Bricks and Clicks

SAME GOES LIVE WITH NEW BLOG

Rona Aquino — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:46:20 +0000

Brick and Clicks, the official blog of The Society of American Military Engineers has a new home at www.sameblog.org. All new blog posts will only be available at the new site from now on. We hope you like it! Please don’t forget to bookmark us or subscribe by email.

Video: Combat Medic Course – Afghan National Security Forces

Rona Aquino — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 21:04:09 +0000

For the past eight weeks, Afghan National Security Forces students from the Combat Medic Course at Joint Sustainment Academy Southwest at Camp Leatherneck have learned the essential skills to become a field medic. The students recently put their skills to the test in a final field training exercise. During the exercise, the Afghan students were on a foot patrol when they encountered mock fire, injuring one of their fellow classmates. While performing life saving measures on the victim, there was a simulated improvised explosive device blast, injuring many civilians. The students had to quickly set up security and treat the victims before calling in for medical evacuation.

Credits: Regional Command Southwest and Dodlive.mil.

Omaha Post Promotes Engineering through the Student Mentoring Program

Rona Aquino — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:00:39 +0000

Since 2001, the SAME Omaha Post has been mentoring students interested in the A/E/C fields by being a part of the University of Nebraska’s Student Mentoring Program (SMP). The program matches volunteer mentors with teams of students and teachers to participate in “real-world” projects led by actual practitioners. Approximately 300 middle and high school students from 20 schools participate annually in SMP. With a goal to inspire and assist young, aspiring engineers, the Omaha Post provides professional mentors while also lending support and participation in SMP workshops and demonstrations.

Each year, SMP engages students by holding orientation events, workshops and project submissions from competing teams made up of students, teachers and mentors. The teams will present their proposals as they vie for the winning project on Competition Day, to be held Mar. 29, 2012. Types of awards include the Post President’s Awards, Awards of Distinction (sponsored by SAME sustaining members) and Gold and Silver Level of Achievement in Merit Categories.

The projects will be displayed at Omaha Post’s Industry Day May 8-9, 2012. See the 2011-2012 SMP Schedule.

The Omaha North School Team 1 Project Omaha-Dagascar received the 2009-2010 SAME Omaha Post President's Award of Honor.

Useful Links:

SAME Omaha Post

Student Mentoring Program

SAME College Outreach Committee

Savannah Post Collects Toys for Local Children

Rona Aquino — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 20:00:32 +0000

SAME Savannah Post members are bringing some holiday cheer to the local kids this Christmas. At their recent December 12, 2011 meeting, dozens of toys were collected for the Toys for Tots Drive at the Jepson Center and the Hunter Toy Closet.

SAME Savannah Post members show off the toys collected for the Toys for Tots and the Toy Closet at Hunter Army Airfield, which will be distributed to local children this holiday season.

More:

SAME Savannah Post

Department of Defense Anticipates Impending Budget Cuts

Rona Aquino — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:47:24 +0000

With the massive deficits the U.S. government is facing, huge budget cuts are casting dark clouds over the Department of Defense (DOD). As part of his proposed budget for 2012, President Barack Obama plans to spend approximately $924 billion on defense, veterans care and international affairs. This means that budget reductions will equal to about $75 billion per year over 8 years. The cuts are in addition to the already enacted DOD reductions of $45 billion per year over 10 years.

Although Defense Secretary Leon Panetta vehemently decried defense cuts, referring to them as devastating measures that “will tear a seam in the nation’s defense,” many supporters of the proposed budget are saying it’s time to roll back on military spending to decrease the government’s massive deficits. Since the early onset of the recession that began in 2008, countless have had to cope with job loss. As Obama tries to restore fiscal responsibility in 2012, he is slashing spending on many areas of the federal government, not just in Pentagon.

Charlie Cooper, Baltimore-based activist, Baltimore Sun, said “Shrinking the Pentagon gives the U.S. a chance to bolster education, energy and infrastructure.” Cooper added that “These cuts will not put our security at risk, though they will cut into profits and executive pay at certain defense-establishment corporations.” Though significant budget cuts are looming over DOD, the President’s proposed budget for 2012, which includes more than $1 trillion in deficit reduction, still reflects national defense as one of the major areas that will receive the greatest chunk of federal funds, only bested by health care and Social Security.

U.S. Department of Defense News Article: Panetta Urges Leadership in Budget Decisions

The Hill Blog: Panetta Decries Defense Cuts, Opposes Plans to Void them

Reuters Blog: Drum Circle of the War Hawks

Baltimore Sun: Convert Defense Cuts into Civilian Benefits

SAME Hosts Student Chapter Workshop in Detroit, Michigan

Rona Aquino — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:07:45 +0000

Student Chapter representatives from all across the nation met and discussed goals for the upcoming year at the SAME Student Chapter Workshop held Dec. 9-10 in Detroit, Mich. The workshop provided a venue for the student leaders to network and build professional relationships among themselves and Post and Council leaders.

SAME Executive Director Bob Wolff provided a briefing and discussion of the organization and its role in the field of military engineering while Col. Joe Manous, Chair, College Outreach Committee, explained the goals, objectives and success criteria of the College Outreach Committee.

The agenda also included group discussions on “Challenges and Solutions to Sustaining a Student Chapter” and “Partnerships and other Successful Chapter Activities.”

As of November 2011, SAME has 2673 student members and a total of 42 Student Chapters. Promoting the engineering career field at colleges and universities through Student Chapters, mentoring programs, scholarships and seminars is one of the main goals of SAME.

What’s next? SAME is hosting the Student Leader Workshop on Jan. 26-28, 2012, in San Diego, Calif. SAME invites Posts affiliated with Student Chapters to send one or more student leaders to train on recruiting and on how to take advantage of the numerous opportunities available through SAME. Find out more about the Student Leader Workshop.

Attendees of the 2011 Student Chapter Workshop smile for a group picture.

Click here to see more photos.

Useful Links:

SAME

SAME Calendar of Events

SAME College Outreach Committee