Find Insurance Online

THEREALAMERICANTANKERS.COM

Dear Supporter,

Great news! We were just informed that Boeing has been selected to build the U.S. Air Force’s next generation of aerial refueling tankers. Thanks in part to your vocal support, the Boeing NewGen Tanker will provide unrivaled aerial-refueling capabilities to American servicemen and women for decades to come, while employing more than 50,000 U.S. workers in meaningful jobs across the country.

Before we can start building planes, the Air Force must first meet with the competitors in the coming days to explain the selection.

While we wait for this to occur, please visit www.RealAmericanTankers.com as soon as possible to tell your elected officials that you support the Air Force’s selection of the Boeing NewGen Tanker. We’re confident that the Air Force chose the best aircraft. With more than 60 years of experience providing aerial-refueling tankers to America’s military, Boeing is ready to start building the NewGen Tanker NOW.

The Air Force’s selection of Boeing is a victory for the U.S. aerospace industry. It is a victory for American workers and our recovering economy. And, perhaps most important, it is a victory for the men and women of our armed forces. We’ll keep you informed as we learn more in the coming days.

Until then, thanks for your continued support!

Sincerely, Sean McCormack, http://www.therealamericantankers.com/


CONGRESSMAN ADAM SMITH

News from U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (WA-09)
Ranking Member, House Armed Services Committee

For Immediate Release: Thursday, February 24, 2011
Contact: Shana Chandler, 202-225-6901

Smith’s Statement on KC-X Source Selection Announcement

Washington - Today, Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement in response to the announcement that the Department of Defense has selected a provider for the KC-X Aerial Refueling Tanker:

“I am pleased that the Air Force has selected Boeing’s proposal to replace the aging fleet of aerial refueling tankers. After numerous delays, today’s announcement moves us closer to meeting the Air Force’s top acquisition priority.

“In a time when our nation is recovering from an economic crisis, today’s announcement by the Department of Defense is a huge boost to Washington State. A Washington State-made tanker will support more than 11,000 jobs in state and 50,000 jobs across the country.

“I know that the men and women at the Boeing Company will provide the warfighter with a high quality product to meet their mission requirements and I look forward to working with the Air Force as we move forward.”


CONGRESSMAN DAVE REICHERT

David Reichert

Contact: Charles McCray III (202) 225-7761

Reichert Statement on the Air Force Tanker Announcement
Mercer Island, WA, Feb 24 -

Congressman Dave Reichert (WA-08) released this statement in reaction to the Air Force’s announcement to award Boeing with a contract to build the next generation of refueling tanker for American Armed Forces:

“This is great news, and I’m very happy for the Boeing company, its employees, and the entire state of Washington,” Reichert said. “The Department of Defense reevaluated their original decision, this time considering the serious security implications involved, and rightly settled on Boeing – a company with decades of industrial knowledge, established infrastructure, and an army of skilled engineers that are capable of producing the best refueling tanker for our Armed Forces.

“I take my oath to protect and defend our Constitution seriously, and one of the most effective ways I can uphold that pledge is to ensure that our men and women in uniform, serving around the world, have the best tools possible to complete their mission. With this decision, we not only gain a source of much-needed job creation in the region, but we also reassure our troops that we are committed to serving them, just as they have committed to serving for us.”


GOVERNOR CHRIS GREGOIRE

Gov. Gregoire’s statement on U.S. Air Force decision to award tanker contract to Boeing

OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire today issued the following statement on the selection of The Boeing Company to build the next refueling tanker for the U.S. Air Force:

“What a great day for The Boeing Company, and for the 11,000 aerospace workers in Washington state alone that will play a role in assembling the NewGen tanker. Following an open, transparent process, the Department of Defense realized what I’ve been saying all along – and that is that Boeing has designed the safest, most cost-effective tanker to serve both our military and our taxpayers well.

“I commend The Boeing Company for its determination and tremendous work to land this contract. This was an arduous process, and Boeing deserves our praise for its commitment to its workforce, as well as the men and women that serve in the U.S. Air Force.

“I also thank my fellow governors that joined with me as I launched the U.S. Tanker Coalition, as well as our state’s Congressional delegation. We’ve spent the last year advocating on behalf of Boeing – ensuring our federal and military leaders understood the advantages of an American-made tanker, made by the best manufacturer of airplanes in the world. Our military, our national security, our economy and the 50,000 workers nationwide who are impacted by this decision are better off following this announcement – and for that, we should all be proud.”

Egils Milbergs, Executive Director, Washington Economic Development Commission, shared at the Chamber's Military Affairs Forum, an overview of the latest economic impact report:  Washington State's Defense Economy.

Milbergs' presentation was not one-dimensional, as he cast the defense/military industrial sector within the global challenges between nations and economies.  His drill down thesis was how Washington State was going to be an economic winner in the 21st Century.

In exploring these economic dynamics, Milbergs didn't leave us with a question, but posed the actions for an initiative by the State in pursuing and achieving our economic goals.

The next step, deciding among ourselves and convincing our State's leadership of our challenges, our in-hand assets and our opportunities.

For veteran-business owners, the Governor signed SB5041 on March 10. 

The bill, as passed: Mitigates economic damage to veteran-owned businesses as a result of military service.

Requires the department of veterans affairs to:
(1) Develop a procedure for certifying veteran-owned businesses and maintain a list of those businesses on the department's public web site;
(2) Adopt rules necessary to implement the act; and
(3) Collaborate with and assist agencies in implementing outreach to veteran-owned businesses.

Requires state agencies to:
(1) Perform outreach to veteran-owned businesses in collaboration with the department of veterans affairs to increase opportunities for veteran-owned businesses to sell goods and services to the state; and
(2) Work to match agency procurement records with the department's database of certified veteran-owned businesses to establish how many procurement contracts are being awarded to those businesses.

Encourages state agencies to award three percent of all procurement contracts that are exempt from certain competitive bidding requirements to veteran-owned businesses certified by the department of veteran affairs.

Requires the department of general administration to identify in its vendor registry all vendors that are veteran-owned businesses as certified by the department of veterans affairs.

The bill, originating with Sen. Derek Kilmer attracted considerable co-sponsors in the Senate and legislative support in the House.  The Chamber testified in both the State's Senate and House in favor of the bill as an advocacy outreach for the veteran-owned businesses of the state.

The recent announcement by the Governors of eight states about their coalition is a seeming politization of the federal defense procurement process - like politics haven't anything to do with this (or any) purchase of military equipment.  More?  Still more!

Looks something like a reaction to an effort by several Southern states governors to establish a multi-state coalition for Northrop/EADS bid.

You could think the Southern governors were reacting to disparaging remarks about the quality of aerospace workers down South as opposed to those in the PNW.  Their effort seems similar to the Aerospace Futures Alliance here.

Governor Gregoire took a positive step when she lead her administration and the state's higher educational institutions and workforce boards to support veterans on campuses.

The Memorandum of Understanding, Partners for Veteran Supportive Campuses, defines a new partnership on behalf of the Governor, departments in her administration, the Washington National Guard, the state's colleges and universities, the Higher Education Coordinating Board and the State Board for Technical and Community Colleges and the Workforce Training and Education Board.

The partners agree:

• increase awareness of veteran's programs on and off campuses
• provide staff with a core set of veteran cultural competencies
• encourage campuses to implement best practices and policies designed to foster vets
• encourage vets to use the GI bill
• help vets succeed in higher ed and training
• ensure staff and vets have access to Washington Dept. of Veterans Affairs and its local and federal partners

The Chamber has specifically called upon the state to adopt policy and procedures to allow service members separating from duty to receive credit for applicable skill sets and education acquired while in service.

Two points in the MOU are:

1. continue work with the Legislature, workforce and higher ed communities to...transfer, credit for prior experience...
2. shortening the time for veterans to receive a credential or degree through: a) expanding credit for prior learning and b) developing articulation and transfer agreements...