ReleaseService releaseService = AgilePlanningObjectFactory.getReleaseService();
// find the release... if needed
if (StringUtils.isNotEmpty( (String) request.getParameter("persistanceId"))) {
Release release = releaseService.findByPersistanceId(Integer.parseInt((String)request.getParameter("persistanceId")));
// populate the form
ReleaseForm releaseForm = (ReleaseForm) form;
releaseForm.setDate(release.getDate());