Kirk Windmueller

RFP: Historic Battlefield Public Interpretation Scoping Project, Battle of Bladensburg, Prince George's County, Maryland Anacostia Trails Heritage Area, Inc. (ATHA), a private nonprofit organization, is seeking proposals from qualified consultant teams to conduct a survey of existing interpretation of the Battle of Bladensburg and the War of 1812 within the county as well as a comprehensive review of modern best practices in battlefield interpretation with a focus on inclusive storytelling, creative engagement, and new technologies. The Battle of Bladensburg, fought on August 24, 1814 in Prince George’s County, Maryland holds significant importance in both state and national history due to its immediate tactical consequences, its impact on national morale and political dynamics, and its lasting cultural and symbolic significance. During the 200th Anniversary of the War of 1812, the State of Maryland, under then-Governor Martin O’Malley, supported a robust commemoration that resulted in historic research, large events, and many new interpretive signs. These documents, photos, and signs continue to stand on the landscape 10 years later. The goal of this project is to inventory, assess, and plan for the retention, repair, removal, and/or replacement of War of 1812 public history interpretation elements in Prince George’s County, Maryland – specifically the Battle of Bladensburg. This project is funded in part by at National Park Service Battlefield Interpretation Grant for scoping (planning and development) and does not include plan implementation. Proposals are due Monday, July 1, 2024 via email. A confirmation receipt will be sent to all applicants. Interviews will take place, as needed, in July with a project award decision made on Monday, July 29, 2024. The project needs to be completed by Tuesday, December 31, 2024. ATHA encourages proposals from consultants with expertise in history, parks, education, interpretation, and placemaking. We are dedicated to actively seeking out and partnering with consultants from a wide range of backgrounds, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability status, and socio-economic background. We believe that diverse consultants bring unique insights and expertise that enrich our projects and drive innovation. https://lnkd.in/eueYEMvt

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🌟 **EXCELLENT Tricare Resource for Reserve Members!** 🌟 Tricare has been one of the single greatest financial blessings of military service to our family. We compared two (very large) civilian employer health insurance options with TRS (Tricare Reserve Select) and there was NO comparison. ✅ Excellent coverage ✅✅ Flexibility with choosing PCP and specialty providers ✅✅✅ The most cost-effective coverage I've ever had If you are considering the United States Navy Reserves service in any capacity, I HIGHLY recommend you do some deep research, compare your options, and learn how this can be a positive financial decision for you and your dependents. #forgedbythesea #navy #navyreserves #priorservice #officers #bestcoverage

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Attention industry leaders! The USAF is seeking input for a potential 10-year contract for operation & maintenance services at Eglin Air Force Base. Responses to the RFI are due May 20. CRG stands ready to support the right firm in providing valuable feedback, crafting a winning strategy, and developing a competitive proposal. Let CRG be your trusted partner in navigating this opportunity. Learn more at https://crgroupinc.com/ - contact@crgroupinc.com. The Eglin Operation and Maintenance Services II Program will support research and development, training missions and test and evaluation of military weapons and military aerospace equipment, according to a request for information published Friday. EOMS II covers five major areas: general support services; range support services; range instrumentation; explosive test facilities; and major ground test facilities. Work on the recompete contract is expected to kick off in April 2026. #AirForceContracting #EglinAFB #OperationAndMaintenance #GovernmentContracts #ContractingOpportunity #CRGExpertise #WinningSolutions #CaptureToCloseOut

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What is Fixed about "allow for refinement of the requirements based on the evolution of the software solution?" How much refinement and evolution? If you say here are the requirements - they are fixed and won't change, that's FFP-able. If the requirements are subject to change, if there are cycles with user cats that must be herded to an agreement on the requirements, that isn't FFP. You can FFP a set number of requirements cycles/iterations/spirals, but not the output - we can't predict how much work will spring from the rethunk requirements. I worked an FFP contract with the California State University system - 13? colleges with different ideas all agreeing on a common State college application (CASA). Forcing those 13 different groups to agree on anything was hard, we spent 3 or 4X the budgeted time on refinement, and the changes to the requirements to satisfy all were huge. We eventually lost our shirts and were terminated. The pendulum is swinging away from the knee-jerk, political solution that is the misguided policy war on FFP. Maybe users were tired of hearing "NO" so much on FFP S/W jobs, or the COs were tired of the constant friction on scope because of the contract type mismatch.

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Two bits of good news for retiring Soldiers! 1️⃣ 👉 US Army Human Resources Command has eliminated the backlog of Active Component retirement applications. The AC Retirements and Separations Branch is now processing all separation actions as they are received in IPPS-A. HRC aims -- at a minimum -- to complete processing of officer and enlisted retirement requests within 12 months and 18 months, respectively, of the desired retirement date. The pilot program for requesting retirement up to 24 months before the retirement date continues unchanged. 2️⃣ 👉 HRC's Gray Area Retirements Branch previously eliminated its backlog of retirement applications for nonregular retirements. This means that there will be no lag in starting retired pay for Army National Guard and Army Reserve Soldiers if their submitted retired pay application has no errors and is submitted 90 days to 9 months before their age of eligibility. #soldierforlife #retirementplanning

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Friday's 5 #takeaways on digitally enabled air operations in U. S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) Join the exclusive Building the Base Podcast discussion with Col "Nails" Hogan as Lauren Bedula and I talk to him about how he got into the Air Force, how he and his team are leveraging digital technologies to improve outcomes, and how they are rapidly increasing and sustaining their skillcraft through the use of digital experimentation. Key Takeaways 🔽 1️⃣ Leveraging emerging technologies like Digital Falcon streamlines target processing and enhances dynamic targeting capabilities. 2️⃣ Maintaining consistency and muscle memory through digital exercises enables rapid adaptation to evolving threats. 3️⃣ Interoperability is crucial for operational success, highlighting the need for collaboration among tech companies to provide compatible tools. 4️⃣ Providing access to technology and encouraging feedback from operators fosters innovation and improvement in operational effectiveness. 5️⃣ Balancing digital exercises with real-world operations requires careful coordination and prioritization to ensure mission success while maintaining operational readiness. #digitalwarfare #buildingthebase #CENTCOM #experimentation

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The DISA Next Strategy aims to simplify defense operations by consolidating command IT environments, which is a crucial step towards creating a unified DOD-wide warfighting information system. This strategic alignment with the 2022 National Defense Strategy will enhance decision-making for resource allocation, thereby optimizing network operations and securing the DOD Information Network.

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Whether you're a small business or a consultant, I recommend you check out Derek's new tool Standup. If you've ever experienced the pain of Sam.gov keyword searches, then I probably don't need to say much more! For those that haven't--I assure you, it can be both rough and time consuming to find the right keywords! Standup is where Gen AI meets opportunity search and matching, and it's a game changer!

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WHO HAS the KEYS? As the Democratic Party implodes over who should replace President Biden, one might ask (and worry) who has control over our nuclear arsenal? Should a President, who was found by Special Counsel Robert Hur, too old and addled to stand trial in federal court, have any control over our nation's nuclear weapons? Or, over our military combat commanders as well? Would those same generals be inclined to follow any military order from Joe Biden, without great trepidation? "Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley took steps to prevent then-President Donald Trump from misusing the country's nuclear arsenal during the last month of his presidency, according to a new book by The Washington Post's Bob Woodward and Robert Costa obtained by NBC News. Their book, "Peril," said that in the days before the 2020 election, Milley also acted to prevent a potential conflict with China. The book said Milley received intelligence that Chinese officials believed the U.S. was getting ready to attack them. To defuse tensions, Milley called the head of China's military, Gen. Li Zuocheng, and told him the "American government is stable" and "we are not going to attack." So, that begs the question, what has General Charles Q. Brown done? Has he pulled a "Milley" on Biden and his far left acolytes? Biden has shown to the world that he is not capable of running this country, let alone having the cognitive abilities to have anything to do with nuclear weapons. Will the military secure our arsenal, as they did against a cognitively unimpaired President Trump? Have our nuclear adversaries moved to a heightened state of readiness? Could VP Kamala Harris be trusted with the nuclear keys? Very few news agencies or pundits have even touched on this topic.

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In the military, we're trained to push ourselves to the limit.. Long hours, constant readiness, unwavering focus – it's part of the job. But in the civilian world, the rules are different. And trying to apply military standards to a regular workday can be a recipe for burnout. I learned this the hard way when I transitioned to the civil world. I thought working longer meant working better. But my work suffered. My focus waned. My creativity dried up. It wasn't until I learned about Parkinson's Law that things clicked. Parkinson's Law states that work expands to fill the time available for its completion. In other words, if you give yourself all day to complete a task, it will take all day. But if you give yourself two hours, you'll find a way to get it done in two hours. It's not about working longer. It's about working smarter. When I started to apply this principle, my productivity soared: - I set strict time limits for tasks. - I focused intensely during those periods. - I took regular breaks to recharge. The result? I was getting more done in less time. And the quality of my work improved. It's a lesson I wish I'd learned earlier: Reasonable hours, maximum focus, the best work – then go home. Overworking isn't a badge of honor. It's a path to diminishing returns. So, how can you apply this in your own work life? Here are three suggestions: 1. Set clear, realistic deadlines for your tasks. Create a sense of healthy urgency. 2. Eliminate distractions during your focused work periods. Silence your phone, close unnecessary tabs, find a quiet space. 3. Respect your off hours. Use them to recharge, so you can come back to work refreshed and ready to give your best. Remember, it's not about the quantity of hours you put in. It's about the quality of focus you bring to those hours. So challenge the notion that longer equals better. Embrace the power of limits. Your work, your well-being, and your life outside the office will thank you. After all, as they say in the military, "Work smarter, not harder." It's time we bring that wisdom to the civilian world. ——————————————————————— I run DynamicRotors.com, providing dynamic solutions that help businesses excel in Growth, Strategy, and driving Sales

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NewsBreak: Reports of Mediocre Disability Exams by VA Contractors Prompts Senator's Demand for Answers https://lnkd.in/eQwPU94P ATTENTION: TRANSITIONING SERVICE MEMBERS & VETERANS.... VETERANS MAY BE ELGIBLE TO FILE NEW CLAIMS, SIGNED INTO LAW-JUNE 2022. Veterans, their families, and others who lived or work at Camp Lejeune between 1953-1987 and developed cancer or another serious illness may be eligible for government compensation. Affected servicemen and Camp Lejeune residents or workers who had any of the below conditions qualify: • Bladder cancer • Breast cancer • Esophageal cancer • Infertility • Hepatic steatosis • Kidney cancer • Leukemia • Lung cancer • Miscarriage • Multiple myeloma • Myelodysplastic syndromes • Neurobehavioral effects • Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma • Renal toxicity • Scleroderma • Parkinson’s disease Those affected by Camp Lejeune's toxic tap water may be eligible for significant compensation. Are you a Veteran or Transitioning Service Member with an injury or illness that occurred while serving in the military and need help filing VA Claims, Social Security, and Appeals? Are you a Veteran with an overall rating between 0%-90% ? Have you been denied service connection for a Disability? Are you or someone you may know a Transitioning Service Member within 90-180 days of Transitioning from the military? Services members can file their VA claims before leaving the military. Thats Right!!! This must be done before your ETS / Refrad date. The sooner you file your claims, the better because you may need additional medical appointments. It only takes 10 minutes to file online. If done within 90 days of ETSing, it will be a much longer, harder process! My New Book will help guide you through the application process for VA and Social Security Benefits. It will also help you increase your VA Disability rating. My book is sold online with Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, Books-A-Million, Target, and Walmart. "The Game Changer" will educate Veterans and Transitioning Service Members on VA Regulations, Procedures, Policies, and Processes Regarding Compensation & Benefits. My book will help you to prepare for your VA Disability Claim even before your retirement or separation from the military to greater your chance of winning your hard earned benefits. Benefits of VA Disability and Social Security Include: 1. Tax Free 2. Inflation Proof 3. Recession Proof 4. Garnishment Proof 5. Passive Income 6. Student Loans Discharged 7. Benefits for You and Your Family Members. The Oxford Dictionary defines "Game Changer" as "an event, idea, or procedure that effects a significant shift in the current manner of doing or thinking about something." DON'T LET MY GAME CHANGING BOOK AND YOUR HARD EARNED BENEFITS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS PASS YOU BY!!! https://lnkd.in/dcYQXyN8 Cash App: $VeteransGameChanger https://lnkd.in/eXiNz5kK

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Bravo!!! It is great to see important leaders paying attention to critical issues. However, it is not just an Air Force and Navy issue--it's all Services plus our critical allies--Japan and others. Also, it's not just aircraft--its ports, personnel and other critical infrastructure (including IAMD). Proper actions with a sense of urgency are what is needed. https://lnkd.in/gHd7MDve

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Congress is laying the groundwork to restore nuclear weapon capabilities on roughly 30 B-52H Stratofortress bombers that had been converted to drop only conventional munitions as part of the New START arms control treaty with Russia. Both the Senate and House defense policy bills for fiscal 2025 would require the Air Force to once again make these conventional bombers part of the nuclear triadnearly a decade after removing those capabilities to comply with limits under the New START treaty. The current treaty is set to expire in February 2026. New-old work for the Buff! #B52

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Very intriguing piece regarding this very platform:

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I've never liked the "B2G", "B2B", or "B2C" acronyms, especially in the federal contracting market. I'm going to tell you why... It's simple. We are all human. We are not an enterprise or a government body; we are all living, breathing human beings. When we categorize things as "B2(whatever)," we tend to forget that real people with emotions, needs, and desires are at the core of every transaction. Communication, relationship-building, and mutual understanding tend to go out the window and are replaced by #KPIs and sales funnels. Metrics will only take you so far in the federal marketplace, whereas rapport and trust will build a lasting foundation. Why? Because #GovCon is the quintessential human-to-human (H2H) selling process. Join Haley Boulanger and me for lunch this Wednesday to discuss the five keys to establishing a solid foundation with federal buyers and maintaining long-term, productive relationships.

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PSA regarding DoD SBIR Consultants: There are a lot of pretenders out there. Lots of people just learning how to spell SBIR prancing around the space asking for a retainer & success fee. It takes years of coming alongside and getting in the muck with companies - seeing pursuits through, cradle to grave, across multiple technologies, multiple organizations, & multiple services to even sniff expertise in this space. I’m not saying they can’t get there--they can, but wearing the uniform (or being a GS) on Friday & firing up an LLC on Monday is a recipe for a whole lot of heartache for all involved. There is no easy button, and it sure as hell isn’t for the faint of heart. If you want to let someone who’s never done it before cut their teeth while your company’s funding and DoD network hangs in the balance…just know there’s a better way. There are a ton of great (and not so great) firms. If you’re a company looking to capture the defense market - go with experience (preferably lots of it). After the things I’ve seen in the past year, I can’t imagine going through it with a consultant dealing with it for the first time. Talk to multiple firms. Ask questions. Get metrics- specific - referrals. Of course NBOUND is the best 😊 and if high expertise from a boutique firm is what works for your startup’s team happy to chat (SightLine Ventures Inc. comes to mind as another great boutique shop that knows how to cook). But you may prefer a bigger firm, which may or may not be a good thing (mostly depends on your own team and experience in the space). If you’re an aspiring consultant (especially the ones that feel attacked by this post) - humble yourself a bit and go learn (perhaps from one of these firms I mentioned). Great talent is really tough to find in this space. I can guarantee any of the firms I just mentioned would be happy to have a conversation and see if you’re a fit. Become a solution in the defense innovation - don’t exacerbate the problem by acting like you have solutions to problems you haven’t dealt with or understand. The opportunity isn’t going to pass you by - this space is an ocean with an endless amount of great tech our warfighter need. It’ll be there when you’re ready - who knows, you may love working with a team at an established firm. Final thought - not trying to kill the entrepreneur inside our vets, but aside from the fact most of the people I’m referring to are not doing their homework and posing as something they are not, this space demands expertise. Go get some of it so you can serve your future clients well. #DoDConsultants #SBIRExperts #DefenseMarket #Consulting #DefenseInnovation #Startups #SBIRConsulting #ExperienceMatters #ConsultingTips #DefenseTech #DefenseIndustry #ExpertConsultants #DefenseContracting #SBIRFunding #DefenseStrategy #GovernmentContracts #InnovationEcosystem #ConsultingInsights #DoDNetwork

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Tony Vacha - interesting article and look at the problem. I might have a different view of it all though - kind of a reverse angle. The NG is now so often used for so many things as a Federal force... and at odds with its State duties - that we will eventually hit a wall when it is needed for both and Federal wins out at a time when the threat level at home is through the roof. Short of that - your right - no way states and territories are letting it happen. But what is instead of the whole - we shifted the old after cold war rice bowls to reflect what should be a Title 10 force and what should be a Title 32. We know well which units are so often called on and in demand... place them all in the Title 10 and place all the other units into the NG. Hey - did say it was a reverse angle. https://lnkd.in/eMXNSsUt

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✈️ Revolutionizing Air Force Capabilities: 24 Deployable Combat Wings by 2026! ✈️ 🗣 Lt. Gen. Adrian L. Spain, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, confirmed that the U.S. Air Force plans to establish an ambitious 24 deployable combat wings (DCW) by late 2026. Under the Air Force Generation (AFFORGEN) deployment model, this bold initiative aims to have the first DCWs available to commit in phase 27.1, with the preparing and certifying phases occurring from late 2025 through 2026. 💬 "This initiative is a game-changer in ensuring our forces are always mission-ready, regardless of the challenge," says Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr.  📄 As contracting professionals, we must adapt to organize, train, and equip the next generation of agile, mission-focused business leaders who can enhance the mission in every combatant command, whether at the hub or spoke of a DCW. This significant shift from current squadron deployments to a combined, modular operations and support model that ranges from a 1-2.5K team marks a new era in Air Force readiness. This effort will be groundbreaking for: ✅ Enhanced Readiness: Rapidly deployable and sustainable combat capabilities. ✅ Strategic Positioning: Countering global threats, especially in the Indo-Pacific region. ✅ Innovation in Training: Advanced training methods to ensure readiness and adaptability. ✅ Resource Optimization: Maximizing combat power through efficient resource use. 🔗 Check out the full article in the link below to dive deeper into how the Air Force is gearing up for future conflicts! #AirForce #Airmen #Military #MilitaryInnovation #DefenseStrategy #CombatReadiness #IndoPacificSecurity #MilitaryTraining #DefenseLogistics

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