23 Aug 05. Appeal to top brass over job cuts. The RAF’s Saxa Vord early warning station is due to shut in April with the loss of more than 100 jobs. Councillors, along with local MP Alistair Carmichael, are taking their case direct to Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram in London on Wednesday. The move to mothball the base was part of overhaul plans for the armed forces. Defence Secretary John Reid has said that the need for Saxa Vord, which opened in 1957, had diminished since the end of the Cold War. The base has been the main pillar of the island’s economy for nearly 50 years, but it became redundant when the Cold War ended. Mr Carmichael, who represents the Northern Isles, said eight months was too short notice for islanders to prepare for the loss of a quarter of its population and the period should be extended.
21 Aug 05. The Army is planning for the possibility of keeping the current number of soldiers in Iraq — well over 100,000 — for four more years, the Army’s top general said Saturday. In an Associated Press interview, Gen. Peter Schoomaker said the Army is prepared for the “worst case” in terms of the required level of troops in Iraq. He said the number could be adjusted lower if called for by slowing the force rotation or by shortening tours for soldiers. Schoomaker said commanders in Iraq and others who are in the chain of command will decide how many troops will be needed next year and beyond. His responsibility is to provide them, trained and equipped. About 138,000 U.S. troops, including about 25,000 Marines, are now in Iraq. (Source: AP)
23 Aug 05. Army Maj. Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody for appointment to the rank of lieutenantgeneral and assignment as deputy chief of staff, G-4, U.S. Army, Washington, D.C. Dunwoody is currently serving as the commanding general, U.S. Army Combined Arms Support Command and Fort Lee, Fort Lee, Va.
19 Aug 05. Brig. Gen. John W. Morgan III, United States Army, to deputy commanding general/chief of staff, I Corps and Fort Lewis, Fort Lewis, Wash. Morgan previously served as assistant division commander (Maneuver), 1st Infantry Division, United States Army Europe and Seventh Army, Germany.
23 Aug 05. Allied Defense Group Inc. has hired Bob Dowski as chief financial officer, replacing Chuck Hasper, who resigned as the defense contractor’s finance chief last month. Dowski most recently served as senior vice president and CFO of NeuStar Inc., a provider of shared database services.
1 Aug 05. ABRO Appoints New Chief Executive. ABRO are delighted to announce the appointment of Mr Peter Moore as their new Chief Executive. Peter has extensive manufacturing, marketing, commercial and logistics experience in a variety of supply and engineering organisations both in the public and private sectors. In his last appointment he was Chief Executive Officer of Malta Shipyards Limited group of companies. During this time, he was responsible for the re-structuring and turn-around of the business and re-establishing the company as a major player in the ship repair, offshore and military sectors.