U.S. VA SUPPORTS WORLD AIDS DAY

Photo:  U.S. Naval Hospital Ship Mercy.  Credit:  U.S. Navy

FROM: U.S. VETERANS ADMINISTRATION

December 1 is World AIDS Day
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently released its recommendations that all Americans ages 15 to 65 should be tested for HIV at least once in their lifetime.

VA is ahead of the curve and has recommended routine HIV testing for all Veterans since 2009. VA policy is to test every Veteran at least once in their lifetime.

Currently, over 1.2 million Veterans, representing 20 percent of Veterans in care, have a documented HIV test in their electronic medical record. Routine HIV screening allows for care for HIV positive Veterans and reduces the potential for the virus to be transmitted to others.

VA’s Office of Public Health is encouraging VA staff to offer every Veteran an HIV test. Working together, we can create an AIDS-free generation!

To reinforce the importance of World AIDS Day, VA is issuing a unique and comprehensive HIV Prevention Manual, which is a compilation of VA policies and strategies to address primary and secondary HIV prevention.

Designed as a tool for front-line health care providers, it is an extremely valuable resource.

On World AIDS Day, VA joins the AIDS community in its "Facing AIDS" initiative, a campaign to help reduce stigma and promote HIV testing by putting a face to those with HIV and the people who support them.
"An estimated 1.2 million Americans are living with HIV, and yet one out of five doesn’t know it," according to Dr. Maggie Czarnogorski, Deputy Director of VA’s HIV, Hepatitis, and Public Health Pathogen Program. "World AIDS Day is an opportunity to take action. VA is the largest provider of care to those living with HIV/AIDS in the United States. By diagnosing HIV infection as soon as possible, Veterans can receive excellent care and remain healthy for many years to come."

Join VA in recognizing World AIDS Day. Say yes to the test!

 

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR NOVEMBER 29, 2012

Photo Credit:  U.S. Army

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Combined Force Arrests District-level Taliban Leader
From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, Nov. 29, 2012 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a district-level Taliban leader in Afghanistan's Kandahar province today, military officials reported.

The arrested insurgent leader had been in charge of coordinating the storage and transfer of Taliban weapons and ammunition, officials said, and also oversaw the construction of improvised explosive devices.

In other recent Afghanistan operations:
-- Coalition forces in Helmand province found and destroyed 538 pounds of heroin.

-- An Afghan security force, supported by coalition troops, killed several insurgents and detained two others in Laghman province Nov. 27.

-- A Taliban facilitator who oversaw the construction and emplacement of IEDs was arrested in Kandahar province Nov. 26.

THE VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL "WALL" GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY

Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, Jan Scruggs, founder of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, and retired Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, participate in a groundbreaking ceremony for the education center at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial "Wall" in Washington, D.C., Nov. 28, 2012. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Panetta Honors Vets at 'Wall' Education Center Groundbreaking
By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 28, 2012 - The education center at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial "Wall" will be a place to join the past to the future, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said at the center's groundbreaking ceremony today.

By telling the stories of service members whose names are inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country will not be forgotten, he said.

Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, joined Panetta at the ceremony, held near the memorial on the National Mall here. The groundbreaking included a large delegation of congressional and military leaders and members of Gold Star Families -- an organization for families that have lost loved ones in military service.

"It will be a site for future generations of Americans to learn, think and reflect on our nation's wars and those who fought them," Panetta said of the education center. "This is a very poignant moment, for a very special place in my heart for [Vietnam veterans]."

The center, which will honor veterans from several U.S. wars, will bring to life the stories of the more than 58,000 U.S. service members who were lost during the Vietnam War. Stories and photos of the fallen from Iraq and Afghanistan also will be featured until those veterans have their own national place of honor, event officials said.

"As I travel across the country and the world, I am always inspired by the strength and the resilience of our military families," Biden, also a military mom, told the audience.

"But there are many Americans who don't know anyone in the military," she added. "As a life-long educator, that's why the education center is so important. It will help ensure our veterans will always be remembered -- not just in name, by but by their actions. Those actions will become part of the lessons that educate and inspire us for years to come."

This year begins the 50th anniversary commemoration of the United States' participation in the Vietnam War, Panetta told the audience.

"We remember their bravery and heroism and we will never forget their sacrifices during that conflict," he said of U.S. service members who fought in Vietnam.

Panetta spoke of his recent travels to Vietnam, noting that Defense Department officials were working diligently in Hanoi to find and identify remains of U.S. service members who are missing in action there and throughout the region.

"It is our sacred duty to leave no one behind," Panetta said. "We will not rest until every MIA is brought home. I assure you that your government is committed to the fullest possible accounting of our missing service members from the Vietnam War."

Panetta said Americans failed to acknowledge the sacrifices of the nation's service members when they returned home after the war.

"America's recognition came too late," he said. "The Vietnam generation is graying now. Preserving stories requires more than a place of remembrance. It needs a place of education. [These veterans] must never be forgotten."

The center will focus on a divisive time in the nation's history from which it learned meaningful lessons, the secretary said.

"That war is always a last resort, that we must have a clear mission [to fight], that people can oppose a war and still support the troops, and that we should always cherish the legacy of valor and self-sacrifice our veterans represent and make America strong," he said.

Panetta said the center will honor the nation's military heroes "by telling the stories of brave American warriors, past and present, we help ensure we'll never forget the sacrifices of those who paid the ultimate price for their country."

"The torch of freedom these heroes carried into battle must be passed from generation to generation, so we never stop fighting for a better future for our children," the secretary said.

HURRICANE SANDY CAUSED ELECTRICAL FIRES IN BELLEVILLE, NEW JERSEY

FROM: FEMA
Belleville, N.J., Nov. 27, 2012 -- When Hurricane Sandy blew through Belleville, New Jersey on the night of Oct. 28, 2012, her high winds caused sparking in electrical wires in this home that resulted in a fire. Walt Jennings-FEMA

Belleville, N.J., Nov. 27, 2012 -- Electrical wiring problems spark fires. When Hurricane Sandy blew through Belleville, New Jersey on the night of October 28, 2012, her high winds caused sparking in electrical wires in this home that resulted in a fire. Walt Jennings-FEMA

International Space Station salutes the Sun

International Space Station salutes the Sun

DVIDS - Video - Military Families at the White House

DVIDS - Video - Military Families at the White House

U.S. ADMIRAL WINNEFELD SPEAKS OF U.S. DEFENSE STRATEGY AND BUDGET

PEARL HARBOR (Nov. 21, 2012) The guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) arrives at its homeport of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam for the first time.

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
　
Winnefeld Discusses Defense Strategy, Budget Link
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 28, 2012 - The fiscal 2014 defense budget request will be a chance for the department to adjust funding to support the defense strategic guidance issued in January this year, Navy Adm. James A. Winnefeld Jr., the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said here yesterday.

The admiral spoke at the Atlantic Council's Commanders Series.

"We are continuing to filter and refine the decisions we made ... last year," Winnefeld said. "It is going on now and it is going on pretty well."

Winnefeld took office the same day that Congress passed the Budget Control Act -- Aug. 4, 2011. "I arrived in this job at the high-water mark of the defense budget for the last 20 years," he said.

Defense leaders had already termed the national deficit as a threat to national security, he said, noting that DOD will do its part to reduce it. "We would forcefully state that we are not necessarily the cause of this problem, but we all need to pitch in," he said.

Since 9/11, the department had virtually unlimited resources, the admiral said.

"Now we're in a different place, and as Winston Churchill said, 'Gentlemen, we're out of money, and now we have to think,'" he added.

Under the old strategy, cutting $489 billion out of the department over 10 years increased the risk to the nation, Winnefeld said. DOD leaders needed to work together to examine the department's core missions, he said, and how to accomplish those missions with declining resources..

"We knew we had to link strategy with the budget-making process," the admiral said.

At the same time, leaders had to account for changes in warfare, he said. This included changes across the range of combat bred by the efficacy of networks to speed awareness. It also included understanding the benefits interagency partners provide to the military and the importance of cross-service cooperation at all levels.

On the equipment side, the strategy had to consider the effect of unmanned vehicles, cyber capabilities, stealth technology and the contributions of "the best people we have ever had in the U.S. military," Winnefeld said. The talent that young people bring to the military was actually folded into the new strategy, he said.

The plan made a number of changes in a shift to the Pacific, the emphasis on cyber operations, being able to project power and increased emphasis on efficiency in the department, he said. The strategy keeps the counterterrorism force robust and retains the nuclear deterrent, Winnefeld noted.

The strategy calls for less emphasis on long-term stability operations, the admiral said.

"The way President [Barack] Obama has put it was, 'Give me fewer Iraqi Freedoms and more Desert Storms,'" Winnefeld said. "The point was, go in, do the 'defeat,' and get the job done. Don't end up there for 10 years trying to do nation building. We're just not going to be allowed to do that. We can't afford it."

The guidance took three months to publish, and then leaders used this guidance to build the fiscal 2013 DOD budget request. "It was the first time in my career that I have seen such a tight connection between the strategy document ... to 'means' decisions -- the things we were going to buy or not buy," the admiral said.

The bottom line, he said, is that the strategy covers national interests -- the security of the United States and its citizens; a strong U.S. economy; respect for universal values; and an international order that promotes peace, stability and security through stronger cooperation.

Senior leaders measure their decisions against this strategy, Winnefeld said, and will continue to do so with the new budget.

Winnefeld said he's optimistic that Congress will avoid sequestration, but if it takes place and the department has to cut another $500 billion from the budget, then the strategic guidance could be made moot. A new plan would have to be drawn up, increasing the risk to the nation, the admiral said.

SEC CHARGES THREE TOP EXECUTIVES AT KCAP FINANCIAL INC., WITH OVERSTATING ASSETS DURING FINANCIAL CRISIS

FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C., Nov. 28, 2012 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged three top executives at a New York-based publicly-traded fund being regulated as a business development company (BDC) with overstating the fund’s assets during the financial crisis. The fund’s asset portfolio consisted primarily of corporate debt securities and investments in collateralized loan obligations (CLOs).

An SEC investigation found that KCAP Financial Inc. did not account for certain market-based activity in determining the fair value of its debt securities and certain CLOs. KCAP also failed to disclose that the fund had valued its two largest CLO investments at cost. KCAP’s chief executive officer Dayl W. Pearson and chief investment officer R. Jonathan Corless had primary responsibility for calculating the fair value of KCAP’s debt securities, while KCAP’s former chief financial officer Michael I. Wirth had primary responsibility for calculating the fair value of KCAP’s CLOs. Wirth, a certified public accountant, prepared the disclosures about KCAP’s methodologies to fair value its CLOs, and Pearson reviewed those disclosures.

The three executives agreed to pay financial penalties to settle the SEC’s charges.

"When market conditions change, funds and other entities must properly take into account those changed conditions in fair valuing their assets, said Antonia Chion, Associate Director in the SEC’s Division of Enforcement. "This is particularly important for BDCs like KCAP, whose entire business consists of the assets that it holds for investment."

This is the SEC’s first enforcement action against a public company that failed to properly fair value its assets according to the applicable financial accounting standard — FAS 157 — which became effective for KCAP in the first quarter of 2008.

According to the SEC’s order instituting administrative proceedings against the fund and the three executives, KCAP did not record and report the fair value of its assets in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and in particular FAS 157, which requires assets to be fair valued based on an "exit price" that reflects the price that would be received to sell an asset in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.

The SEC’s order found that Pearson and Corless concluded that any trades of debt securities held by KCAP in the fourth quarter of 2008 reflected distressed transactions, and therefore KCAP determined the fair value of its debt securities based solely on an enterprise value methodology. However, this methodology did not calculate or inform KCAP investors of the FAS 157 "exit price" for that security. Wirth calculated the fair value of KCAP’s two largest CLO investments to be their cost, and did not take into account the market conditions during that period.

According to the SEC’s order, in May 2010, KCAP restated the fair values for certain debt securities and CLOs whose net asset values had been overstated by approximately 27 percent as of Dec. 31, 2008. Moreover, KCAP’s internal controls over financial reporting did not adequately take into account certain market inputs and other data.

"KCAP should have accounted for market conditions in the fourth quarter of 2008 in determining the fair values of its assets," said Julie M. Riewe, Deputy Chief of the SEC Enforcement Division’s Asset Management Unit. "FAS 157 is critically important in fair valuing illiquid securities, and funds must consider market information in making FAS 157 fair value determinations and comply with their disclosed valuation methodologies."

KCAP’s overvaluation and internal controls failures violated the reporting, books and records, and internal controls provisions of the federal securities laws, namely Sections 13(a), 13(b)(2)(A), and 13(b)(2)(B) of the Exchange Act, and Rules 12b-20, 13a-1, 13a-11, and 13a-13 thereunder. Pearson, Corless, and Wirth caused KCAP’s violations and directly violated Exchange Act Rule 13b2-1 by causing KCAP’s books and records to be falsified. Pearson and Wirth also directly violated Exchange Act Rule 13a-14 by falsely certifying the adequacy of KCAP’s internal controls.

Pearson and Wirth each agreed to pay $50,000 penalties and Corless agreed to pay a $25,000 penalty to settle the SEC’s charges. KCAP and the three executives, without admitting or denying the findings, consented to the SEC’s order requiring them to cease and desist from committing or causing any violations or any future violations of these federal securities laws.

The SEC’s investigation was conducted by Adam Aderton of the Asset Management Unit, Noel Gittens, and Richard Haynes, and was supervised by Assistant Director Ricky Sachar

MAURITANIA NATIONAL DAY

Map  Of Mauritania.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook.

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Mauritania National Day
Press Statement
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
November 28, 2012

2012 On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I am delighted to send best wishes to the people of Mauritania on your 52nd anniversary of independence this November 28.

Mauritania and the United States continue to work closely to advance regional peace and security. The United States fully supports Mauritania’s democratic and economic development. And we look forward to finding new opportunities to collaborate on promoting human rights and expanding economic opportunities for all citizens.

I wish all Mauritanians a happy 52nd anniversary celebration. We are committed to building upon our partnership to promote prosperity and peace in the coming year.

Mauritania Locator Map.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM CIA WORLD FACTBOOK

Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976 but relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA seized power in a coup in 1984 and ruled Mauritania with a heavy hand for more than two decades. A series of presidential elections that he held were widely seen as flawed. A bloodless coup in August 2005 deposed President TAYA and ushered in a military council that oversaw a transition to democratic rule. Independent candidate Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDALLAHI was inaugurated in April 2007 as Mauritania's first freely and fairly elected president. His term ended prematurely in August 2008 when a military junta led by General Mohamed Ould Abdel AZIZ deposed him and ushered in a military council government. AZIZ was subsequently elected president in July 2009 and sworn in the following month. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions among its black population (Afro-Mauritanians) and white and black Moor (Arab-Berber) communities, and is having to confront a growing terrorism threat by al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).

ASTROBIOLOGIST GRINSPOON ANSWERS QUESTIONS

Photo:  Earth Cousins.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook.

FROM: U.S. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Inquiring Minds: An Interview with Astrobiologist David H. Grinspoon
November 29, 2012 by Erin Allen
(The following is a guest post by Jason Steinhauer, a program specialist in the Library’s John W. Kluge Center, as part of the blog series, "Inquiring Minds.")
American astrobiologist David H. Grinspoon began on November 1 as the inaugural Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology at the Library’s
John W. Kluge Center.

This unique position was established through an interagency agreement between the Library of Congress and the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) for research into the origins, evolution, distribution and future of life in the universe, and the societal and humanistic implications of such inquiry. The chair is named for Baruch S. Blumberg, late Kluge Center Scholars Council member, Nobel Laureate and founding director of the NAI.

Grinspoon is curator of astrobiology at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, adjunct professor at the University of Colorado, widely published writer, and currently serves on the Science Team for the Curiosity Rover mission to Mars.

Q:
Tell us about what you’ll be researching at the Library of Congress.
 
A: My intention is to study the Anthropocene Era from an astrobiology perspective. The Anthropocene is the phrase that some scientists are using to refer to the geological era that is defined by human activity. It’s still controversial among geologists, as it acknowledges that we are having a global-scale impact on the Earth and looks at humans as a geological force. I intend to apply the perspective of astrobiology, which is a deep time way of looking at life on Earth, towards the question of the Anthropocene. What does the human phenomenon on Earth look like viewed from an interplanetary perspective?

Q: Can you explain astrobiology and deep time a bit?

A: Astrobiology is the science of life in the Universe. It’s an attempt to scientifically deal with the question of whether or not we’re alone in the universe, looking at the past of life, the present of life and the future of life. It’s an interdisciplinary study incorporating astronomy, biology and the Earth sciences. We’re studying our own history, but over a timescale of billions of years and including not just Earth but the other planets as well, which gives us more perspective on the possible stories and fates of worlds like our own.

Q: How does one become an astrobiologist?

A: Astrobiology is a new field. It draws on the heritage of exobiology. People come from a wide range of scientific backgrounds. My particular background is planetary science. I study how planets work. There’s been a growing sense of the need to include biology as an integral part of the way planets evolve. More recently I’ve been folding biology into my research about planetary history

Q: Were you always interested in outer space?

A: I was. I’m a child of Apollo. I was thrilled by the astronauts landing on the moon when I was in fourth grade. I was a science fiction geek from an early age, enthralled by the questions of life in the universe. As I got older I learned that space exploration was real. I wanted to get involved in that. I knew I wanted to be a scientist. Now I’m on the science teams of spacecraft that are currently operating at Mars and Venus. Living the dream!

Q: What are you most excited to look at in the Library of Congress collections?

A: I’m very excited to explore the papers of notable scientists. I’m going to integrate the history of science into my research, and so it’s exciting to be able to find primary material. Beyond that, astrobiology is such a multi-disciplinary field with elements of philosophy, history, theology and spirituality that can be folded into this study. I feel so incredibly fortunate to have the resources of the Library at hand.

Q: Part of your role will be to organize public events. What are the ways that the public can get involved in astrobiology?

A: Astrobiology is a great point of contact for science outreach. The public is naturally interested in extra-terrestrial life. Astrobiology provides an accessible point of access that leads to deeper questions. In the museum where I work in Denver, astrobiology has been a great way to bring the public interest into scientific questions. Here at the Library, through workshops and colloquia I hope to explore the boundaries of science and the humanities. How do we illuminate the meaning of human existence through our science and its philosophical and spiritual dimensions? Collaboration with others at the Library and in Washington makes this an ideal place to do that.

FEMA TRYING TO INCREASE ASSISTANCE TO HURRICANE ISSAC SURVIVORS

 

LaPlace, La., Sep. 5, 2012 --Trash from flooded homes line the streets in LaPlace, La. FEMA is working with local, state and federal agencies to provide services for residents affected by Hurricane Issac. Photo by Patsy Lynch/FEMA

 
FROM: U.S. FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

FEMA Working to Increase Assistance for Hurricane Survivors in Louisiana
November 28, 2012

BATON ROUGE, La. — More than $530,000 in additional disaster assistance is getting to Hurricane Isaac survivors as the result of an initiative launched by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Louisiana.

Under the initiative, 3,904 storm survivors are getting follow-up phone calls and even some home visits from a team of FEMA outreach liaisons. They are helping applicants with the appeal process, explaining letters they may have received from FEMA and assisting applicants with gathering the documentation needed for their claims.

So far, outreach specialists have helped survivors obtain more than $174,000 in Rental Assistance and nearly $358,000 in Housing Assistance.

Since Hurricane Isaac roared ashore in late August, the state and FEMA have approved more than $117 million in grants for eligible individuals and families in Louisiana. The grants are for temporary housing, home repair and reconstruction, and for other needs, including personal property replacement or disaster-related medical and dental expenses. The total includes more than $530,000 in assistance resulting from the outreach initiative.

"With this proactive approach we’re reducing the number of survivors determined ineligible for federal assistance because of incomplete or missing information," said Federal Coordinating Officer Gerard M. Stolar of FEMA. "The recovery process is stressful for those who suffered great losses, and we want to make sure all survivors get the maximum grant they are eligible to receive."

"Another benefit of survivor outreach is that FEMA can more quickly close cases and thus get survivors referred to long-term recovery committees to assist them with any unmet needs," said Susan Tompkins, head of FEMA’s Individual Assistance branch for the hurricane recovery mission. "This helps speed the pace of recovery for everyone."

The outreach effort will continue until FEMA contacts all eligible survivors in the parishes, Tompkins said.

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, click www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.go

First Lady Previews the 2012 White House Holiday Decorations | The White House

First Lady Previews the 2012 White House Holiday Decorations | The White House

Press Briefing | The White House

Press Briefing | The White House

U.S.-TURKEY ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP COMMISSION HOLDS MEETING

Image of the goddess Nike (Victory) in Ephesus, an important Greek and later Roman city in Asia Minor. Its fortunes declined because of invasions, earthquakes, and the silting up of its harbor. It was abandoned in the 15th century.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

U.S.-Turkey Economic Partnership Commission Holds its 9th Meeting on November 28, 2012 in Washington, DC
Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
November 28, 2012

Following is the text of a joint statement issued by the United States of America and the Republic of Turkey at the conclusion of the United States - Turkey Economic Partnership Commission (EPC) meeting, on November 28, 2012 in Washington, DC.

Begin Text:

Representatives from the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of Turkey met on November 28 in Washington, DC for the ninth United States – Turkey Economic Partnership Commission (EPC) meeting. The EPC is a key component of strengthening the economic partnership between the United States and Turkey, as outlined in the U.S.-Turkey Framework for Strategic Economic and Commercial Cooperation. The meeting reflects our continued commitment to enhance trade and investment between our countries.

This ninth meeting of the EPC focused on exploring opportunities to promote joint commercial opportunities, develop specific areas of cooperation and innovation, and enhance business-to-business ties. Representatives from both countries discussed a wide range of issues related to trade, investment, and sectoral cooperation, including:
Specific steps to enhance business-to-business ties, promote entrepreneurship and innovation, and expand areas for cooperation in various fields. The delegations talked about the innovation agenda, including continuing efforts to promote entrepreneurship and business-to-business contacts. The two sides exchanged views on both "U.S.-Turkey Investment Forum" and "Ease of Doing Business Symposium". The delegations agreed to continue cooperation on SMEs, the Global Entrepreneurship Program, and Partners for a New Beginning. There was also broad agreement that respect for intellectual property rights is critical to fostering innovation and the entrepreneurial eco-system.
Opportunities for expanded cooperation in the energy sector, including energy efficiency, and a variety of energy generation technologies. The delegations discussed efforts to promote U.S. private sector investment in Turkey’s energy sector and to expand U.S. Government engagement with Turkey’s energy agencies. There was agreement that cooperation on energy activities, such as the Near-Zero Zone project to increase energy efficiency in industrial zones in Turkey, has been successful and there was discussion of potential areas for additional cooperation. A discussion of next steps on working together to enhance Istanbul as an international financial center (IFC). The delegations reviewed Turkey’s progress on its IFC action plan, and discussed specific areas of further cooperation, including exchanges of regulatory and policy experts, and potential cooperation on measures to make Turkey more attractive for foreign investment in the financial sector.
Cooperation on promoting infrastructure development. The delegations explored possibilities of cooperation in the field of infrastructure. The delegates discussed sectors such as transportation, information communications, technology, and urban development.
Commitment to promote economic development in third countries, particularly those in North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. The delegations discussed ongoing efforts in both countries to support the transition countries in North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. The United States expressed appreciation for Turkey’s participation as a regional partner in the Deauville Partnership for Arab Countries in Transition.
Discussion of expanding trade and investment in pharmaceuticals. The delegations reviewed progress on steps to increase bilateral trade and investment in the pharmaceutical industry, a fast-growing and innovation-based sector.
The importance of developing policies that encourage additional bilateral trade in agricultural goods. The delegations discussed ways to further expand agricultural trade. Agricultural trade is important for both sides, as both the U.S. and Turkey have substantial agricultural sectors and agricultural experts see the potential for even greater bilateral trade of agricultural products.
Ambassador Mehmet T. Gucuk, Deputy Undersecretary for Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led the Turkish delegation, which included representatives of the Ministries of Economy; Energy and Natural Resources; Environment and Urbanization; Food, Agriculture, and Livestock; Transportation, Maritime, and Communication; the Investment Support and Promotion Agency of Turkey; the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Device Agency of Turkey; the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Organization; the Foreign Economic Relations Board; the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey and Turkish Eximbank. Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Jose W. Fernandez led the United States delegation, which included representatives of the Departments of State, Agriculture, Commerce, Energy, and Transportation; the National Security Staff; the United States Trade and Development Agency; the Export Import Bank; Overseas Private Investment Corporation; and Trade and Development Agency.

In line with the decision to convene the EPC twice a year and in accordance with the bilateral wish to continue the momentum in Turkish-U.S. economic relations, the two delegations agreed to meet again next year in the Republic of Turkey.

End Text.

NASA HISTORY: LAUNCH OF THE CENTAUR

 

FROM: NASA

Centaur - A NASA Workhorse
Workers at the Propulsion Systems Laboratory at Lewis Research Center, now John H. Glenn Research Center, develop the Centaur upper stage rocket. The Centaur was an ambitious rocket using liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. It was the first rocket to ever use hydrogen as a propulsion fuel and underwent a difficult development period. It later became a highly successful upper stage used for hundreds of NASA, commercial and military payloads.

On Nov. 27, 1963, NASA had a successful launch of the first Atlas/Centaur. No payload was carried, but the powerful rocket scored a significant milestone: first in-flight burn of a liquid-hydrogen/liquid-oxygen engine. Major successes followed rapidly.

HOLIDAY FOOD: "CAN I HAVE SOME MORE PLEASE?"

Photo Credit:  U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: November 27, 2012From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

During the holidays, the fun goes on and the limits go off – which can explain why the weight goes up. The rest of the year, we don’t usually eat and drink so much, and spend quite so much time partying and shopping, which can eat into time for exercising.

But the director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Dr. Griffin Rodgers, says bringing balance back into your life can help to continue the fun while preventing at least some of the weight. It just takes some planning:

"Don’t let the holidays become a free-for-all. Overindulgence only adds to your stress and guilt. Continue to get plenty of sleep and physical activity. And if you do overindulge in eating too much, don’t be too hard on yourself. Get back on track at the next meal."

Healthy Eating Tips
Starting Points
Your food and physical activity choices each day affect your health — how you feel today, tomorrow, and in the future.

These tips and ideas are a starting point. You will find a wealth of suggestions here that can help you get started toward a healthy diet. Choose a change that you can make today, and move toward a healthier you.Make at least half your grains whole grains

Vary your veggies

Focus on fruit

Get your calcium-rich foods

Go lean with protein

U.S. State Department Daily Press Briefing - November 28, 2012

Daily Press Briefing - November 28, 2012

U.S. Department of Defense Contracts for November 28, 2012

Contracts for November 28, 2012

WARRIOR GAMES GIVES WOUNDED, ILL AND INJURED SERVICE MEMBERS CHANCE TO COMPETE IN SPORTS

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR NOVEMBER 28, 2012

Photo Credit:  U.S. Army.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Combined Force Arrests Haqqani Leader
From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28, 2012 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a local Haqqani leader in the Sabari district of Afghanistan's Khost province today, military officials reported.

The detained Haqqani leader was in charge of the acquisition and distribution of weapons and ammunition to insurgents operating throughout Khost province, officials said.

The security force also detained several suspected insurgents and seized a number of weapons and grenades.

In operations yesterday:
-- A combined force killed two insurgents and detained one suspect during a search for a senior Taliban leader in the Sar-e Pul district of Sar-e Pul province. The sought-after Taliban leader controls Taliban insurgents operating in Jowzjan and Sar-e Pul provinces, and is thought to be responsible for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in both provinces.

In operations Nov. 25:
-- In Wardak province's Jaghatu district, a combined force killed the insurgent leader Zubayr, who'd supplied weapons to fighters operating throughout the district. One other insurgent was killed during the operation.

OVER $690 MILLION APPROVED FOR NEW YORK HURRICANE SANDY SURVIVORS

 

Staten Island, N.Y., Nov. 23, 2012 -- A tanker ship stranded on shore by Hurricane Sandy is having the fuel and oil pumped out to prevent a spill. The U.S. Coast Guard is monitoring the operation. FEMA is working with various partners including federal, state, local and tribal governments, voluntary faith-based and community –based organizations, along with the private sector, to assist residents impacted by Hurricane Sandy. FEMA/Tim Burkitt

FROM: FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANGEMENT AGENCY
More than $690 Million Approved for New York State Hurricane Sandy Survivors
November 27, 2012

NEW YORK — Since Hurricane Sandy struck New York, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved more than $690 million to help individuals and families recover from the disaster.
FEMA is reaching out to all 13 designated counties, focusing on the hardest hit areas of New York State. Assistance to the hardest-hit areas includes:
Bronx $1.7 million
Kings $146.5 million
Nassau $231.7 million
New York $9.1 million
Queens $176.6 million
Richmond $72.9 million
Suffolk $50.3 million FEMA provides the following snapshot of the disaster recovery effort as of November 27:
More than 234,000 New Yorkers have contacted FEMA for information or registered for assistance with FEMA and more than $690 million has been approved. More than 119,000 people have applied through the online application site at www.disasterassistance.gov, or on their smart phone at m.fema.gov.
34 Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) are open in the affected areas. These include mobile sites as well as fixed sites, and to date nearly 57,000 survivors have been assisted at DRCs in New York.
750 inspectors in the field have completed more than 139,000 home inspections.
1,065 Community Relations (CR) specialists are strategically positioned throughout affected communities, going door-to-door explaining the types of disaster assistance available and how to register. More teams continue to arrive daily.
7 fixed feeding sites are being operated by the New York City Office of Emergency Management.
2 Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs), 1 Rapid Deployment Force (RDF), 2 Prescription Medication Task Force Team (PMTFT) and 1 National Veterinary Response Team (NVRT) from the Department of Health and Human Services remain deployed in New York.
13 New York counties are designated for both individual and public assistance, including: Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.
The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved more than $38.8 million in disaster loans to homeowners, renters and businesses. The SBA has staff members at 18 Business Recovery Centers in the New York area to provide one-on-one help to business owners seeking disaster assistance.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has staff members at 16 Disaster Recovery Centers in the New York area to provide information on available housing and HUD programs.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has 30 On-Scene Coordinators deployed in New York who are responsible for monitoring or directing responses to all oil spills and hazardous substance releases reported to the federal government. Individuals can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via smart phone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 800-621-3362. Multilingual telephone operators are available to help non-English-speaking survivors register for disaster aid and to get their questions answered.

SEC CHARGES FOUR FIRMS BASED IN INDIA WITH PROVIDING BROKERAGE SERVICES WITHOUT BEING REGISTERED WITH THE SEC

FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE DEPARTMENT

Washington, D.C., Nov. 27, 2012 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged four financial services firms based in India for providing brokerage services to institutional investors in the United States without being registered with the SEC as required under the federal securities laws.

The four firms – Ambit Capital Private Limited, Edelweiss Financial Services Limited, JM Financial Institutional Securities Private Limited, and Motilal Oswal Securities Limited – agreed to pay more than $1.8 million combined to settle the SEC’s charges.

"The broker-dealer registration provisions are critical safeguards for the integrity of our securities markets," said Scott W. Friestad, Associate Director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement. "These four firms and all other foreign broker-dealers must educate themselves on the U.S. laws and regulations when they provide services to U.S. investors."

According to the SEC’s orders against the firms, they engaged with U.S. investors in some of the following ways despite being unregistered broker-dealers:
Sponsored conferences in the U.S.
Had employees travel regularly to the U.S. to meet with investors.
Traded securities of India-based issuers on behalf of U.S. investors
Participated in securities offerings from India-based issuers to U.S. investors.
In their respective settlements, the firms agreed to be censured while neither admitting nor denying the SEC’s charges. Ambit agreed to pay disgorgement and prejudgment interest totaling $30,910. Edelweiss agreed to pay $568,347. JM Financial agreed to pay $443,545. Motilal agreed to pay $821,594.

"The firms’ cooperation with the Commission staff and their prompt remedial measures, including entering into Rule 15a-6 chaperoning agreements with U.S. registered broker-dealers and/or initiating registration with the Commission as a broker-dealer, were important factors in accepting the firms’ settlement offers, particularly the Commission’s decision not to impose a cease-and-desist order or a penalty," said Mr. Friestad.

The SEC’s investigation, which is continuing to look for potential violations at other firms, has been conducted by Amy Friedman and supervised by Laura Josephs.

ANOTHER KIND OF HERO



Rick Yount, executive director of the Warrior Canine Connection, works his Labrador retriever, Huff.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Training Service Dogs Helps Heal Service Members
By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service
BROOKVILLE, Md., Nov. 27, 2012 - The phrase, "a dog is man's best friend" has new meaning for service members undergoing treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

While in treatment, service members can join a program to train dogs for veterans who are mobility impaired, said Rick Yount, executive director of Warrior Canine Connection.

"There are tens of thousands of warriors who are trying to transition back [into society]. There are also thousands of veterans on waiting lists who need trained service dogs," Yount explained.

At NICoE, Yount encourages service members to volunteer for the program, especially those who might not respond to traditional treatment.

"I tell them, 'While you're getting treatment, here's an opportunity to help train a dog for a veteran. You're still a part of the war effort," Yount said.

He said it's not just training a dog -- the service members are doing it to care for their fellow veterans.

The relationships developed between the service members and the dogs are symbiotic, Yount said, adding that the dog training is an intervention for their post-trauma stress.

Service members who join the dog training program at NICoE go through basic commands, and then move on to more complex tasks such as opening doors, turning on light switches and pulling wheelchairs, said Marine Corps Sgt. Jon Gordon, a former NICoE patient and now an intern in service-dog training.

Diagnosed with PTSD and TBI following two deployments to Iraq and one to Afghanistan, Gordon said when traditional therapies didn't seem to work for him, he was sent to Yount. Not enthused at first, Gordon said, he soon saw the power of training dogs.

"Working with them, you have to learn to regulate your emotions and tone of voice," he said.

The NICoE service members are taught to give authoritative commands, and praise the dog in a high-pitched, excited voice, Yount said.

It only took a few sessions with a black Labrador named Birdie for their relationship to click, Gordon said.

Gordon said he'd stayed in his apartment and avoided people, ordering in pizza for meals. But after meeting Birdie his life changed dramatically, he said.

Now when he has appointments at a Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Gordon said he has to arrive early to answer all the questions about the dog. No longer avoiding people, Gordon said he is instead raising awareness of the service dog program for mobility-impaired veterans.

"When the veterans see Birdie, their faces just light up," he said.

Gordon plans to become an occupational therapist, using dogs with patients.

"It changed my life," Gordon said of the service dog program. While he used to get little sleep, he now gets about six hours each night, because Birdie is close by.

"It saved me from being a nobody and just another statistic," he said.

"When you see him making progress, it's rewarding," Gordon said of Birdie, "You see how you actually make a difference in training the dog."

Birdie "gave me a reason to get up in the morning and do something," Gordon added.

Yount said it's the release of the hormone oxytocin in the body that relaxes people who are around a dog.

"It's a powerful drug," he said.

Yount said the two goals of the program involve encouraging the healing capacity of the service member and motivating them to engage in the power of the warrior ethos. He recounted a visit from a member of Congress at NICoE, who asked a service member what he got out of the canine training.

"He told him, 'Before I started training this dog, my wife and I were getting ready to divorce,'" Yount said. 'I treated my 3-year-old son like a stubborn private. I used the "praise voice" on him, and it really taught me how to connect with my 3-year-old son on a 3-year-old level.'"

But training dogs is not an easy task, Yount said.

"Dogs have a natural ability to challenge leadership. Training is based on patience and assertiveness. It's a process," he said.

And the dogs learn how service members with PTSD and TBI react, Yount said. Those suffering from PTSD tend to keep to themselves but "a dog won't let you do that," he said.

"We have to come up with ways of retraining these warriors, because they go through training to keep their emotions from interfering in combat, and the trauma they experience in combat has that emotional numbing impact," Yount said. "Then how do we reboot them to 'come back' when they [return home to] infants, toddlers and teenagers?"

The next step is research, Yount said.

"We want to prove it and look at its efficacy," he said of the dog and service member bonding," he said. "We want to maximize the therapeutic effect of working with these dogs."

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AWARDS $6 MILLION TO WINROCK INTERNATIONAL TO COMBAT CHILD LABOR IN LIBERIA

Map:  Liberia.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
US Department of Labor awards $6 million to Winrock International to combat child labor in rubber-producing areas of Liberia

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced a $6 million cooperative agreement award to Winrock International for a project to combat child labor in geographic areas of Liberia that produce rubber.

Under the agreement, Winrock International will partner with local rubber-producing companies Liberian Co./LIBCO and Morris-American Rubber Co.; the General Agriculture and Allied Workers Union of Liberia; and nongovernmental organizations Forum for African Women Educationalists, and African Network for Prevention and Protection Against Child Labor.

The project is designed to support the direct delivery of services to children engaged in or at risk of child labor. It will assist households in Liberian communities where families are largely dependent on smallholder rubber plantations by providing education, livelihood and youth employment services. In addition, the project will promote improved policies to address child labor on company plantations, and enhance the monitoring and enforcement of these policies. Finally, the project will help vulnerable children and their families to access existing social protection programs such as school feeding and direct cash transfer programs that are supported by the government of Liberia.

Since 1995, the Labor Department has funded 260 projects implemented by more than 65 organizations in 91 countries, which have resulted in the rescue of approximately 1.5 million children from exploitative child labor. ILAB currently oversees more than $210 million of active programming to combat exploitative child labor.
　

Liberia Locator Map.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM CIA WORLD FACTBOOK
Liberia is a low income country heavily reliant on foreign assistance for revenue. Civil war and government mismanagement destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around the capital, Monrovia. Many businesses fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them, but with the conclusion of fighting and the installation of a democratically-elected government in 2006, several have returned. Liberia has the distinction of having the highest ratio of direct foreign investment to GDP in the world. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products, primarily raw timber and rubber and is reviving those sectors. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. President JOHNSON SIRLEAF, a Harvard-trained banker and administrator, has taken steps to reduce corruption, build support from international donors, and encourage private investment. Embargos on timber and diamond exports have been lifted, opening new sources of revenue for the government and Liberia shipped its first major timber exports to Europe in 2010. The country reached its Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative completion point in 2010 and nearly $5 billion of international debt was permanently eliminated. This new status will enable Liberia to establish a sovereign credit rating and issue bonds. Liberia''s Paris Club creditors agreed to cancel Liberia''s debt as well. The IMF has completed the sixth review of Liberia''s extended credit facility, bringing total disbursements to over $379 million. The African Development Bank approved a grant of $48 million in 2011 to support economic governance and competitiveness. Rebuilding infrastructure and raising incomes will depend on generous financial and technical assistance from donor countries and foreign investment in key sectors, such as infrastructure and power generation.

U.S. GOVERNMENT TEMPORARILY SUSPENDS NEW FEDERAL CONTRACTS FOR BP

100504-N-6436W-032 DAUPHIN ISLAND, Ala. (May 4, 2010) Recreational fishermen cast into the Gulf of Mexico on Dauphin Island, Ala. Several civilian and government organizations are working to mitigate environmental and economic impact from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Deepwater Horizon was an ultra-deepwater oil rig that sank April 22, causing a massive oil spill threatening the U.S. Gulf Coast. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michael B. Watkins/Released)

　
FROM: U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

BP Temporarily Suspended from New Contracts with the Federal Government 
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that it has temporarily suspended BP Exploration and Production, Inc., BP PLC and named affiliated companies (BP) from new contracts with the federal government. EPA is taking this action due to BP’s lack of business integrity as demonstrated by the company's conduct with regard to the Deepwater Horizon blowout, explosion, oil spill, and response, as reflected by the filing of a criminal information. On November 15, 2012, BP agreed to plead guilty to eleven counts of Misconduct or Neglect of Ship Officers, one count of Obstruction of Congress, one misdemeanor count of a violation of the Clean Water Act, and one misdemeanor count of a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, all arising from its conduct leading to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster that killed 11 people and caused the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history.

For the Deepwater Horizon investigation, EPA was designated as the lead agency for suspension and debarment actions. Federal executive branch agencies take these actions to ensure the integrity of Federal programs by conducting business only with responsible individuals or companies. Suspensions are a standard practice when a responsibility question is raised by action in a criminal case.

The BP suspension will temporarily prevent the company and the named affiliates from getting new federal government contracts, grants or other covered transactions until the company can provide sufficient evidence to EPA demonstrating that it meets Federal business standards. The suspension does not affect existing agreements BP may have with the government.

U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK CLAIMS RECORD BREAKING YEAR WITH $35.7 BILLION IN EXPORT FINANCING

Photo:  Container Ships In Panama Canal.  Credit:  Wikimedia.

FROM: U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK
Ex-Im Bank FY 2012 Annual Report Details Fourth Consecutive Record-Breaking Year
Over $35.7 Billion in Export Financing Supporting 255,000 U.S. Jobs

Washington, D.C. --- The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) today released its Fiscal Year 2012 annual report-- a fourth consecutive record-breaking year with almost $35.8 billion in export financing that supported about $50 billion in exports and 255,000 American jobs.

"The ‘Made in the USA’ brand has never been stronger, fueled by the strength of American exporters and the work President Obama has done to grow our economy," said Fred P. Hochberg, Ex-Im chairman and president. "FY 2012 authorizations, at over $35.7 billion, were up about ten percent from the year before, and more than double the amount from FY 2008. In the past five years, U.S. exporters working with Ex-Im Bank have created or sustained over one-million private sector jobs. And we’ve done it all at no cost to the American taxpayer, as Ex-Im has sent $1.6 billion to the U.S. Treasury over the past five years."

"By these measures and others, the past five years have seen nothing less than a revolution in export-driven economic development," Hochberg said.

Among the highlights from the report:
FY 2012’s over $35.7 billion in authorized export financing was 10 percent greater than FY 2011, and more than double the amount from FY 2008.
During the four years since FY 2008, the Bank has financed transactions that have enabled more than $170 billion worth of American exports, supporting nearly 1,000,000 American jobs.
Since FY 2008, the volume of Ex-Im export financing directly benefitting American small businesses has nearly doubled from $3.2 billion to $6.1 billion in FY 2012, a 92 percent increase in four years.
Support for women- and minority-owned small business exporters was one of the fastest growing market segments, with loans up almost 17 percent this year --- a new record.
A four-year emphasis on "Government at the Speed of Business" has, in FY 2012, resulted in 90 percent of all transactions being processed within 30 days and 98 percent were processed within 100 days.
In FY 2012, Ex-Im provided more than $5.1 billion in infrastructure-related financing, a 433 percent increase over FY 2008 and an enormous opportunity for American exporters.
Geographically, Asia and the Middle East were the Bank’s largest regions in FY 2012, with a $9.5 billion increase over FY 2011. Ex-Im supported exports in sub-Saharan Africa have tripled over the past four years.
"I couldn’t be more proud of the men and women who are committed to the mission of Ex-Im Bank," Hochberg said. "They provide dedicated service, expertise, and professionalism to the U.S. companies with which we work."

Enormes cinturones de cometas podrían indicar la ausencia de grandes planetas

Enormes cinturones de cometas podrían indicar la ausencia de grandes planetas

DEVELOPING "ENTERPRISE-FOCUSED PROFESSIONALS" FOR U.S. DOD'S TRANSCOM

With people as its most important resource, U.S. Transportation Command officials are working to develop a corps of enterprise-focused professionals as a pillar of the command's new five-year strategy. Here, Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Marty Klukas, Transcom's senior enlisted leader, talks with airmen about the command's global transportation and distribution mission, July 25, 2012. DOD photo by Bob Fehringer

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Transcom Transforms Command Culture for Future
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill., Nov. 27, 2012 - Motivational speakers and book clubs focused on innovative thinking, emotional intelligence and other trendy topics. Regular sessions where senior leaders sit down with a random group of staffers to share a meal and talk about cultural virtues. Professional development emphasizing "people skills" as well as job-related ones. And in the planning stages, "speed dating" arrangements in which employees from different offices will come together to introduce themselves and explain how their jobs fit into the broader mission

Sound like something out of Silicon Valley or an Internet startup run by twenty-somethings? Wrong. You'll find it here at U.S. Transportation Command, where Air Force Gen. William M. Fraser III and his senior staff have embarked on an all-out effort to transform the organization.

Transcom's recently released five-year strategy puts a premium on the workforce that drives the Defense Department's global transportation and distribution network. The goal, explained Air Force Brig. Gen. John E. Michel, Transcom's chief change and learning strategist, is to develop "enterprise-focused professionals" who take pride in their individual contributions and recognize their collective role in propelling the command forward.

"One of the No. 1 goals is to decrease a sense of independence that has naturally occurred over time by virtue of people being focused on their great thing, to create a sense of greater interdependence and understanding about how we all fit in so we can move forward together," Michel said.

To do so, leaders are emphasizing four key values: collaboration that breaks down organizational stovepipes and creates a unity of effort; trust across the enterprise that extends to operational partners and customers; empowerment that enables people to engage, make decisions and embrace smart risk-taking; and innovation that challenges ineffective, outdated practices and unleashes creativity.

"The question is, 'How do we bring the headquarters together in a common sense of purpose, surrounded by these cultural values?" said Army Maj. Gen. Gregory E. Couch, Transcom's chief of staff. "Our strategy is to build on these four cultural virtues as we go forward."

Focusing on "soft skills" is common in the business world and academia, Michel recognized, but not necessarily in the military. "We get a little freaked out in the military talking about soft skills because we are warfighters," he said. "But find a business out there that doesn't tell you that this is where it all starts and ends. Even if we are warfighters, I think we also realize that we are inherently relational creatures."


Such a level of introspection is unusual for Transcom, which traditionally has focused on its customers' requirements, said Air Force Col. Shawna O'Brien, director of manpower and personnel.

But by shining the spotlight on itself, she said the command can see where it needs to redirect its energies to improve overall operations. "This will help us identify how we can enhance what we do and provide better support and service for our customers," O'Brien said. "It is what will enable us to adapt to meet the requirements of the future joint force."

Anyone who has worked in a big organization knows that change doesn't come easily, Couch acknowledged. It's particularly difficult in the military, where each service has its own way of doing things and commanders rotate regularly, along with their pet programs and areas of emphasis.

So Fraser has committed to making an indelible mark on the command culture, leading the effort himself and elevating cultural change to a pillar of the most sweeping strategy in Transcom's 25-year history.

"The difference here is that this is tagged on with the strategy that is going to be a living document," Couch said. "And our goal is that when the current leadership leaves, there is no reversing this. It's non-reversible. A new commander may change the buzzwords, but these things will now be inculcated into what we are doing here as an organization."

Fraser, his deputy commander, Army Lt. Gen. Kathleen Gainey, and Couch personally lead many of the activities promoting that goal.

"There is no other place in the [Defense] Department, I bet, where you will find that the senior leadership is as engaged and invested in this from the top down," Michel said. "They are not just writing it in a paper and saying 'Go for it.' They are saying 'Follow me.' They are living the virtues, taking time out of their calendar to lead leader-led lunches, driving the book club and looking for meaningful, active ways to promote the effort."

These engagements are designed to open the command to new ways of thinking and to create opportunities for candid exchanges simply not possible within the traditional chain-of-command structure, said Diana Roach, Transcom's chief of change management.

For example, Couch periodically invites about a dozen people at a time to his on-base quarters, where he prepares and serves lunch and opens the floor to whatever topics group members want to discuss. "No issues are off the table," he said, whether it's about a technicality in the strategic plan or a pay problem.

"That's what it's really all about," Couch said. "It's about opening communication."

This communication -- through personal contact, a "third-deck blog" that enables members of the command to address the leadership directly or other initiatives -- has generated some surprising insights.

Contractors at the command, for example, expressed distaste for the color-coded lanyards bearing their identification tags that differentiated them from the federal and military workforce. "We heard through the blog that people didn't like this. They felt that culturally we had built an institutional barrier," Michel said.

So as Fraser unveiled the new strategy in late October, he distributed new lanyards, all identical and bearing the Transcom motto, 'Together we deliver," to everyone in the command. "This is just one small gesture that shows his willingness to take down barriers and promote a sense of unity across the command," Michel said.

Open communication and unity will be vital to Transcom's long-term success, he said, particularly entering a post-conflict era with diminishing requirements and resources. "We are fundamentally in the relationship business at Transcom," Michel said. "At the end of the day, we are our best when we are successful in our relationships, inside [the command] and out. And if our relationships aren't as strong as they could be, we can't be nearly as effective as we need to be."

By improving its effectiveness, Transcom will provide better services at a lower cost to its customers, Couch said. "So as we go through this process, the big question that underpins it is, 'How do we do things that are efficient and effective for our government?'" he said. "Ultimately, that is what comes out of this."

Every member of Transcom has a role to play in the effort, Couch said, shaping the culture that will define the command 10 or 15 years into the future.

"We all know that we aren't going to change overnight," he said. "But change never happens unless you start working at it. And that is what we are doing here at U.S. Transportation Command."

GRANTS ANNOUNCED TO DEAL WITH GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AS PART OF GLOBAL HIV RESPONSE

Photo Credit:  NASA

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

Ambassador Verveer Announces Grants to Address Gender-Based Violence as Part of the Global HIV Response

Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
November 27, 2012


In recognition of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and World AIDS Day, Ambassador-at-large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer announced today $3 million in small grants awarded to dozens of grassroots organizations working to prevent and respond to gender-based violence (GBV) around the world, with a link to HIV prevention, treatment and care.

These grants are part of a joint initiative between the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues and the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to address the link between HIV infection and GBV, and will support the work of 35 organizations in 28 countries. These countries include: Barbados, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Gabon, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guyana, Indonesia, Malawi, Mexico, Namibia, Nicaragua, Niger, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, St. Lucia, Swaziland, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Grants of up to $100,000 per organization will fund innovative programs that link to HIV prevention, treatment and care platforms, including those programs that work to engage community leaders in the fight against GBV and AIDS, strengthen legal and judicial systems to ensure the full enforcement of anti-GBV laws, enhance prevention and response efforts, and work to reduce stigma and harmful practices.

One in three women worldwide will experience GBV in their lifetime, and in some countries, 70 percent of female populations are affected. Gender-based violence increases women and girls’ overall vulnerability to HIV, with country studies indicating an up to three-fold risk of HIV infection among women who experience violence. Addressing gender inequities and norms is essential to reducing the vulnerability of women and girls to HIV infection. Through this initiative, grassroots organizations will receive support to address the structural drivers of both violence and HIV, contributing to a longer-term effort to create an AIDS-free generation and societies free of violence.