HOMEWORKERS AND THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT

Photo:  Howe Sewing Machine.  Credit:  Wikimedia
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Fact Sheet: Homeworkers Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

This fact sheet provides general information concerning the application of the FLSA to homeworkers.

Characteristics

Under the FLSA, industrial homework means the production by any person in or about a home, apartment, tenement, or room in a residential establishment, of goods for an employer who suffers or permits such production, regardless of the source (whether obtained from an employer or elsewhere) of the materials used by the homeworker in such production.

Coverage

The FLSA applies to homeworkers who are covered on an "individual" basis or whose employer is covered on an "enterprise" basis. The enterprise coverage test requires a specified annual dollar volume of business. However, in most instances, a homeworker is covered under the FLSA on the basis of individual coverage (i.e. production of goods for out of state shipment and/or receipt of out of state materials or goods used in the production process).

Requirements

Homework requires certification in only seven specific industries: women's apparel, jewelry manufacturing, knitted outerwear, gloves and mittens, button and buckle manufacturing, handkerchief manufacturing and embroideries. Certification occurs when the employer obtains an employer certificate, or homeworkers obtain individual certification, from the Department's Wage and Hour Division, authorizing such work. Certified employers of homeworkers in these industries will be required to renew their certificate every two years. Employer certification is not available for women's apparel and certain hazardous jewelry manufacturing operations; only individual certification is permitted. Homework under the FLSA is not restricted in any industry other than those listed above. However, all individually covered homework is subject to the FLSA's minimum wage, overtime and recordkeeping requirements.

Homeworker employees must be paid the Federal minimum wage. This rate must be met regardless of whether the worker is paid by time, piece, job, incentive, or any other basis. The cost of tools, tool repair, or other similar requirements, may not be borne by the worker where such cost would reduce the wages paid below the required minimum wageor in any way reduce wages due for overtime hours. Overtime must be paid at one and one-half times the employee's regular rate of pay for each hour worked in excess of 40 hours in any workweek. The regular rate includes all remuneration for employment, such as piece rate earnings and commissions paid. Time and one-half of the average piece rate of pay is to be paid for hours worked over 40 per week, if the average is greater than the employee's regular rate of pay (never less than the required minimum wage).

Records which must be kept for all employees include: name, social security number, home address and telephone number, date of birth (if under 19 years of age), hours worked each day (including time spent transporting), total hours worked each workweek, basis of pay computations, regular pay, overtime premium pay, total gross pay, deductions (specifying the nature and amount of each), and net pay. All employees who have been hired since November of 1986 must also fill out the I-9 form, required by INS.

When employing homeworkers, a separate homeworker handbook is required. These handbooks are available through Wage and Hour offices. Employers are responsible for insuring that handbooks are completed as required. The handbooks require homeworkers to also list business related expenses, such as equipment and supplies.

In the case of clerical workers who may perform duties at home on only an occasional or sporadic basis, employers are not required to follow homework regulations. However, all hours, including the time worked at home, must be recorded and compensated as required by the FLSA for every employee.

Typical Problems

(1) Employer improperly treats homeworkers as "independent contractors".

(2) Employer fails to maintain required record of hours, production, etc., or fails to instruct the employee to record the required data in the DOL homeworker handbook.

(3) Employer fails to assure that homeworker paid on piece rate basis has earned the minimum wage.

(4) The employer must bear the cost of tools purchased as well as tool maintenance and repair to the extent that these costs cut into theminimum wage or overtime wages required.

(5) Employer fails to count as hours worked preparatory and concluding activities, time spent at the shop, travel time and training time.

(6) Employer fails to ensure proper certification for the restricted industries.

　

This publication is for general information and is not to be considered in the same light as official statements of position contained in the regulations.

MAN GETS PRISON TIME FOR MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS TO CERTIFY SHIPS FOR SEA

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Miami Man Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Obstruction of Justice and False Statements for Certifying Ships Safe for Sea

WASHINGTON – A Miami-based ship surveyor was sentenced today for lying to the Coast Guard and for falsely certifying that inspections had been performed on two ships, which were designed to ensure that the ships were seaworthy and did not pose a threat to the crew or the marine environment, announced Ignacia S. Moreno, Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division at the Department of Justice, Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Rear Admiral William D. Baumgartner, 7th Coast Guard District Commander, and Jonathan Sall, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service Special Agent in Charge.

Alejandro Gonzalez, 60, of Miami-Dade County, Fla., was sentenced in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida to 21 months in prison.

On May 24, 2012, a federal jury found Gonzalez guilty of lying to a Coast Guard inspector and a federal agent about the drydocking of the M/V Cala Galdana, a 68-meter cargo vessel, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in April 2009 and December 2009.

Coast Guard inspectors in San Juan discovered the vessel taking on water in August of 2008 and requested the last drydocking of the vessel. Gonzalez concocted a false story about the vessel being drydocked in Colombia in 2006 when he knew it was not. Gonzalez repeatedly claimed the vessel had been drydocked in Cartegena, Colombia, in March of 2006, while evidence at the trial proved conclusively that the vessel was never in Colombia during 2006.

Gonzalez was also convicted of falsifying documents for the M/V Cosette, a 92-meter cargo vessel. As the surveyor on behalf of Bolivia, Gonzalez certified the ship as safe for sea while the vessel was docked in Fort Pierce, Fla., in November 2009. When the vessel shortly thereafter arrived in New York City harbor, Coast Guard inspectors discovered exhaust and fuel pouring into the engine room, endangering the crew and the ship. For his action, Gonzalez was convicted of making a false statement and obstructing a Coast Guard Port State Control examination.

"Mr. Gonzalez is being held accountable today for making false statements and certifications to Coast Guard inspectors whose job it is to ensure the safety of ships at sea," said Assistant Attorney General Moreno. "Ship surveyors serve a crucial public safety role, and when they abdicate their responsibility they put mariners in danger and our nation's waters at risk of contamination. Mr. Gonzalez's prosecution should send a message that we will not tolerate this type of egregious behavior."

"Surveyors are responsible for the safety of the ships they inspect. When they fail to do their jobs properly, lives are put at risk," said U.S. Attorney Ferrer. "Today’s sentence should remind those few surveyors who need reminding of the great responsibility that they carry and the consequences of their actions."

The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime Raich and Trial Attorney Kenneth Nelson, of the Environmental Crimes Section of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.

Nová studie mapuje chování himálajských ledovců

Nová studie mapuje chování himálajských ledovců

U.S.-IRAQ JOINT STATEMENT ON STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Joint Statement of the U.S.-Iraq Political and Diplomatic Joint Coordination CommitteeOffice of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC
September 2, 2012

The Governments of the Republic of Iraq and the United States of America reaffirmed their strategic partnership during a meeting of the Political and Diplomatic Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) on September 2, in Baghdad.

This meeting, held at the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was co-chaired by Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Ambassador Elizabeth Jones. The JCCs were established by the 2008 Strategic Framework Agreement between Iraq and the United States to strengthen our bilateral strategic partnership on a variety of initiatives, including Defense and Security, Energy, Law Enforcement and Judicial Cooperation, Education and Culture, Science and Environment, Trade and Finance, and Transportation Cooperation.

During the meeting, the delegations discussed international efforts to address the ongoing crisis in Syria and explored areas of potential cooperation, particularly on humanitarian issues and technical advice on border security. Both sides remain fully committed to a Syrian-led political transition leading to a pluralistic political system representing the will of the Syrian people. The United States acknowledged Iraqi efforts to provide shelter and services to Syrians who have sought refuge in Iraq.

The United States praised Iraqi efforts to resolve Chapter VII issues regarding its relationship with Kuwait, in accordance with UNSC Resolution 833. The United States is committed to working with both Iraq and Kuwait to resolve remaining Chapter VII issues.

The two sides discussed Iraq’s plans for its next provincial and national elections scheduled for 2013 and 2014. The United States pledged to assist Iraqi implementation of this next essential step in the development of Iraq’s democracy.

The United States and Iraq discussed the ongoing process of repatriating archives and documents which are part of the patrimony of the Iraqi people.

The United States praised Iraq’s recent decision to sign the Additional Protocol to the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Finally, the United States and Iraq agreed to explore options for expanded consultation between Department of State and Ministry of Foreign Affairs personnel, potentially to include joint training, professional exchanges, and more frequent policy planning discussions.

The United States and the Republic of Iraq committed to convene the Political and Diplomatic JCC quarterly over the coming year.
The Governments of the Republic of Iraq and the United States of America reaffirmed their strategic partnership during a meeting of the Political and Diplomatic Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) on September 2, in Baghdad.

This meeting, held at the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was co-chaired by Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Ambassador Elizabeth Jones. The JCCs were established by the 2008 Strategic Framework Agreement between Iraq and the United States to strengthen our bilateral strategic partnership on a variety of initiatives, including Defense and Security, Energy, Law Enforcement and Judicial Cooperation, Education and Culture, Science and Environment, Trade and Finance, and Transportation Cooperation.

During the meeting, the delegations discussed international efforts to address the ongoing crisis in Syria and explored areas of potential cooperation, particularly on humanitarian issues and technical advice on border security. Both sides remain fully committed to a Syrian-led political transition leading to a pluralistic political system representing the will of the Syrian people. The United States acknowledged Iraqi efforts to provide shelter and services to Syrians who have sought refuge in Iraq.

The United States praised Iraqi efforts to resolve Chapter VII issues regarding its relationship with Kuwait, in accordance with UNSC Resolution 833. The United States is committed to working with both Iraq and Kuwait to resolve remaining Chapter VII issues.

The two sides discussed Iraq’s plans for its next provincial and national elections scheduled for 2013 and 2014. The United States pledged to assist Iraqi implementation of this next essential step in the development of Iraq’s democracy.

The United States and Iraq discussed the ongoing process of repatriating archives and documents which are part of the patrimony of the Iraqi people.

The United States praised Iraq’s recent decision to sign the Additional Protocol to the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Finally, the United States and Iraq agreed to explore options for expanded consultation between Department of State and Ministry of Foreign Affairs personnel, potentially to include joint training, professional exchanges, and more frequent policy planning discussions.

The United States and the Republic of Iraq committed to convene the Political and Diplomatic JCC quarterly over the coming year.

Migratory Birds Program: $27 Million for Wetlands Grants for Migratory Birds

Migratory Birds Program

NEW ZEALAND PROFILE

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

NEW ZEALAND

MGeography
Area: 270,500 sq. km.; about the size of Colorado.
Cities (June 2009): Capital--Wellington (393,400). Other cities--Auckland (1,377,200), Christchurch (348,400), Hamilton (206,400).
Terrain: Highly varied, from snowcapped mountains to lowland plains.
Climate: Temperate to subtropical.

People
Nationality: Noun--New Zealander(s). Adjective--New Zealand.
Population: 4.42 million.
Annual population growth rate (during year ending June 2010): 1.3%.
Ethnic groups: European 76.8%; Maori 14.9%; Asian 9.7%; other Polynesian Pacific peoples 7.2%; Middle Eastern, Latin American, and African 0.9%. (Note: People can choose to identify with more than one ethnic group.)
Religions: Christian 55.6%, no religion 34.7%, Hindu 1.5%, Buddhist 1.3%, Islam/Muslim 0.8%, Jewish 0.2%, Spiritualism/New Age 0.5%, other 0.6%.
Languages: English, Maori, New Zealand Sign Language.
Education: Years compulsory--ages 6-16. Attendance--100%. Literacy--99%.
Health: Infant mortality rate (December 2006)--5.1/1,000. Life expectancy (December 2006)--males 78.4 years, females 82.4 years.
Work force: As of March 2010, total labor force was 2.23 million and labor force participation rate was 68.1%. Services and government--59%; manufacturing and construction--32%; agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and mining--8.9%.

Government
Type: Parliamentary.
Constitution: No formal, written constitution.
Independence: Declared a dominion in 1907.
Branches: Executive--Queen Elizabeth II (head of state, represented by a governor general), prime minister (head of government), cabinet. Legislative--unicameral House of Representatives, commonly called parliament. Judicial--four-level system: District Courts, High Courts, the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court, which in 2004 replaced the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London as New Zealand's highest court of appeal. There also are specialized courts, such as employment court, family courts, youth courts, and the Maori Land Court.
Administrative subdivisions: 16 regions.
Political parties: National, Labour, ACT, United Future, Maori Party, Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, New Zealand First, Mana Party, several smaller parties not represented in parliament.
Suffrage: Universal at 18.

Economy
GDP (as of statistical year ending December 2010): U.S. $139 billion (NZ $182 billion).
Real annual GDP growth rate: (as of statistical year ending December 2010): 0.73%.
Per capita income (December 2010): U.S. $27,500.
Exchange rate (average for January to December 2010): U.S. $1 = NZ $1.38 (U.S. $0.72 = NZ $1).
Natural resources: Timber, natural gas, iron sand, coal.
Agriculture (4.9% of GDP): Products--dairy products, meat, forestry products.
Industry (goods-producing industries 20.5% of GDP, service industries 68.8% of GDP): Types--finance, insurance, and business services; manufacturing; personal and community services; transport and communication; wholesale trade; construction; government administration and defense; fishing, forestry, and mining; electricity, gas, and water.
Trade (year-end December 2010): Exports to U.S.--U.S. $2.86 billion: meat, dairy, wine, wood, and medical devices. Imports from U.S.--U.S. $3.34 billion: consisting primarily of machinery (including information and communication technologies equipment), aircraft, medical and veterinary instruments, motor vehicles (trucks), and plastic resins. Major trading partners (rank ordered as of June 2011)--Australia, People's Republic of China, United States, Japan, Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom.

PEOPLE
Most of the 4 million New Zealanders are of British origin. About 15% claim descent from the indigenous Maori population, which is of Polynesian origin. Nearly 76% of the people, including a large majority of Maori, live on the North Island. In addition, 265,974 Pacific peoples live in New Zealand. During the late 1870s, natural increase permanently replaced immigration as the chief contributor to population growth and accounted for more than 75% of population growth in the 20th century. Nearly 85% of New Zealand's population lives in urban areas (with almost one-third in Auckland alone), where the service and manufacturing industries are growing rapidly. New Zealanders colloquially refer to themselves as "Kiwis," after the country's native bird.

HISTORY
Archaeological evidence indicates that New Zealand was populated by fishing and hunting people of East Polynesian ancestry perhaps 1,000 years before Europeans arrived. Known to some scholars as the Moa-hunters, they may have merged with later waves of Polynesians who, according to Maori tradition, arrived between 952 and 1150. Some of the Maori called their new homeland "Aotearoa," usually translated as "land of the long white cloud."

In 1642, Abel Tasman, a Dutch navigator, made the first recorded European sighting of New Zealand and sketched sections of the two main islands' west coasts. English Captain James Cook thoroughly explored the coastline during three South Pacific voyages beginning in 1769. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, lumbering, seal hunting, and whaling attracted a few European settlers to New Zealand. In 1840, the United Kingdom established British sovereignty through the Treaty of Waitangi signed that year with Maori chiefs.

In the same year, selected groups from the United Kingdom began the colonization process. Expanding European settlement led to conflict with Maori, most notably in the Maori land wars of the 1860s. British and colonial forces eventually overcame determined Maori resistance. During this period, many Maori died from disease and warfare, much of it intertribal.

Constitutional government began to develop in the 1850s. In 1867, the Maori won the right to a certain number of reserved seats in parliament. During this period, the livestock industry began to expand, and the foundations of New Zealand's modern economy took shape. By the end of the 19th century, improved transportation facilities made possible a great overseas trade in wool, meat, and dairy products.

By the 1890s, parliamentary government along democratic lines was well-established, and New Zealand's social institutions assumed their present form. Women received the right to vote in national elections in 1893. The turn of the century brought sweeping social reforms that built the foundation for New Zealand's version of the welfare state.

The Maori gradually recovered from population decline and, through interaction and intermarriage with settlers and missionaries, adopted much of European culture. In recent decades, Maori have become increasingly urbanized and have become more politically active and culturally assertive.

New Zealand was declared a dominion by a royal proclamation in 1907. It achieved full internal and external autonomy by the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act in 1947, although this merely formalized a situation that had existed for many years.

GOVERNMENT
New Zealand has a parliamentary system of government closely patterned on that of the United Kingdom and is a fully independent member of the Commonwealth. It has no written constitution. Executive authority is vested in a cabinet led by the prime minister, who is the leader of the political party or coalition of parties holding the majority of seats in parliament. All cabinet ministers must be members of parliament and are collectively responsible to it.

The unicameral parliament (House of Representatives) usually has 120 seats, seven of which currently are reserved for Maori elected on a separate Maori roll. However, Maori also may run for, and have been elected to, non-reserved seats. Parliaments are elected for a maximum term of 3 years, although elections can be called sooner.

The judiciary consists of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Courts, and District Courts. New Zealand law has three principal sources--English common law, certain statutes of the U.K. Parliament enacted before 1947, and statutes of the New Zealand parliament. In interpreting common law, the courts have been concerned with preserving uniformity with common law as interpreted in the United Kingdom.

There are 16 regions of New Zealand, 11 of which are governed by a directly elected regional council. In the next tier there are 67 territorial authorities: 13 city councils, 53 district councils, and the Chatham Islands Council. Six territorial authorities (Auckland Council, Nelson City Council, Gisborne, Tasman, and Marlborough District Councils and the Chatham Islands Council) also perform the functions of a regional council. The Auckland Council is the largest council in Australasia. It began operating on November 1, 2010 and combines the functions of the existing regional council and the region's seven previous city and district councils into one "super council" or "super city" governed by a mayor, 20 members of the governing body, and 148 members of 21 local boards. There also are a number of community boards and special-purpose bodies with partially elected, partially appointed memberships. Local government in New Zealand has only the powers conferred upon it by parliament.

Principal Government Officials
Head of State--Queen Elizabeth II
Governor General--Jerry Mateparae
Prime Minister--John Key
Foreign Minister--Murray McCully
Ambassador to the United States--Michael (Mike) Moore
Ambassador to the United Nations--James (Jim) McLay

New Zealand maintains an embassy in the United States at 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-328-4800, fax 202-667-5227). A consulate general is located in Los Angeles (tel. 310-207-1605, fax 310-207-3605). Tourism information is available through the New Zealand Tourism Board office in Santa Monica, California (toll-free tel. 800-388-5494) or through the following website: http://www.tourismnewzealand.com/.

POLITICAL CONDITIONS
The traditionally conservative National Party and left-leaning Labour Party have dominated New Zealand political life since a Labour government came to power in 1935. During its first 14 years in office, the Labour Party implemented a broad array of social and economic legislation, including comprehensive social security, a large-scale public works program, a 40-hour workweek, a minimum basic wage, and compulsory unionism. The National Party won control of the government in 1949 and adopted many welfare measures instituted by the Labour Party. Except for two brief periods of Labour governments in 1957-60 and 1972-75, National held power until 1984. After regaining control in 1984, the Labour government instituted a series of radical market-oriented reforms in response to New Zealand's mounting external debt. It also enacted anti-nuclear legislation that effectively brought about New Zealand's suspension from the ANZUS security alliance with the United States and Australia.

In October 1990, the National Party again formed the government, for the first of three 3-year terms. In 1996, New Zealand inaugurated a mixed-member proportional (MMP) system to elect its parliament. The system was designed to increase representation of smaller parties in parliament and appears to have done so in the MMP elections to date. Since 1996, neither the National nor the Labour Party has had an absolute majority in parliament, and for all but one of those years, the government has been a minority one. The Labour Party won elections in November 1999 and again in July 2002. In 2002 Labour formed a coalition, minority government with the Progressive Coalition, a left-wing party holding two seats in parliament. The government relied on support from the centrist United Future Party to pass legislation.

Following a narrow victory in the September 2005 general elections, Labour formed a coalition with the one-seat Progressive Party. The government also entered into limited support agreements with the United Future New Zealand and NZ First Parties, whose leaders were respectively given the Revenue and Foreign Affairs ministerial positions outside of the cabinet. This gave Labour an effective one-seat majority with which to pass legislation in parliament. Labour also secured an assurance from the Green Party that it would abstain from a vote of confidence against the government. The 2005 elections saw the new Maori Party win four out of the seven reserved Maori seats. The additional seat in the 121-member parliament was the result of an overhang from 2005 elections. There were two independent members of parliament (MPs): a former Labour Party MP and a former United Future New Zealand MP, both of whom left their respective parties in 2007.

The 2008 general election on November 8 was comfortably won by the John Key-led National Party. National won 45% of the popular vote (58 seats) to Labour's 34% (43 seats). The Green Party won nine seats; ACT won five; the Maori Party picked up an additional Maori seat to bring its total number of seats to five; the Progressives and United Future won one seat each. New Zealand First, the party of former foreign minister Winston Peters, did not win enough votes to return to parliament. On November 16, 2008, Key announced the formation of a new National-led center-right government in coalition with the right-leaning ACT and the centrist United Future party. National also entered into a limited support agreement with the Maori Party.

The government was sworn in on November 19, 2008, with Key becoming New Zealand's 38th prime minister. During her election night concession speech, outgoing Prime Minister Helen Clark announced that she would step down as Labour's leader after 15 years in charge. She was succeeded as party leader by Phil Goff. The Key-led government's main focus has been on economic growth following a period of recession and recovery from the devastating Christchurch earthquake of February 2011. Key presided over a stable governing arrangement with his support parties and his ruling National Party.

The 2011 general election on November 26 resulted in the re-election of Key’s National Party with 48% of the total vote and 60 parliamentary seats. The opposition Labour Party received 27.1% of the vote and won 34 seats. After the election Phil Goff stepped down as Labour leader and was replaced by David Shearer. The Green Party returned to parliament with 14 seats after it recorded its highest-ever vote of 11.1%. New Zealand First returned to parliament with 8 seats and 6.8% of the vote after having been voted out in 2008. The Maori Party won 5 seats, and ACT and United Future and the Mana Party one seat each.

On December 5, 2011, National re-entered into agreements with ACT and United Future and with the Maori Party to form a minority government with a seven-seat majority (64 seats to 57). The government’s priorities for this term are managing the government’s finances, building a more productive and competitive economy, delivering better public services, and rebuilding Christchurch. The 50th New Zealand parliament was sworn in on December 20, 2011 with 121 members (120 seats plus one overhang seat).

ECONOMY
New Zealand's economy historically has been based on a foundation of exports from its very efficient agricultural system. Leading agricultural exports include dairy products, meat, forest products, fruit and vegetables, fish, and wool.

The country has substantial hydroelectric power and reserves of natural gas. Based on recent natural gas exploration between Australia and New Zealand, natural gas production is projected to increase by 3.5% by 2020. Leading manufacturing sectors are food processing, wood and paper products, and metal fabrication. Service industries, particularly financial, insurance, and business services, form a significant part of New Zealand's economy. As of July 2011, the number of broadband subscribers continued to grow, and exceeded 1.5 million. The number of broadband subscribers made up 85% of all Internet subscribers.

Since 1984, government subsidies including for agriculture were eliminated; import regulations liberalized; tariffs unilaterally slashed; exchange rates freely floated; controls on interest rates, wages, and prices removed; and marginal rates of taxation reduced. Tight monetary policy and major efforts to reduce the government budget deficit brought the inflation rate down from an annual rate of more than 18% in 1987. The restructuring and sale of government-owned enterprises in the 1990s reduced government's role in the economy and permitted the retirement of some public debt. As a result, New Zealand is now one of the most open economies in the world.

After five consecutive quarters of economic retrenchment, the New Zealand economy ended its recession in the June 2009 quarter, growing by less than 0.1%. Another brief return to negative growth in September 2010 followed a first earthquake in the Canterbury region, and a sluggish recovery was further hampered by a second earthquake in February 2011. Economic growth is forecast to remain weak for the next 2 years as households go through a period of debt consolidation and government spending is further cut. New Zealand’s AA+ foreign currency rating was downgraded to AA by Standard & Poor’s in September 2011 as a result of increasing net foreign liabilities and household debt being an average 156% of disposable income. Economic activity has been increasing, with a rise in GDP of 1.8% recorded in September 2011. An export-led recovery is expected to lead to growth of around 2.7% in 2012, with partial sales of some state assets, reconstruction in Canterbury, and increased mineral exploitation. The hosting of the 2011 Rugby World Cup provided a short-term boost to the economy, but it has been difficult to quantify net benefits and long-term gains. New Zealand's unemployment rate rose to 7.3% in the last 3 months of 2009, its highest level in more than 10 years. The country’s unemployment rate as of June 2011 stood at approximately 6.5%. New Zealand's unemployment rate was lower than the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) average of 8.6% and was ranked 12th of 27 OECD countries with standardized unemployment rates.

New Zealand experienced a net migration loss in 2011, through the highest-ever recorded net permanent and long-term (PLT) loss to Australia of 36,900 people. This was offset by 14,200 arrivals from Australia, and net gains were experienced from most other countries, led by the United Kingdom (5,500), India (4,900), and China (4,700). In late 2011 the United States saw gains in short-term visitors from New Zealand, up 1,500 over the previous year, an increase of 55%. Short-term visitors from the United States were down 2.6% in the year to December 2011, with 184,714 visitors over that period. The largest sources of visitors over the year to December 2011 were from Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, China, Japan, and Germany. The most popular destinations in the same year for New Zealanders were Australia, the United States, Fiji, the United Kingdom, China, the Cook Islands, and Samoa.

Traditionally, New Zealand's economy has been helped by strong economic relations with Australia. New Zealand and Australia are partners in "Closer Economic Relations" (CER), which allows for free trade in goods and most services. Since 1990, CER has created a single market of more than 22 million people, and this has provided new opportunities for New Zealand exporters. Australia is now the destination of 23% of New Zealand's exports, compared to 14% in 1983. Both sides also have agreed to consider extending CER to product standardization and taxation policy. New Zealand has had a free trade agreement with Singapore since 2001. In July 2005, both countries joined with Chile and Brunei to form a Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership (TPP), liberalizing trade in goods and services between them. On September 22, 2008, comprehensive negotiations for the U.S. to join the TPP were launched. In December 2009, President Barack Obama announced that the U.S. was interested in re-engaging on TPP. The 11th round of talks took place in March 2012.

New Zealand concluded a Closer Economic Partnership (CEP) agreement with Thailand that entered into force on July 1, 2005. In April 2008 New Zealand concluded a free trade agreement (FTA) with China. In October 2009, negotiations concluded on an FTA with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC--made up of Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E., and Qatar). The New Zealand/Hong Kong, China CEP was concluded in November 2009, and the agreement came into force in January 2011. In December 2007, New Zealand and South Korea announced the beginning of a study group to explore the benefits of a bilateral free trade agreement. The first round of FTA negotiations between New Zealand and South Korea took place in Seoul in June 2009. In June 2008, New Zealand and Japan established an economic working group to review their bilateral economic relationship. New Zealand and India agreed to undertake a joint study into the implications of an FTA in 2007. That study was completed in February 2009, and in January 2010 the two governments announced that negotiations would commence between their countries. Following a visit to India by Prime Minister Key in June 2011, both countries expressed a desire for an early conclusion to the deal. In August 2010 an FTA came into force between New Zealand and Malaysia. New Zealand, Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan began talks on an FTA in February 2011, with a second round in April 2011; they aimed to complete negotiations by the end of the year, although this did not occur.

New Zealand's top six trading partners (total trade) as of December 2011 included Australia, the People's Republic of China, the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Korea. In 2011, Australia was New Zealand's principal export market, totaling U.S. $8.94 billion, and making up 23% of New Zealand's total exports. China continued its rapid growth as New Zealand’s second-largest export market at 12.5% of total exports, up 22% from 2010 with a total of U.S. $4.87 billion. Despite having slipped to third place in 2010, the United States gained on previous years in 2011 with a 6.4% increase, totaling U.S. $3.31 billion, and making up 8.4% of New Zealand's total exports. As New Zealand's fourth-largest export destination, export trade with Japan was valued at U.S. $2.5 billion. China became New Zealand’s largest source of imports in the year ended December 2011, with a value of U.S. $6.2 billion, or 16% of total imports. Australia slipped from first place as the largest source of merchandise imports in 2011, dropping 4.1% to U.S. $6.1 billion, accounting for 15.8% of total imports. The United States is the third-largest trading partner for New Zealand, with U.S. goods and services accounting for 10.2% of all imports, totaling U.S. $3.9 billion.

The New Zealand dollar reached a 24-year high of over U.S. $0.88 in August 2011 (the highest since the New Zealand dollar was floated), and has remained high for some months, which has seen added pressure on New Zealand exports. The market-led economy offers many benefits for U.S. exporters and investors. Investment opportunities exist in chemicals, food preparation, finance, tourism, and forest products, as well as in franchising. The best sales and investment prospects are for whole aircraft and aircraft parts, medical or veterinary instruments, motor vehicles, information technology, hotel and restaurant equipment, telecommunications, tourism, franchising, food processing and packaging, and medical equipment. On the agricultural side, the best prospects are for fresh fruit, snack foods, and soybean meal.

New Zealand screens foreign investment that falls within certain criteria. Under the auspices of the Overseas Investment Act 2005, New Zealand’s Overseas Investment Office (OIO) screens foreign investments that would result in the acquisition of 25% or more ownership of, or a controlling interest in, "significant business assets" (significant business assets are defined as assets valued at more than NZ $100 million). Government approval also is required for purchases of land larger than 5 hectares (12.35 acres) and land in certain sensitive or protected areas, or fishing quotas. If the land or fishing quota to be purchased is owned by a company or other entity, approval will be required if the investor will be acquiring a 25% or more equity or controlling interest. Following a ministerial directive in December 2010, future bids to purchase sensitive or protected areas will come under even greater scrutiny to ensure that any investment is of economic benefit to New Zealand. Full remittance of profits and capital is permitted through normal banking channels.

A number of U.S. companies have subsidiary branches in New Zealand. Many operate through local agents, and some are in association in joint ventures. The American Chamber of Commerce is active in New Zealand, with its main office in Auckland.

NATIONAL SECURITY
New Zealand has three defense policy objectives--defend New Zealand against low-level threats, contribute to regional security, and play a part in global security efforts. New Zealand has considered its own national defense needs to be modest. Its defense budget generally has provided for selected upgrades in equipment. Shortly after winning the 1999 election, the Labour government canceled a lease-to-buy agreement with the U.S. for 28 F-16 aircraft. However, Labour did embark on a significant defense upgrade and acquisition plan. All three services have benefited from the upgrades/acquisitions. In 2001, the government contracted to purchase 105 LAVIIIs for U.S. $300 million, with delivery completed in 2005. The Army also purchased 321 Light Operational Vehicles to make its forces more mobile. In 2002, New Zealand announced planned upgrades of its P3 and C-130 Hercules aircraft, and purchased two Boeing 757 aircraft for U.S. $100 million. In 2006 New Zealand contracted with NH Industries to purchase eight NH-90 aircraft. In 2007 the country entered an agreement to purchase 12 A-109 light helicopters from Agosta (the number later was decreased to 6). The B-757s have received significant upgrades, including installation of a cargo door and a strengthened floor that allows various configurations of cargo/passengers. Upgrades and modifications to the P3s and C-130s encountered significant delays, severely limiting available aircraft for 2009 and 2010. In 2007, the Navy began accepting delivery of the Project Protector program, with an estimated value of U.S. $250 million, consisting of one multi-role vessel (MRV), two offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), and four inshore patrol vessels (IPVs), which concluded with the final ship delivery in May 2010. The Navy’s two ANZAC frigates are receiving ship support systems upgrades (one is now complete), and the Navy is requesting additional funding for weapons systems upgrades for 2011-2012.

In May 2001, the government announced it was scrapping its combat air force. New Zealand states it maintains a "credible minimum force," although critics maintain that the country's defense forces have fallen below this standard. New Zealand still maintains, in a non-operational status, the fleet of A-4 Skyhawk jets and Aermacchi jets left over from the scrapping of its combat air force. Its attempts to sell the jets have thus far failed.

With a claimed area of direct strategic concern that extends from Australia to Southeast Asia to the South Pacific, New Zealand necessarily places substantial reliance on its defense relationship with other countries, in particular Australia. However, acknowledging the need to improve its defense capabilities, the government in 2005 announced the Defense Sustainability Initiative, allocating an additional NZ $4.6 billion (U.S. $3.19 billion) over 10 years to modernize the country's defense equipment and infrastructure and increase its military personnel. The funding represented a 51% increase in defense spending since the Labour government took office in 1999. However, the active duty component of the New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) does not exceed 10,000 personnel and there have been no additional budget increases in recent years. The New Zealand Army is the largest service, with fewer than 5,000 personnel, the Air Force has approximately 2,700, and the Navy has approximately 2,300. There are approximately 2,200 territorial (reserve) forces and approximately 2,700 civilian defense employees.

New Zealand is an active participant in multilateral peacekeeping. It has taken a leading role in trying to bring peace, reconciliation, and reconstruction to the Solomon Islands and the neighboring island of Bougainville. New Zealand maintains a contingent in the Sinai Multinational Force and Observers and has contributed to UN peacekeeping operations in Angola, Cambodia, Somalia, and the former Yugoslavia. It also participated in the Multilateral Interception Force in the Persian Gulf. New Zealand's most recent peacekeeping operations experience has been in Timor-Leste, where it initially dispatched almost 10% of its entire defense force and continues to sustain a modest force. New Zealand participated in Operation Enduring Freedom and has fielded a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Afghanistan’s Bamyan province. It continues to sustain that PRT, and it deployed a frigate to the Gulf of Oman on three rotations as of spring 2008. New Zealand has also returned its Special Air Service (SAS) to Afghanistan for a three-rotation deployment (6 months each), due to conclude in April 2012.

New Zealand participates in sharing training facilities, personnel exchanges, and joint exercises with the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Brunei, Tonga, and South Pacific states. It also participates in exercises with its Five-Power Defense Arrangement partners--Australia, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, and Singapore. Due to New Zealand's anti-nuclear policy, defense cooperation with the U.S., including training exercises, has been significantly restricted since 1986, but in recent years engagement between the two militaries has grown.

The National Party-led government commissioned a defense review upon entering office in November 2008, which was completed on April 21, 2009. On November 2, 2010 a White Paper was released, presenting the government's plan to meet New Zealand’s security needs over the next 25 years. The paper set out a program to progressively enhance defense capability and to allow the replacement of core capabilities in a planned way over the next 20 years. The New Zealand Defense Force will continue to conduct and lead missions in the South Pacific, and work to enable New Zealand to be a strong partner in regional and international security. The combat effectiveness of the NZDF land forces will be augmented, and air and sea transport capabilities will be maintained and improved. The major new direction to emerge from the White Paper was the priority given to enhancing the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capability of the NZDF.

FOREIGN RELATIONS
New Zealand's foreign policy is oriented chiefly toward developed democratic nations and emerging Pacific economies. The country's major political parties have generally agreed on the broad outlines of foreign policy, and the current coalition government has been active in multilateral fora on issues of recurring interest to New Zealand--trade liberalization, environment, and arms control.

New Zealand participates in the World Trade Organization (WTO); World Bank; International Monetary Fund (IMF); Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD); International Energy Agency; Asian Development Bank; Pacific Islands Forum; The Pacific Community; Colombo Plan; Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC); and the International Whaling Commission. New Zealand also is an active member of the Commonwealth. Despite the 1985 rupture in the ANZUS alliance, New Zealand has maintained good working relations with the United States and Australia on a broad array of international issues.

New Zealand values its long-term relationship with the United Nations and values the organization as a mechanism to promote and protect its interests. It is a vocal supporter of the principles of the UN Charter, is very active in UN fora, and regularly contributes to UN peacekeeping missions. New Zealand is a UN Security Council candidate for 2015-2016. Former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark became head of the UN Development Program in 2009.

In the past, New Zealand's geographic isolation and its agricultural economy's general prosperity tended to minimize public interest in world affairs. However, growing global trade and other international economic events have made New Zealanders more aware of their country's dependence on stable overseas markets.

New Zealand's economic involvement with Asia has become increasingly important through expanding trade with the growing economies of Asia. New Zealand is a "dialogue partner" with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and an active participant in APEC. On April 7, 2008 New Zealand signed a free trade agreement with China, the first OECD country to do so.

As a charter member of the Colombo Plan, New Zealand has provided Asian countries with technical assistance and capital. It also contributes through the Asian Development Bank and through UN programs and is a member of the UN Economic and Social Council for Asia and the Pacific.

New Zealand has focused its bilateral economic assistance resources on projects in the South Pacific island states, especially on Bougainville. The country's long association with Samoa (formerly known as Western Samoa), reflected in a treaty of friendship signed in 1962, and its close association with Tonga have resulted in a flow of immigrants and visitors under work permit schemes from both countries. New Zealand administers the Tokelau Islands and provides foreign policy and economic support when requested for the freely associated self-governing states of the Cook Islands and Niue. Inhabitants of these areas hold New Zealand citizenship.

In 1947, New Zealand joined Australia, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States to form the South Pacific Commission, a regional body to promote the welfare of the Pacific region. New Zealand has been a leader in the organization. In 1971, New Zealand joined the other independent and self-governing states of the South Pacific to establish the South Pacific Forum (now known as the Pacific Islands Forum), which meets annually at the "heads of government" level. In 2011, New Zealand hosted the 42nd Pacific Islands Forum in Auckland and chairs the organization.

U.S.-NEW ZEALAND RELATIONS
Bilateral relations are the best they have been in decades. The United States and New Zealand share common elements of history and culture and a commitment to democratic principles. Senior-level officials regularly consult with each other on issues of mutual importance. One of the landmarks in the improving relationship was Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's November 2010 visit to New Zealand when she signed the "Wellington Declaration" with New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully. The Declaration is a bold statement reaffirming close ties between the two countries and outlining future practical cooperation in a number of specific areas. Bilateral relations were further deepened in July 2011 when President Obama hosted Prime Minister Key in Washington, DC.

The United States established consular representation in New Zealand in 1839 to represent and protect American shipping and whaling interests. Since the U.K. was responsible for New Zealand's foreign affairs, direct U.S.-New Zealand diplomatic ties were not established until 1942, when the Japanese threat encouraged close U.S.-New Zealand cooperation in the Pacific campaign. During the war, more than 400,000 American military personnel were stationed in New Zealand to prepare for crucial battles such as Tarawa and Guadalcanal.

New Zealand's relationship with the United States in the post-World War II period was closely associated with the Australia-New Zealand-United States (ANZUS) security treaty of 1951, under which signatories agreed to consult in case of an attack in the Pacific and to "act to meet the common danger." During the postwar period, access to New Zealand ports by U.S. vessels contributed to the flexibility and effectiveness of U.S. naval forces in the Pacific.

Growing concern about nuclear testing in the South Pacific and arms control issues contributed to the 1984 election of a Labour government committed to barring nuclear-armed and nuclear-powered warships from New Zealand ports. The government's nuclear-free policy proved incompatible with longstanding, worldwide U.S. policy of neither confirming nor denying the presence or absence of nuclear weapons onboard U.S. vessels.

Implementation of New Zealand's policy effectively prevented practical alliance cooperation under ANZUS, and after extensive efforts to resolve the issue proved unsuccessful, in August 1986 the United States suspended its ANZUS security obligations to New Zealand. Even after President George H.W. Bush's 1991 announcement that U.S. surface ships do not normally carry nuclear weapons, New Zealand's legislation prohibiting visits of nuclear-powered ships continues to preclude a bilateral security alliance with the U.S. The legislation enjoys broad public and political support in New Zealand. The United States would welcome New Zealand's reassessment of its legislation to permit that country's return to full ANZUS cooperation.

Despite suspension of U.S. security obligations, the New Zealand Government has reaffirmed the importance it attaches to continued close political, economic, and social ties with the United States and Australia. New Zealand actively engages in peacekeeping and international security efforts around the world. It has deployed both SAS and regular armed forces personnel to Afghanistan, together with naval and air assets to the Persian Gulf. New Zealand has worked closely with the U.S. to promote free trade in the WTO, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group, and other multilateral fora. It is also actively working to conclude a trade agreement with the United States through the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The U.S. and New Zealand work together closely on scientific research in the Antarctic. Christchurch is the staging area for joint logistical support operations serving U.S. permanent bases at McMurdo Station and South Pole, and New Zealand's Scott base, (located just three kilometers from McMurdo Station in the Ross Sea region).

PARALYMPIC SHOOTER USHERED IN INNOVATIVE PROSTHESIS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Army Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Olson, center, a member of the 2012 U.S. Paralympic shooting team, makes adjustments to his air rifle during a competitive round of shooting at the Royal Artillery Barracks in London, Sept. 1, 2012. DOD photo by Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.

　
Paralympian Soldier Pioneers Prosthesis, Hopes to Inspire Others
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service

LONDON, Sept. 1, 2012 - A sharpshooting Army sergeant who helped to usher in an innovative prosthesis that has helped countless wounded warriors has brought his sharp eye to compete in the 2012 Paralympic Games here.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Olson, a member of the 2012 Paralympic shooting team and of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit helped to develop an advanced prosthesis for wounded service members.

"[In] October 2003, I was wounded in Iraq by a rocket-propelled grenade during an ambush," Olson said. "From there, I was medevaced to Landstuhl [Regional Medical Center in Germany], and I was there for about eight days." After that, he said, he woke up at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., where he spent about 18 months.

"In my stay at Walter Reed, there was an outdoor event every day in occupational therapy – shotgun shooting," he said. "I went out and shot sporting clay one day. I hit my first 49 out of 50."

Olson said his shooting acuity caught the attention of the program director at Walter Reed, who put in a call to the Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Ga., to see if a position was available for a competitive shooter or marksmanship instructor.

"I went down to Fort Benning from Walter Reed, had a tryout and was very successful," Olson said. "[I] got along great with the coaches and the other shooters on the team."

The Army sergeant said he was assigned to the marksmanship unit in June 2005 and "slowly, but surely, started shooting."

"And I'm here today," he added.

Olson noted that been many troops in his position have wished to stay in the military despite their injuries, but were unable to.

"There's a lot of guys that have been wounded that want to continue to serve," he said. "I'm very blessed and very fortunate to be able to do that.

I hope I inspire, not even [just] wounded soldiers, but other soldiers," he continued, "just to [let them know], 'Hey, you might be going through something tough, such as [post-traumatic stress], but if you work hard and give yourself goals to work on, it helps you get out of bed every day [and] helps you work hard and overcome things in your life."

In discussing the origin of the "Olson Socket," the Army sergeant is quick to note he didn't invent the prosthesis himself.

"I was just the first guy to wear it and help make it work," Olson explained. "In late 2004, I went down to Orlando, Fla., where Prosthetics and Associates is, and [met] a gentleman by the name of Dennis Clark."

"Those guys got together [with] myself and the actual designers, and originally drew it up on a bar napkin," he revealed. "And we tried it out, and we put it together and made it work."

Olson said as soon as he got back to Walter Reed with the prosthesis, officials there immediately began sending service members down to Florida to be fitted for the same prosthesis and socket system.

"I was very fortunate and very blessed they named it after me, but I just happened to be the first guy to ever have one," he said.

Olson credited his military service for the discipline that got him here to compete in the Paralympic Games.

"Military service has prepared me for the Paralympics by teaching me determination, patience and just overall hard work," he said. "My goal for the Paralympics is to be able to perform my best – to perform at the level I know I can. If I do that, I should be on the medal stand."

The key to his success, Olson said, is practicing, staying focused and concentrating on the fundamentals of his sport.

"For me, my biggest challenge is the ability to stay focused during the entire match," he said. "So I do some mental exercises, a lot of imagery and some visualization exercises. This sport is 95 percent mental and 5 percent physical.

"I've been training a long time for this," he added. "There's really no shooting drill, no mental exercise or anything you can really do to prepare for actually sitting there."

Olson's next Paralympic Games shooting event is scheduled for Sept. 4 at the Royal Artillery Barracks.

Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jay Carney en route Toledo, Ohio | The White House

Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jay Carney en route Toledo, Ohio | The White House

NASA - Mars

NASA - Mars

U.S. NAVY LOOKS TO BIOFUELS

FROM: U.S. NAVY
120718-N-XA289-035 PACIFIC OCEAN (July 18, 2012) Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) the Honorable Ray Mabus and Rear Adm. Tim Barrett, commander of the Australian Fleet, shake hands after signing an energy efficiency pact during the Great Green Fleet demonstration portion of the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2012 exerciseexercise aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Nimitz took on 200,000 gallons of biofuel for the demonstration. Twenty-two nations, more than 40 ships and submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC exercise from June 29 to Aug. 3, in and around the Hawaiian Islands. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2012 is the 23rd exercise in the series that began in 1971. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Renee Candelario/Released)

NPS Researchers Evaluate Biofuels for Powering the Fleet

Amanda D. Stein, Naval Postgraduate School Public Affairs

MONTEREY, Calif. (NNS) -- Researchers at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) are applying their experience in combustion to help the Navy meet one of Secretary of of the Navy's goals for the future.

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced a number of energy initiatives for the Navy in 2009, including a 50 percent reduction in petroleum-based fuel consumption in the fleet by 2020.

NPS Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) Associate Professor Dr. Christopher Brophy, and MAE Professor and Chairman Dr. Knox Millsaps, are working to help the Navy understand how alternative fuels will perform in existing gas turbine and diesel engines. The goal is to seamlessly transition to the biofuel blends without having to change any engine components.

"The Naval Postgraduate School's part in this is really helping with certification, to give the Navy confidence through fundamental measurements that the fuels look, smell and taste the same, so to speak," said Millsaps. "These fuels should have the form, fit and function to serve as direct drop-in replacements. They don't want to modify any of the systems to accommodate these fuels.

"Our research focuses on the fundamental combustion and engine-use part of the fuels, and not the production of them," said Millsaps. "Once it's in an engine, does it physically spray the same as a regular fuel? Does it burn the same? Does it have the same emissions characteristics? We have seen that biofuels actually tend to burn cleaner. Petroleum-based fuels have some contaminants - high sulfur, and trace metals like vanadium, for example, and gas turbine blades have thermal barrier coatings that hate vanadium. These biofuels, since they are essentially built from the ground up, don't have as many contaminants, and in some sense, they burn a lot cleaner than conventional petroleum-based fuels."

The NPS team is testing the combustion of the alternatives to the Navy's current JP-5 and F-76 fuels, including algae-based, hydro-reformed diesel, and camelina-based, hydro-reformed jet fuel blends. The 50/50 blends would incorporate half of the petroleum-based fuels currently being used, and half of either the algae or camelina fuels. The blending of the fuels will make the transition easier on the engines, and help the Navy reduce the amount of petroleum-based fuels needed to run the fleet.

"We know you can't go 100 percent biofuel because in aviation or ground-based systems, existing seals rely on particular ingredients found in conventional petroleum fuels which causes them to swell and provide proper sealing," said Brophy. "If you put them in biofuel, they tend to swell only a fraction of what is expected. Liquids contained within the engine are kept in by seals around a piston or a shaft, and if the seal is not expanding as expected, they leak. This has resulted in aircraft returning with significant leaks, so it's a big problem."

"The question was how much biofuel can the engines handle, and 50/50 worked," Brophy said. "But can you do 70/30? We don't really know the demarcation line between what fraction of biofuel you can run, but 50/50 is what the Navy has selected to date because we know it works."

One of the challenges with biofuels is that the scarcity of the product makes it more expensive than the fuels the Navy currently uses. To harvest algae and camelina, a member of the mustard family, in quantities large enough to fuel the fleet is a challenge, and one that has driven up the cost of production for the biofuels. For the three-day Great Green Fleet Exercise that took place during the 23rd Rim of the Pacific Exercise in July, the Navy purchased 450,000 gallons of biofuel to run the blend in two destroyers and several dozen planes for two to three days.

The cost per barrel of the biofuels led to questions on the Great Green Fleet exercise at a time when the defense department's expenses are being scrutinized. Mabus addressed them in the Navy's "Currents" magazine, explaining the importance of finding alternatives to fossil fuels.

"Throughout the Navy's history, we have pioneered the way we fueled the fleet," wrote Mabus. "In the 1850s, we moved from sail to coal. In the early 20th Century, we left coal to transition to oil and we led the way to nuclear power in the 1950s. At the time of each energy transformation, there were doubters and naysayers who said trading a known source of energy for an unknown one was too risky and too costly. But the Navy pursued innovation because it improved the capability of the fleet and made us better warfighters."

"The critics were wrong then, and they are wrong today," said Mabus. "The U.S. military, time and time again, has led in the introduction of new technologies, including the Internet, Global Positioning System, and flat-screen televisions. In each case, we pursued innovation because it strengthened our national security and our capability as a military."

Mabus visited NPS in 2011 to tour the biofuels lab, and learned about the university's new energy degree program and ways that students are helping address the energy challenges facing the Navy. Since NPS has become involved in biofuels research, the team has had three recent mechanical engineering graduates explore the topic in their theses research, and three more are currently involved - Navy Ensign Warren Fischer, Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Adam Paz, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Corps Lt. j.g. John Petersen.

Petersen is a part-time student while stationed at the nearby Point Pinos Lighthouse. The NOAA Corps, the smallest uniformed service in the country, is responsible for the operation of research ships and aircraft. Petersen was immediately drawn to biofuels as a topic for his thesis research, and sees energy independence as an important step for energy security.

"This research will not only greatly benefit the Navy but our entire nation," said Petersen. "About 60 percent of the oil used in the U.S. is imported. The Navy values energy as a strategic resource and it is fundamental for its mission. Supplementing our use of conventional fossil fuels with renewable fuels will significantly increase our energy independence and energy security. In addition to the tactical benefits, there are many environmental benefits that renewable fuels have over the use of fossil fuels. As an NOAA Corps officer, I am proud to be working on a project that will have a positive impact, not only on the Navy, but on our nation and the global environment overall."

Paz will be exploring the combustion performance of bio-derived synthetic fuels in his thesis, and noted that the value of biofuels extend beyond the desire for the U.S. to be independent of foreign oil.

"As petroleum becomes less cost effective to refine into usable grades of fuel for bulk military, and ultimately governmental or even industrial use, the need for alternatives will become apparent," said Paz. "It is not just a question of 'energy independence' for the United States. I think the U.S. will always require resources from non-domestic sources. It is whether the world market can be sustained by current known reserves. These bio-derived fuels will be a drop-in replacement for fossil fuels, allowing us to continue to use the same internal-combustion-centric infrastructure currently in place until something better is developed."

ESA Portal - Portugal - Pequena câmara a bordo do Proba-2 capta tempestade tropical Isaac

ESA Portal - Portugal - Pequena câmara a bordo do Proba-2 capta tempestade tropical Isaac

Former Army Cadet Captures Paralympic Silver Medal

http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=117733

STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ADDRESSES AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN EGYPT

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Remarks Before the American Chamber of Commerce in EgyptRemarks
Robert D. Hormats
Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment
Cairo, Egypt
August 29, 2012

Thank you very much for this opportunity to address such a distinguished group of leaders of the business community here in Cairo.

Thank you to the U.S. Egypt Chamber of Commerce, which I have had the pleasure of addressing here before.

I'm also pleased to welcome members of the Egyptian Business Development Association, who are joining us here this morning.

I’m also delighted to be here with Ambassador Patterson. She is one of the truly great Ambassadors of our era, and a very good friend as well.

I’m also pleased to be joined by an extraordinary delegation of senior officials from the United States Government:
Special Assistant to the President Caroline Atkinson;
Middle East Transitions Coordinator Ambassador Bill Taylor;
USAID Assistant Administrator Mara Rudman;
Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Dan Mullaney;
OPIC Vice President Robert Drumheller, and
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Andy Baukol.
It is an honor to speak to you in the midst of such historic changes and opportunities in Egypt. This country’s political and economic transformation has required, and will continue to require, difficult decisions on an array of complicated but profoundly important issues.

Only Egyptians can address these issues and make these decisions. But we have come to Egypt, as Secretary Clinton said in July, to reaffirm the strong support of the United States for the Egyptian people and for Egypt’s democratic and economic transition -- recognizing that success in one supports success in the other.

We have come here to begin a practical and concrete dialogue on how we can come together to help create a strong economic foundation for a democratic Egypt, for an Egypt that provides new and broadly shared opportunities for its population, and for our partnership.

We have deep shared interests in
Egypt’s strong and inclusive economic growth;
Egypt’s ability to expand job opportunities and additional skills training for its people; and
Egypt’s increased integration into the regional and global economy through the growth of trade and investment.
The United States has a wide range of capabilities to bring to bear:
ur capacity to mobilize economic support from the international financial and economic community, especially the major international monetary and financial institutions;
our desire to provide significant amounts of direct financial and development support; and
our efforts to strengthen Egypt’s trade and investment ties with the United States and the rest of the world in order to create new job opportunities for the people of Egypt and support Egyptian companies.
EGYPT IN HISTORICAL CONTEXT

In times of transition, it is all too easy to get absorbed in the many challenges of the moment – losing perspective about the underlying strengths of this great country.

It is worth taking a step back to put the past year and a half in the context of Egypt’s deeper history.

I have been a frequent visitor to Egypt since the early 1970s. I have traveled to many parts of this nation – up and down the Nile and to Sinai and the Western Desert. Each time I learn more about this country’s rich history and its people.

For millennia, Egypt has made significant contributions to the progress of mankind. As a junction between East and West, North and South, Egypt has been a crossroads for diverse peoples, goods, and ideas.

The source of this continual innovation has always been the ingenuity and resolve of the Egyptian people. Egypt was a leader in scientific discoveries and innovations that defined the foundations of many fields, including astronomy, mathematics, chemistry, medicine, and, of course, engineering. The Library of Alexandria, constructed in the third century BC, was a center of knowledge that for centuries gathered scholars from all over the world.

This thirst for knowledge and achievement of the Egyptian people can still be seen today.

Egypt also has, of course, experienced its share of tumultuous times. But faced with each setback or crisis, Egypt has redoubled its efforts, drawn from the dynamism of its people, and emerged stronger and more resilient than before.

EGYPT TODAY – CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Today Egypt faces many new challenges, but also many new opportunities.

One of the key and most immediate challenges is stabilizing the economic and financial situation. Achieving this is vital to providing a solid base for sustainable and inclusive growth.

Egypt also faces the need to increase domestic investment, and attract more overseas investment. That is vital to boost growth, ensure diversification of the economy, and create new jobs. To do this during a period of downturn in large parts of the global economy is difficult. Doing so during a period of dramatic internal change makes it doubly difficult. But it can be done.

Improving the country’s business climate is one of the principal ways to encourage domestic and foreign investment. Doing so through such steps as regulatory reform, and maintaining and open and stable investment climate, can over the course of the next several years bring far more resources, and far more new technologies to Egypt than foreign loans or foreign assistance could bring. We plan to help on all these fronts.

President Morsi, through his Renaissance Plan, has indicated his desire to adopt a serious and impressive economic reform agenda. This agenda has highlighted reform of the banking sector, support for small and medium-sized enterprises and enabling women to play a greater role in national development.

With a president, a prime minister, and a cabinet ready to engage, now is the moment for Egypt and the United States – and indeed the wider the international community as well -- to work together with renewed commitment and energy on several levels and in several ways:

We welcome Egypt’s engagement with the IMF as a first step toward securing financial support for a robust, Egyptian-led stabilization and economic reform program that will reinforce confidence among international lenders, potential donors, and private investors. Just as importantly, it will provide a foundation for sustained growth and inclusive economic opportunity.

And the World Bank has identified several ways it can provide support for Egypt. It also has supported ways to improve Egypt’s business climate. In particular, the Bank has suggested streamlining regulatory processes for businesses, developing infrastructure, and advancing tax reform.

Egypt could also benefit from facilitating additional franchising agreements. For example, the U.S. company Dairy Queen has opened four outlets in Egypt. It plans to expand further, capitalizing on U.S. financing, bringing more jobs, entrepreneurship opportunities, and training. Other franchises could do the same.

Bankruptcy reform could also benefit Egyptian business. People should reap the rewards of their success; but, if they fail they should be given the opportunity to try again. Easing the ability to obtain construction permits and clear procedures for the enforcement of contracts would also produce new investment and jobs. So could additional progress on dispute settlement reform.

The Egyptian marketplace would also benefit from meaningful trademark and other types of intellectual property protection. This will sustain an innovative society and support Egypt’s entrepreneurs.

THE US --EGYPT’S PARTNER FOR FUTURE PROGRESS

President Obama and Secretary Clinton have both expressed their commitment to support Egypt’s democratic transition. They want to ensure that the United States is a partner of the Egyptian people and their leaders in building the New Egypt.I am here because I share that goal – as do the other U.S. officials on our team. We want to use this visit to make concrete progress in advancing our common efforts.

The American people have a deep reservoir of goodwill for Egypt. We want to demonstrate our friendship and our partnership through concrete actions, and build a relationship based on mutual interests and mutual respect.

We believe that Egypt’s transition to democratic governance has given both of us new opportunities to talk sincerely about our shared values and interests.

Our trip to Egypt this week is focused on making concrete progress on the timing and details for the support that already has been described by President Obama and Secretary Clinton.

My colleagues and I have listened carefully to what the leaders and people of Egypt have said about this country’s needs.

In our meetings over the past two days, we have heard from leaders of your government, and other Egyptians in the business sector and civil society, about your most important and urgent economic priorities. Egypt’s priorities are where we want to focus our attention.

To address a top priority, the United States is working to help relieve Egypt of part of its immediate fiscal and balance of payments pressure in support of the Egyptian government’s own, home-grown reform plan. As with all our assistance, our discussions will be conducted in very close consultation with our Congress and anticipating a supportive overall environment.

Other bilateral initiatives will focus on helping to unlock the potential for sustained growth in Egypt’s small and medium-sized enterprises, or what we call SMEs. We want to do this for Governorates throughout this country.

The Overseas Private Investment Corporation, or OPIC, is the U.S. government’s development finance institution. It has committed $250 million to an SME Loan Guarantee for Egypt. Through leveraging, the loan guarantee will support up to $700 million in SME lending by local banks and other institutions.

OPIC also has approved $125 million in financing to Cairo-based Citadel Capital to provide loans to medium sized Egyptian companies into which Citadel had invested equity -- in the transportation, finance, ICT, and consumer food sectors.

To date, OPIC has provided $300 million of insurance for the Apache Corporation’s investments in Egypt since 2004. Apache is the largest producer of liquid hydrocarbons and natural gas in the Western Desert and the third largest in all of Egypt.

The United States is also supporting SMEs in Egypt through USAID’s Egypt Competitiveness Project. Through this new partnership, announced in November 2011, USAID will work with HSBC Bank to offer $34 million to SMEs. USAID has programs in many parts of this country, including Upper Egypt, Sinai and other regions.

A new United States-Egypt Enterprise Fund also will foster stronger investment ties, leverage other investors, and help Egyptians launch and grow SMEs. The initial capitalization of the fund will be $60 million. We expect that amount to grow significantly.

Enterprise Funds were initially established to promote private sector development during the democratic transitions in Eastern and Central Europe. We see similar possibilities in Egypt.

USAID continues to fund projects across Egypt to help improve health and education, including in Sinai and Upper Egypt. In Sohag, USAID has installed or upgraded potable water services in homes, improving health, sanitation and convenience, and creating 116,000 labor-days of employment. In Sinai, USAID has funded the construction of 54 schools and partnered with the Ministry of Education to improve vocational training for 1500 students and 135 teachers, more than 30% of whom are women.

In addition, we see opportunities to promote direct business to business connections. The US believes that Egypt is a good place to invest and sees promise in a number of areas such as information and communication technology, energy, transportation, port facilities and agribusiness. Egypt also can be an increasingly important trading partner in many sectors.

We are organizing a visit to Egypt of a large business delegation, in two weeks. The delegation will consist of over 100 men and women from more than 40 American companies. This group of CEOS and top executives will meet with senior government officials and business leaders to explore new partnerships, investments and trade opportunities.

In the coming months and years, you, the leaders of the business community here, will have an historic opportunity to support a rejuvenated Egypt. You are ideally suited to send the signal to the rest of the world that Egypt is open for business. We will help you carry that message to potential partners in our country.

CONCLUSION

In sum, we see new opportunities for cooperation and partnership with Egypt. This moment presents an historic opportunity to work together to help Egypt address pressing financial issues in the near term and generate more inclusive growth and new employment opportunities now and over the medium and longer term.

The groundwork has been set with a new political leadership, a new level of energy and new opportunities to reform.

And, as in other nations, including my own, progress will only be possible if the talents of all citizens are drawn upon and all have a voice – men and women, all religious groups, all age groups, and all parts of the country. And, as in other nations, economic reform can only work, if it is based on a partnership among business, government and workers, and is grounded in sustained communication, mutual respect, and mutual confidence.

Egypt is continuing its transition. It will no doubt encounter additional challenges. Periods of dramatic change always provide unexpected challenges. But this is also a moment of historic opportunity. And we are taking the long view.

The United States has confidence in the ability of the Egyptian people to overcome new obstacles, modernize their economy, and succeed in building their new democracy. And we want to work closely with the Egyptian government and people to help them to achieve these goals.

It is through these changes that a prosperous and democratic Egypt will revitalize this nation’s historic role of prominence and leadership in the Middle East and around the world.

It all of this the American government want to be your steadfast partner and through our support demonstrate our deep and heartfelt friendship.

U.S. AIR FORCE SPACE COMMAND HISTORY: FIRST WIDEBAND GLOBAL SATCOM SATELLITE

FROM: U.S. AIR FORCE SPACE COMMAND
On 11 October 2007, the first Wideband Global SATCOM satellite was launched by an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla. WGS is DoD's highest capacity communications satellite providing increased bandwidth and high data rate and long haul communications for marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen worldwide. Photo Credit: U.S. Air Force Space Command.

AFSPC Milestone: First Wideband Global SATCOM satellite launched

8/30/2012 - Peterson AFB, Colo. -- As Air Force Space Command approaches its 30th Anniversary on 1 Sep, here is a significant milestone from the command's history...

On 11 October 2007, the first Wideband Global SATCOM satellite was launched by an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla. WGS is DoD's highest capacity communications satellite providing increased bandwidth and high data rate and long haul communications for marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen worldwide. The 3rd Space Operations Squadron at Schriever AFB, Colo., operates the WGS satellites.

The WGS system is a constellation of highly capable military communications satellites that leverage cost-effective methods and technological advances in the communications satellite industry. Each WGS satellite provides service in both the X and Ka frequency bands, with the unprecedented ability to cross-band between the two frequencies onboard the satellite. Each WGS satellite is digitally channelized and transponded. These characteristics provide a quantum leap in communications capacity, connectivity and flexibility for U.S. military forces and international partners while seamlessly integrating with current and future X- and Ka-band terminals.

Just one WGS satellite provides more SATCOM capacity than the entire DSCS constellation. International partners participating on the program are Australia, Canada, Denmark, Luxembourg, The Netherlands and New Zealand.

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America the Beautiful | The White House- Independence Day 2012

America the Beautiful | The White House

U.S. RELATIONSHIP TO ASEAN ECONOMIC-POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT

MAP CREDIT:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE/CIA
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Fact Sheet
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC

September 3, 2012
On September 4, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will meet with the ASEAN Secretary General Dr. Surin Pitsuwan and the ASEAN Committee of Permanent Representatives at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia, continuing her regular high-level engagement with ASEAN leaders and senior officials.

Along with our continued economic, strategic, and people-to-people engagement with ASEAN, the United States remains committed to supporting ASEAN’s evolution as the foremost regional institution promoting a vision of a peaceful, secure, prosperous, and democratic Southeast Asia. The United States has demonstrated our institutional support for ASEAN in a number of ways.
The U.S. Mission to ASEAN: In June 2010, the United States became the first non-ASEAN country to establish a dedicated Mission to ASEAN in Jakarta. Under the leadership of Ambassador David L. Carden, the United States’ first resident Ambassador to ASEAN, the Mission provides a venue for regular engagement and cooperation with ASEAN as well as the most visible symbol of our commitment to ASEAN’s success.

Support for U.S.-ASEAN Scholarship: In addition to beginning recruitment for the U.S.-ASEAN Fulbright Initiative this year, the United States supports both U.S. and ASEAN Member States’ scholars working on issues central to the region through symposia held at American University’s ASEAN Studies Center in Washington D.C. Our participation in the Brunei-U.S. English Language Enrichment Project reflects a commitment to help unify the diverse members of ASEAN, improve English language capacity, and advance educational and teaching opportunities in the region.

The ASEAN Washington Committee (AWC): To further our coordination with ASEAN, the Bureau of East Asian & Pacific Affairs’ Assistant Secretary Kurt M. Campbell holds monthly meetings with the ASEAN Washington Committee, composed of the ambassadors of ASEAN Member States resident in Washington. These meetings serve as a venue for communication and collaboration on issues and projects within the region, and provide a domestic complement to our engagement in Jakarta.

Institutional Support in Disaster Management: Since mid-2011, the United States has supported a full-time, resident Advisor to the ASEAN Secretariat’s ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Unit and to broader Disaster Management efforts through the Secretariat and ASEAN Centre for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (AHA Centre). The Advisor works closely with ASEAN officials and our fellow ASEAN Dialogue Partners to oversee activities such as:
The installation of a multi-hazard Disaster Monitoring and Response System in the AHA Centre. Along with Japan, the United States is providing the hardware and software AHA Centre operators need to improve response times and use relief resources more efficiently.
Building the search and rescue capacity of ASEAN Member States and creating guidelines for mobilization of assets for disaster relief across the region.
Supporting efforts to share best practices in Peacekeeping Operations.
  Promoting Public-Private Dialogue Economic Partnerships: The United States has partnered with ASEAN in private-sector outreach in several areas:
Secretary Clinton opened the first-ever U.S. – ASEAN Business Forum in July in Siem Reap, which brought government and private actors across the spectrum, including Boeing, Caterpillar, Chevron, DHL, Oracle, Peabody, P&G, ACE, Black & Veatch, Coca-Cola, GE, and Google, among others, together to find ways to further economic engagement and integration.
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency’s first connectivity event, which brought representatives together from ASEAN governments, seven U.S. government agencies, and several private businesses. Participants shared expertise in disaster reduction and disaster recovery, and attendees showcased technology which enables more effective disaster preparation and emergency response.
We have supported the ASEAN Single Window Steering Committee, which incorporates the views of businesses active in the region into the planning for the ASEAN Single Window project, a state-of-the-art regional electronic customs clearance information sharing system, which will help to enable the integration of the broader ASEAN economic community. We look forward to a major ASEAN Single Window Symposium in mid-September at the ASEAN Secretariat.
  Economic Partnerships: We support triennial conferences to encourage private sector engagement with ASEAN’s food security agenda. The U.S.-funded Maximizing Agricultural Revenue through Knowledge, Enterprise Development, and Trade (MARKET) Program is helping to carry these critical private-public partnerships. We will support the Second Annual Dialogue between ASEAN Agriculture Ministers and food industry business leaders in September.

ASEAN Technology Improvement: The United States funded an expert to work closely with the ASEAN Secretariat to improve IT operations and prepare a medium-term IT strategy that was presented to the Committee of Permanent Representatives. In early September, the ASEAN Secretariat and United States will jointly launch a new ASEAN Web Portal with a redesign of the front end of the website, the creation of central repository for past, current and future ASEAN documents, and a user-friendly interface with a searchable function.

U.S. – ASEAN Eminent Persons Group: President Obama announced the names of the three representatives, Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky (a former U.S. Trade Representative), Muhtar Kent (Chairman and CEO of the Coca-Cola Company) and Ambassador J. Stapleton Roy (former U.S. Ambassador to Singapore, China and Indonesia,) in November 2011 at the U.S.-ASEAN Leaders Meeting. The group met with their ASEAN counterparts earlier this year in Manila, and will do so again in early September in Rangoon. The group will formulate a report containing recommendations on enhanced U.S.-ASEAN engagement for consideration by President Obama, Secretary Clinton, and ASEAN Leaders. We expect the EPG to offer expert insights on topics including engagement and integration among ASEAN Member States across all three Pillars of the ASEAN Community: Political/Security, Economic, and Socio-Cultural. This important Presidential initiative demonstrates our deepening engagement with multilateral institutions in the Asia-Pacific, and specifically with ASEAN, as we celebrate the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the U.S.-ASEAN Dialogue this year.

ASEAN Secretariat Committee of Permanent Representatives Visit: This September, the United States will sponsor a trip for the ASEAN Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR), led by U.S. Mission to ASEAN Ambassador David L. Carden. The CPR oversees ASEAN Member States’ interactions with the ASEAN Secretariat and Dialogue Partners such as the United States, and includes one Representative from each of the 10 ASEAN Member States. Their visit will enable the CPR to exchange best practices across a variety of disciplines with officials drawn from U.S. government, the private sector, think tanks, and universities, with the goal of improving ASEAN’s capacity to promote sustainable development, improve regional rule of law, and create an environment conducive to economic growth across Southeast Asia.

Dialogue Partner/Donor Coordination: The United States places a high priority on outreach and collaboration with our development partners in the region and in helping ASEAN strengthen its role in partner coordination. For example, the USAID-AusAID-ASEAN collaboration with the MTV-EXIT campaign is highlighting ASEAN’s commitment to end trafficking in persons in cooperation with its Dialogue Partners. We are also coordinating support to the AHA Centre. The United States, Japan, Australia, the EU, and New Zealand are working directly with the AHA Centre and the ASEAN Secretariat to balance the types of assistance from each partner to cover AHA Centre's priority needs for systems, staffing and training. The United States and Canada also co-chair the working group on human rights cooperation with ASEAN.

Defense Liaison Officer. In 2011 the United States Pacific Command deployed a Liaison Officer to the U.S. Mission to ASEAN with the objectives of encouraging information-sharing between DOD and other U.S. agencies on multi-national security programs in Southeast Asia, and encouraging deepening and sustained engagement by DOD in ASEAN defense-related fora such as the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM+) mechanism. Over the past year the Mission's PACOM liaison has assisted with arrangements for the first informal dialogue between the ASEAN Defense Ministers and U.S. Secretary of Defense; coordinated U.S. co-chairmanship with Indonesia of the ADMM+ Expert Working Group on Counterterrorism; and organized a PACOM-sponsored regional workshop on environmental security.