NASA'S HUBBLE SHOWS MILKY WAY COLLISION WITH ANDROMEDA GALAXY

Photo Credit:  NASA

FROM:  NASA

WASHINGTON -- NASA astronomers announced Thursday they can now predict 

with certainty the next major cosmic event to affect our galaxy, sun, 

and solar system: the titanic collision of our Milky Way galaxy with 

the neighboring Andromeda galaxy. 

The Milky Way is destined to get a major makeover during the 

encounter, which is predicted to happen four billion years from now. 

It is likely the sun will be flung into a new region of our galaxy, 

but our Earth and solar system are in no danger of being destroyed. 

"Our findings are statistically consistent with a head-on collision 

between the Andromeda galaxy and our Milky Way galaxy," said Roeland 

van der Marel of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in 

Baltimore. 

The solution came through painstaking NASA Hubble Space Telescope 

measurements of the motion of Andromeda, which also is known as M31. 

The galaxy is now 2.5 million light-years away, but it is inexorably 

falling toward the Milky Way under the mutual pull of gravity between 

the two galaxies and the invisible dark matter that surrounds them 

both. 

"After nearly a century of speculation about the future destiny of 

Andromeda and our Milky Way, we at last have a clear picture of how 

events will unfold over the coming billions of years," said Sangmo 

Tony Sohn of STScI. 

The scenario is like a baseball batter watching an oncoming fastball. 

Although Andromeda is approaching us more than two thousand times 

faster, it will take 4 billion years before the strike. 

Computer simulations derived from Hubble's data show that it will take 

an additional two billion years after the encounter for the 

interacting galaxies to completely merge under the tug of gravity and 

reshape into a single elliptical galaxy similar to the kind commonly 

seen in the local universe. 

Although the galaxies will plow into each other, stars inside each 

galaxy are so far apart that they will not collide with other stars 

during the encounter. However, the stars will be thrown into 

different orbits around the new galactic center. Simulations show 

that our solar system will probably be tossed much farther from the 

galactic core than it is today. 

To make matters more complicated, M31's small companion, the 

Triangulum galaxy, M33, will join in the collision and perhaps later 

merge with the M31/Milky Way pair. There is a small chance that M33 

will hit the Milky Way first. 

The universe is expanding and accelerating, and collisions between 

galaxies in close proximity to each other still happen because they 

are bound by the gravity of the dark matter surrounding them. The 

Hubble Space Telescope's deep views of the universe show such 

encounters between galaxies were more common in the past when the 

universe was smaller. 

A century ago astronomers did not realize that M31 was a separate 

galaxy far beyond the stars of the Milky Way. Edwin Hubble measured 

its vast distance by uncovering a variable star that served as a 

"milepost marker." 

Hubble went on to discover the expanding universe where galaxies are 

rushing away from us, but it has long been known that M31 is moving 

toward the Milky Way at about 250,000 miles per hour. That is fast 

enough to travel from here to the moon in one hour. The measurement 

was made using the Doppler effect, which is a change in frequency and 

wavelength of waves produced by a moving source relative to an 

observer, to measure how starlight in the galaxy has been compressed 

by Andromeda's motion toward us. 

Previously, it was unknown whether the far-future encounter will be a 

miss, glancing blow, or head-on smashup. This depends on M31’s 

tangential motion. Until now, astronomers had not been able to 

measure M31's sideways motion in the sky, despite attempts dating 

back more than a century. The Hubble Space Telescope team, led by van 

der Marel, conducted extraordinarily precise observations of the 

sideways motion of M31 that remove any doubt that it is destined to 

collide and merge with the Milky Way. 

"This was accomplished by repeatedly observing select regions of the 

galaxy over a five- to seven-year period," said Jay Anderson of 

STScI. 

"In the worst-case-scenario simulation, M31 slams into the Milky Way 

head-on and the stars are all scattered into different orbits," said 

Gurtina Besla of Columbia University in New York. "The stellar 

populations of both galaxies are jostled, and the Milky Way loses its 

flattened pancake shape with most of the stars on nearly circular 

orbits. The galaxies' cores merge, and the stars settle into 

randomized orbits to create an elliptical-shaped galaxy." 

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

FROM:   NASA

The Galaxy Next Door

Hot stars burn brightly in this new image from NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer, showing the ultraviolet side of a familiar face. 

At approximately 2.5 million light-years away, the Andromeda galaxy, or M31, is our Milky Way's largest galactic neighbor. The entire galaxy spans 260,000 light-years across -- a distance so large, it took 11 different image segments stitched together to produce this view of the galaxy next door. 

The bands of blue-white making up the galaxy's striking rings are neighborhoods that harbor hot, young, massive stars. Dark blue-grey lanes of cooler dust show up starkly against these bright rings, tracing the regions where star formation is currently taking place in dense cloudy cocoons. Eventually, these dusty lanes will be blown away by strong stellar winds, as the forming stars ignite nuclear fusion in their cores. Meanwhile, the central orange-white ball reveals a congregation of cooler, old stars that formed long ago. 

When observed in visible light, Andromeda’s rings look more like spiral arms. The ultraviolet view shows that these arms more closely resemble the ring-like structure previously observed in infrared wavelengths with NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope. Astronomers using Spitzer interpreted these rings as evidence that the galaxy was involved in a direct collision with its neighbor, M32, more than 200 million years ago. 

Andromeda is so bright and close to us that it is one of only ten galaxies that can be spotted from Earth with the naked eye. This view is two-color composite, where blue represents far-ultraviolet light, and orange is near-ultraviolet light. 

UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG POST-9/11 VETS

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
The Latest on Unemployment Among Post-9/11 Veterans
June 1, 2012 by Brandon Friedman 
On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Veteran unemployment data for the month of May. The unemployment rate for one closely watched group, Iraq and Afghanistan-era Veterans (or Gulf War II-era Veterans), rose to 12.7 percent from 9.2 percent the previous month.

Tracking Veteran unemployment is notoriously difficult and we often see significant swings from one month to the next—making long-term analysis critically important. In the case of post-9/11 Veterans, the long-term unemployment trend remains stable and downward—a sign of recovery following the worst economic crisis since The Great Depression.

                                  Chart From:  U.S. Veterans Administration

One way to visualize this is by looking at the trend line of monthly unemployment rates for the past 29 months (since January 2010). Even with intermittent spikes, the overall trend continues to move steadily downward.

                                    Chart From:  U.S. Veterans Administration

However, because chunks of data are often better indicators, another way to view the trend is by looking at the moving (or rolling) average. The chart below captures 12-month averages for the periods ending in each of the previous 18 months. That chart looks a bit different, but the trend is similar: modest, but downward.

As you can see, while we’d like to have a sharper decline, it is absolutely inaccurate to assert that the unemployment rate for post-9/11 Veterans is “way up” or “skyrocketing” based solely on one month’s report.

That said, we’ve clearly got our work cut out for us. There is much to do in the way of lowering unemployment among all Veterans, and that’s why the President on Friday announced three more Veteran hiring programs. The White House has also called for the creation of a Veterans Job Corps.

In addition to these efforts, VA is continuing to hold events like our upcoming Veteran Hiring Fair in Detroit. It’s free and will offer jobs nationwide. We’ve also recently opened applications for the Veterans Retraining and Assistance Program (VRAP)—for eligible Veterans age 35 – 60.

The bottom line is that unemployment is still too high as long as thousands of returning Veterans still can’t find meaningful work. For that reason, VA, in conjunction with the White House and our private sector partners, will work tirelessly until we get where we need to be.

DEFENSE SECRETARY VISIT SHOWS STRENGTHENING TIES WITH VIETNAM

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta speaks to crew members aboard the USNS Richard Byrd and their Vietnamese counterparts in Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam, June 3, 2012. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo 



Panetta's Cam Ranh Bay Visit Symbolizes Growing U.S.-Vietnam Ties
By Jim Garamone
CAM RANH BAY, Vietnam, June 3, 2012 - Senior U.S. officials were once a familiar sight at this deep-water port on the South China Sea. But that was during the Vietnam War, which is why Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's visit to an American ship moored in the harbor here is historic.

Panetta touched on history, but spoke of the future to the men and women of the USNS Richard Byrd – a Military Sealift Command supply ship. He spoke of the Vietnam War and the symbolism of the large gray supply ship moored in the harbor today.
On Memorial Day, Panetta spoke at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington to mark the 50th anniversary of the war. Etched in granite on the memorial are the names of all the Americans who died in the war.

Many of those Americans memorialized in the Wall came through Can Ranh Bay. It was a major port, major airfield and major logistics point for American forces during the war.
"Today I stand on a U.S. ship in Cam Ranh Bay to recognize the 17th anniversary of the normalization of relations between the United States and Vietnam," he said.

In the 1960s and early 1970s, Vietnam was a bloody country. Millions of Americans service members served in Vietnam-- 58,282, died and hundreds of thousands were wounded. The Vietnamese military also took horrendous casualties, and Vietnamese civilians often also paid the price of war.

The war ended in 1975, and 20 years later the United States and Vietnam normalized relations between the countries.

"I'm here to take stock of the partnership we are developing with Vietnam," Panetta told the civilian mariners and sailors of the Byrd.

Since the normalization, the U.S. and Vietnamese militaries have worked to build military-to-military relations. Last year, U.S. and Vietnamese defense officials signed a memorandum of understanding designed to bring the two militaries closer together.
"We've come a long way," Panetta said.

The way American and Vietnamese defense officials have been working together shows the two countries "have a complicated relationship, but we are not bound by that history," the secretary said. "We want to explore ways that we can expand that relationship."
The United States wants to expand the relationship in a number of areas, Panetta said. The secretary would like to see growth in high-level exchanges, in the maritime area, in search and rescue, in humanitarian aid and disaster relief and in peacekeeping operations.
"In particular we want to work with Vietnam on critical maritime issues including a code of conduct focusing on the South China Sea, and also working to improve freedom of navigation in our oceans," he said.

Access for U.S. supply ships to Cam Ranh Bay and its repair facilities is important not only for logistical reasons but for its political implications. This will allow the United States to achieve its objectives in the Asia-Pacific and to take the relationship with Vietnam to the next level, Panetta said.

The secretary made a special mention of Vietnam's longstanding assistance in identifying and locating the remains of our fallen service members and those Americans missing in action in Vietnam. "This sacred mission will continue until all missing troops are accounted for," he said. "We stand by our pledge that we leave no one behind."
The secretary spoke on the flight deck of the Byrd. The equatorial sun beat down on the deck, and behind him rose Vietnam's jagged, rocky mountains. Immediately behind him flew the U.S. flag on the fantail of the ship. Panetta served as an Army lieutenant in the early 1960s. The names of some of his classmates, friends, fellow soldiers are engraved in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

"We all recall that a great deal of blood was spilled in the war on all sides – by Americans and by Vietnamese," he said. "A lot of questions were raised on all sides over why the war was fought.

"But if out of all that sacrifice we can build a strong partnership between our countries that looks to the future, then perhaps can we not only begin to heal the wounds of the past, but we can build a better future for all our people in the Asia-Pacific region."

JUSTICE DEPT. SETTLES RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT AGAINST NEW YORK TRANSIT AUTHORITY

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Justice Department Settles Religious Discrimination Lawsuit Against New York City Transit Authority
The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a settlement with the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) to resolve allegations that the NYCTA is engaged in a pattern or practice of religious discrimination.

The Justice Department filed its complaint in September 2004 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.   The complaint alleged that the NYCTA violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by selectively enforcing its uniform headwear policies against employees who are unable to comply for religious reasons and by failing or refusing to reasonably accommodate those employees whose religious practices require an accommodation from the NYCTA’s uniform headwear policies.   Title VII prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin and religion.
According to the Justice Department’s complaint, the NYCTA had not enforced its uniform headwear policies prior to Sept. 11, 2001.   However, beginning in or about March 2002, the NYCTA began to selectively enforce those policies against Muslim and Sikh employees, moving them or threatening to move them out of public contact positions because the employees, consistent with their sincerely held religious beliefs, refused to attach NYCTA logos to their khimars and turbans, respectively.

Under the terms of the settlement agreement, which must still be approved by the court, the NYCTA must:   (1) adopt new uniform headwear policies, which would allow employees working in public contact positions to wear khimars, yarmulkes, turbans, kufis, skullcaps, tams and headscarves without attaching anything to the headwear; (2) implement and distribute a new religious accommodation policy consistent with Title VII’s requirement to reasonably accommodate the religious practices of all employees and prospective workers; and   (3) provide guidance to and ensure that training is completed by the NYCTA personnel responsible for implementing the agency’s new religious accommodation policy and procedure.  Additionally, the NYCTA will pay $184,500, divided among eight current and former NYCTA employees who were denied religious accommodations related to the NYCTA’s prior uniform headwear policies.

“This settlement agreement sends a clear message that the Department of Justice will not tolerate religious discrimination,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.   “I am pleased that the NYCTA has agreed to end its discriminatory practices that for years have forced employees to choose between practicing their religion and maintaining their jobs.”

4 U.S. LITTORAL COMBAT SHIPS TO BE MANAGED OUT OF SINGAPORE

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE 
Dempsey Details Plan for 'Singapore-managed' Ships

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT, June 3, 2012 - The littoral combat ships that will soon begin rotational deployment to Singapore are an example of the increased military engagement called for under the U.S. Asia-Pacific strategy, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said today.

En route from Singapore to the Philippines today, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff filled in the picture outlined yesterday during the 11th annual Asia security conference in Singapore known as the Shangri-La Dialogue.   

Following a bilateral U.S.-Singapore meeting at the conference, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Singapore's Minister for Defense Ng Eng Hen finalized the rotation of four U.S. littoral combat ships to Singapore. Dempsey told American Forces Press Service today that the ships will be managed out of, not based in, Singapore.

"They'll be deployed for six to 10 months at a time, on a rotational basis, but they'll make port calls throughout the region," the chairman said. "And so while the U.S.-Singapore relationship will be the most significant beneficiary of that, so too will Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines [and] others in the region."

The ships have a range of capabilities, Dempsey said, "everything from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief right up to its ability to act as a warship."

Littoral combat ships are designed to operate in near-shore environments and are effective against "anti-access" threats such as mines, quiet diesel submarines and fast surface craft. They are also capable of open-ocean operation.

With that range, the chairman said, the ships are well suited to multilateral exercises. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus is planning a multilateral maritime humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercise, Dempsey noted.

"We haven't committed to [that exercise] yet, but were we to commit to it, I think you'd find [the ships] very well suited to take part in that exercise," he said.

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA RESPONDS TO CHINA'S CONCERNS

Photo:  Chinese Tank.  Credit:  Wikimedia.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Secretary Responds to China Concerns During Dialogue

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

SINGAPORE, June 2, 2012 - There is no choice but to pursue a mature relationship between the United States and China, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told attendees of the 11th annual Asia security conference, known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, here today.

"Our relationship with China -- we approach it in a very clear-eyed way," he said. "We both understand the differences we have ... but we also both understand that there really is no other alternative but for both of us to engage, and to improve our communications."

The secretary delivered the gathering's keynote address this morning, outlining specifics of the U.S. Asia-Pacific strategy. In the question-and-answer period following his speech, representatives from several nations in the region quizzed him on perceived tensions surrounding U.S.-China relations.

Panetta stressed that the U.S. position involves increasing communications between the two nations on diplomatic, trade and economic issues, as well as in the defense realm.

"The problem in the past is that ... there was a large element of distrust between our two countries," the secretary said. "I think what both of us have to recognize is that we are powers in this region ... [and] we have common obligations to try to promote peace and prosperity and security in this region."

He also noted the U.S. is working to build relationships with countries across the Asia-Pacific and encourages nations here to develop international standards and the means to peacefully resolving disagreements.

Panetta emphasized the United States does not take sides in territorial disputes, such as that between China and the Philippines over the Scarborough Shoal area in the South China Sea.

"Every time these events take place ... we always come very close to having a confrontation," he said. "And that's dangerous for all countries in this region."

China and other Asia-Pacific regions must develop a code of conduct to help resolve disputes, the secretary said.

"It isn't enough for the United States to come charging in and try to resolve these issues," Panetta said. "This is a situation where the counties here have to come together. We will support them, we will encourage them, but ultimately they have to develop ... a dispute forum that can resolve those issues."

The United States is not taking a Cold War-style approach to the region of building permanent military installations and seeking to establish a power base, he said.

"This is a different world ... [and] we have to engage with other countries, to help develop their capabilities so that they can ... defend themselves in the future," the secretary said.

The United States will carry out rotational deployments, participate in multinational exercises, and provide advice and assistance to other nations in the region, Panetta said. That sort of partnership will most effectively promote security, he added.

"We will encourage that kind of relationship with every nation we deal with in this region," he said.

Panetta acknowledged the United States and China will see ups and downs in their relationship.

"There are moments when you agree; there are moments when you disagree," he said. "But you maintain lines of communication, you maintain lines of diplomacy ... to resolve those differences and to focus on those areas where you do agree."

PEGASUS: NEW EYES IN THE SKIES

FROM:  NASA
Pegasus Fairing Removed
Orbital Sciences’ Pegasus XL rocket is viewed over the Pegasus payload fairing, positioned part in and part out of the environmental enclosure in Orbital’s hangar on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Half of the Pegasus fairing has been removed from around NASA’s NuSTAR spacecraft. Access to the spacecraft is needed for compatibility testing to verify communication with a tracking station in Hawaii.
Image credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB
April 10, 2012

EARTHQUAKE DETECTED, NO LARGE-SCALE TSUNAMI EXPECTED

FROM:  NOAA

TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT NUMBER   1
NWS PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER EWA BEACH HI
523 PM HST SUN JUN 03 2012

TO - CIVIL DEFENSE IN THE STATE OF HAWAII

SUBJECT - TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT

THIS STATEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY. NO ACTION REQUIRED.

AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS

   ORIGIN TIME - 0515 PM HST 03 JUN 2012
   COORDINATES -  5.4 NORTH   82.7 WEST
   LOCATION    - SOUTH OF PANAMA
   MAGNITUDE   - 6.6  MOMENT

EVALUATION

 BASED ON ALL AVAILABLE DATA A DESTRUCTIVE PACIFIC-WIDE TSUNAMI IS
 NOT EXPECTED AND THERE IS NO TSUNAMI THREAT TO HAWAII. REPEAT. A
 DESTRUCTIVE PACIFIC-WIDE TSUNAMI IS NOT EXPECTED AND THERE IS NO
 TSUNAMI THREAT TO HAWAII.

THIS WILL BE THE ONLY STATEMENT ISSUED FOR THIS EVENT UNLESS
ADDITIONAL DATA ARE RECEIVED.

NAVY SAILORS PREPARE FOR A WMD ATTACK

FROM:  U.S. NAVY
A Sailor assigned to Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron (MSRON) 2 puts on her gas mask during a chemical, biological and radiological attack drill. MSRON 2 completed a unit level training and readiness assessment in preparation for its final deployment before merging into the Coastal Riverine Force next year. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ernesto Hernandez Fonte (Released) 120530-N-HN353-063

SEC. OF DEFENSE PANETTA ATTENDS SHANGRI-LA SECURITY DIALOGUE

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Shangri-La Security Dialogue As Delivered by Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta, Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore, Saturday, June 02, 2012
Ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor to have the opportunity to attend my first Shangri-La Conference.  I want to commend the International Institute for Strategic Studies for fostering this very important dialogue, this very important discussion that is taking place here this weekend.

I am, as I understand it, the third United States secretary of defense to appear at this forum, across administrations from both political parties in the United States.  That is, I believe, a testament to the importance that the United States places in this dynamic and critical region of the world.

It is in that spirit that I have come to Singapore, at the beginning of an eight-day journey across Asia that will take me to Vietnam and to India as well.

The purpose of this trip, and of my remarks today, is to explain a new defense strategy that the United States has put in place and why the United States will play a deeper and more enduring partnership role in advancing the security and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region, and how the United States military supports that goal by rebalancing towards this region.

Since the United States grew westward in the 19th century, we have been a Pacific nation.  I was born and raised in a coastal town in California called Monterey, and have spent a lifetime looking out across the Pacific Ocean.  As a fishing community, as a port, the ocean was the lifeblood of our economy.  And some of my earliest memories as a child during World War II are of watching American troops pass through my community, trained at the military reservation called Fort Ord, and were on their way to face battle in the Pacific.

I remember the fear that gripped our community during World War II, and later when war again broke out on the Korean Peninsula.  Despite the geographic distance that separates us, I've always understood that America's fate is inexorably linked with this region.

This reality has guided more than six decades of U.S. military presence and partnership in this region -- a defense posture which, along with our trading relations, along with our diplomatic ties, along with our foreign assistance, helped usher in an unprecedented era of security and prosperity in the latter half of the 20th century.

In this century, the 21st century, the United States recognizes that our prosperity and our security depends even more on the Asia-Pacific region.  After all, this region is home to some of the world's fastest growing economies: China, India, and Indonesia to mention a few.  At the same time, Asia-Pacific contains the world's largest populations, and the world's largest militaries.  Defense spending in Asia is projected by this institute, the IISS, to surpass that of Europe this year, and there is no doubt that it will continue to increase in the future.

Given these trends, President Obama has stated the United States will play a larger role in this region over the decades to come.  This effort will draw on the strengths of the entire United States government.  We take on this role not as a distant power, but as part of the Pacific family of nations.  Our goal is to work closely with all of the nations of this region to confront common challenges and to promote peace, prosperity, and security for all nations in the Asia-Pacific region.

My colleague and my good friend Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has also outlined our refocus on the Asia-Pacific, emphasizing the crucial part that diplomacy, trade, and development will play in our engagement.

The same is true for defense policy.  We will play an essential role in promoting strong partnerships that strengthen the capabilities of the Pacific nations to defend and secure themselves.  All of the U.S. military services are focused on implementing the president's guidance to make the Asia-Pacific a top priority.  Before I detail these specific efforts, let me provide some context for our broader defense strategy in the 21st century.
The United States is at a strategic turning point after a decade of war.  We have significantly weakened al-Qaida's leadership and ability to attack other nations.  We have sent a very clear message that nobody attacks the United States and gets away with it.  Our military mission in Iraq has ended and established -- established an Iraq that can secure and govern itself.

In Afghanistan, where a number of Asia-Pacific nations are playing a critical role in the international coalition, we have begun our transition to the Afghan security lead and to an Afghanistan that can secure and govern itself.  Recent meeting in Chicago, NATO and its partners -- over 50 nations -- came together to support General Allen's plan to accomplish this goal.  In addition to that, we joined in a successful NATO effort to return Libya to the Libyan people.

But even as we have been able to draw these wars to a hopeful end, we are confronted today by a wide range of complex global challenges.  From terrorism -- terrorism still remains a threat to the world -- from terrorism to the destabilizing behavior of Iran and North Korea, from nuclear proliferation to the new threat of cyberattack, from continuing turmoil in the Middle East to territorial disputes in this region.

At the same time, the United States, like many other nations, is dealing with large debt and large deficits, which has required the Department of Defense to reduce the planning budget by nearly half a trillion dollars or specifically $487 billion that were directed to be reduced by the Congress in the Budget Control Act over the next decade.
But this new fiscal reality, challenge that many nations confront these days, has given us an opportunity to design a new defense strategy for the 21st century that both confronts the threats that we face and maintains the strongest military in the world.

This strategy makes clear the United States military, yes, it will be smaller, it will be leaner, but it will be agile and flexible, quickly deployable, and will employ cutting-edge technology in the future.  It makes equally clear that while the U.S. military will remain a global force for security and stability, we will of necessity rebalance towards the Asia-Pacific region.  We will also maintain our presence throughout the world.  We will do it with innovative rotational deployments that emphasize creation of new partnerships and new alliances.  We will also invest, invest in cyber, invest in space, invest in unnamed systems, invest in special forces operations.  We will invest in the newest technology and we will invest in the ability to mobilize quickly if necessary.

We have made choices and we have set priorities, and we have rightly chosen to make this region a priority.

Our approach to achieving the long-term goal in the Asia-Pacific is to stay firmly committed to a basic set of shared principles -- principles that promote international rules and order to advance peace and security in the region, deepening and broadening our bilateral and multilateral partnerships, enhancing and adapting the U.S. military's enduring presence in this region, and to make new investments in the capabilities needed to project power and operate in Asia-Pacific. Let me discuss each of these shared principles.  The first is the shared principle that we abide by international rules and order.
Let me underscore that this is not a new principle, our solid commitment to establish a set of rules that all play by is one that we believe will help support peace and prosperity in this region.

What are we talking about?  These rules include the principle of open and free commerce, a just international order that emphasizes rights and responsibilities of all nations and a fidelity to the rule of law; open access by all to their shared domains of sea, air, space, and cyberspace; and resolving disputes without coercion or the use of force.
Backing this vision involves resolving disputes as quickly as possible with diplomatic efforts.  Backing these principles has been the essential mission of the United States military in the Asia-Pacific for more than 60 years and it will be even a more important mission in the future.  My hope is that in line with these rules and international order that is necessary that the United States will join over 160 other nations in ratifying the Law of Seas Convention this year.

The second principle is one of partnerships.  Key to this approach is our effort to modernize and strengthen our alliances and partnerships in this region.  The United States has key treaty alliances with Japan, South Korea, Australia, Philippines and Thailand.  We have key partners in India, Singapore, Indonesia, and other nations.  And we are working hard to develop and build stronger relations with China.

As we expand our partnerships, as we strengthen our alliances, the United States-Japan alliance will remain one of the cornerstones for regional security and prosperity in the 21st century.  For that reason, our two militaries are enhancing their ability to train and operate together, and cooperating closely in areas such as maritime security and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.  We are also jointly developing high-tech capabilities, including the next generation missile defense interceptor, and exploring new areas of cooperation in space and in cyberspace.

In the past several months we have strengthened the alliance and our broader strategic objectives in the region with a revised plan to relocate Marines from Okinawa to Guam.  This plan will make the U.S. presence in Okinawa more politically sustainable, and it will help further develop Guam as a strategic hub for the United States military in the Western Pacific, improving our ability to respond to a wide range of contingencies in the Asia-Pacific region.

Another linchpin of our Asia-Pacific security is the U.S. alliance with the Republic of Korea.  During a year of transition and provocation on the Korean Peninsula, this alliance has been indispensable, and I have made it a priority to strengthen it for the future.  To that end, even as the United States reduces the overall size of its ground forces in the coming years in a transitional way over a five-year period, we will maintain the United States Army's significant presence in Korea.

We are also boosting our intelligence and information sharing with the Republic of Korea, standing firm against hostile provocations from North Korea while transforming the alliance with new capabilities to meet global challenges.

The third shared principle is presence.  While strengthening our traditional alliances in Northeast Asia and maintaining our presence there, as part of this rebalancing effort we are also enhancing our presence in Southeast Asia and in the Indian Ocean region.
A critical component of that effort is the agreement announced last fall for a rotational Marine Corps presence and aircraft deployments in northern Australia.
The first detachment of Marines arrived in April, and this Marine Air-Ground Task Force will be capable of rapidly deploying across the Asia-Pacific region, thereby enabling us to work more effectively with partners in Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean and tackle common challenges such as natural disasters and maritime security.

These Marines will conduct training and exercises throughout the region and with Australia, strengthening one of our most important alliances and building on a decade of operational experience together in Afghanistan.  Speaking of that, I welcome and applaud Australia's announcement that later this year it will assume leadership of Combined Team Uruzgan, and will lead our security efforts there through 2014.

We're also continuing close operational cooperation with our longtime ally, Thailand.  The Thais annually host COBRA GOLD, a world-class multilateral military exercise, and this year we will deepen our strategic cooperation to meet shared regional challenges.
We are energizing our alliance with the Philippines.  Last month in Washington I joined Secretary Clinton in the first-ever "2+2" meeting with our Filipino counterparts.  Working together, our forces are successfully countering terrorist groups.  We are also pursuing mutually beneficial capability enhancements, and working to improve the Philippine's maritime presence.  Chairman Dempsey will be traveling from here to the Philippines to further our military engagement.

Another tangible manifestation of our commitment to rebalancing is our growing defense relationship with Singapore.  Our ability to operate with Singaporean forces and others in the region will grow substantially in the coming years when we implement the forward deployment of the Littoral Combat Ships to Singapore.

As we take existing alliances and partnerships in new directions, this rebalancing effort also places a premium on enhancing partnerships with Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and Vietnam, and New Zealand.

In the coming days I will travel to Vietnam to advance bilateral defense cooperation, building off of the comprehensive memorandum of understanding that our two nations signed last year.

From Vietnam, I will travel to India to affirm our interest in building a strong security relationship with a country I believe will play a decisive role in shaping the security and prosperity of the 21st century.

As the United States strengthens these regional partnerships, we will also seek to strengthen a very important relationship with China.  We believe China is a key to being able to develop a peaceful, prosperous, and secure Asia-Pacific in the 21st century.  And I am looking forward to traveling there soon at the invitation of the Chinese government.  Both of our nations recognize that the relationship -- this relationship between the United States and China is one of the most important in the world.  We in the United States are clear-eyed about the challenges, make no mistake about it, but we also seek to grasp the opportunities that can come from closer cooperation and a closer relationship.

I'm personally committed to building a healthy, stable, reliable, and continuous mil-to-mil relationship with China.  I had the opportunity to host Vice President Xi and later Defense Minister General Liang at the Pentagon in the effort to pursue that goal.  Our aim is to continue to improve the strategic trust that we must have between our two countries, and to discuss common approaches to dealing with shared security challenges.
We are working with China to execute a robust military-to-military engagement plan for the rest of this year, and we will seek to deepen our partnership in humanitarian assistance, counter-drug, and counter-proliferation efforts.  We have also agreed on the need to address responsible behavior in cyberspace and in outer space.  We must establish and reinforce agreed principles of responsible behavior in these key domains.

I know that many in the region and across the world are closely watching the United States-China relationship.  Some view the increased emphasis by the United States on the Asia-Pacific region as some kind of challenge to China.  I reject that view entirely.  Our effort to renew and intensify our involvement in Asia is fully compatible -- fully compatible -- with the development and growth of China.  Indeed, increased U.S. involvement in this region will benefit China as it advances our shared security and prosperity for the future.
In this context, we strongly support the efforts that both China and Taiwan, both have made in recent years trying to improve cross-strait relations.  We have an enduring interest in peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.  The United States remains firm in the adherence to a one-China policy based on the Three Communiqués and the Taiwan Relations Act.

China also has a critical role to play in advancing security and prosperity by respecting the rules-based order that has served the region for six decades.  The United States welcomes the rise of a strong and prosperous and successful China that plays a greater role in global affairs.

Another positive step towards furthering this rules-based order is Asia's deepening regional security architecture, which the United States strongly supports.  Last October, I had the opportunity to be the first U.S. secretary of defense to meet privately with all ASEAN defense ministers in Bali.  We applaud the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus for producing real action plans for multilateral military cooperation, and I strongly support the ASEAN decision to hold more frequent ADMM-Plus discussions at the ministerial level.  We think this is an important step for stability, real coordination, communication, and support between these nations.

The United States believes it is critical for regional institutions to develop mutually agreed rules of the road that protect the rights of all nations to free and open access to the seas.  We support the efforts of the ASEAN countries and China to develop a binding code of conduct that would create a rules-based framework for regulating the conduct of parties in the South China Sea, including the prevention and management of disputes.

On that note, we are obviously paying close attention to the situation in Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.  The U.S. position is clear and consistent:  we call for restraint and for diplomatic resolution; we oppose provocation; we oppose coercion; and we oppose the use of force.  We do not take sides when it comes to competing territorial claims, but we do want this dispute resolved peacefully and in a manner consistent with international law.  We have made our views known and very clear to our close treaty ally, the Philippines, and we have made those views clear to China and to other countries in the region.

As a Pacific power, the United States has a national interest in freedom of navigation, in unimpeded economic development and commerce, and in a respect for the rule of law.  Our alliances, our partnerships, and our enduring presence in this region all serve to support these important goals.

For those who are concerned about the ability of the United States to maintain a strong presence in the Asia-Pacific region in light of the fiscal pressures we face, let me be very clear.  The Department of Defense has a five-year budget plan and a detailed blueprint for implementing this strategy I just outlined for realizing our long-term goals in this region, and for still meeting our fiscal responsibilities.

The final principle -- shared principle that we all have is force projection.
This budget is the first in what will be a sustained series of investments and strategic decisions to strengthen our military capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region.  I would encourage you to look at the increasing technological capabilities of our forces as much as their numbers in judging the full measure of our security presence and our security commitment.

For example, over the next five years we will retire older Navy ships, but we will replace them with more than 40 far more capable and technologically advanced ships.  Over the next few years we will increase the number and the size of our exercises in the Pacific.  We will also increase and more widely distribute our port visits, including in the important Indian Ocean region.

And by 2020 the Navy will reposture its forces from today's roughly 50/50 percent split between the Pacific and the Atlantic to about a 60/40 split between those oceans.  That will include six aircraft carriers in this region, a majority of our cruisers, destroyers, Littoral Combat Ships, and submarines.

Our forward-deployed forces are the core of our commitment to this region and we will, as I said, sharpen the technological edge of our forces.  These forces are also backed up by our ability to rapidly project military power if needed to meet our security commitments.

Therefore, we are investing specifically in those kinds of capabilities -- such as an advanced fifth-generation fighter, an enhanced Virginia-class submarine, new electronic warfare and communications capabilities, and improved precision weapons -- that will provide our forces with freedom of maneuver in areas in which our access and freedom of action may be threatened.

We recognize the challenges of operating over the Pacific's vast distances.  That is why we are investing in new aerial-refueling tankers, a new bomber, and advanced maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft.

In concert with these investments in military capabilities, we are developing new concepts of operation which will enable us to better leverage the unique strengths of these platforms and meet the unique challenges of operating in Asia-Pacific.  In January, the department published a Joint Operational Access Concept which, along with these related efforts like Air-Sea Battle, are helping the Department meet the challenges of new and disruptive technologies and weapons that could deny our forces access to key sea routes and key lines of communication.

It will take years for these concepts and many of the investments that I just detailed, but we are making those investments in order that they be fully realized.  Make no mistake -- in a steady, deliberate, and sustainable way the United States military is rebalancing and bringing an enhanced capability development to this vital region.

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to deliver the commencement address at the U.S. Naval Academy.  And there I had the pleasure of handing a diploma to the first foreign student to achieve top graduate honors, a young midshipman from Singapore: Sam Tan Wei Chen.

I told that graduating class of midshipmen that it would be the project of their generation to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities that are emanating from the Asia-Pacific region.

By working in concert with all elements of American power, I truly believe that these young men and women will have the opportunity to play a vital role in securing a century of peace and prosperity for the United States and for all of the nations of this region.

Over the course of history, the United States has fought wars, we have spilled blood, we have deployed our forces time and time again to defend our vital interests in the Asia-Pacific region.  We owe it to all of those who have fought and died to build a better future for all nations in this region.

The United States has long been deeply been involved in the Asia-Pacific.  Through times of war, times of peace, under Democratic and Republican leaders and administrations, through rancor and through comity in Washington, through surplus and through debt.  We were there then, we are here now, and we will be here for the future.  Thank you.

THE FORMATION OF ADVISORY BOARD ON GREAT LAKES ISSUES

FROM:  U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
EPA Forms First Advisory Board On Great Lakes Issues
CHICAGO (May 31, 2012) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced the creation of an advisory board to support federal agencies with the implementation of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the updated Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.   

The new board, the federal government’s first advisory committee on Great Lakes issues, will provide advice and recommendations to EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson in her capacity as federal Interagency Task Force chair.  EPA will consider candidates from a broad range of interests including environmental groups, businesses, agricultural groups, funders/foundations, environmental justice groups, youth groups, academia and state, local and tribal representatives as needed. Nominees will be solicited through a second Federal Register notice in the coming weeks. EPA anticipates that board will be established this summer. 

"The health of the Great Lakes affects the health of millions of people. These waters also play a vital role in the historical, cultural, educational and economic progress of this region," said EPA Administrator and Task Force Chair Lisa P. Jackson. “As we work to set a new standard of care for these waters, it's important that we hear from experts and stakeholders who can strengthen our efforts. By providing insight from those who know these waters best, the Great Lakes Advisory Board will ensure the continued success of the work already underway, and help move us into the next phases of Great Lakes restoration and protection."

The Great Lakes provide more than 30 million Americans with drinking water and underpin a multi-billion dollar economy.  In February 2009, President Obama proposed and Congress funded the GLRI, the largest investment in the Great Lakes in two decades.

The Interagency Task Force is made up of 16 federal agencies and departments.  In 2010 they developed an action plan to implement the president’s historic initiative.  It calls for aggressive efforts in five areas:

•    Cleaning up toxics and toxic hot spot Areas of Concern.
•    Combating invasive species.
•    Promoting near-shore health by protecting watersheds from polluted runoff.
•    Restoring wetlands and other habitats.
•    Raising public awareness, tracking progress, and working with partners.

JUSTICE SETTLES DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT WITH PIERCE COUNTY, WASHINGTON

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Friday, June 1, 2012
Justice Department Settles Lawsuit with Pierce County, Washington, Alleging Employment Discrimination

The Justice Department announced today it has entered into a consent decree with Pierce County, Wash., that, if approved by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, will resolve allegations that the county discriminated against a female employee by retaliating against her in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.   Title VII is a federal statute which prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin or religion and protects employees who file complaints under any of those bases.  

The department’s complaint, filed today along with the consent decree, alleges that the county, through its agents at the Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer’s Office, discriminated against Administrative Officer Sally Barnes by retaliating against her because she engaged in activity protected under Title VII.   The United States alleges in its complaint that Barnes was subjected to multiple adverse employment actions between Jan. 22, 2009 and Nov. 30, 2009, including the loss of her administrative officer and other supervisory duties, exclusion from important meetings and information necessary for the management of her division and an involuntary relocation to an undesirable work location.

“This consent decree sends the important message that discrimination and retaliation will not be tolerated,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.   “I am pleased that we were able to work with the county to arrive at a resolution that will put mechanisms in place to prevent and correct discrimination and retaliation in the workplace.”

Barnes initially filed charges of discrimination and retaliation with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which investigated the matter and determined there was reasonable cause to believe discrimination occurred, referring the matter to the Justice Department.

“Retaliation by supervisors, especially elected officials, has no place in the workforce,” said U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan.   “This settlement will ensure all Pierce County employees know their rights and can do their jobs without fear of being punished for contacting their human resources department about discrimination.”

Under the terms of the consent decree and settlement agreement, the county has agreed to award $400,000 to Barnes.   In addition, the county is required to review and revise its Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies to protect its employees from unlawful retaliation and must provide training on equal employment opportunity law and its anti-retaliation policies to all of its employees and officials at the Assessor-Treasurer’s Office.

CONSERVATION RESERVE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM INCREASES BY 20.000 ACRES

Photo:  Corn Field.  Credit:  Wikimedia 
FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
USDA Expands Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program by 20,000 Acres to Benefit Chesapeake Bay Watershed in Mid-Atlantic States

WASHINGTON, June 1, 2012—The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania recently finalized changes to the provisions of the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) that will increase the acreage ceiling by nearly 20,000 acres and make all Pennsylvania CREP practices eligible for sign-up in Chesapeake Bay watershed counties. The revisions will help reduce sediment and nutrient loadings from farmland into the rivers and streams in Pennsylvania and provide downstream improvements for the waters of Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and beyond.

“These changes will provide greater flexibility for more Pennsylvania farmers and other land owners to establish conservation cover and increase land stewardship within the Chesapeake Bay watershed,” said Michael Scuse, Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services. “USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program continues to be one of our nation’s most successful voluntary efforts to conserve land, improve our soil, water, air and wildlife habitat resources—and now our producers in Pennsylvania have even greater incentives and flexibility to enroll in the Chesapeake watershed program, bringing benefits to communities across the Mid-Atlantic.”

The Pennsylvania CREP, first announced in April 2000 with a 100,000-acre goal, originally included 20 counties in the lower Susquehanna and Potomac River basins. The project was expanded in 2003 to add another 100,000 acres and increase the project area to include 23 northern tier counties. Now the Pennsylvania CREP will be expanded again to add 19,746 acres and is available to all 43 Pennsylvania counties in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

The goals of the Pennsylvania CREP are to:

Assist Pennsylvania farmers and other landowners to voluntarily restore wetlands, riparian areas and grasslands by enrolling up to 219,746 acres of farmland in CREP; Reduce erosion in the Chesapeake Bay watershed by 17.9 million tons; Prevent 265,500 tons of sediment and 15,409 tons of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) from reaching the Chesapeake Bay; Restore and enhance riparian habitat corridors next to streams, estuaries, wetlands and other watercourses by enrolling up to 31,746 acres of buffers, grass filter strips and wetlands; Restore and enhance grassland habitats for declining grassland-dependent wildlife and improve water quality by enrolling up to 188,000 acres of highly erodible cropland in conservation cover plantings; and Improve water quality of the Susquehanna and Potomac River watersheds to facilitate the health of fish, game and other wildlife populations.

CREP is an option under the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) that agricultural producers may use to voluntarily establish conservation practices on their land. Producers can enroll in CREP at any time. To encourage enrollment into these environmentally sensitive resource areas, per-acre annual rental payments are at a higher effective rate than offered under a general CRP sign-up. Pennsylvania farmers and landowners are encouraged to voluntarily convert eligible cropland and marginal pastureland to native grasses, legumes, forbs, shrubs and trees under 10-15 year CRP contracts. In return, they receive annual rental payments, cost share and other incentives.

To be eligible, cropland must meet CRP’s cropping history criteria, which includes cropping history provisions, one-year ownership requirement, and physical and legal cropping requirements. Marginal pastureland is also eligible for enrollment provided it is suitable for use as a needed and eligible riparian buffer. Producers who have an existing CRP contract are not eligible for CREP until that contract expires. Producers with expiring CRP contracts who are interested in CREP should submit offers for re-enrolling their land into CREP during the last year of their existing CRP contract.

In 2011, as a result of CRP, nitrogen and phosphorous losses from farm fields were reduced by 623 million pounds and 124 million pounds respectively. The CRP has restored more than two million acres of wetlands and associated buffers and reduces soil erosion by more than 300 million tons per year. CRP also provides $1.8 billion annually to landowners—dollars that make their way into local economies, supporting small businesses and creating jobs. In addition, CRP is the largest private lands carbon sequestration program in the country. By placing vulnerable cropland into conservation, CRP sequesters carbon in plants and soil, and reduces both fuel and fertilizer usage. In 2010, CRP resulted in carbon sequestration equal to taking almost 10 million cars off the road.

In 2011, USDA enrolled a record number of acres of private working lands in conservation programs, working with more than 500,000 farmers and ranchers to implement conservation practices that clean the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, and prevent soil erosion. Moreover, the Obama Administration, with Agriculture Secretary Vilsack’s leadership, has worked tirelessly to strengthen rural America, implement the Farm Bill, maintain a strong farm safety net, and create opportunities for America’s farmers and ranchers. U.S. agriculture is currently experiencing one of its most productive periods in American history thanks to the productivity, resiliency, and resourcefulness of our producers.

CITIES WORK TO FIGHT VETERAN HOMELESSNESS

FROM:  U.S. VETERANS ADMINISTRATION
Communities Get Fit to Fight Veteran Homelessness
May 29, 2012 by Pete Dougherty
Can boot camps get communities in shape to fight Veteran homelessness? Several cities are about to find out.

This month, San Diego, Orlando, and Houston hosted Rapid Results Housing Boot Camps to build grass-roots responses to the problem of Veteran homelessness.

The two-day boot camp sessions taught those already helping homeless Veterans in their communities new and more efficient ways to house Veterans. They developed plans to address the unique nature of Veteran homelessness in their cities and developed strategies for cutting through red tape to obtain the resources that Veterans need.

Communities were encouraged to set ambitious, 100-day goals to expedite the delivery of housing to all homeless Veterans. Tactics to meet the goals may include reducing the number of days needed to process shelter applications or improving housing-related service delivery in other ways.

National and local experts—including representatives from VA—are working together to provide communities with the tools, funding, and resources needed to meet the goals. Boot camp participants, in turn, closely track their own progress in meeting the targets.
Based on similar housing placement events co-created by 100,000 Homes, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, and the United Way of Greater Los Angeles the boot camp sessions apply business management strategies to speed the process of housing Veterans. According to 100,000 Homes, participants at the previous events used the techniques to reduce the number of days spent processing Veteran applications for housing by up to 40 percent.

Duplication of these results in Rapid Results Housing Boot Camp communities and other localities will help edge VA closer to its goal of ending Veteran homelessness by 2015. In 2011, on a given night, more than 67,495 Veterans were homeless in the United States.

Experts from VA, HUD, U.S. Interagency Council for Homelessness, public housing authorities, Continuums of Care, and Veteran-serving nonprofits attended the boot camps to offer technical assistance. A centerpiece of the training is building each community’s capacity to win a share of $75 million in federal Veteran housing assistance available through the 2012 HUD-VASH program.

Boot Camps occurred in:
Orlando, Fla., serving Alachua County and Gainesville; New Orleans and Kenner, La.; and the state of Georgia
Houston, Texas serving Houston, San Antonio, and Harris County, Texas; Texas Valley Coastal VAMC; and Detroit
San Diego, California serving San Diego; San Francisco; and Tucson, Arizona
If you are a Veteran who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless contact VA’s National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 1-877-4AID-VET (1-877-424-3838) to speak to a trained VA responder, or visit us online.
Pete Dougherty is the Acting Executive Director of VA’s Homeless Veterans Initiative Office.

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA TALKS ASIAN STRATEGY WITH ALLIES

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Panetta Discusses New U.S. Asian Strategy With Allies
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
SINGAPORE, June 2, 2012 - Defense Secretary Leon Panetta held a series of bilateral and trilateral meetings with Asian allies during the Shangri-La Dialogue here today.

Panetta met with leaders from Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, Malaysia and host-nation Singapore on the sidelines of the annual conference of defense leaders.

The meetings followed his early morning speech detailing specifics on the on the U.S. military shift toward the Asia-Pacific region. Officials speaking on background said the secretary's speech and follow-on meetings with allies received good grades.

"We heard, especially after the speech today from our allies and partners, that they believe this is not just American talk, but that we're actually walking the walk on our rebalancing to the region," a senior defense official said on background following the meetings.

Panetta is the third U.S. defense secretary to participate in the Shangri-La Dialogue, which began in 2002. Officials said the participants favorably commented on the make-up of the U.S. delegation.

"The delegations we met with clearly took note of the seniority of our delegation," a senior defense official said.

Panetta led the delegation, which included Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Navy Adm. Samuel Locklear III, commander of U.S. Pacific Command. William Burns, the deputy secretary of state, and a bipartisan congressional delegation, also participated.

Allies were appreciative about the broad outlines of American strategy in the region that Panetta offered. The official said the tone of discussions indicated the allies felt "there is a strong value in U.S. presence in the region." Cambodian and Thai defense ministers invited the secretary to visit their countries, and the Australian minister of defense spoke with Panetta about the Australia-U.S. defense ministerial later this year.

In the bilateral meeting with Singapore, the secretary and Minister for Defense Ng Eng Hen finalized the rotation of four U.S. littoral combat ships to Singapore. The U.S. ships will not be based or home-ported in Singapore, and the crews will live aboard their ships, as is customary for sailors at sea, for the duration of their deployment. Each littoral combat ship has a complement of between 40 to 75 sailors, depending on how it is configured. This means the total number of sailors on this rotation would be between 160 and 300.

The deployment is a true rotation, and the ships will strengthen U.S. engagement in the region through visits at regional ports and through engagement with regional navies through exercises and exchanges.

The U.S. and Singapore also are exploring increasing the complexity of existing bilateral exercises. Examples include possibly incorporating Navy elements into Exercise Commando Sling, currently a bilateral Air Force exercise. U.S. Marines also may be training at Singapore's Murai Urban Training Facility from 2013 onward.
In a trilateral meeting, Panetta met with South Korean National Defense Minister Kim Kwan Jin and Japan Parliamentary Senior Vice Minister of Defense Shu Watanabe to share views on security in Northeast Asia.

The three men cited North Korean provocations, including the North sinking of the South Korean Navy ship Cheonan and shelling a South Korean island that killed two civilians and two South Korean Marines in 2010. They also cited the North's attempted missile launch in April 2012. These acts show the North poses a serious threat to the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula, Northeast Asia and the world.

"They agreed North Korea must understand that it will achieve nothing by threats or by provocations, and that such behavior will only deepen its international isolation," said Pentagon Press Secretary George Little in a written statement following the meeting.
The three leaders called on North Korea to comply with its obligations under UN Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874, including that it abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs.

The ministers said that any threats from North Korea will be met with solidarity from all three countries. The three ministers also discussed collaboration on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, maritime security, protecting the freedom of navigation and non-proliferation.

Australian Defense Minister Stephen Smith joined Panetta and Watanabe in another trilateral meeting. The U.S., Japanese and Australian leaders agreed "to work through 2020 to refine and consolidate their trilateral defense relationship and support the network of existing alliances, forums and dialogues to meet a variety of common security challenges," according to a press release issued following the meeting.
The three reiterated their support for promoting security and stability in a rules-based international order.

Panetta ended his string of conferences meeting with Malaysian Defense Minister Dato' Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

"During the meeting, both leaders stated that with a renewed focus on Asia as part of the U.S. defense strategy, they look forward to strengthening the U.S.-Malaysia military-to-military relationship including expanding multilateral exercises," Little said in a written release.

The secretary specifically thanked Hamidi for Malaysian armed forces medical personnel deployed to Afghanistan.

MSHA ISSUED 335 CITATIONS DURING INSPECTIONS AT 12 MINES

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
MSHA announces results of April impact inspections
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 335 citations, orders and safeguards during special impact inspections conducted at eight coal mines and four metal/nonmetal mines last month. The coal mines were issued 254 citations, 19 orders and one safeguard, while the metal/nonmetal operations were issued 52 citations and nine orders.

These inspections, which began in force in April 2010 following the explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine, involve mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement due to their poor compliance history or particular compliance concerns, including high numbers of violations or closure orders; frequent hazard complaints or hotline calls; plan compliance issues; inadequate workplace examinations; a high number of accidents, injuries or illnesses; fatalities; and adverse conditions such as increased methane liberation, faulty roof conditions and inadequate ventilation.

As an example from last month's impact inspections, on April 17, MSHA personnel visited Rebco Coal Inc.'s Valley Mine No. 1 in Claiborne County, Tenn., during the production shift. They secured the communications systems to prevent advance notification of the inspection and traveled the primary escapeway to inspect all four conveyor belts to the mechanized mining unit. MSHA issued 81 enforcement actions as a result of the inspection, including 74 citations, four failure-to-abate orders for previously issued citations, one unwarrantable failure citation and two unwarrantable failure orders.

The inspection party cited a broad spectrum of violations covering ventilation, accumulations of combustible materials, electrical equipment, trailing cables and fire protection. During previous inspections at the mine, equipment had been tagged out of service; however, when the operator resumed production a week prior to the impact inspection, the equipment had not been repaired.

MSHA found numerous defects on the mechanized mining unit's roof bolter, including accumulations of combustible materials. An unwarrantable failure order was issued for the operator's failure to conduct an adequate electrical examination on the continuous miner to ensure that the equipment is maintained in a safe operating condition. Citations were issued for 18 defects of the continuous miner that affect the permissibility of the machine, and additional citations were issued for failing to maintain the lighting system on the remote-controlled machine, accumulations on the continuous miner, failing to install a methane-sensing device as close to the working face as practical and failing to adequately insulate the trailing cable for the miner. The operator's failure to adequately examine the equipment and maintain it in a safe and permissible condition posed a high degree of danger to the miners.

"This unexpected inspection found several safety violations that placed miners at serious risk, a failure by the mine operator to conduct basic find and fix examinations, and a disregard for violations previously cited by MSHA," said Joseph A. Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. "As evidenced by the recent inspection blitz, MSHA will not hesitate to take action to protect workers at risk."

As another example from last month's inspections, on April 24, MSHA personnel visited Argus Energy WV LLC's Deep Mine No. 8 in Wayne County, W.Va. — the second impact inspection at this mine. The mine's communication system was captured to prevent advance notice of the inspection. The inspection party issued 87 104(a) citations, one unwarrantable failure 104(d) citation and eight unwarrantable failure 104(d) orders for violations of 51 sections of MSHA regulations.
Deep Mine No. 8 was selected for an April inspection due to its frequent number of accidents and repeated noncompliance with mandatory safety and health standards. Since April 2011, there have been 23 separate accidents, 12 having occurred since this January. The operator has been issued a total of 386 citations and 22 orders, 11 of which were unwarrantable failure orders.

During last month's impact inspection, the mine operator was cited for combustible material that was permitted to accumulate in the belt entry, on and under belt equipment, and along moving belts. MSHA inspectors found coal in large piles for distances up to 100 feet and up to 2 feet in depth in numerous locations. Conveyor belts were rubbing the belt structure, and the tail roller had been turning in accumulations 2 feet deep and 7 feet wide — conditions that pose a significant fire and explosion hazard. The inspection team also issued two 104(d)(1) orders for failure to conduct adequate examinations on the belt conveyors.

The operator also was cited for failure to adequately support the mine's roof and ribs, and allowing miners to work and travel under an unsupported roof, exposing them to potential roof falls and serious injury.

Finally, inspectors found multiple electrical violations, including a failure to maintain permissible face equipment and provide an accurate electrical system map, have a qualified examiner, and properly install and insulate wires and cables for communications and power.

Since April 2010, MSHA has conducted 443 impact inspections at coal and metal/nonmetal mines. These inspections have resulted in 7,948 citations, 785 orders and 29 safeguards for a total of 8,762 issuances.

STATE DEPARTMENT FACT SHEET ON GLOBAL HEALTH INITIATIVE

Photo Credit:  Wikimedia.
FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
The U.S. Global Health Initiative: Saving Lives and Promoting Security
Fact Sheet
Bureau of Public Affairs
May 30, 2012
“GHI…represents a new approach, informed by new thinking and aimed at a new goal: To save the greatest possible number of lives, both by increasing our existing health programs and by building upon them to help countries develop their own capacity to improve the health of their own people.”
– Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
The Global Health Initiative (GHI), announced by President Barack Obama in 2009, is challenging the world to come together to build health services and capacity in developing countries. GHI is an integrated, coordinated and results-driven approach to global health; it brings together disease-specific programs to ensure more unified global health investments.

GHI in Action
Interagency teams – with representatives from all relevant U.S. Government agencies – implement coordinated GHI country strategies. Each strategy, developed in close collaboration with the host country and its national health plan, serves as a message that the U.S. embassy can take to local health ministries and other stakeholders. The interagency planning process has helped country teams reduce programming redundancies and allocate resources more strategically. To date, 42 countries have or soon will complete GHI country strategies. Details on the work being done are on the GHI website – www.ghi.gov.
GHI Principles
Based on global principles for effective development, GHI uses seven principles throughout U.S. global health programming. These principles ensure that GHI programs achieve positive change and also contribute to sustainable outcomes. They include:
Focus on women, girls and gender equality
Encourage country ownership and invest in country-led plans
Build sustainability through the strengthening of health systems
Strengthen and leverage key multilateral organizations, global health partnerships, and private sector engagement
Increase impact through strategic coordination and integration
Improve metrics, monitoring, and evaluation
Promote research and innovation to identify what works

Health Targets
GHI launched eight global health targets that rallied the whole U.S. Government around a set of common goals. The combined efforts of all the U.S. global health agencies have resulted in strong progress in the following areas:
HIV/AIDS: Through PEPFAR, support the prevention of more than 12 million new HIV infections; provide direct support for more than 6 million people in treatment; and support care for more than 12 million people, including 5 million orphans and vulnerable children.

Malaria: Through the President’s Malaria Initiative, halve the prevalence of malaria for 450 million people, representing 70 percent of the at-risk population in Africa. Expand malaria efforts to Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Tuberculosis (TB): Contribute to the treatment of at least 2.6 million new TB cases and 57,200 multi-drug resistant cases of TB.

Maternal Health: Reduce maternal mortality by 30 percent across assisted countries.

Child Health: Reduce younger than age-five mortality rates by 35 percent across assisted countries.

Nutrition: Reduce child undernutrition by 30 percent across assisted countries in conjunction with the President’s Feed the Future Initiative.

Family Planning and Reproductive Health: Prevent 54 million unintended pregnancies. Reach a modern contraceptive use rate of 35 percent on average across assisted countries and reduce to 20 percent the proportion of women aged 18-24 who give birth for the first time before age 18.

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs): Reduce by 50 percent the prevalence of seven NTDs among 70 percent of the affected population, contributing to: the elimination of onchocerciasis in Latin America; lymphatic filariasis globally; blinding trachoma; and leprosy.

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