FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
U.S., Australia, Japan militaries prepare for exercise Cope North 2013
1/7/2013 - JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- The U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, and the Royal Australian Air Force are preparing to conduct exercise Cope North 2013 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, scheduled for Feb. 4 through 15.
The exercise is the latest in a long standing, multilateral exercise designed to enhance each countries' air operations. Additionally, the exercise includes humanitarian assistance and disaster relief training objectives for the USAF, JASDF and RAAF.
The U.S. will have approximately 1,000 participants, the JASDF will have approximately 450 participants, and the RAAF will have approximately 300 participants.
The first week will consist of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief training, along with air combat training and air-to-ground weapons training. During the second part of the exercise, the focus will shift to dissimilar air combat tactics, strike mission training, and large force employment training. Also, JASDF squadrons will conduct surface attack training on the Farallon de Medinilla Range.
Since the first Cope North exercise in 1978 at Misawa Air Base, Japan, thousands of American and Japanese airmen have honed skills that are vital to maintaining a high level of readiness.
The RAAF will be attending CN13 for the second time, and their participation will further strengthen regional partner interoperability.
Additionally, the Republic of Korea Air Force will send representatives for the first time to observe the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief portion of the training.
This is the 84th Cope North. Exercise Cope North was held as often as four times a year, but is now held annually.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
PATRIOT MISSILES DEPLOYED TO TURKEY
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| Photo: Patriot Missile System. Credit: U.S. DOD. |
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
U.S., NATO Patriots Deploy to Augment Turkish Air Defenses
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 2013 - With advance elements of two U.S. Patriot missile batteries already on the ground in Turkey, additional defenders are prepared to deploy tomorrow in support of NATO's missile defense mission there.
Airmen from the 721st Aerial Port Squadron loaded equipment for U.S. Army Europe's 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command and 44th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, and the 32nd AAMDC from Fort Bliss, Texas, aboard a C-5 aircraft today at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, officials at U.S. Army Europe and U.S. Air Forces in Europe confirmed.
The 10th AAMDC will provide command and control for two Patriot missile batteries from the 32nd AAMDC.
Meanwhile, roughly 400 U.S. personnel and equipment from the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Air Defense Artillery, based at Fort Sill, Okla., began flowing into Turkey late last week to man the equipment, U.S. European Command officials said. Additional equipment will arrive by sea later this month.
In Turkey, the U.S. forces will be joined by missile defenders from Germany and the Netherlands, the only other NATO nations with PAC-3 Patriot anti-missile systems, which are each contributing two batteries to the mission.
NATO foreign ministers agreed in late November to provide Turkey the air defense support it had requested. The request came after shells from Syria's political unrest -– which a new United Nations report estimated this week has claimed 60,000 lives -- spilled into Turkey.
"NATO has decided to augment Turkey's air defense capabilities in order to defend the population and territory of Turkey and contribute to the de-escalation of the crisis along the alliance's border," the ministers said in a statement released following the meeting.
"Turkey is an important NATO ally, and we welcome the opportunity to support the Turkish government's request in accordance with the NATO standing defense plan," said Navy Vice Adm. Charles Martoglio, Eucom's deputy commander.
Martoglio said the Patriot batteries will fall under NATO command once the systems become operational within the next several weeks.
He emphasized that the deployment will be defensive only, and won't support a no-fly zone or any offensive operation.
Army Lt. Col. Robert Ozanich, intelligence and security officer for the Kaiserslautern-based 10th AAMDC, said the command-and-control element his command is deploying will interact with the Turkish government and NATO forces to ensure they are providing the protections Turkey has requested.
With experience throughout the European theater under their belts -- including recent deployments to Poland and to Israel during the Austere Challenge 2012 exercise -- the deploying soldiers have the experience and hands-on time with their equipment to carry out the mission, Ozanich said. "One of the biggest pieces is making sure that our soldiers are ready," he said.
Equally important, he said, they have had the opportunity to work side by side with partner militaries and to develop an awareness of cultural customs, courtesies and sensitivities.
"The people going forward look forward to doing the mission they have trained for," Ozanich said. "Our expectations are that we will be able to successfully complete this mission and provide the necessary protections to Turkey."
"It's good to be in Turkey," said Army Maj. Brian Carlin, who deployed to Turkey with the advance elements. "We believe the measure of deterrence that we can add makes our soldiers' time away from friends and families back home worthwhile. Protecting our allies is what this alliance is all about."
At this point, it's unclear how long the deployment will last. That, officials said, will be determined by the contributing nations in coordination with Turkey and NATO.
(Jesse Granger and Army Staff Sgt. Joel Salgado from U.S. Army Europe contributed to this article.)
RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS
FROM: NAVY
Quartermaster 2nd Class Juan M. Cardova raises the ship's call sign on the signal bridge aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) as it departs Naval Station Norfolk. George H.W. Bush is conducting training and carrier qualifications in the Atlantic Ocean. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Leonard Adams Jr. (Released) 130107-N-VA840-009
Vice Adm. Frank C. Pandolfe, commander of U.S. 6th Fleet, speaks with the crew of the guided-missile frigate USS Robert G. Bradley (FFG 49) during an all-hands call. Pandolfe toured the ship and met with the ship's senior leadership during his visit. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Christopher B. Stoltz (Released) 130105-N-XZ912-003
PENTAGON SPOKESMAN CALLS BUDGET PROCESS 'A MESS'
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| George Little |
Budget Process 'A Mess,' Pentagon Spokesman Says
By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 2013 - When reporters asked him about the budget process during a news conference here today, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little had a plain-spoken answer.
"I could try to be somewhat heartfelt and diplomatic, but I'll boil it down to this: it is, at this stage, a mess," he said.
The instability is "highly problematic" for the Defense Department, Little said, and affects the entire federal budget.
Although Congress acted to delay a "sequestration" provision in budget law that would have triggered deep across-the-board budget cuts last week, he said, its failure to resolve sequestration once and for all is generating uncertainty among service members and civilians alike.
"We've heard that already on the front lines in Afghanistan," he said. "The troops have serious questions about sequestration. This is not just a Washington issue. It's a Camp Bastion issue. It's an issue at Incirlik. It's an issue at our bases in Asia. We need to think carefully about this."
Sequestration has been a topic of discussion for too long, Little said, noting that Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has said many times that there needs to be "a true, genuine, honest conversation about the budget."
"It's time for Congress to act," he added.
Little reiterated some potential effects of sequestration on the Defense Department that Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter outlined in August, adding that they haven't changed in the intervening five months.
"[Sequestration] could seriously disrupt our forces and programs, to include readiness," Little said. "It could require us to substantially modify and scale back our new defense strategy."
In addition, he said, it could reduce war funding and training for units deploying to Afghanistan, reduce commissary hours, delay payments to medical service providers and disrupt investment programs.
"This is not a rational way to govern," Little said.
Some temporary DOD employees also may be affected, he said. "We're going to do right by our employees in terms of communication and do what we have to do to follow the law," he added. "No decisions have been reached yet, but we're actively consulting with the Office of Management and Budget to see what actions we may need to take in advance of the [March 1] 'fiscal cliff' deadline."
Even though the U.S. military may still be able to carry out the fight in Afghanistan and protect some programs, Little said, "overall, our mission as a department could be devastated -- at least for a short period of time. And that's not a prospect that any of us relish."
Allowing three major fiscal problems to coincide in less than two months -- the debt ceiling, the continuing resolution that funds the government for only a portion of the fiscal year, and sequester -- "is just not the right way to go about business," Little said. "This is not the right way to run government."
The Defense Department is "doing some serious planning for sequestration," he said. "We hope to avoid it. We don't want there to be uncertainty, but with less than two months to go before the next deadline hits for the 'fiscal cliff,' we need to be ready."
SOLDIER SURVIVED MINE EXPLOSION AND RETURNED TO AFGHANISTAN
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| Army Staff Sgt. Steven Wentzell. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Gene Arnold |
Face of Defense: Undeterred Soldier Returns to Afghanistan
By Army Sgt. Gene Arnold
4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division
WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 2013 - An explosive ordnance disposal technician from Fort Drum, N.Y., is back in the country where he almost lost his life two years ago.
Army Staff Sgt. Steven Wentzell is training Afghan army explosive ordnance disposal teams in techniques, tactics and procedures.
Wentzell said the Army wasn't always in his career path, even though he is the grandchild of a Medal of Honor nominee. At first, he said, he simply was looking for something that would give him a marketable skill for a civilian career. But after joining the Army, he added, he found he enjoyed military life.
"I wanted something more stable," he said. "My grandfather was in the Army Air Corps in World War II. He was one of the men to drop the first bombs during the war, then he was a [prisoner of war] in the Korean War."
His grandfather steered him toward the military, Wentzell said. "But I only wanted to do four years and get out," he added. "So I talked over my choice with my wife, and she agreed. Three days later, I was in the Army."
Wentzell originally chose to become a heating, ventilation and air conditioning mechanic, thinking that this profession would be a lucrative career choice. But he soon realized it wasn't the job for him, he said.
He later deployed as a motor transportation operator in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. This didn't give him the feeling he had hoped for when he joined the Army, he said. But on several missions, he saw explosive ordnance disposal technicians at work. Intrigued, he attended a question-and-answer session and decided to give EOD a shot.
His curiosity sparked a new job interest, Wentzell said, but he wasn't sure early on if he wanted to continue on the path he had started. He gave EOD a chance, completing contract extensions to finish EOD school, and finally found what he was looking for, he said.
When the time came to use his EOD skills in combat, he didn't hesitate to complete his mission. In March 2011, Wentzell was deployed to Regional Command South, where he cleared improvised explosive devices and unexploded ordnance. He finally got that rush of adrenaline and excitement he had been searching for all along, he said. With a child on the way, he re-enlisted during his deployment.
Just days after the birth of his daughter, the unthinkable happened. A flash of light, heat and a sudden jolt of energy threw his body backward. He'd stepped on an anti-personnel mine attached to a 25-gallon jug packed with homemade explosives. The mine exploded, but the jug didn't. Still, Wentzell broke his tibia, fibula, heel, ankle and toes, and he was medically evacuated.
"When I came to, I was angry; I wouldn't be able to keep my guys safe," Wentzell said. "I got depressed, because I was leaving my dudes. I knew I could keep them safe -- I wasn't sure about the next guy."
But he added that he considers himself lucky, noting that others had been killed or had lost limbs in explosions of similar mines.
The recovery process was long and hard, Wentzell said, but wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. He credits his determination and fighting spirit for cutting down his recovery time.
Now deployed to Regional Command East, Wentzell said he has decided not to allow that one accident to define him.
"I decided to come back here because I felt my time was cut short and I needed to do this," he said. "[If I didn't come back], I never could have known if I could handle it."
The time away helped him see how much Afghanistan has changed, Wentzell said, and the partnership with the Afghan soldiers has brought a new sense of commonality. "I've realized that the Afghan and coalitions forces have a common goal: a better Afghanistan," he said.
His current deployment has piqued another interest: instructing.
"I'm trying to be an instructor at Fort Lee, Va., for the pre-EOD course before the actual course at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.," he said. "I want to stay in the Army and hopefully one day become a command sergeant major."
For those who have been injured in combat and still want to serve, Wentzell has a message to share.
"I really respect their decision," he said. "It's going to be hard, and at times, extremely hard. But if you have the will and determination to continue on, you'll be successful."
MEMBER OF "STICK UP KIDZ" CRIME GANG APPREHENDED
FROM: U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE
U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force Arrests “Stick Up Kid”
January 07, 2013 - The U.S. Marshals Western Pennsylvania Fugitive Task Force assisted by officers from the Erie Bureau of Police arrested James Gates III. Gates was taken into custody in Erie, PA. Gates is believed to be a member of the “Stick Up Kidz” in Erie. Several members are alleged to have committed home invasion robberies and burglaries in the Erie County area. Gates is wanted on charges of Robbery, Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, Corrupt Organizations, Criminal Conspiracy to a Corrupt Organization, Burglary, Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Burglary, Theft by Unlawful Taking and Conspiracy to Commit Theft by Deception.
USA.GOV GIVES ADVICE ON FINDING A CREDIT COUNSELING AGENCY
FROM: USA.GOV
How to Choose a Credit Counseling Agency
It’s easy to get into debt. It’s much harder to get out of it.
Fortunately, there are credit counseling agencies that can help you get your finances in order. They can help you figure out a budget and stick to it while managing your debt and avoiding future financial pitfalls.
However, not all credit counseling agencies are the same. Some offer free or low-cost services while others charge high fees or might not be trustworthy. The following tips will help you choose the right credit counseling agency.
Look for Agencies with a Good Reputation
Most reputable credit counseling agencies are nonprofits that offer free or low-cost services. However, the fact that an agency is a nonprofit does not guarantee that it is affordable or that it has a good reputation. Here are some tips for selecting a credit agency you can trust:
Ask family members and friends if they can recommend an agency. It’s best to pick one that has been around for several years and has a well-established reputation.
Use credit agencies or credit counseling services referred by credit unions, banks, universities or military bases.
Choose a credit agency that’s been approved by the Federal Government.
You can also check out state and local consumer agencies to find out if a credit agency has complaints.
Compare Services and Costs
Once you have a list of agencies you can trust, the next step is to take a closer look at the services and costs they offer so that you can choose the one that best serves your needs. Be careful with credit agencies that charge high fees for services that you can get for free somewhere else.
Some of the most common services offered by credit agencies include:
Professional, person-to-person assistance with managing your money and debt.
Help putting together a family budget and sticking to it.
Free workshops and educational material.
Ask Lots of Questions
Before finally choosing a credit agency, it’s worth writing down a list of questions you might have so that you can avoid surprises such as hidden fees or limited services. Here are some questions to help you pick the right credit agency.
Are there different fees for different services? Some agencies might charge for initial consultations or a monthly fee. Be careful with agencies that pay their employees more depending on the services you sign up for.
Will you be signing a contract before getting counseling? If so, be sure to read the contract before signing it.
Does the agency have the right certifications to provide credit counseling? It’s best to use agencies that have been certified by independent organizations.
What is the privacy policy of the agency? It’s important that your personal and financial information is protected.
How to Choose a Credit Counseling Agency
It’s easy to get into debt. It’s much harder to get out of it.
Fortunately, there are credit counseling agencies that can help you get your finances in order. They can help you figure out a budget and stick to it while managing your debt and avoiding future financial pitfalls.
However, not all credit counseling agencies are the same. Some offer free or low-cost services while others charge high fees or might not be trustworthy. The following tips will help you choose the right credit counseling agency.
Look for Agencies with a Good Reputation
Most reputable credit counseling agencies are nonprofits that offer free or low-cost services. However, the fact that an agency is a nonprofit does not guarantee that it is affordable or that it has a good reputation. Here are some tips for selecting a credit agency you can trust:
Use credit agencies or credit counseling services referred by credit unions, banks, universities or military bases.
Choose a credit agency that’s been
You can also check out state and local consumer agencies to find out if a credit agency has complaints.
Compare Services and Costs
Once you have a list of agencies you can trust, the next step is to take a closer look at the services and costs they offer so that you can choose the one that best serves your needs. Be careful with credit agencies that charge high fees for services that you can get for free somewhere else.
Some of the most common services offered by credit agencies include:
Help putting together a family budget and sticking to it.
Free workshops and educational material.
Ask Lots of Questions
Before finally choosing a credit agency, it’s worth writing down a list of questions you might have so that you can avoid surprises such as hidden fees or limited services. Here are some questions to help you pick the right credit agency.
Will you be signing a contract before getting counseling? If so, be sure to read the contract before signing it.
Does the agency have the right certifications to provide credit counseling? It’s best to use agencies that have been certified by independent organizations.
What is the privacy policy of the agency? It’s important that your personal and financial information is protected.
ROBONAUT 2: FIRST HUMANOID IN SPACE
FROM: NASA
Robonaut Operates Task Board in Space
In the International Space Station's Destiny laboratory, Robonaut 2 is pictured on Jan. 2, during a round of testing for the first humanoid robot in space. Ground teams put Robonaut through its paces as they remotely commanded it to operate valves on a task board.
Robonaut is a testbed for exploring new robotic capabilities in space, and its form and dexterity allow it to use the same tools and control panels as its human counterparts do aboard the station.
Photo Credit: NASA
U.S. GIVES TERRORIST DESIGNATIONS TO TWO MEN TIED TO 2008 KHARTOUM ATTACK
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Terrorist Designations of Abdelbasit Alhaj Alhassan Haj Hamad and Mohamed Makawi Ibrahim Mohamed
Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
January 8, 2013
The U.S. Department of State has designated Abdelbasit Alhaj Alhassan Haj Hamad and Mohamed Makawi Ibrahim Mohamed under Executive Order 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism. As a result of this designation, all property subject to U.S. jurisdiction in which Abdelbasit and Makawi have any interest is blocked and any assets they may have under U.S. jurisdiction are frozen. U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. This action will help stem the flow of financial and other assistance to these terrorists.
Abdelbasit and Makawi participated in an armed attack in Khartoum, Sudan on January 1, 2008, which resulted in the deaths of a U.S. diplomat serving with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), John Michael Granville, and Adbelrahman Abbas Rahama, a Sudanese USAID employee. Abdelbasit shot Granville and Makawi killed Abbas Rahama during the attack. Both Abdelbasit and Makawi were convicted of murder and sentenced to death in a Sudanese criminal court in 2009. In 2010, they killed a Sudanese police officer and wounded another while escaping from prison. They remain at large.
The attack occurred when Granville and Abbas were leaving a New Year’s Eve party in Khartoum. Abdelbasit shot Granville and Makawi killed Abbas Rahama during the attack. Both men and two co-conspirators were convicted of murder and sentenced to death in a Sudanese criminal court in 2009. In 2010, they killed a Sudanese police officer and wounded another while escaping from a maximum security prison through a tunnel. One of the escapees was captured; another was reportedly killed in Somalia in May 2011.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
SOLAR PANELS AT WEST POINT
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| The installation of solar panels on top of the Lichtenberg Tennis Center has become a visible sign of progress in West Point’s Net Zero Energy goals. Photo by Nicole Ciaramella, West Point DPW |
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
ARMED WITH SCIENCE
Solar Panels Deliver New Energy To West Point's Net Zero Initiative
Written on January 7, 2013 at 7:50 am by jtozer
Since becoming a Net Zero Energy pilot installation last April, West Point has been making strides toward the ultimate goal of producing as much energy as it uses by 2020.
According to an environmental assessment for the U.S. Army Environmental Command and West Point Garrison, the installation currently generates less than .02 percent of the energy it consumes from renewable sources. Matt Talaber, Department of Public Works engineer and director, said the solar panels will be a step in the right direction.
"The solar panels are very visible and a very recognizable part of our renewable energy initiative that can immediately click with the general public," Talaber said.
The work began Oct. 15 with minor roof repairs before the panels were attached to a metal rack system. When the wiring to the interior controls is completed, the photovoltaic technology will service approximately 50-60 percent of the building’s energy consumption annually.
The tennis center was an ideal location for the panels due to its southern exposure; lots of light and an uninterrupted rooftop, with no parking or other activity.
lots of light and an uninterrupted rooftop, with no parking or other activity.
"We have our projections about how well these panels will do, but now we have a real functional lab, if you will, in a single building where we can really track current usage against past usage," Talaber said.
Talaber admits the solar panels are high on the list of visible achievements for Net Zero, but they’re not the sole accomplishment to date. Talaber cited several multi-million dollar projects underway, all designed to improve energy savings so the installation will reach its goals.
"These (projects) are energy saving related projects happening in mechanical rooms and rooftops that aren’t as widely recognized as, say, solar panels or wind turbines," Talaber said.
Paul Simihtis, DPW’s Energy Branch chief, said as the Net Zero process continues at West Point, it’s important to acknowledge that a major component in the end state is general conservation–reducing the post’s energy consumption.
Behavior change is hard, Talaber said, but the message needs to be constant and continual in this process.
"It’s about getting into the basics of cutting back … shutting the window or turning the air condition down or the lights off," Talaber said. "If many people do a lot of small things, we will realize great gains, and that’s the area we need to attack first."
That’s where garrison tenants meet with academic departments to combine expertise, explore research opportunities and provide meaningful capstone projects for cadets to become involved. Talaber also credited the West Point Energy Council for its role in integrating subject matter experts to solve the installation’s energy problems.
Even before West Point was named a Net Zero installation, Talaber said it’s been a longstanding goal for all new construction to go beyond minimal energy efficiency standards.
As the Science Center and Bartlett Hall continue to take shape, signs have been posted around this construction indicating compliance to this mission. Any new building construction, Simihtis said, is targeted with an aggressive BTU-per square foot number to ensure optimal energy efficiency. He cited the Science Center and barracks projects as measuring up to these high standards.
"We’re on track to have one of the most efficient new barracks designs in the Army right now," Simihtis said.
"When we renovate now we are much more sensitive to energy standards and new energy codes," Talaber said. "But because we are Net Zero we’ve tried to go above and beyond the simple things like glazing of windows and building insulation. Part of our Energy Savings Performance contract, the first one we had, the company is conducting work on behavioral change and getting the message out about conservation."
There’s a host of other energy savings initiatives being explored at DPW, from micro-hydro power and waste-to-energy projects to geothermal systems on the waterfront.
"There’s a wide array of possibilities and corresponding research being done," Talaber said. "Our effort is being complemented by three different research labs across the country with foremost experts in energy conservation and renewable energy."
The deadline to become energy efficient is several years away, but there’s still much to do to achieve its goals.
"We have quickly moved into project execution and are well on our way," Talaber said. "Net Zero really helped focus us across the academy with this common goal."
By Mike Strasser, U.S. Military Academy Public Affairs
VIDEO: BUBBLES IN THE HELIOSHEATH
FROM: NASA
Sea of Bubbles at Edge of Solar System
This animation summarizes the new heliospheric scenario and the formation of the "sea" of bubbles in the heliosheath. The Sun’s magnetic field points toward the Sun in the Northern hemisphere and away from the Sun in the Southern (shown in red and blue). These oppositely pointing magnetic fields are separated by a layer of current called the heliospheric current sheet. Due to the tilt of the magnetic axis in relation to the axis of rotation of the Sun, the heliospheric current sheet flaps like a flag in the wind. The flapping current sheet separates regions of oppositely pointing magnetic field, called sectors. As the solar wind speed decreases past the termination shock, the sectors squeeze together, bringing regions of opposite magnetic field closer to each other. When the separation of sectors becomes very small, the sectored magnetic field breaks up into a sea of nested "magnetic bubbles" in a phenomenon called magnetic reconnection.
Sea of Bubbles at Edge of Solar System
This animation summarizes the new heliospheric scenario and the formation of the "sea" of bubbles in the heliosheath. The Sun’s magnetic field points toward the Sun in the Northern hemisphere and away from the Sun in the Southern (shown in red and blue). These oppositely pointing magnetic fields are separated by a layer of current called the heliospheric current sheet. Due to the tilt of the magnetic axis in relation to the axis of rotation of the Sun, the heliospheric current sheet flaps like a flag in the wind. The flapping current sheet separates regions of oppositely pointing magnetic field, called sectors. As the solar wind speed decreases past the termination shock, the sectors squeeze together, bringing regions of opposite magnetic field closer to each other. When the separation of sectors becomes very small, the sectored magnetic field breaks up into a sea of nested "magnetic bubbles" in a phenomenon called magnetic reconnection.
FEMA HURRICANE SANDY CLEANUP PHOTOS
FROM: FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
Breezy Point, N.Y., Jan. 3, 2013 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers begins residential demolition and debris removal of houses fully destroyed by Hurricane Sandy in Breezy Point, NY. FEMA is providing public assistance funds to aid partners in the cleanup of Breezy Point and the Rockaways in Queens, NY. Andre R. Aragon-FEMA
DOD COMPTROLER SAYS NEED MORE STABILITY IN BUDGET SIZE, PROCESS
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DOD Comptroller: Budget Stability Key to National Security
By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 2013 - Stability in the size of the Defense Department's budget -- and especially in the process of funding it -- is critical to maintaining national security, DOD Comptroller Robert F. Hale said here yesterday.
During a keynote address at the Brookings Institution here, Hale discussed three steps that must be taken to accommodate lean budget times.
Two of the steps already are in place, he said: determining a defense strategy to guide spending and instituting initiatives that stretch defense dollars.
"And third, we need -- I would say desperately need -- more stability, both in terms of budget size and, maybe particularly, budget process," Hale added.
In more than three decades of working in and around the defense budget, he said, he has never seen a period featuring greater budgetary uncertainty than the next few months present.
Meanwhile, Hale said, he hopes to submit the fifth defense budget he's overseen as comptroller.
"The first two [budgets] featured increases in the top line," he said. "The third one, in February 2011, featured substantial top-line reduction, and the last one featured a significant reduction: about $260 billion over a five-year period relative to our planned $487 billion [reduction] over 10 years. And we may not be done."
The 2012 American Taxpayer Relief Act, which Congress passed Jan. 1, may force further reductions, Hale said. Although the law avoided activating a "sequestration" mechanism in a budget law passed last year, the threat of that mechanism's automatic across-the-board cuts now looms beginning March 1, he added.
"We're still working on the details, but the total sequestration for DOD appears to be roughly $45 billion if it all goes into effect -- about 9 percent of our budget," Hale explained.
"That is less than the sequestration [amount of about $62 billion] we faced before passage of the New Year's Day act. That could have been as much as 12 percent. But we also have two fewer months in which to accommodate those changes," he said.
At a time when U.S. national security challenges have never been more complex, Hale said, the lack of budgetary stability and the reliance on continuing resolutions, which fund only a portion of the fiscal year budget at a time, makes it very hard to plan and extremely hard to plan well.
"We also cannot rule out an extension of the continuing resolution throughout the rest of this year, and that would sharply reduce the operation and maintenance funds that we have available and that we need to maintain readiness," one of the department's highest priorities, the comptroller said.
And while U.S. troops are in Afghanistan, protecting funds for wartime operations means even larger cuts in base budget dollars available for readiness, he noted.
"I think the nation's security would be better served if Congress adopted and then stayed with a more stable budget plan," Hale said.
The department hasn't enjoyed much budget-process stability during his tenure as comptroller, Hale added.
"I have personally coordinated four shutdown drills," he said. "During two of them, I was sitting in my office at 8 at night, not knowing whether at midnight we would shut down the department or not. Fortunately, we didn't in either case."
Continuing resolutions -- the nation is operating under one right now, he pointed out -- "really hogtie the department and its ability to manage," Hale added.
A questioner asked Hale how industry can help the department navigate in a leaner budget environment. "We need you to sharpen your pencils as much as we are trying to do with regard to your overhead and anything else that would help us hold down costs," he replied.
The department's Better Buying Power initiative, established in 2010, was directed at improving efficiency and productivity for the $400 billion DOD spends annually on goods and services. Part of the initiative seeks to work "more closely with industry to see what you can do there. In return, we owe you some stability, and ... we're not there yet," Hale said.
"My hope is that in the next two months, all of us in the leadership of the nation and the Congress can work together to provide that stability," he added. "Our national security demands no less."
DOD Comptroller: Budget Stability Key to National Security
By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 2013 - Stability in the size of the Defense Department's budget -- and especially in the process of funding it -- is critical to maintaining national security, DOD Comptroller Robert F. Hale said here yesterday.
During a keynote address at the Brookings Institution here, Hale discussed three steps that must be taken to accommodate lean budget times.
Two of the steps already are in place, he said: determining a defense strategy to guide spending and instituting initiatives that stretch defense dollars.
"And third, we need -- I would say desperately need -- more stability, both in terms of budget size and, maybe particularly, budget process," Hale added.
In more than three decades of working in and around the defense budget, he said, he has never seen a period featuring greater budgetary uncertainty than the next few months present.
Meanwhile, Hale said, he hopes to submit the fifth defense budget he's overseen as comptroller.
"The first two [budgets] featured increases in the top line," he said. "The third one, in February 2011, featured substantial top-line reduction, and the last one featured a significant reduction: about $260 billion over a five-year period relative to our planned $487 billion [reduction] over 10 years. And we may not be done."
The 2012 American Taxpayer Relief Act, which Congress passed Jan. 1, may force further reductions, Hale said. Although the law avoided activating a "sequestration" mechanism in a budget law passed last year, the threat of that mechanism's automatic across-the-board cuts now looms beginning March 1, he added.
"We're still working on the details, but the total sequestration for DOD appears to be roughly $45 billion if it all goes into effect -- about 9 percent of our budget," Hale explained.
"That is less than the sequestration [amount of about $62 billion] we faced before passage of the New Year's Day act. That could have been as much as 12 percent. But we also have two fewer months in which to accommodate those changes," he said.
At a time when U.S. national security challenges have never been more complex, Hale said, the lack of budgetary stability and the reliance on continuing resolutions, which fund only a portion of the fiscal year budget at a time, makes it very hard to plan and extremely hard to plan well.
"We also cannot rule out an extension of the continuing resolution throughout the rest of this year, and that would sharply reduce the operation and maintenance funds that we have available and that we need to maintain readiness," one of the department's highest priorities, the comptroller said.
And while U.S. troops are in Afghanistan, protecting funds for wartime operations means even larger cuts in base budget dollars available for readiness, he noted.
"I think the nation's security would be better served if Congress adopted and then stayed with a more stable budget plan," Hale said.
The department hasn't enjoyed much budget-process stability during his tenure as comptroller, Hale added.
"I have personally coordinated four shutdown drills," he said. "During two of them, I was sitting in my office at 8 at night, not knowing whether at midnight we would shut down the department or not. Fortunately, we didn't in either case."
Continuing resolutions -- the nation is operating under one right now, he pointed out -- "really hogtie the department and its ability to manage," Hale added.
A questioner asked Hale how industry can help the department navigate in a leaner budget environment. "We need you to sharpen your pencils as much as we are trying to do with regard to your overhead and anything else that would help us hold down costs," he replied.
The department's Better Buying Power initiative, established in 2010, was directed at improving efficiency and productivity for the $400 billion DOD spends annually on goods and services. Part of the initiative seeks to work "more closely with industry to see what you can do there. In return, we owe you some stability, and ... we're not there yet," Hale said.
"My hope is that in the next two months, all of us in the leadership of the nation and the Congress can work together to provide that stability," he added. "Our national security demands no less."
NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR JANUARY 8, 2013
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| Photo: Destroying Captured Weapons. Credit: U.S. DOD |
U.S., Afghan Forces Arrest Taliban Facilitator
From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release
WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 2013 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban facilitator today in the Pul-e Khumri district of Afghanistan's Baghlan province, military officials reported.
The facilitator belonged to a group of insurgents who carry out bomb attacks in the province. He was personally responsible for assisting in the transfer of improvised explosive devices and conducting IED attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.
In other Afghanistan operations today:
-- A combined force killed two insurgents, including the Taliban leader Khanjar, in Nangarhar province's Khugyani district. Khanjar, also known as Izat and Abu Khaled, directed attacks against Afghan government officials and Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also arrested a local Taliban leader who oversaw the transfer and delivery of weapons and ammunition.
-- An Afghan-led security force, supported by coalition troops, arrested two insurgents during a search for a Haqqani network leader in Khost province's Sabari district. The Haqqani leader directs and conducts attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.
In an operation yesterday, a combined force killed Taliban leader Mohammad Sayed and another insurgent in Helmand province's Washer district. Sayed distributed weapons and ammunition to Taliban fighters and was trying to acquire rockets for attacks targeting Afghan government officials.
WOMAN INDICTED FOR IDENTITY THEFT TO OBTAIN TAX REFUNDS
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICEMonday, January 7, 2013
Georgia Woman Indicted for Stealing Identities to Obtain Tax Refunds
A federal grand jury in Montgomery, Ala., returned a superseding indictment charging Deatrice Smith Williams and Quentin Collick for their roles in a stolen identity refund fraud conspiracy, Assistant Attorney General Kathryn Keneally of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama George L. Beck Jr. and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. The 13 count indictment charges Williams and Collick with conspiracy to file false claims, theft of public funds, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
On Aug. 9, 2012, Quentin Collick was indicted for his role in the conspiracy. In November 2012, pursuant to a criminal complaint, Williams was arrested for her role in the conspiracy. The superseding indictment was unsealed today.
According to court documents, Williams worked for a debt collection company in Georgia. As part of her employment, Williams had access to names and social security numbers. She provided several names and Social Security numbers to her son-in-law, Quentin Collick. Collick, and his co-conspirators used those names to file false tax returns from the Middle District of Alabama. Collick and his co-conspirators, in turn, cashed several fraudulent federal refund checks.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Collick and Williams each face maximum potential sentences of 10 years in prison for the conspiracy count, up to 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count, and a mandatory 2-year sentence for the aggravated identity theft counts. Collick also faces up to 10 years in prison for each theft of public funds count. They are also subject to fines and mandatory restitution if convicted.
The case was investigated by Special Agents of the IRS - Criminal Investigation. Tax Division Trial attorneys Jason H. Poole and Michael Boteler and Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Brown are prosecuting the case.
U.S.-CHILE JOINT COMMISSION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION
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| Map: Chile. Credit: CIA World Factbook |
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Sixth Meeting of the U.S.-Chile Environmental Affairs Council and Fourth Meeting of the U.S.-Chile Joint Commission for Environmental Cooperation
Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
January 7, 2013
Ana Novik, Director of Multilateral Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Relations’ Directorate for International Economic Relations will co-chair the Council for Chile. The Commission will also be co-chaired by Ambassador José Luis Balmaceda, Director of Environment and Natural Resources in Chile’s Ministry of Foreign Relations.
These meetings reaffirm the strong commitment of the United States and Chile to work together to preserve and protect the environment by implementing the FTA’s Environment Chapter and the U.S. Chile Environmental Cooperation Agreement. As part of these meetings, Commission and Council members will also host a public session with representatives from civil society to discuss Environment Chapter obligations and the results of environmental cooperation activities in Chile.
Since the United States and Chile signed the Environmental Cooperation Agreement in 2003, the United States has dedicated more than $4 million to support trade-related projects in Chile under this agreement. Joint efforts have brought more than six million hectares of land under improved natural resource management; reached approximately 30,000 people though informational guides to promote public participation; and, trained over 300 officials in natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, and environmental enforcement.
The success of this bilateral cooperation demonstrates how increased trade and stronger environmental protection can complement each other and how the two nations are leveling the playing field by helping ensure that businesses in Chile are playing by similar environmental rules as businesses in the United States.
EPA AND NEW CINGULAR WIRELESS REACH AGREEMENT TO RESOLVE VIOLATIONS AT 332 SITES
FROM: U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Settlement with New Cingular Wireless to Resolve Violations at Hundreds of Legacy AT&T Wireless Sites
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and New Cingular Wireless (NCW) have reached an administrative settlement requiring the company to pay a civil penalty of $750,000 and spend $625,000 on environmental projects to resolve alleged reporting, planning and permitting violations at 332 legacy AT&T Wireless (AWS) sites now owned by NCW.
The violations, which occurred at AWS sites in 43 states, such as cellular towers, transmitter sites, switching stations and warehouses, included failure to comply with Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) reporting requirements related to the presence of sulfuric acid and diesel fuel at sites, inadequate or no Clean Water Act (CWA) Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans, and Clean Air Act (CAA) minor source permitting requirements.
The EPCRA requirements help communities plan for emergencies involving hazardous substances, the CWA’s SPCC rule requires facilities to have oil spill prevention, preparedness, and response plans to help prevent oil discharges to navigable waters and adjoining shorelines, and the minor source permitting requirements under the CAA ensure that air emissions limits are met.
Under the settlement, NCW will provide a certification of EPCRA compliance at 1,356 sites and conduct comprehensive compliance audits of CAA and CWA/SPCC requirements at 1,361 and 41 legacy-AWS facilities, respectively. NCW has also agreed to pay stipulated penalties for all disclosed and corrected violations discovered through these audits.
NCW has also agreed to conduct environmental projects, which will provide hazardous materials awareness and health/safety training to building inspectors and fire fighters. The projects will also support the procurement of emergency response equipment such as fire-fighting equipment, gas meters, hazmat identification equipment, satellite phones and other emergency communications equipment. The seven entities, located in four states that will benefit from the projects are: Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and Georges Lake Volunteer Fire Department, Putnam County, Fla., New York City Fire Department, N.Y., Yancey, Texas Volunteer Fire Department, Texas, and San Diego, County California Office of Emergency Services, Bodega Bay, California Fire Protection District, and Los Angeles, California Police Department Calif.
Since 1998, nearly 6,000 telecommunications facilities have been brought into compliance through more than 30 settlements as part of EPA’s effort to improve compliance in the telecommunications sector.
Settlement with New Cingular Wireless to Resolve Violations at Hundreds of Legacy AT&T Wireless Sites
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and New Cingular Wireless (NCW) have reached an administrative settlement requiring the company to pay a civil penalty of $750,000 and spend $625,000 on environmental projects to resolve alleged reporting, planning and permitting violations at 332 legacy AT&T Wireless (AWS) sites now owned by NCW.
The violations, which occurred at AWS sites in 43 states, such as cellular towers, transmitter sites, switching stations and warehouses, included failure to comply with Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) reporting requirements related to the presence of sulfuric acid and diesel fuel at sites, inadequate or no Clean Water Act (CWA) Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans, and Clean Air Act (CAA) minor source permitting requirements.
The EPCRA requirements help communities plan for emergencies involving hazardous substances, the CWA’s SPCC rule requires facilities to have oil spill prevention, preparedness, and response plans to help prevent oil discharges to navigable waters and adjoining shorelines, and the minor source permitting requirements under the CAA ensure that air emissions limits are met.
Under the settlement, NCW will provide a certification of EPCRA compliance at 1,356 sites and conduct comprehensive compliance audits of CAA and CWA/SPCC requirements at 1,361 and 41 legacy-AWS facilities, respectively. NCW has also agreed to pay stipulated penalties for all disclosed and corrected violations discovered through these audits.
NCW has also agreed to conduct environmental projects, which will provide hazardous materials awareness and health/safety training to building inspectors and fire fighters. The projects will also support the procurement of emergency response equipment such as fire-fighting equipment, gas meters, hazmat identification equipment, satellite phones and other emergency communications equipment. The seven entities, located in four states that will benefit from the projects are: Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and Georges Lake Volunteer Fire Department, Putnam County, Fla., New York City Fire Department, N.Y., Yancey, Texas Volunteer Fire Department, Texas, and San Diego, County California Office of Emergency Services, Bodega Bay, California Fire Protection District, and Los Angeles, California Police Department Calif.
Since 1998, nearly 6,000 telecommunications facilities have been brought into compliance through more than 30 settlements as part of EPA’s effort to improve compliance in the telecommunications sector.
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA LAUDS NOMINEES FOR CIA DIRECTOR AND DEFENSE SECRETARY
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| President Barack Obama thanks Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta after Obama announced his nomination of Chuck Hagel as the new defense secretary at the White House, Jan. 7, 2013. Hagel, a former U.S. senator from Nebraska, earned two Purple Hearts as an infantry squad leader during the Vietnam War. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley |
Panetta Lauds Nominees for Defense Secretary, CIA Director
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 7, 2013 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta today endorsed President Barack Obama's nominee to succeed him at the helm of the Pentagon.
Obama announced his nomination of Chuck Hagel as the next defense secretary at the White House today. The president also announced he has nominated John Brennan as the next CIA director.
If confirmed by the Senate, Hagel will replace Panetta, who confirmed today that he plans to retire. Brennan, if confirmed, will replace retired David H. Petraeus, who resigned as CIA director in November. Michael Morell, the agency's deputy director, has been acting director since Petraeus stepped down.
"Let me express my deepest gratitude to the president for giving me the honor and the privilege of serving in your administration over these last four years as director of the CIA, and now as secretary of defense," Panetta said after Obama's announcement.
Panetta said he is proud of what he and the rest of the national security team accomplished during those years. He commends the president on today's nominations, he said, and added that Brennan "will be a strong leader" for the CIA.
Hagel, Panetta said, is a patriot, a decorated combat veteran and a dedicated public servant.
"I believe his experience, his judgment [and] his deep understanding of the security issues facing this country make him the right choice to be secretary of defense," the secretary said.
Panetta said he plans to retire to his walnut farm in California with his wife, Sylvia, their three children and their families, including six grandchildren. The secretary said he is deeply grateful to his family "for giving me the fullest measure of love and support during my many absences from home throughout my long career of public service."
Panetta added he will leave Washington with a deep sense of pride in "what we have accomplished during these last four years."
As both CIA director and as defense secretary, he said, "I have always believed that our fundamental mission is to keep America safe."
America is safer and more secure today, Panetta said, because of the "outstanding dedication of our intelligence and military professionals."
The secretary concluded his remarks by thanking the service members and civilians he has served with and led in the Defense Department.
"In particular, let me deeply thank the outstanding men and women in uniform ... who put their lives on the line every day, on distant battlefields, for this country," Panetta said. "Their sacrifices teach us that freedom is not free -- a strong democracy depends on a strong defense. But you can also not have a strong and stable defense without a strong and stable democracy."
Panetta noted the nation continues to face financial challenges and global security threats. "My hope for the future," he added, "is that the sense of duty our service members and their families exhibit every day inspires the leaders of this nation to have the courage to do what is right: to achieve the American dream to give our children a better life, and to build a more secure future."
Hagel, 66, is a former U.S. senator from Nebraska. He served as an Army sergeant in the Vietnam War, and earned two Purple Hearts as an infantry squad leader there. He later co-founded a cellular telephone company.
Hagel's experience includes stints as deputy administrator for the Veterans Administration -- now the Veterans Affairs Department -- and as CEO and president of the USO. He served in the Senate from 1997 to 2009, where he was a member of the foreign relations and intelligence committees.
Hagel currently is a professor at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. He also is chairman of the Atlantic Council and co-chairman of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board.
Brennan, 57, is the deputy national security advisor for homeland security and counterterrorism. He spent 25 years at the CIA, during which he worked as a Near East and South Asia analyst, served as station chief in Saudi Arabia, and directed the National Counterterrorism Center.
ROMANIAN NATIONAL SENTENCED FOR ROLE IN MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR REMOTE HACKING SCHEME
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICERomanian National Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Role in Multimillion-Dollar Scheme to Remotely Hack into and Steal Payment Card Data from Hundreds of U.S. Merchants’ Computers
WASHINGTON – A Romanian national was sentenced today to serve 21 months in prison for his role in an international, multimillion-dollar scheme to remotely hack into and steal payment card data from hundreds of U.S. merchants’ computers, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney for the District of New Hampshire John P. Kacavas; and Holly Fraumeni, Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Manchester, N.H., Resident Office.
Cezar Butu, 27, of Ploiesti, Romania, was sentenced by Judge Steven J. McAuliffe in U.S. District Court in New Hampshire.
On Sept. 17, 2012, Butu pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud.
In his guilty plea, Butu admitted that, from approximately 2009-2011, he participated in a Romanian-based conspiracy to hack into hundreds of U.S.-based computers to steal credit, debit and payment account numbers and associated data (collectively "payment card data") that belonged to U.S. cardholders. According to court documents, Butu and his co-conspirators used the stolen payment card data to make unauthorized charges on, and/or transfers of funds from, cardholders’ accounts (or alternatively to transfer the stolen payment card data to other co-conspirators who would do the same). Butu admitted that he repeatedly asked an alleged co-conspirator to provide him with stolen payment card data and that the alleged co-conspirator provided him with instructions for how to access a website where a portion of the stolen payment card data was stored. Butu later attempted to use the stolen payment card data to make unauthorized charges on, or transfers of funds from, the accounts. According to Butu’s plea agreement, he also attempted to sell, or otherwise transfer, the stolen payment card data to other co-conspirators for them to use in a similar manner. Butu admitted to acquiring stolen payment card data belonging to approximately 140 cardholders during the course of the scheme.
In his plea agreement, Butu agreed to be sentenced to 21 months in prison.
Butu’s co-conspirator Iulian Dolan pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, and has agreed to be sentenced to seven years in prison. Dolan’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 4, 2013.
Alleged co-conspirator Adrian-Tiberiu Oprea is scheduled for trial on Feb. 20, 2013, in U.S. District Court in New Hampshire.
The case was investigated by the USSS, with the assistance of the New Hampshire State Police and the Romanian Directorate of Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Mona Sedky in the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Arnold H. Huftalen from the District of New Hampshire.
RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS
FROM: U.S. NAVYAn EA-18G Growler from Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 132 returns from a mission and taxis on the Naval Air Facility Misawa flight line. VAQ-132 is deployed to northern Japan supporting U.S. 7th Fleet. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Alfredo Rosado (Released) 130107-N-ZV190-006
130103-N-AF626-001 SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras (Jan. 3, 2013) Builder 2nd Class Brandon Smith, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 27, constructs formwork in preparation for a concrete pour at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras. Smith is part of a team of Seabees supporting construction operations for the base and U.S. Special Operations Command South. The Seabees from NMCB-27 are forward deployed throughout South and Central America in support of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/ U.S. 4th Fleet multinational partnership and humanitarian assistance missions. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. j.g. Teresa Bustamante/Released)
Monday, January 7, 2013
U.S.-BULGARIA RELATIONS
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| Map: Bulgaria. Credit: CIA World Factbook. |
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
The United States established diplomatic relations with Bulgaria in 1903. A Consular Agency was established in Sofia on January 12, 1912. It reported to the Consulate General in Bucharest. The first American Consular Agent in Bulgaria was actually a Bulgarian national, Asen Kermekchiev (later Ace Kermek), a businessman, physician, and journalist. Kermekchiev served the United States Government even while working as a field doctor for Bulgaria in the First Balkan War, and was praised for protecting American lives and property while at the front. He also founded the first American Chamber of Commerce in Sofia. Bulgaria was allied with Germany in World War II, and became a satellite of the Soviet Union at the war's end. As Bulgaria emerged from communism in the 1990s, the United States moved to encourage development of multi-party democracy and a market economy.
Bulgaria is a reliable ally in an area of strategic importance to the United States. The U.S.-Bulgarian Defense Cooperation Agreement gives the United States military access to and shared use of several Bulgarian military facilities. The access facilitates joint training between the U.S. military and the Bulgarian and Romanian militaries. Bulgaria has participated in North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), European Union (EU), and coalition operations, including in Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, and Bosnia.
We work closely with the government of Bulgaria in strengthening the rule of law and have strong cooperation in law enforcement.
On any given day, there are approximately 7,000 Americans in Bulgaria. In 2011, approximately 5,900 Bulgarians visited the United States.
The American University of Bulgaria in Blagoevgrad draws students from throughout southeast Europe and beyond, and is the only U.S.-accredited university in the region.
U.S. Assistance to Bulgaria
U.S. Government investment in modernization and NATO interoperability for Bulgaria’s military helps create stronger, more effective Bulgarian military units that can deploy alongside U.S. forces when needed.
Bilateral Economic Relations
Bulgaria is a member of the European Union. Upon its accession to the EU, the country adopted regulations and standards that conform to EU norms. U.S. companies conduct business across the major industry sectors, and the business climate is generally positive. The top foreign investor in Bulgaria is a U.S. company. The United States and Bulgaria have a treaty on avoidance of double taxation and a bilateral investment treaty. U.S. citizens traveling on a U.S. passport for business or tourism purposes can enter and stay in Bulgaria for up to 90 days in a 6-month period without requiring issuance of a visa.
Bulgaria's Membership in International Organizations
Bulgaria and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization. Bulgaria also is an observer to the Organization of American States.
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| Locator Map: Bulgaria. Credit: CIA World Factbook. |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM CIA WORLD FACTBOOK
The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of Bulgaria became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1908. Having fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first multiparty election since World War II and began the contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime. The country joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007.
PRESIDENT OBAMA NOMINATES NEW DEFENSE SECRETARY AND CIA DIRECTOR
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Obama Announces Nominees for Next Defense Secretary, CIA Director
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 7, 2013 - President Barack Obama today announced his nominations to serve as the next leaders of the Defense Department and Central Intelligence Agency.
At a White House news conference, Obama announced his selection of Chuck Hagel to be next defense secretary and John Brennan as the next CIA director.
If confirmed by the Senate, Hagel will replace Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, who today confirmed his plans to retire. Brennan, if confirmed, will replace David H. Petraeus, who resigned as CIA director in November.
"Chuck Hagel is the leader that our troops deserve," Obama said. "He is an American patriot. He enlisted in the Army and volunteered for Vietnam. As a young private, and then sergeant, he served with honor alongside his own brother."
Hagel, 66, a former U.S. senator from Nebraska, earned two Purple Hearts as an infantry squad leader in the Vietnam War. He later co-founded a cellular telephone company.
Obama said Hagel's brother rescued him when he was injured by shrapnel, and that Hagel did the same when his brother was wounded later, noting that his nominee to lead the Pentagon still "bears the scars and shrapnel for battles he fought in our name."
"Chuck Hagel's leadership of our military would be historic," the president said. "He'd be the first person of enlisted rank to serve as secretary of defense, one of the few secretaries who have been wounded in war, and the first Vietnam veteran to lead the department."
Obama noted Hagel's dedication to service members and their families, and said his experiences give him the ability to relate to troops.
"In Chuck Hagel, our troops see a decorated combat veteran of character and strength – they see one of their own," Obama said. "Chuck is a champion of our troops, veterans and our military families. With Chuck, our troops will always know -- just like Sergeant Hagel was there for his own brother -- Secretary Hagel will be there for you," he said.
Hagel's experience includes stints as deputy administrator for the Veterans Administration -- now the Veterans Affairs Department -- and as CEO and president of the USO. He served in the Senate from 1997 to 2009, where he was a member of the foreign relations and intelligence committees.
Hagel currently is a professor at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. He is also chairman of the Atlantic Council and co-chairman of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board.
Obama called Brennan "one of our nation's most skilled and respected intelligence professionals." The president said Brennan's 25 years of service in the CIA provides him with the knowledge of what the nation's security demands are: "intelligence that provides our lawmakers with the facts, strong analytic insight and the keen understanding of a dynamic world."
Brennan, a 57-year-old New Jersey native, is the deputy national security advisor for homeland security and counterterrorism. During his years at the CIA, he worked as a Near East and South Asia analyst, served as station chief in Saudi Arabia, and directed the National Counterterrorism Center.
"Having held senior management, analytic and operational positions at the agency, John's committed to investing in the range of intelligence capabilities we need," Obama said.
"John has an invaluable perspective on the forces, the history, the culture, the politics, economics, [and] the desire for human dignity driving so much of the changes in today's world," he added.
Obama said the primary criteria in making his choices was a simple question -- "Who is going to do the best job in securing America? These two leaders have dedicated their lives to protecting our country. I am confident they will do an outstanding job."
Obama congratulated Hagel and Brennan on their nominations and urged the U.S. Senate to act promptly to confirm them.
"When it comes to national security, we don't like to leave a lot of gaps between the time that one set of leaders transitions out and another transitions in," he said. "So we need to get moving quickly on this."
'NORAD NEXT'
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| U.S. Army Gen. Charles Jacoby, Jr., commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, is greeted by an honor guard while visiting the Canadian NORAD Region headquarters at Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg, Canada, Jan. 24, 2012. U.S. and Canadian leaders plan to study the way ahead for North American Aerospace Defense Command under a concept called "NORAD Next." Canadian Forces photo by Cpl. Piotr Figiel |
U.S., Canada Think Ahead to 'NORAD Next'
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo., Jan. 7, 2013 - More than a half century since it was established to confront the Cold War threat, North American Aerospace Defense Command is at a new crossroads as officials in the United States and Canada determine the capabilities it will need to confront emerging challenges and threats in the decades ahead.
Members of the Permanent Joint Board of Defense, the highest-level defense and security forum between the two countries, discussed the so-called "NORAD Next" concept during their meeting in Colorado Springs, Colo., last month, Royal Canadian Air Force Lt. Gen. J.A.J. "Alain" Parent, NORAD's deputy commander, told American Forces Press Service.
The discussion was a first step toward a broad analysis to identify what threats and challenges the United States and Canada will face in the 2025-to-2030 timeframe -- and what steps need to be taken now to prepare for them, Parent said.
NORAD Next is largely a vision at this point, Parent emphasized, and any changes to the binational NORAD agreement would require both countries' approval. But vast changes in the security landscape have produced broad agreement that NORAD must continually evolve to meet challenges to North America, he said.
Throughout its history, adaptation has been one of NORAD's hallmarks, enabling it to remain relevant even as the geostrategic environment has changed, Parent noted.
The United States and Canada formed North American Air Defense Command in 1958, merging their air defense capabilities to provide a continental-scale ability to detect and intercept Soviet bombers, presumably carrying nuclear weapons, explained Lance Blyth, the NORAD command historian.
That same framework -- warning systems that ran across Canada and Alaska, fighter bases with interceptor aircraft and a command-and-control system that tied them together and with national command authorities -- adapted as intercontinental ballistic missiles became the more pressing threat, Blyth said.
This expanded mission led to NORAD's name change in 1981 to North American Aerospace Defense Command.
The command continued to provide aerospace warning and control for North America after the fall of the Berlin Wall, but also began to contribute its capabilities to counterdrug missions, predominantly focusing on airborne trafficking into the United States and Canada.
NORAD's sensors and interceptors supported this new law enforcement mission, providing intelligence to law enforcement agencies and serving as a catalyst for the close interagency collaboration that underpins NORAD's operations today, Blyth explained.
The 9/11 terrorist attacks shook NORAD to its very core, challenging the bedrock assumption on which it had been founded: that an attack on either of the two countries would emanate from outside their borders, he said.
Within hours of the attack, NORAD already had the go-ahead to stand up Operation Noble Eagle. Under this ongoing homeland defense mission, NORAD monitors and intercepts aircraft of interest within both U.S. and Canadian territory, and provides security support for major events ranging from G8 summits, political conventions to even the Super Bowl.
Operation Noble Eagle represented a sea change at NORAD, broadening its focus for the first time to address both internal as well as external threats against North America.
"We weren't postured to be looking inside the continent as we are today," Royal Canadian Air Force Brig. Gen. A.D. "Al" Meinzinger, deputy director of strategy in the NORAD and U.S. Northern Command policy and plans directorate, told American Forces Press Service. "But as a consequence of 9/11, we stood up a whole enterprise to be poised and positioned to deal with the internal threats," he added. "And we all understand that we need to be ready to respond on a moment's notice."
Another major step in that evolution took place in 2006, when U.S. and Canadian authorities expanded NORAD's mandate to address seaborne threats. This maritime-warning mission applies the command's capabilities to identify and track vessels of interest approaching either country's coast, and passing that intelligence to authorities that would intercept them.
More than a decade after 9/11, NORAD officials are widening their field of vision yet again as they discuss roles the command could play in addressing threats from a broad array of domains: air, space, sea, land and even cyberspace.
They also are working to identify what warning systems and processes will be required to address these threats, particularly as the life cycles of many of the current radars expire in the 2020-2025 timeframe.
"We need to think about what is beyond 2015, what the strategic environment will be, and what we need to be doing to move the command into that future," Meinzinger said.
NORAD Next, he said, will be the bumper sticker for that next big step in NORAD's evolution.
"NORAD Next will ensure that NORAD remains forever relevant and ever evolving," Parent said. "If we want to outpace the threats, we have to think in advance of them.
"The important thing," he continued, "is that we maintain relevancy and don't get surprises. The stakes are too big for our two counties to get surprised."
NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR JANUARY 7, 2012
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| Midnight Snack - A U.S. paratrooper heats noodles over a fire on Joint Security Station Hasan in the Gilan district in southern Afghanistan's Ghazni province, June 12, 2012. The soldier is assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division's 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael J. MacLeod |
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Combined Force Detains Taliban Leader in Ghazni Province
Compiled from International Security Assistance Force and ISAF Joint Command News Releases
WASHINGTON, Jan. 7, 2013 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader, and detained a suspected insurgent in the Andar district of Afghanistan's Ghazni province today, military officials reported.
The leader commanded a group who organized and executed attacks against Afghan and coalition forces, along with overseeing the placement of improvised explosive devices, officials said.
In other Afghanistan operations today:
-- A combined force in Helmand province's Nahr-e Saraj district arrested a senior Taliban leader who played a major role in narcotics trafficking to fund Taliban operations and commanded insurgent fighters who attack Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also detained a suspected insurgent.
In operations yesterday:
-- A combined force arrested the senior Taliban leader for Helmand province's Nad-e Ali district during a security operation in the province's Now Zad district. The leader provided operational guidance to Taliban insurgents and acquired and distributed homemade explosives, weapons and ammunition to suicide bombers. The security force also detained several suspected insurgents and seized firearms.
-- In Nangarhar province's Khugyani district, a combined force detained a suspected insurgent and seized numerous weapons during a search for a Taliban leader who directs attacks against Afghan government officials and Afghan and coalition forces.
In Jan. 4 operations:
-- A combined force in Helmand province's Nahr-e Saraj district arrested a Taliban leader who planned and executed attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and oversaw acquisition and distribution of weapons, ammunition and bombs to insurgent fighters. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents.
-- In Logar province's Pul-e Alam district, security combined force arrested a member of the Haqqani network who planned attacks against Afghan government officials. He also organized and managed the delivery of weapons and materials to Haqqani insurgents for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also detained a suspected insurgent.
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