terrain introduces viewers to the Human Terrain System, a controversial program the U.S. military adopts to "make cultural awareness a key element of its counterinsurgency strategy," as the filmmakers explain on their website. Essentially, social scientists and anthropologists are invited to embed with American soldiers to teach them how to interact with Afghan residents. The academics collaborate with military strategists in order to gain a foothold in a war some believe is spiralling out of control.

The first half of Human Terrain follows soldiers training at 29 Palms in California, an Afghan village mock-up featuring lifelike environments and actors playing various roles. The soldiers need to learn how to deal with new etiquette rules in Afghanistan, something the U.S. military might not train recruits before they ship out. At 29 Palms, Human Terrain focuses on commanders who speak about the value of training soldiers to learn about socializing with the residents of the country where they are stationed. The film eventually dissects the controversy: many anthropologists are uncomfortable aiding the military with this program. Hugh Gusterson, a member of the executive board of the American Anthropological Association, said it best in an NPR article: "It's impossible to be embedded in American military units in Afghanistan, collecting information about local villages, and not be complicit with actions that result in the death or imprisonment of some of the people you talk to." The film's co-director David Udris spoke to DigitalJournal.com about Gusterson's argument (also articulated in Human Terrain). Udris said this "do no harm" principle can be problematic during war. "When does a social scientist give or withhold information from the military when there are bullets flying through the air?"

Udris said the film doesn't offer an opinion on the success of the HTS, but instead wants viewers to decide for themselves. "The film complicates the debate, if anything," he admits. "It makes this concept a reality, something viewers can engage in." If the HTS issue isn't of interest, Udris wants you to know the film is an example of how to tiptoe around the contentious military education debate. Udris wonders, "What type of courses are appropriate at a military university? Should gender studies be included? Should soldiers move away from their warrior identities?"

(SkyNewswire.com)--- For the first time in its history, the size of the U.S. nuclear arsenal has been made public. The Pentagon issued a fact sheet with the count shortly after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's speech at the U.N.'s Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review. The administration says revealing the number of nuclear warheads it currently has was done in the spirit of the U.N.'s non-proliferation efforts. The Washington Post reports that the issue was debated for four months by the Obama Administration. And some intelligence officials were worried the warhead numbers could give clues to would-be bomb-makers about just how much plutonium was needed to create a bomb. Reuters reports the Pentagon fact sheet says it had 5,113 warheads in its nuclear stockpile at the end of September, which is down 84 percent from the peak of 31,225 in 1967. The arsenal held 22,217 warheads when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989.


A senior U.S. defense official told reporters at the Pentagon:
"The United States is showing that it is being increasingly transparent. It's part of our commitment ... to set the stage for strength in non-proliferation and for further arms control."


The release of this information during the U.N.'s nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review shows, according to analysts, the U.S. is showing it's slashing its arsenal in order to help persuade other countries to do the same. Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists told Reuters:
"It is hugely important for the United States to be able to say, 'Look we are living up to our obligations under the NPT.'"

(SkyNewswire.com)--- CivilianJobs.com, where America’s military connects with civilian careers, announced the winners of the 2010 Most Valuable Employers (MVE) for Military™ today.


The winning companies are:
* Amazon
* American Eurocopter Corp., an EADS North America Company
* Army Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES)
* BNSF Railway Company
* CACI International Inc.
* Capstone Corporation
* CenterPoint Energy
* Chesapeake Energy Corporation
* Concurrent Technologies Corporation
* Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc.
* Con-way Freight
* CSX Corporation
* Dollar General
* G4S Wackenhut
* General Dynamics C4 Systems
* General Electric
* Northrop Grumman
* SAYtr
* Schlumberger
* Southern Company
* Sprint
* University of Phoenix
* URS Corp.
* USAA
* Walmart


“I would like to congratulate all of the MVE award recipients,” said Sandra (Sandy) Morris, CEO of Bradley-Morris, Inc. (BMI), parent company of CivilianJobs.com. “We are excited to have employers ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies represented in this year’s winners and finalists list. Each MVE company understands the value that military-experienced talent brings to their organization.”

(SkyNewswire.com)--- Over the past few years I have had the privilege of interviewing Vietnamese-American United States Army Captain James Van Thach, a Law School graduate from Touro Law Center. He had the option to be admitted to a state bar and apply to join the Judge Advocate General Corp (JAG) as an Attorney in the U.S. Army but chose to become an Infantry officer and volunteered to serve in Iraq as a Military Advisor to the Iraqi Army. His actions led to him being wounded twice during his first year, but he decided to remain in Iraq for an additional year, on modified duty. He was reassigned to Iraq Assistance Group (IAG) J-4 and was appointed as the Officer in Charge (OIC) of Supply and Services. He worked on projects that improved the capabilities of Military Advisors in order for them to assist in accelerating the transition of security to the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF).

Captain James Van Thach's work on numerous projects that significantly improved the capabilities of the Iraqi Security Forces led him to be selected as the only foreign Officer in Iraq to be awarded the Honorary Iraqi Army rank of Staff Brigadier General on April 15, 2008, by Staff Brigadier General Special Forces Nassir Ahmad Ghanim Al-Ogali, the Brigade Commander of 3rd Brigade 6th Division Iraqi Army. ''Captain James Van Thach was designated a tremendous task: to spearhead a project of building a forward-operations base in Iraq just a few kilometers from the border with Iran.'' It was aimed at improving border security and is part of a broader U.S. effort to stop alleged Iranian support for Iraqi insurgents. The base would be home to U.S. soldiers and Coalition soldiers and provide direct logistical support to soldiers who patrol the border including the equipment needed for a military radio-communications network and surveillance equipment at the outpost. Eventually this will allow border guards to intercept the communications of weapons smugglers.

On November 25, 2007, Captain James Van Thach was awarded the Joint Service Achievement Medal (JSAM) by Brigadier General James C. Yarbrough for his work in establishing the preparation and completion of a United States military base named COP Shocker in eastern Iraq on the border facing Iran to assist US Military Advisors working with their Iraqi counterparts to advise them in maintaining, protecting their border checkpoint and combating against infiltration from smuggling and terrorist activities from Iran.