Married veterans and those in a live-in relationship have a higher risk of suicide than their single counterparts, Military.com reports on a new study by the VA and University of Connecticut. Researchers reviewed survey responses from 772 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. Being married significantly increased the risk.

USNI News presents the Fleet and Marine Tracker developed by the Center for Naval Analyses, showing  approximate positions of deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of Feb. 5, 2018, based on Navy and public data.

The second Zumwalt-class guided-missile destroyer, Michael Monsoor, has completed acceptance trials, according to a statement from Naval Sea Systems Command, reports USNI. The second ship in the three-ship class is now pier-side at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Maine after the Navy evaluation ahead of delivery to the service in March.

Boeing to begin flight tests of the third, and smallest member of the 737 MAX family, the 737-7, reports Aviation Week. Boeing is scheduled to deliver the 737-7 in 2019 but hopes the positive news from upcoming flight tests will help stimulate sales.

US is reducing troops in Iraq and sending some to Afghanistan, reports Military Times. The shift follows Baghdad’s declaration of victory over the Islamic State group last year, an Iraqi government spokesman and Western contractors said Monday.

House GOP leaders propose a long-term boost to military funding, but only a short-term extension to other federal agencies, reports The Washington Post. The bill would likely heighten tension with Democrats and complicate plans to keep the government open past Thursday. Trump, meanwhile, called for a government shutdown Thursday if Congress fails to pass his border-security measures, reports Politico.

Defense News reports the US could be getting two new nuclear capabilities. The Nuclear Posture Review recommends adding a low-yield warhead for submarine-launched ballistic missiles and a nuclear-capable submarine-launched cruise missile to America’s arsenal.

The country may be ready, but it’s bad timing for a fix of infrastructure in America, the economy is just too strong, reports FiveThirtyEight. The government has likely missed the window in which making repairs offers a big economic boost.

Contracts:

Valiant Government Services LLC, Hopkinsville, Kentucky, has been awarded a $13,148,686 firm-fixed-price contract for operations and maintenance services for US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command facilities Navy, National Museum of Health and Medicine and Armed Forces Medical Examiner Service facilities. Bids were solicited via the Internet with two received. Work will be performed in Natick, Massachusetts; Gunpowder, Maryland; Fort Detrick, Maryland; Silver Spring, Maryland; Fort Rucker, Alabama; and Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 6, 2019. Fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance (Army) and research, development, test and evaluation funds in the combined amount of $13,148,686 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W91278-18-C-0011).

Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is being awarded a $33,763,548 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-15-C-6222) to exercise options for the procurement of Technical Insertion (TI)-16 Acoustic Rapid Commercial Off-the-Shelf Insertion (A-RCI) systems and pre-cable kits. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (95 percent); Clearwater, Florida (5 percent), and is expected to be completed by February 2020. Fiscal 2018 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $33,763,548 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.

General Dynamics Mission Systems, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, is being awarded $16,038,136 for modification P00018 to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00030-16-C-0005) for sustainment of the U.S. and United Kingdom (UK) SSBN Fire Control System, the US SSGN attack weapon control system, including training and support equipment. Also included is missile fire control for the Columbia-class and UK Dreadnought-class Common Missile Compartment program development, through first unit UK production, and strategic weapon interface simulator. The work will be performed in Pittsfield Massachusetts (90.5 percent); Bremerton, Washington, (3.6 percent); Kings Bay, Georgia (2.7 percent); Dahlgren, Virginia (1.0 percent); Cape Canaveral, Florida (0.9 percent); Portsmouth, Virginia (0.9 percent); and the United Kingdom (0.4 percent), with an expected completion date of September 2023. Fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $16,038,136 are being obligated on this award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. 

CACI Inc. Federal, Chantilly, Virginia, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $10,618,687 modification, P00008 to previously awarded HQ0423-15-F-5001 for comptroller mission systems support for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller). This modification exercises option year three with a period of performance of Feb. 16, 2018, through Feb. 15, 2019. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $39,482,688 from $28,864,001. Work will be performed at the Pentagon; and remote locations within the National Capital Region with an expected completion date of Feb. 15, 2019. Operations and maintenance (defense-wide) funds in the amount of $10,618,687 are being obligated at time of award. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service in Columbus, Ohio, is the contracting activity.