Largest Military Solar Farm. The Army Friday was to reveal it received the green light to start work with its partner El Paso Energy to build the largest solar energy farm in the military at Fort Bliss, Texas. Eventually, the 20-megawatt solar farm should power all of the 1st Armored Div. headquarters and most of East Fort Bliss, the service says. The Army Corps of Engineers authorized the project. In a statement, the Army says it believes the solar power project will reduce Ft. Bliss’ carbon footprint, contribute to the service’s energy conservation and security goals of using 25 percent renewable energy by 2025.
More Vehicles. Prime contractor General Dynamics Land Systems-Force Protection Europe gives Ricardo an order to assemble 76 more Foxhound vehicles for the U.K. Ministry of Defense. That order brings to 376 the number of Foxhounds ordered to date by the ministry. Many are on duty in Afghanistan used by British forces. An agile and protected vehicle in its weight class, all Foxhounds vehicles are assembled by Ricardo at the purpose-designed production line commissioned in 2011. “The Foxhound is exactly the right vehicle for British forces, providing what commanders on the ground in Afghanistan are describing as ‘an enormous leap forward’ in capability,” says Ricardo CEO Dave Shemmans.
New Commander. Army Gen. David Rodriguez is now at the helm of U.S. Africa Command, installed Friday at a ceremony led by with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin Dempsey. Rodriguez succeeds Army Gen. Carter Ham who plans to retire after 39 years in the service. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel sent a letter, read during the ceremony, that thanked Ham for his service and welcomed Rodriguez, saying that “by your actions you have gained the trust and confidence of the president and this department’s leadership to carry forward this command’s important mission.”
Travel Approval. The Army has approved travel for some personnel to attend the annual Army Aviation Association of America Annual Professional Forum and Exposition that opens Wednesday and runs through April 13 in Fort Worth, Texas. To save money, the services have greatly restricted conference and event attendance. Quad A posted a notice on their website it received an April 2 memo from the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army: “I approve attendance at this conference for 12 Army participants at an estimated cost of $13,356.” There are 11 authorized personnel from the office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology,) office, and one from the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-8. Approved personnel are “keynote speakers, panel members or essential program managers and have been assessed as mission critical by their respective principal official,” the memo says. Others may attend by taking personal leave, or otherwise, at no government expense.