Logistic tree.

Were I to be really clever, a true geek, I would draw out a flow chart illustrating how funding comes from the NSF to CPS who then leases space in Kangerlussuaq from a subsidiary company owned and operated by The Greenland Home Rule allowing the four of us based here in Kangerlussuaq to do our work, scan it and post it as a large photo on my blog. However, wording must suffice. But first, a few acronyms should be defined:

The NSF is of course, the national science foundation.
CPS is much abbreviated. The "C" stands for CH2MHill. The "P" for Polar and the "S" for services.

Formerly known as VPR (which was short for VECO Polar resources) the polar resources branch of this banyan tree was recently bought out by CH2MHill.
I must go on; the polar resources part of VECO now the polar services shoot of CH2MHill, is still the same company.

Back around 2004 a group of friends that had been working for many years for the Antarctic program took an opportunity. The contract for the company that the NSF was then funding to do the logistical work on the Antarctic continent at Palmer, McMurdo Station and south pole was coming up for renewal. This group of very talented very dynamic people felt they could branch off and start there own company under the capital umbrella of VECO. They formed VPR and began offering science logistical support all over the top of the world.

If you select the link I have titled as "our company" you will be sent to VPR's site which has not yet been changed to CPS. This site offers links to all of the places in the Arctic where VPR (CPS) provides logistical support.

Gosh, I'm sorry, the first last thing I ever thought Id do was have a blog. The second last thing I ever thought Id do was blog about major corporations; especially corporations that I have only a basic understanding of! To add to this labyrinthine tale of acronymic dialouge, I should point out that we are not paid by any of the companies or corporations mentioned above, but by someone called RTX.

The main office for CPS is in Litttleton CO. There is only a handful of people who work there. All of them will at one point in time or another deploy to Greenland or Alaska or Russia or Svalbard to do field work either as project coordinators, camp managers or intelligently, just to investigate situations and or possibilities for a Principal Investigator. Sometimes a long trip is made just to speak with an actual person about a seemingly impossible air charter to a remote corner of the world.

The reasons for being based out of kangerluusuaq are simple, this is the largest runway in all of Greenland, capable of landing the largest of military cargo aircraft. Today, kangerlussuaq serves as the central hub for all of the country running 4 flights a week every week of the year between Copenhagen and kangerlussuaq, on an Aerobus 333-200 (averaging 249 seats). The annual number of people flying into or through kangerlussuaq is over 200.000. though most continue on aboard a 757 or a Dash 7 to other cities such as Nuuk (the capitol), sisimiut, and Ilullisat, now an UNESCO site or on to villages or settlements. In a country of less than 55.000 people, this is a remarkable statistic.

The massive installation of infrastructure built during WWII, created a plethora of hangers, warehouses, and dormitory style, two story flats. There is even a recreation center and an outdoor tennis court. When the Danes gave up their governance over Greenland, all of these buildings were rolled over into Home Rule ownership. Today everything about Kangerlussuaq is centered around its single lane run way: the airport, the hotel, the workers supporting both, a bit of tourism, one grocer, a pizzaria and us!

Because the NSF contracts the NY air national guard to fly so many missions to Greenland each summer season (late march- late august) and because we need warehouses to hold all of our equipment and supplies (this includes space in a 2000 square foot freezer for food) and because there must be beds and meals and showers and laundry and Internet connections for all of the hundreds of people that will pass through here, Kangerlussuaq, with all of its pre-existing previously vacated buildings and its long runway with plenty of apron space available was a perfect sight.