Retired officer’s dual roles for Pentagon raise questions

For immediate release: Feb 17, 2010 WASHINGTON — After retiring from the Marine Corps in December 2003, Emil “Buck” Bedard headed back to work — for both the Pentagon and defense contractors. Two months after leaving the service as a lieutenant general, Bedard became an adviser for the Pentagon’s Joint Forces Command, a job that this …

How some retired military officers became well-paid consultants

For immediate release: Feb 9, 2010 WASHINGTON — Six months after Marine Lt. Gen. Gary McKissock retired in 2002, he did what many other ex-military leaders do: He joined the board of directors of a defense contractor, a company doing business with his former service. McKissock also had a second job. The Marines brought him back …

Pentagon mentor programs to see ‘dramatic changes’

For immediate release: Feb 3, 2010 WASHINGTON — A review of the Pentagon’s use of retired senior officers to advise the military will propose “dramatic changes” in how the programs are run, Defense Secretary Robert Gates told a Senate committee today. Gates ordered a Pentagon-wide review by Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn of the programs in …

Swiftships is Awarded Contract for Training

For immediate release: Oct 1, 2009 Swiftships Shipbuilders, LLC, Morgan City, La., is being awarded a $23,558,753 firm-fixed-price contract to provide 35-meter patrol boat training in support of the Iraqi Navy. Training will be comprised of training simulators, including spare parts, and patrol boat training inclusive of course development, execution of the training curricula and other …

Swiftships lands $181 million Iraq FMS contract

For immediate release: Sep 25, 2009 From Marine Log Magazine Swiftships Shipbuilders, LLC, Morgan City, La., is being awarded a $180,998,189 fixed-price letter contract for the detail design and construction of nine patrol boats and associated equipment and services for the Iraq Navy. This contract is in support of Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Case IQ ÐP-SAZ …

Kuwait – Nautilus Class Diver Support Vessels

For immediate release: Jul 14, 2009 WASHINGTON, July 14, 2009 – On July 13, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Kuwait of four M2 .50 cal HB Browning machine guns, two Swiftship Model 176DSV0702, 54X9.2X1.8 meter Nautilus Class Diver Support Vessels outfitted with a …

Solicitation Number: N0002409R2256 Extended to Swiftships

For immediate release: Jul 2, 2009 Synopsis: Added: Jul 02, 2009 11:39 am The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) intends to issue solicitation N00024-09-R-2256 on a sole-source basis to Swiftships Shipbuilders, LLC of Morgan City, LA to provide the Iraqi Navy a fully capable and sustainable maritime security patrol boat fleet of up to fifteen (15) …

Swiftships Awarded Boat Contract for Egypt

For immediate release: Nov 3, 2008 November 2008, Morgan City, LA – Swiftships was awarded a fixed price contract for $13,414,450 build two 28-meter patrol craft for the government of Egypt. The contract was awarded by the U.S. Government utilizing foreign military sales funds. The program will be a co-production effort with two vessels completed at …

Randy Scheunemann’s Profile on the IPS Website mentions Swiftships

For immediate release: Jul 8, 2008 http://www.rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/Scheunemann_Randy A well-connected lobbyist and political insider who serves as an advisor to Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) presidential campaign, Randy Scheunemann is the founder and president of the public relations firm Orion Strategies 1 and was an active supporter of advocacy groups aimed at building support for the invasion of Iraq. His firms …