VOL. 56 ISSUE 2 FEBRUARY 2015 • GUAM CONTRACTORS’ ASSOCIATION
CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN
I h a ve s kills. Reaching Out to our Soldiers
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
6
S.A.M.E.
10
INSIDER NEWS
16
FEATURE STORY
20
FEATURE STORY
22
PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS
24
CRANE CRITIQUE
28
SMALL BUSINESS
30
GARRISON REPORT
32
REPORTS/INFORMATION
COMING TH 25 MARCH
16 20
Feature Story
Feature Story
Chamorro Phrase Of The Month
Håfa tatatmanu håo? How are you? Måolek ha’, ya hågu? I'm fine, and you? brought to you by "Learn Chamorro" www.learnchamorro.com
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CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN
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GCA
TRADES ACADEMY B u i l d i n g
S k i l l s
F o r
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Guam Contractors Association
THEDIRECTORS PRESIDENT James A. Martinez Guam Constractors Association PAST CHAIRMAN Tom Anderson Black Construction Corporation CHAIRMAN - ELECT Art Chan Hawaiian Rock Products VICE CHAIRMAN - ELECT John Sage WATTS Constructors SECRETARY/TREASURER William Beery Tutujan Hill Group CONTRACTORS DIRECTORS: Narci Dimaoala Amazon Construction Carlo Leon Guerrero M80s Office Systems Conchita Bathan Core Tech International Tom San Nicolas dck pacific guam LLC Miguel Rangel Maeda Pacific Corporation ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS: Jeffrey Larson TakeCare Insurance Ray Yanger Fastenal Patty Lizama Pacific Isla Life Michael Kikuta Matson Navigation
THEEDITORIALS Guam Contractor’s Association (GCA) in conjunction with AdzTech and Public Relations, Inc. publishes the Construction News Bulletin (CNB) monthly. Reproduction of materials appearing in this publication is strictly forbidden without written permission by GCA. While we always strive for accuracy, we will from time to time overlook mistakes. In order to help us improve the quality and accuracy of this publication, we ask that you take the time to look at the information provided and notify GCA of any corrections as needed. Opinions and editorial content of this publication may not necessarily be those of the publisher, production team, staff, GCA members, GCA Board of Directors and advertisers. For more information about advertising in the GCA Construction News Bulletin contact the advertising department at (671) 477-1239/2239 or email at adztech@teleguam.net. Distributed to GCA members or can be obtained by stopping by the Guam Contractors’ Association office located at 718 N. Marine Corps Drive, Suite 203, East West Business Center, Upper Tumon, Guam. To find out more about how you can become a GCA member contact Guam Contractors’ Association at Tel: (671)647-4840/41 Fax: (671) 647-4866 or Email: gca@teleguam.net. www.guamcontractors.org Postmaster. Send address changes to Guam Contractors’ Association, located at 718 N. Marine Drive Corps Suite 203, East West Business Center, Upper Tumon, Guam.
THETEAM PUBLISHER: James Martinez PRODUCTION TEAM Geri Leon Guerrero AD SALES: Jaceth Duenas PRODUCTION: Geri Leon Guerrero Christopher “Taco” Rowland Jaceth Duenas Bill Tenorio PHOTOGRAPHERS: Christopher “Taco” Rowland EDITOR: Adztech CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: John Robertson R.D. Gibson Dave Barnhouse Ted Garrison GCA STAFF: Francine Arceo Desiree Lizama COVER: Providing for our Veterans
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S.A.M.E. UPDATE
General Membership Meeting January, 22, 2015
FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Helping children, ages 9 to 16, discover the fun in science and LCDR Sean McConnon, SPAWAR kicked-off 2015 at the General Membership Meeting this past January with a presentation on FIRST LEGO League (FLL) competitions. FIRST represents a group of programs aimed at introducing math, science and engineering skills and concepts to school-aged children through innovative projects and robotic competitions. LCDR McConnon has been working hard bringing the event to Guam schools and has arranged the island’s first competition to take place in May of this year.
Through FIRST LEGO League, students use creativity to learn real-world problem solving skills and get experience working with adults and mentors in a team environment. Within an 8-week time span, they apply math and science concepts to build, program and test possible solutions through robotic inventions they create.
Student Perspective
A 2004 Evaluation of FLL at Brandeis University found that students who participated in FLL events had an increased knowledge of: Use of school subjects in solving real-world problems
93%
Importance of science and technology in everyday life
95%
Use of science and technology in real-world problem-solving
97%
Science and technology careers 0% 6 | FEBRUARY2015
20%
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40%
90%
60%
80%
100%
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Each Challenge has three parts: the Robot Game, the Project, and the FLL Core Values. Teams of up to ten children, with one or two adult coaches, participate by programming an autonomous robot to score points on a themed playing field (Robot Game), developing a solution to a problem they have identified (Project), all guided by the FLL Core Values. Teams may then attend an official tournament, hosted by one of our FIRST LEGO League Partners. Past Challenges have been based on topics such as nanotechnology, climate, quality of life for the handicapped population, and transportation. By designing our Challenges around such topics, participants are exposed to potential career paths within a chosen Challenge topic, in addition to solidifying the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) principles that naturally come from participating in the program. Team members also
FLL:
Guam FLL and Jr. FLL
• 10 Teams from DOE public schools • 2 Teams from DOD schools • Tournament scheduled for May 2015
Jr. FLL:
• No limit on teams • Expo can be held when teams are ready
YOU CAN HELP: Become a Sponsor:
• • Involve employees as Mentors, Coaches and/or Volunteers • Provide equipment, facilities and/ or training • Help host a tournament for your community
Become a Volunteer:
• Help children discover the fun in science and technology • Have a positive impact on the lives of children • Help celebrate science and technology • Network with like-minded professionals • Be inspired and energized through your participation • Have fun
Become a Coach or Mentor:
• Empower children with a sense of accomplishment • Provide valuable one-on-one interaction • Be respected and admired by team members • Be inspired and energized through your participation
More Information
• Contact LCDR McCONNON at GUAMFLL@GMAIL.com • • • • Call 1-800-871-8326 All data and photos courtesy of AFCEA FLL.
To join SAME Guam Post, log on to SAME.org and click on “Membership” at the top of the home page. www.guamcontractors.org
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INSIDER NEWS
THE CHANGING WORLD ORDER
By John M. Robertson
The “pivot to the Pacific” is now moving ahead with the endorsement of the Senate Armed Services Committee and approval of the full Congress, as announced at end of last year. However, the oxygen is being sucked away from the Far East by continuing weighty events in the Middle East. There has been no indication of budgets for the Guam military buildup being diverted to the wars in Iraq and
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Syria but it has to be a concern for law makers. Expansionist moves by China in the region have to be addressed without further delay and the pivot to the Pacific needs to proceed in parallel with military reinforcements elsewhere. The rise of Muslim fundamentalistextremist groups has been a fact of life over the past fifteen years and is continuing. The latest is the “Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant” or ISIL, sometimes referred to as ISIS or Islamic State. The U.S. State Department is consistently and correctly using “ISIL” in reference to the organization because it more accurately depicts their near term objective. Limits of the Levant have been defined differently by different people in different time periods but in general covers
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a strip of land at the Eastern Mediterranean Sea encompassing the western portion of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, the Palestinian Territories, Israel and a portion of Egypt in the Sinai. Levant means “where the sun rises from the sea” as viewed from what is now modern day Greece and Italy. It is not an ancient name for the region but was used during the crusades. The same region is referred to as the “Holy Land” and as such is important to Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It is also referred to as the “cradle of culture” and together with Mesopotamia to the East, is referred to as the “cradle of civilization”. The Garden of Eden is generally believed to have been in the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in Mesopotamia. Believers were first called Christian in Antioch which still exists as a place in Syria.
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ISIL is intending to establish a Caliphate over the region. A caliphate is a form of Islamic government led by a caliph—a person considered a political and religious successor to the prophet Muhammad and a leader of the entire Muslim community. The Rashidun caliphs, who directly succeeded Muhammad as leaders of the Muslim community, were chosen through shura, a process of community consultation which some consider an early form of Islamic democracy. During the history of Islam after the Rashidun period, many Muslim states, almost all of them hereditary monarchies, have claimed to be caliphates. In 2014, the extremist group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant declared itself a Caliphate; nonetheless, its authority remains unrecognized by any country. Al-Qaida and ISIL do not appear to be cooperating with one another and do not share the same objectives. Some scholars believe that al-Qaida and its franchises, such as the “al-Nusra Front” in Syria, “al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula” in Yemen and “Boka Haram” in Nigeria are more intractable and expected to be a concern for longer than ISIL. Some of the same scholars believe that ISIL in its present form is unstainable because of its corrupted interpretation of Islam and because of its unbridled barbarism. Nations of the Middle East Iraq – Iraq is deeply divided along sectarian lines that are not completely divided by territory. 60-65% are Shi’a, 15-20% are Sunni and 17% are Iraqi Kurds. Christians are a minority. Since the Gulf Wars, the nation has been governed by Shi’a leaders that left the Sunni and other groups largely disenfranchised. ISIL was last summer able to establish a foot hold with little resistance from the American trained military. Some say this was because training was not complete in terms of establishing a unified force. Kurdish militia forces have regained some ground from ISIL. A Christian militia is being formed to protect their lands. The U.S. is now seeking to establish strong regional National Guard forces with expected integration of the different sects. The U.S. led air war is www.guamcontractors.org
having an impact on ISIL but more ground troops are needed and should be provided by neighboring Arab countries. The Obama administration is now considering a limited number of troops on the ground for training and command and control. Syria – Because of civil war during the past almost four years, the government in Damascus has limited control over the country as a whole. The population is 87% Muslim of which 74% are Sunni. Christians constitute 10% of the population. Alawites, a Shi’a group, are predominant in running the Government. They receive substantial assistance from Shi’a led Iran and from Russia. The opposition is made up of a variety of fragmented organizations one or more of which have received U.S. encouragement but little else. Other opposition fighters include al-Qaida affiliated organizations. Since last summer, ISIL has established a foothold. Arab Gulf States fault the U.S. for not taking an early and more active role in quelling hostilities. When the Syrian Government crossed a “Red Line” in relation to the unlawful use chemical weapons, the U.S. followed the Russian lead in an expected diplomatic solution that failed. Fierce fighting continues. Lebanon – Once known as the jewel of the Middle East because of its rich culture, it is now in disarray after more than 40 years of internal conflict. Prior to the outbreak of war in Syria, the nation was largely controlled from Syria. There are 18 recognized religious sects. Population is 54% Muslim (27% Shi’a, 27% Sunni), 5.6% Druze, 40.4% Christian. In recognition of the diversity, the Constitution requires that the President will be Maronite Catholic, the Prime Minister will be Sunni Muslim and the Speaker of Parliament will be Shi’a Muslim. Hezbollah with support from Iran has gained significant influence in Lebanon. Jordan – After one of its F16 pilots was shot down and captured by ISIL, then brutally assassinated, it has taken a leading role with the U.S. in the air war over Syria and Iraq. The population is 97.2% Muslim (predominately
Sunni) and 2.2% Christian. It has a relatively stable government based on strong support of its monarch. It has been and continues to be a strong ally of the United States. Palestinian Territories – The ArabIsraeli conflict is the root cause of much of the conflict in the Middle East. That, together with American support of Israel. American efforts to bring about peace has been thwarted by intransigence from both sides. Israel’s action in annexing territory in the West Bank has been particularly unhelpful. There has been constant unrest since founding of the State of Israel. This has been especially so in the Gaza Strip where crude rockets are launched into Israel with some degree of regularity. Israel – There has been peace in Israel because it is united in its objectives and has a strong military with U.S. backing. It is not in a position to participate in defense of its neighboring countries because of the fundamental conflict between the Arabs and Israelis. Egypt – There has been internal strife in Egypt since the beginning of the Arab Spring. After the overthrow of the Hosni Mubarak Government, members of the Muslim Brotherhood came to power in the first ever open election in the country. This government was ousted by the military a year later because of incompetence. The former military leader was elected as President in a subsequent election. The population is 90% Muslim (mostly Sunni) with the remainder being mostly members of the Coptic Christian faith. In times past, Egypt has taken the lead in most Arab initiatives. That situation has changed because of its internal difficulties. Libya – This nation has become a failed state with multiple uncoordinated militias taking charge of different regions. The U.S. assisted in the overthrow of the Muamar Gadhafi government then withdrew. Kuwait – The government in Kuwait has been stable since ouster of Iraqi forces in the First Gulf war. Kuwaiti
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INSIDER NEWS
citizens account for only 40% of total population, the rest are foreigners. The majority of Kuwait's citizen population is Muslim estimated to be 60%–70% Sunni and 30%–40% Shi’a. Kuwait does have a small native Christian community. The small nation between Iraq and Saudi Arabia on the Persian Gulf is allied with the United States. It is allowing use of its air base by coalition fighter jets. Saudi Arabia – Stability is in place behind the existing monarchy. When asked about the prospects for democracy, a Saudi official stated that if they chose that route, there would be established a political party for each tribe in the nation and complete chaos. Since its founding in 1932, the country has been an absolute monarchy governed along Islamic lines, namely under the influence of Wahhabism. Saudi Arabia has been a strong ally of the U.S. in times past but the leadership there is questioning America’s resolve and leadership in dealing with world crises. Bahrain – This island nation off the coast of Saudi Arabia has a predominately Shi’a population with a Sunni ruling family. The U.S. has a significant Navy base here. Qatar – Until recently, this small country supported the Hezbollah in the Palestinian Territories and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. Because of pressure from its Gulf Arab neighbors, it recently announced it would no longer support those two organizations. It has an Air Force Base that houses foreign coalition personnel and assets. It is host to a forward headquarters of United States Central Command, and headquarters of United States Air Forces Central Command. United Arab Emirates – Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras al-Khaimah and Um al-Quwain are allies of the United States. Air Forces of the two larger emirates, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, are flying missions over Iraq and Syria with the United States against ISIL.
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Yemen – The U.S. has over the past three years or so been working with the local government in trying to eradicate “al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula” that is sponsoring terrorism in that country as well as overseas including Europe and the United States. This has become complicated by the recent takeover of the government by so-called Houthis, a minority Shi’a group within a predominately Sunni population. The situation today is most fluid and status quo is believed to be unsustainable. Here again, Iran is suspected of being behind the conflict. America’s Strategy Deficit By Peggy Noonan of the Wall Street Journal A haphazard foreign policy makes a complicated world more dangerous. On Tuesday 27 January, retired Gen. James Mattis, former head of U.S. Central Command (2010-13) told the Senate Armed Services Committee of his unhappiness at the current conduct of U.S. foreign policy. He said the U.S. is not “adapting to changed circumstances” in the Mideast and must “come out now from our reactive crouch.” Washington needs a “refreshed national strategy”; the White House needs to stop being consumed by specific, daily occurrences that leave it “reacting” to events as if they were isolated and unconnected. He suggested deep bumbling: “Notifying the enemy in advance of our withdrawal dates” and declaring “certain capabilities” off the table is no way to operate. Sitting beside him was Gen. Jack Keane, also a respected retired fourstar, and a former Army vice chief of staff, who said al Qaeda has “grown fourfold in the last five years” and is “beginning to dominate multiple countries.” He called radical Islam “the major security challenge of our generation” and said we are failing to meet it. The same day the generals testified, Kimberly Dozier of the Daily Beast reported that Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, a
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retired director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, had told a Washington conference: “You cannot defeat an enemy you do not admit exists.” The audience of military and intelligence professionals applauded. Officials, he continued, are “paralyzed” by the complexity of the problems connected to militant Islam, and so do little, reasoning that “passivity is less likely to provoke our enemies.” These statements come on the heels of the criticisms from President Obama’s own former secretaries of defense. Robert Gates, in “Duty,” published in January 2014, wrote of a White House-centric foreign policy developed by aides and staffers who are too green or too merely political. One day in a meeting the thought occurred that Mr. Obama “doesn’t trust” the military, “doesn’t believe in his own strategy, and doesn’t consider the war to be his.” That’s pretty damning. Leon Panetta, in his 2014 memoir, “Worthy Fights,” said Mr. Obama “avoids the battle, complains, and misses opportunities.” No one thinks this administration is the A Team when it comes to foreign affairs, but this is unprecedented push-back from top military and intelligence players. They are fed up, they’re less afraid, they’re retired, and they’re speaking out. We are going to be seeing more of this kind of criticism, not less. On Thursday 29 January came the testimony of three former secretaries of state, Henry Kissinger (1973-77), George Shultz (1982-89) and Madeleine Albright (1997-2001). Senators asked them to think aloud about what America’s national-security strategy should be, what approaches are appropriate to the moment. It was good to hear serious, not-green, not merely-political people give a sense of the big picture. Their comments formed a kind of bookend to the generals’ criticisms. They seemed to be in agreement on these points: • We are living through a moment of monumental world change. • Old orders are collapsing while any
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new stability has yet to emerge. • When you’re in uncharted waters your boat must be strong. • If America attempts to disengage from this dangerous world it will only make all the turmoil worse. Mr. Kissinger observed that in the Mideast, multiple upheavals are unfolding simultaneously — within states, between states, between ethnic and religious groups. Conflicts often merge and produce such a phenomenon as the Islamic State, which in the name of the caliphate is creating a power base to undo all existing patterns. Mr. Shultz said we are seeing an attack on the state system and the rise of a “different view of how the world should work.” What’s concerning is “the scope of it.” Mr. Kissinger: “We haven’t faced such diverse crises since the end of the Second World War.” The U.S. is in “a paradoxical situation” in that “by any standard of national capacity . . . we can shape international relations,” but the complexity of the present moment is daunting. The Cold War was more dangerous, but the world we face now is more complicated. How to proceed in creating a helpful and constructive U.S. posture? Mr. Shultz said his attitude when secretary of state was, “If you want me in on the landing, include me in the takeoff.” Communication and consensus building between the administration and Congress is key. He added: “The government seems to have forgotten about the idea of ‘execution.’ ” It’s not enough that you say something, you have to do it, make all the pieces work. When you make a decision, he went on, “stick with it.” Be careful with words. Never make a threat or draw a line you can’t or won’t make good on. In negotiations, don’t waste time wondering what the other side will accept, keep your eye on what you can and work from there. Keep the U.S. military strong, peerless, pertinent to current challenges. Proceed to negotiations with your agenda clear and your strength unquestionable.
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Mr. Kissinger: “In our national experience . . . we have trouble doing a national strategy” because we have been secure behind two big oceans. We see ourselves as a people who respond to immediate, specific challenges and then go home. But foreign policy today is not a series of discrete events, it is a question of continuous strategy in the world. America plays the role of “stabilizer.” But it must agree on its vision before it can move forward on making it reality. There are questions that we must as a nation answer: As we look at the world, what is it we seek to prevent? What do we seek to achieve? What can we prevent or achieve only if supported by an alliance? What values do we seek to advance? “This will require public debate.”
So we need a strategy, and maybe more than one. We need to know what we’re doing and why. After the week with the retired generals and the former secretaries, the message is: Awake. See the world’s facts as they are. Make a plan.
All agreed the cost-cutting burdens and demands on defense spending forced by the sequester must be stopped. National defense “should have a strategy-driven budget, not a budget-driven strategy,” said Mr. Kissinger. He added that in the five wars since World War II, the U.S. began with “great enthusiasm” and had “great national difficulty” in ending them. In the last two, “withdrawal became the principal definition of strategy.” We must avoid that in the future. “We have to know the objective at the start and develop a strategy to achieve it.” Does the U.S. military have enough to do what we must do? “It’s not adequate to deal with all the challenges I see,” said Mr. Kissinger, “or the commitments into which we may be moving.” Sequestration is “legislative insanity,” said Mr. Shultz. “You have to get rid of it.” Both made a point of warning against the proliferation of nuclear weapons, which Mr. Shultz called “those awful things.” The Hiroshima bomb, he said, was a plaything compared with the killing power of modern nuclear weapons. A nuclear device detonated in Washington would “wipe out” the area. Previous progress on and attention to nuclear proliferation has, he said, been “derailed.”
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FEBRUARY2015 | 13
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FEATURE STORY
Guam Veterans Business Outreach Center
D. G by R.
ibson
Abraham Lincoln is quoted saying,“Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country's cause. Honor, also, to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as he best can, the same cause.” Remember the last time you held your hand over your heart for the Star-Spangled Banner. Maybe it was at an official event, or it could possibly have been in high school.Wherever it was, reverence was held, not just for the flag and what it stood for, but for the men and women who sacrificed to protect our freedoms. The effects of war do not just take their toll on the mind and body.We’ve heard stories of veterans who simply do not have any jobs. It’s worse now, especially with the job market.The skills are there.The degrees are there.The experience is almost always definitely there, but where are the jobs? In a community where things are getting more expensive, and the bills are piling, how are people, especially veterans, making ends meet? The Guam Veterans Business Outreach Center has one goal in mind: to help veteran businesses grow and thrive.According to a story on CBS DC’s website, recent veterans are struggling with jobs.The story states that though recent jobs have been added, unemployment for veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan has not changed in the last year. Then there is the Hire More Veterans Act of 2015, which encourages small businesses to hire veterans. In an article on the Huffington Post, veteranowned businesses are the new forms of veteran employment.Where work is hard to find, it may be easier with the help of government assistance and direction to build a business – creating jobs and bolstering the economy. On Guam, we have one of those organizations who is at-the-ready to assist veterans get their ideas off the ground. The Guam Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) avails their services to veterans to open small businesses.The program is 100-percent federally funded through a cooperative agreement with the United States Small Business Administration and hosted by the University of Guam School of Business and Administration. It opened on April 20, 2010. The program serves as a third party entity, which “provides business and technical assistance for veterans interested in starting or expanding a business.” The program is there to assist veterans through each step of building a small business.They offer one-on-one business counseling, business training workshops, seminars, and conferences, mentoring and referrals, and resource utilization and partners. More specifically, they provide assistance on starting small businesses, composing business plans, getting a small business loan, and doing business with the Federal government.
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“Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country's cause. Honor, also, to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as he best can, the same cause.” -- Abraham Lincoln
The VBOC is specifically geared toward helping first-time business owners, those in the early, start-up stages of their businesses, and, even those who are already operating their small businesses. “Where do I start?” is usually a tough question, right? But, the VBOC lends it support in many ways; through their vision, through their programs, and, most especially, through their network. The VBOC is also working on providing workshop trainings to all eligible veterans and their families come March, 2015.These trainings, currently only available at Naval Base Guam and Andersen Air Force Base, cover the entrepreneurial process, explaining markets and how to do market research, and financing a business venture – among other things. It provides the full scope on developing a business from start to finish. It’s difficult enough to open a business.What about when you think you’re doing it alone? Well, the best part is you are not. More significantly, the VBOC are building a network of veteran business owners to lend support to one another.To paint a picture of the effectiveness of the VBOC and their programs, they have helped 23 businesses start. In effect, 30 jobs were created, and 175 jobs were retained. More specifically, they have served 351 clients, and conducted 1,086 consulting sessions. Their office is co-located in the GEDA office on the 5th floor of the ITC building in Tamuning.The Guam Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) provides services in the following states and locations in Region IX:Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada,American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas (CNMI), the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Republic of Palau (ROP) and the Republic of the Marshal Islands (RMI). Before the VBOC can assist any one, the U.S. Small Business Administration requires all potential clients to fill out a Request for Counseling Form (641). The form acts as Confidentiality and Code of Conducts Agreements. All information is kept confident. You can visit their website at guamvboc.com.You can also call them at 475-4900. Whether we are singing the poignant words of Francis Lee Scott in unison, or simply helping veterans through the business birthing cycle, we need not forget the sacrifices of the brave men and women who allow us to proudly proclaim we are American. Just as we have, they are also entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Through the help from the VBOC, they can realize that, and so much more.
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CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN
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FEATURE STORY
by R.D. Gibson
The death of a loved one is a tough time for any family. We never want to think about it. It isn’t just a time of pain and grief, but uncertainty and stress. It can be stressful for anybody. “Who is going to cater the lisayu?” “Where should we have the burial?” “How about our family from off-island?” All these questions and more can lead to anyone to stress and forget that we are coming together to celebrate someone’s life. In these times of bereavement and sadness, we want to know that we are taken care of by a team of people who understand. But, what about if loved ones want to take care of these things beforehand? The team at Guam Windward Memorial opened on October 28th, 2014 to help residents cope with the passing of a loved one, prepare families through their difficult times, and help prearrange family estates before the passing of a loved one. The Guam Windward Memorial Team make the grieving period a little smoother by encouraging residents to seek their assistance with prearranging services with them. At Guam Windward Memorial, they encourage their clients to make decisions beforehand, especially with rising costs and to relieve inevitable stress. In addition to the services they already offer, Guam Windward Memorial has a new system of remembrance for a loved one who has passed. We want to keep the smiles, accomplishments, and grand moments of our loved one alive. Guam Windward Memorial has started a program, free of charge, to their clients.
Through the page, families and friends can store numerous photos and videos in honor of the deceased. It is a great way to remember someone’s vibrant spirit and joyful smiles. It can also be shared with younger generations in the family. Our culture is already based on oral tradition. We learn our customs and values through the words and our manamko’. In a way, we can maintain this practice through the memory book so we can collect and share the memories and stories of loved ones passed. It also has a geo-referenced, GPS navigation system to guide you to the physical memorial! With GPS Navigation, it is now easier to find their memorial at the cemetery. The page also comes in mobile app form for both Android and Apple products. Through the page, we are never that far away from a loved one. We are never without their memories. We are never without their love.They are forever memorialized. They are always a part of our lives. The Guam Windward Memorial Team also gives back to the community. They’ve helped sponsor the Angels Football Team, Miss Guam World Pageant, and UFC Fighter Jon Tuck. For more information about the Living Memorial page and application, or about the services at Guam Windward Memorial, call them at 688-0690, or visit them on Cross Island Road in Yona. Guam Windward Memorial is the latest private
The Living Memorial page allows its users to have a continuous connection to their loved one. While we may never see them every day, we can be reminded of our friendship and love for them with just a click of a button.
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venture of Bob Salas and Family. LMS and Windward Memorial won three 2014 Guam Contractors Association Excellence in Construction Awards.
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PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS
January 21, 2015 Westin Resort Guam Guest Speaker Al Sampson
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GUAM’S LEADER
William “Bill” Beery, P.E. General Manager, Tutujan Hills Group Ltd. Immediate Past Chairman, GCA
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Retirement solutions for your small business. “For some time our group had been asking for a 401(k) benefit. My first impression was that providing this type of program for a group as small as ours might be on the expensive side. Not only did ASC Trust Corporation break this
misconception, they surpassed my expectations. We were able to start a plan that was both fairly priced and made sense with what we were looking for. In the end, the tailored-solution was exactly what our team needed.” - Bill Beery
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CRANE CRITIQUE
Mobile Crane Structural Repairs What are the proper procedures?
A monthly crane and rigging informative column for all personnel directly or indirectly involved with crane safety. Each month we will attempt to explain a different technical issue pertaining to crane operations here on Guam, addressing the sometimes over-looked or misunderstood topics by management and operators alike. By Dave Barnhouse
This month’s topic: Performing structural repairs on a mobile crane.
So you found a crack in your hydraulic crane’s outrigger beam or maybe that light corrosion on the boom that you have been hoping would go away has turned into heavy metal loss. How are you going to repair this damage and be assured that the repairs are safe and compliant with safety and crane standards? Best advice and first thing you should do is contact the manufacturer, explaining the damage as detailed as possible. Include plenty of photos with accurate measurements. If the damage was caused by a crane accident, detail the accident also, including the load on the crane when it occurred, boom length, radius, boom angle, etc. The manufacturer will evaluate the damage and will determine if the part can be repaired sufficiently to maintain the original structural integrity of the part while maintaining the original operating parameters of the machine. It will then provide you with the proper repair procedure, but may very well inform you of the price of a new component as opposed to a repair procedure. If the latter is the case and the decision is made to repair the damage, you have just put you and your company in a liable position for the life of the crane. The repair procedure will specify a step by step procedure on how to perform the repair and a list of the required parts. If the repair is completed per the instructions and all welding is per-formed by a qualified welder, the manufacturer will stand behind the de-sign of the repair. This will maintain the original structural warranty on the product and maintain the machine’s structural integrity, as well as complying with ASME and OSHA standards and also maintain the resale value of the crane. Let’s look at what we might find in that repair
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Non-compliant boom truck turret repair, poor weld workmanship procedure. We will assume a deep dent was found on the side of a boom section, deep enough that it pre-vented an annual certification, therefore preventing the crane from operations. Assuming the manufacturer received accurate information from the crane owner and it has determined the dent can be repaired, the procedure will out-line precise steps to take for a compliant repair. The damaged component will require removal, torch cut, saw cut, or grind the welds off? Minimum and maximum dimensions, radiused corners, beveled edges, steel specs, filler metals, welding process, pre-heat or post heat, NDT requirements. These are all important parameters of a structural repair and no one should assume he knows how to repair a
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repair such as this because ‘I’ve done it before and it worked”. Starting with the first step, removing the damaged part, it may not seem obvious but the method and procedure for removing the part may be very critical. Alloy steels react to heat just as mild steel but may not be as forgiving. In specific conditions and high stress areas overheating may cause stress cracks, which are never good. Dimensional characteristics must be adhered to also for the same reason. This includes radiused corners, weld spacing, etc. Another important step in this repair would be to replace the steel with the manufacturer’s recommended steel specs. Not what you think
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is ‘really strong steel’ or ‘the same steel that came out of it’. No one can look at a piece of steel and determine what steel spec it is. Save your time of trying to guess or having the steel tested and just comply with the manufacturer’s procedure. Know that crane manufacturers have spent millions of dollars designing these crane booms and we shouldn’t be second guessing them by using any steel other than what is specified. Also, never attempt to ‘beef up’ a component by adding more steel or over welding, this may be detrimental rather than improvement. Next, preparing the base metal surface and prepping the new piece weld joint. Again, no guessing or assuming, follow the procedure. It will greatly depend on the weld process, the metal thickness, access to both sides, etc. It may require full penetration or not, welded from both sides or single, specific bevel angles and root gap. The correct filler metal is obviously important. A qualified welder will know this and also use only fresh filler metal. Another very important base metal prep item is pre-heat. Again, the procedure will detail this and depends greatly on steel specs including thickness of base metal, thickness of piece welded to the base metal, joint configuration, etc. To those not familiar with pre-heating and the reason why it may be necessary, a short explanation: When a weld is made and still in a molten state the surrounding metal will act as a heat sink and suck the heat from the weld. This is very prevalent in welding thinner metal to thicker metal as obviously the more metal to act as a heat sink the faster the heat will leave the weld. Alloy steel may not be as ductile as mild steel and usually what you will find in a crane boom. When the molten weld material is red hot it is expanded, if it cools rap-idly it shrinks and may crack. This crack may be in the root pass and not visible. Cracks are never good as they almost always will propagate which can lead to catastrophic results. The cure for this rapid cooling is to pre-heat the base metal before welding which will cut down on the heat sink effect. Cold weather welding is most critical and may be prohibited at lesser temperatures. The weld has been completed and all looks well, but we cannot assume there are no flaws in the weld without a specific NDT performed. Again the manufacturer’s procedure will specify what type and when to perform the NDT. It may require NDT of the root pass as well as the completed weld, possibly limit the NDT to 24 hours after the weld is completed. This is because the base metals will continue to shrink for a period of time after the completion of the weld, possibly causing a crack as it shrinks, again this will be more prevalent in thicker base metals. To deal with rapid cooling of heavier base metals and large weld joints
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Poor weld workmanship on outrigger beam, note crack. the repair procedure may call for post heating, meaning the surrounding base metal is heated after the weld is completed for a specified time and gradually permitted to cool down. Though the procedure will undoubtedly specify a ‘certified’ welder, this alone does not guarantee an acceptable weld. My best advice is to seek the best welder available if you attempt to repair a crane’s structural component. This is an area where a few hundred extra dollars for the best is worth it. Now that the repair is completed, OSHA 1926.1412 requires a qualified person to inspect the repair to confirm it meets the requirements of 1926.1434 and perform functional testing and possibly load testing of the component. It must also be logged in the crane’s maintenance and repair records and be
made available to an OSHA inspector and to the qualified person performing the annual inspection.
Dave Barnhouse resides in Tamuning and has been involved with operations, maintenance, operator training, and/or inspections, of cranes since 1969. He is a Certified Environmental Trainer, CHST, NCCCO Certified Crane Operator, NCCCO Lift Director, and practical examiner for all types of mobile cranes and the only OSHA accredited crane inspector on Guam. Please e-mail any comments, questions, or specific topics you would like to see addressed in this column to certs@ite.net and we will certainly at-tempt to accommodate your requests.
Example of heavy metal weld on crawler crane side frame resulting in failure because of lack of pre-heat or post heat
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Tel: 670-234-6601 www.kanoaresort.com reservations@kanoaresort.com
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SMALL BUSINESS
Small Business Committee
We are excited about kicking off the New Year with increased participation as we plan our outreach calendar. One of the exciting things is the new small business committee leadership. Carlo Leon Guerrero has passed the torch to Irene Hicks (America’s Best ElectricMart) who now serves as the Chair of the GCA Small Business Committee and Vera Topasna (Catalyst Pacific) who serves as the Vice Chair. We thank Carlo for his leadership and look forward to working with him to continue the great work of the committee. Carlo remains the liaison for the committee on the GCA Board of Directors. We look to increasing participation on our committee to identify and
Carlo Leon Guerrero
Irene Hicks
pursue the needs of our GCA small business members. Our work on the committee will further the GCA Board activities for small businesses in these very busy times. We plan to increase outreach/training efforts that are relevant in the industry. Stay tuned for more details on our upcoming mixer. We are excited and
Vera Topasna
ready to put the pedal to the metal and continue the great work of the GCA Small Business Committee. The committee meets on the last Tuesday of the month. We invite your participation and look forward to a great year!
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GARRISON REPORT
One Small Step for Innovation? Tom Peters has stated, “Tomorrow’s victories will go to the masters of innovation! Period!” That's great, but the challenge is how does a company become more innovative? A Chinese proverb says, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Innovation is no different; it should begin with a single step, preferably a small one. Too many organizations attempt large breakthroughs with massive change. Of course, the construction industry could use a few large breakthroughs to improve its performance and profitability, but the industry would be more successful attempting to achieve these breakthroughs in small steps. For example, fully implementing Lean practices throughout your company and its projects would create a breakthrough in performance and productivity. However, one of the biggest mistakes many contractors make when attempting to implement Lean is to go too fast. It may be counterintuitive, but often going slower gets the desired results faster. This is not a new concept. Toyota, who started the current Lean revolution in the 1970's, advises companies to start implementing Lean by teach employees one item at a time. Let them implement that concept, and once they have learned it, you can move to the next item.
they will be less resistance to the changes. The result when the pace is too rapid it causes frustration and confusion and the initiative often ends up being abandoned. This is no different than attempting to give someone a drink with a fire hose. Using an information fire hose is just as futile.
Further, we learn by doing, not by reading a book or attending a seminar. As a colleague of mine, Ed Anderson likes to say, "If you want to learn Lean, you need to ride the bike." Figure: One of Ed Anderson's favorite slides
If you attempt to download too much information all at once, people often become confused and will tend to push back. When information is provided at a pace the employees can absorb and understand it,
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It's critical to go slow so that the workers experience success and are willing to move on to the next change. For example, attempting to teach a little leaguer how to bat by having him try to hit a Nolan Ryan's fastball would not accomplish much. In fact, the little leaguer would most likely become discouraged and quit since the game wasn't any fun. Heck, it's often not fun major leaguer to bat against Ryan as demonstrated by his seven no-hitters. Further, it has been estimated when someone attends an 8-hour seminar, they will forget over 50 percent of the material by the next day. So how do you expect the attendees to implement "ALL" the lessons from the previous day, if they have already forgotten most of them. This causes confusion and frustration. People must experience success from their efforts if we want them to continue to implement innovation or change. Workers are no different than the little leaguer. The implementation of Lean construction is change, but it is not innovation because the practice has been developed and is now simple being taught. In theory at least, the people instructing the students know what they are doing and understand the subject. When it's understood that the transfer of knowledge needs to go slow, it's easy to understand, it's more important to go slow with innovation because one is entering unchartered territory. Since no one knows what's will happen next, it would reckless to attempt to take huge steps into the unknown. Think about how you walk through a strange room without any light, you walk slowly while feeling your way. You don't rush head long into the room. Innovation is no different. Instead one cautiously proceeds until the environment is understood. In reality, innovation is about failing quickly. In other words, try small things that can be evaluated quickly. They are inexpensive and quick. Since no one knows for sure what will work, it is important to try things, but it's equally important to try small things. A business can't risk huge losses on untried initiatives. However, if it wants to grow its performance, it must constantly innovate by experimenting with new ideas. That sounds fine, but where do you obtain ideas? One of the best sources of ideas is your people. In fact, studies have revealed that when companies win awards for innovation, the majority of the ideas come from the rank and file. Also, the rank file ideas are more valuable than those that come from management. This doesn't mean that management doesn't know what it's doing. Instead, it is a reflection of the fact that those closest to the problem are in the best position to come with an innovative way to solve the problem.
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A great way, to generate innovation, is through continuous improvement initiatives or Kaizen. The idea is to ask constantly everyone for their ideas on how to improve the company's processes. The employee suggestions should be ones the employee or his or her team can implement themselves. Since these initiatives are small they, cost little to try, and if they don't work, no harm has been done. Of course, it must be understood that any initiative must increase quality or productivity, or the idea will not be implemented. For those that think, it is a waste of time to focus on small or almost insignificant improvements you should reconsider. If you can save 27 seconds a day compounded daily in three years, you will double your productivity. In contrast, there are virtually no single initiative that would achieve results like that. Okay, you decided to get help from your employees on implementing more innovation. But too often companies make a fatal mistake. A company executive makes a statement to the employees something like, "We really need to become more innovative in order to be more productive and competitive. What ideas do you have?" While that statement may sound fine, it is not how the employees hear it. The employees internalize the message as follows, "That SOB; we are busting our butts, and now they want us to work harder so they can make more money." That dialogue doesn't create motivated workers to come up with ideas.
In closing, it is important to make it understood that failure is not a problem. In fact, most innovation efforts fail, so you need to create a safe environment for the workers to try ideas, since no one knows what will work or will not work until it is tried. Therefore, it's important to generate as many ideas as possible. When the workers realize management appreciates their ideas, they will come forward with more and more ideas and your company will begin a journey of continuous innovation.
"Ted Garrison, president of Garrison Associates, is a catalyst for change. As a consultant, author and speaker he provides breakthrough strategies for the construction industry by focusing on critical issues in leadership, project management, strategic thinking, strategic alliances and marketing. Contact Ted at 800-861-0874 or Growing@TedGarrison.com. Further information can be found at www.TedGarrison.com."
However, if executives tried something like the following they would be more successful. "We know that management has a bunch of rules and procedures that probably drive you crazy and prevent you from doing your jobs. Therefore, we need your help in eliminating or changing those rules and procedures. Do any of you have any suggestions how we can make it easier for you to perform your job?" This dialogue creates a different response. Most workers think there are rules and procedures that can be improved. Even this approach can go slow in the beginning because the workers are skeptical that management will listen to their ideas. So the key is to allow them to try their ideas with the caveat the idea must improve productivity or quality. But management shouldn't decide if the suggestion will work or not, let the worker experiment with the idea. Once workers realize management is serious about listening to their suggestions, the workers will come up with more ideas. The only i deas, that management should veto, are ones that would negatively impact safety. In that case, management simply says, "We will not make that change, because will not sacrifice employee safety to increase productivity. Our employees are too valuable." Workers will appreciate that rejection.
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Electrical Drafter
2
0
2
1
5
1
2 14 0 1 1 0 10 0
8
1
0
0
10
2
2
1 6 4
0 0
Field Supervisor
Goldsmith
Golf Instructor
Heavy Equipment Mechanic
Hvac Technician
Japanese Specialty Cook Landscape Gardeners Laundry Supervisor Les Mills Certified Instructor Machinist Marine Maint. Machinist Marine Maint. Mechanic MRI Technician
Massage Therapist
Motor Rewinder
Nursery Worker
Painter,Transporter Equipment
Pipefitter
Quality Inspectors
Radiologic Technician
Restaurant Manager Refrigeration & AC Mechanic
Shipfitter Sous Chef
Scuba Dive Instructor
Welder Welder - Fitter
1
Electric Motor Repairer
5 0 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Maintenance Electrician
Elevator Installer Chef Spa Supervisor - Trainer Biomedical Equipment Specialist Automotive Mechanic Baker Mechanic Auto Body Repairer Tech. OSH Instructor Buyer
Total Non-Construction H2-B Workers
0
1
2
Mechanic
Baker Master
150
2 4 19
Concierge
1
Wedding Service Attendants
20
7
Heavy Equipment Mechanic
TOTAL Construction H-2B Workers
Total OTHER Construction
Welder
Tower Crane Operator
Project Supervisor
Plasterer
32 1089
0
2
0
3
5
0
HVAC Mechanic
Landscaper
6
0
Foreman General Maintenance & Repairer
4
0
0
Field Supervisor
Estimator
Electrical Power Lineman
1
1
Architectural Drafter Civil Engineer
3
AC& Refrigeration Mechanic
Other Construction Occupations
Employers Workplace Monthly Report Statistics
Ulatrsound Technician
Baker Mechanic
Specialty Cook Training & Dev. Specialist
Other Non-Construction Occupations
1 11 1
Auto Repairer Baker
GUAM DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Alien Labor Processing Certification Division
1215 13 8 2 1 1239
Grand Total H2B Workers
4.73% 0.38%
36.90%
Sheetmetal Worker
Reinforcing Metalworker Structural Steelworker Plumber
Carpenter
Cement Mason
0
1000
1500
Prepared By: Sherine Espinosa Contact information: Greg Massey, ALPCD Administrator P.O. Box 9970 Tamuning, Guam 96931 (671)475-8005/8003
Camp Cook 42.29%
1.80%
500
10.88%
1.04%
1.70%
0.28%
Common Construction Occupations
UK
Kiribati
Japan
Korea
Philippines
Japan 0.65% Kiribati 0.16% UK 0.08%
Heavy Equip. Operator Electrician
Total U.S. Workers
1239
Philippines 98.06%
Korea 1.05%
H-2B Population by Nationality
REPORTS/ INFORMATION
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
US Workers vs. H-2B
Grand Total H-2B Workers
4221
39 86
Non-Construction Total H-2B Employers
Total U.S. Workers
47
Construction
Employers By Industry
Philippines Korea Japan Kiribati United Kingdom Total by Nationality
Workers by Nationality
Total Common Const.
1057
50 4
Camp Cook
19
Electrician
3
11 18
115
Heavy Equip. Operator
Plumber Sheetmetal Worker
Structural Steelworker
Reinforcing Metalworker
Common Construction Occupations 390 447
Cement Mason Carpenter
MONTH ENDING: December 2014