LOOKING FOR BLACK HOLES CALLED BLAZARS

FROM:  NASA
WASHINGTON -- Astronomers are actively hunting a class of supermassive
black holes throughout the universe called blazars thanks to data
collected by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). The
mission has revealed more than 200 blazars and has the potential to
find thousands more.

Blazars are among the most energetic objects in the universe. They
consist of supermassive black holes actively "feeding," or pulling
matter onto them, at the cores of giant galaxies. As the matter is
dragged toward the supermassive hole, some of the energy is released
in the form of jets traveling at nearly the speed of light. Blazars
are unique because their jets are pointed directly at us.

"Blazars are extremely rare because it's not too often that a
supermassive black hole's jet happens to point towards Earth," said
Franceso Massaro of the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and
Cosmology near Palo Alto, Calif., and principal investigator of the
research, published in a series of papers in the Astrophysical
Journal. "We came up with a crazy idea to use WISE's infrared
observations, which are typically associated with lower-energy
phenomena, to spot high-energy blazars, and it worked better than we
hoped."

The findings ultimately will help researchers understand the extreme
physics behind super-fast jets and the evolution of supermassive
black holes in the early universe.

WISE surveyed the entire celestial sky in infrared light in 2010,
creating a catalog of hundreds of millions of objects of all types.
Its first batch of data was released to the larger astronomy
community in April 2011 and the full-sky data were released last
month.

Massaro and his team used the first batch of data, covering more than
one-half the sky, to test their idea that WISE could identify
blazars. Astronomers often use infrared data to look for the weak
heat signatures of cooler objects. Blazars are not cool; they are
scorching hot and glow with the highest-energy type of light, called
gamma rays. However, they also give off a specific infrared signature
when particles in their jets are accelerated to almost the speed of
light.

One of the reasons the team wants to find new blazars is to help
identify mysterious spots in the sky sizzling with high-energy gamma
rays, many of which are suspected to be blazars. NASA's Fermi mission
has identified hundreds of these spots, but other telescopes are
needed to narrow in on the source of the gamma rays.

Sifting through the early WISE catalog, the astronomers looked for the
infrared signatures of blazars at the locations of more than 300
gamma-ray sources that remain mysterious. The researchers were able
to show that a little more than half of the sources are most likely
blazars.

"This is a significant step toward unveiling the mystery of the many
bright gamma-ray sources that are still of unknown origin," said
Raffaele D'Abrusco, a co-author of the papers from Harvard
Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass. "WISE's
infrared vision is actually helping us understand what's happening in
the gamma-ray sky."

The team also used WISE images to identify more than 50 additional
blazar candidates and observed more than 1,000 previously discovered
blazars. According to Massaro, the new technique, when applied
directly to WISE's full-sky catalog, has the potential to uncover
thousands more.

"We had no idea when we were building WISE that it would turn out to
yield a blazar gold mine," said Peter Eisenhardt, WISE project
scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena,
Calif., who is not associated with the new studies. "That's the
beauty of an all-sky survey. You can explore the nature of just about
any phenomenon in the universe."  
                                               

THE FINAL FLIGHT OF THE SPACE SHUTTLES WILL BE ON THIS AIRCRAFT

FROM:  NASA
The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft glides down the runway of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The aircraft, known as an SCA, arrived at 5:35 p.m. EDT to prepare for shuttle Discovery’s ferry flight to the Washington Dulles International Airport in Sterling, Va., on April 17. This SCA, designated NASA 905, is a modified Boeing 747 jet airliner, originally manufactured for commercial use. One of two SCAs employed over the course of the Space Shuttle Program, NASA 905 is assigned to the remaining ferry missions, delivering the shuttles to their permanent public display sites. NASA 911 was decommissioned at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center in California in February. Discovery will be placed on permanent public display in the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Image Credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA GIVES CREDIT TO MILITARY KIDS

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Military Kids Make Parents' Service Possible, First Lady Says
By Lisa Daniel
WASHINGTON, April 13, 2012 - First Lady Michelle Obama highlighted the shared sacrifices of military children while meeting with the teenage daughters of service members yesterday in Jacksonville, Fla.

"On behalf of myself and my husband, I want to tell you all truly how proud we are of you," Obama told hundreds of high school girls, along with some of their parents, who greeted her at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. "We are so proud of you.  We are inspired by you, and we are grateful for everything that you do for this country every single day."

Obama made the stop as part of the first anniversary this week of the "Joining Forces" campaign she started with Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, last year to help civilian Americans support military families.

"When we talk about how our men and women in uniform sacrifice so much and serve this country so bravely, we're not just talking about your parents," Obama said. "We are talking about all of you.  We're talking about our military kids and our military families, because we know that when your parents are called to serve, you all serve right alongside them.

The first lady recognized the girls for their frequent forced relocations and dealing with deployed parents.

"When your parents get that call to pick up and move halfway across the country, you pick up and move right alongside them," she said. "And then, just when you finally get settled in, just when you're feeling comfortable and make friends and start fitting in, what happens?  That call comes again, right?"

"It can't be easy," she said, "... to keep your spirits up through all those missed holidays, and missed birthdays, and times when you would give anything in the world to have them back home."

Obama, who distributed $250 department store gift cards to the girls, acknowledged that, for many, there will be an empty seat at their high school graduation, and moms and dads who aren't home to see them off to the prom.

Yet military kids often are leaders in their schools and communities who excel academically while taking on extra responsibilities at home, she said.

"Many of you have had to put on a brave face for maybe a younger brother or sister, even when you were worried," Obama said. "You've had to reassure your parents that you were OK, even when sometimes you weren't.

"You've done all of this because, ultimately, you understand that your parents are part of something far bigger than themselves," she said. "You know that they protect and defend the freedoms that every single one of us holds dear. You know that their service keeps this country safe every single day.  And you all are a vital part of that work.

"By working so hard ..., you give your parents the peace of mind they need to focus on their mission," she said. "With your service, you make their service possible.  And for that, we can't thank you enough."

EXPORT-IMPORT BANK ANNUAL CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

FROM:  EXPORT-IMPORT BANK
Export-Import Bank Annual Conference Highlights U.S. Export Growth, Need for Financing
New Export Data Announced, President Clinton Calls for Ex-Im’s Reauthorization

Washington, D.C. – The significance of U.S. export growth to America’s economy and the need for continued availability of export financing were key themes highlighted at the 37th annual conference of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank), held in Washington, D.C., April 12-13.

Ex-Im Bank announced new trade figures showing that U.S. exports reached more than $181.2 billion in February 2012, according to data released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Commerce Department. Over the last 12 months, exports totaled more than $2.1 trillion – nearly 35.5 percent above the level of exports in 2009.

U.S. exports have been growing at an annualized rate of 15 percent, the growth rate required to meet President Obama’s goal of doubling U.S. exports by 2015.

Ex-Im’s two-day conference, entitled “Ex-Im Bank –Your Competitive Edge,” drew more than 1,200 participants from 40 countries and featured keynote speeches and panel presentations by world business, finance and political leaders.

President Bill Clinton, founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation and the 42nd president of the United States, gave the keynote address on Thursday, April 12, focusing on the critical role of trade in global development. He also called for Ex-Im’s congressional reauthorization and an increase in the Bank’s exposure cap.

“If America wants to lead the world in shared prosperity, a key component must be to increase employment in the tradable sector,” said President Clinton, who also addressed Ex-Im’s annual conference in 1993 while in office. “There is a whole raft of studies that show that Americans who work in the tradable sector of the economy are not only likely to get jobs with higher starting pay but also pay that increases with the growth of the companies.”

The former president also commented on the role of Ex-Im Bank in helping U.S. exporters compete with foreign companies supported by their governments. “As a practical matter, when you are on a field in a competition, you either meet the competition or you get beat. Unilateral disarmament is not a very good recipe for success,” Clinton noted. “If you are here from the USA, I urge you to ask the Congress to reauthorize the Ex-Im Bank at the higher level.”

Conference presenters on Friday, April 13, included Commerce Secretary John Bryson, Mayor of Chicago Rahm Emanuel and Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University.

Ex-Im Bank Chairman Fred P. Hochberg told conference attendees that Ex-Im Bank and the U.S. Maritime Administration have worked out a new agreement that will make it easier for U.S. exporters benefiting from the Bank’s buyer financing for large transactions to meet U.S.-flagged shipping requirements.

Ex-Im Bank also announced its initial transaction under Global Credit Express, the Bank’s first direct loan product for small businesses. The pilot program features a 12-month line of credit up to $500,000 for eligible exporters. Last week, the Bank approved a $200,000 loan to JCA International Corp., in Carlsbad, Calif., a small-business importer and exporter of frozen fruits and vegetables.

In addition, a new special "Business Speed Networking" session brought together foreign buyers and American sellers for one-on-one introductory meetings aimed to facilitate deal-making.
About Ex-Im Bank:

Ex-Im Bank is an independent federal agency that helps create and maintain U.S. jobs by filling gaps in private export financing at no cost to American taxpayers. In the past five years, Ex-Im Bank has earned for U.S. taxpayers $1.9 billion above the cost of operations. The Bank provides a variety of financing mechanisms, including working capital guarantees, export-credit insurance and financing to help foreign buyers purchase U.S. goods and services.

Navy News Service - Eye on the Fleet Current Collection

Navy News Service - Eye on the Fleet Current Collection

FIVE ARYAN BROTHERHOOD OF TEXAS MEMBERS SENTENCED

FROM:  DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Friday, April 13, 2012
Five Aryan Brotherhood of Texas Gang Members Sentenced in Houston for Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering
WASHINGTON – Five members of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas (ABT) have been sentenced to federal prison for their role in an aggravated assault that took place in Tomball, Texas, in September 2008, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson of the Southern District of Texas.

U.S. District Court Senior Judge Ewing Werlein Jr. today sentenced Zechariah Aaron Johnston, 31, aka “Oz,” to 84 months in prison; Stephen Kyle Knebel, 33, aka “Lil Evil,” to 24 months in prison; Robert Lynn Sheats, 33, aka “Dirty,” to 36 months in prison; and Johnny Ray Nichols, 35, aka “Nick,” to 18 months in prison.  On March 23, 2012, Senior Judge Werlein sentenced Rusty Dwayne Plante, 34, aka “Rusty,” to 36 months in prison.

All five defendants pleaded guilty for their role in the aggravated assault of an ABT prospect member.  Johnston, Knebel and Nichols each pleaded guilty to racketeering aggravated assault.  Plante and Sheats pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering aggravated assault.  All five defendants are from the greater Houston area.

According to court documents, the defendants were members of the ABT, a powerful race-based, state-wide organization that operated inside and outside of state and federal prisons throughout the United States.  The ABT was established in the early 1980s within the Texas prison system.  The gang modeled itself after and adopted many of the precepts and writings of the Aryan Brotherhood, a California-based prison gang that was formed in the California prison system during the 1960s.  According to court documents, previously, the ABT was primarily concerned with the protection of white inmates and white supremacy/separatism.  Over time, the ABT has expanded its criminal enterprise to include illegal activities for profit.

According to court documents, the ABT enforces its rules and promotes discipline among its members, prospects and associates through murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, assault, robbery and threats against those who violate the rules or pose a threat to the enterprise.  Members, and oftentimes associates, are required to follow the orders of higher-ranking members, often referred to as “direct orders.”

According to court documents, Johnston, Knebel, Plante, Nichols and Sheats, along with seven fellow ABT gang members, participated in the beating of an ABT prospect member at the home of another ABT gang leader, Steven Walter Cooke, 48, aka “Stainless,” in Tomball, on Sept. 22, 2008.  The ABT prospect, who sustained serious bodily injury, was beaten by ABT gang members because he violated ABT rules of conduct.

Eleven of the 12 co-defendants have pleaded guilty for their roles in the assault.  The 12th ABT gang member, David Harlow, 43, aka, “Bam Bam,” was found guilty by Senior Judge Werlein on March 21, 2012, at trial in the Southern District of Texas.

This case is being investigated by a multi-agency task force consisting of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the FBI; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Texas Ranger Division – Texas Department of Public Safety; the Walker County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office; the Montgomery County, Texas, Sheriff’s Department; the Houston Police Department-Gang Division; the Tomball Police Department; the Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Inspector General; and the Harris County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office.

The case is being prosecuted by David Karpel of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman of the Southern District of Texas.

REMARKS AT PRESS GAGGLE BY AMBASSADOR RICE

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks at a Press Gaggle Outside the UN Security Council Stakeout
Susan E. Rice
U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations
U.S. Mission to the United Nations New York, NYApril 13, 2012
AS DELIVERED
Ambassador Rice: Long day. Many issues. As you know, we intend to come back together tomorrow at 11 o’clock with the aim of trying to vote a text, provided that we have instructions from everybody that enable us to do so. We’re working on North Korea and other issues simultaneously. We’ll keep you updated on that as and when we can. Other than that, I really don’t have much to share.
Reporter: Is there a new text on Syria?
Ambassador Rice: There’s a revised draft of the text that was put first in blue based on the negotiations that is being referred back to capitals for instruction.

Reporter: Amb. Churkin said he wasn’t entirely satisfied with today’s discussions. Are you worried there will be a lack of consensus tomorrow?
Ambassador Rice: I don’t want to predict. We’ve been to this movie so many times, let’s not--it would be wise---
Reporter: But we also know how this movie ends.
Ambassador Rice: It would be wise not to make predictions.
Reporter: Is there a draft of [inaudible] North Korea?
Ambassador Rice: Not yet. Not at 15.
Reporter: But would tomorrow just be to vote or will you also be potentially discussing North Korea more?
Ambassador Rice: These are moving at different paces. They’re on different tracks but they’re on simultaneous tracks. So I don’t want to predict too much.
Reporter: Is the format for North Korea sorted?
Ambassador Rice: Again, I don’t have anything more than I said earlier on that.
Reporter: Press statement?
Ambassador Rice: I will repeat what I said this morning and what I just said here which is that I’m not prepared to predict anything on substance or form.
Reporter: What was the change in the new text?
Ambassador Rice: There are many. We were in there for a long time. We’ll see. It’ll come out in blue.
Reporter: How would you describe the negotiations?
Ambassador Rice: They were serious. And, you know, as they often there, sometimes humor, sometimes contention, but I think everybody was trying to roll up their sleeves and deal with this responsibly.
Reporter: What about South Sudan not leaving Heglig?
Ambassador Rice: That is not good. They need to go.

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE LEON PANETTA FIGHTS AGAINST SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN MILITARY

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE

Panetta Vows to Continue Fighting Sexual Assault in Military

WASHINGTON, April 13, 2012 - With the release of an annual report today on sexual assault in the military, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta vowed to continue fighting to stamp out the crime among service members.

DOD officials delivered the Report on Sexual Assault in the Military to the House and Senate armed service committees today. The report noted there were 3,192 reports of sexual assault in fiscal 2011 compared with 3,158 in fiscal 2010, a one percent increase.

"Sexual assault has no place in this department," said Defense Secretary Leon Panetta in a press release on the report. "It is an affront to the basic American values we defend, and to the good honor of our service members and their families."

Countering sexual assault has been one of the secretary's top priorities since taking office last year. Panetta wants all members of the department "to do everything we can to reduce and prevent sexual assault, to make victims of sexual assault feel secure enough to report this crime without fear of retribution or harm to their career, and to hold the perpetrators appropriately accountable."

The secretary will meet with members of Congress next week to propose new measures to counter sexual assault and give DOD new tools to erase this scourge.

The report details ways the department is working to implement its sexual assault prevention and response plan. The first step is to institutionalize prevention strategies across the services. DOD looks to influence the knowledge, skills and behaviors of service members to prevent sexual assaults from happening. Officials are looking to training, a social media campaign and posters/commercials to increase awareness and encourage good behaviors.

The strategy also looks to increase the confidence those who have been assaulted have in the reporting process. DOD wants to engender a positive and supportive command climate that encourages people to reports cases of sexual assault. The department also wants to reduce stigma and other barriers that deter reporting.

The report also details additional programs, policies and activities that will improve the response to sexual assault. It details the new 24/7 hotline for sexual assault victims and improvements to education for case workers, as well as new exams and health care for victims of sexual assault.

The report also recommends ways to improve service through system accountability. "In fiscal 2011, commanders had sufficient evidence to take disciplinary action against 989 subjects," the report says. "For the 791 subjects who could be disciplined for a sexual assault offense, 62 percent had courts-martial charges preferred for a sexual assault offense, 24 percent received nonjudicial punishment under Article 15 of the Uniformed Code of Military Justice and 14 percent received a discharge or another adverse administrative action."

This is a 10 percent increase in courts-martial over fiscal 2010, the report says. The proportion of military subjects against whom commanders decided to take disciplinary action for sexual assault offenses by preferring court-martial charges has increased steadily since fiscal 2007, when only 30 percent of subjects had charges initiated against them.

Finally the strategy looks to "improve stakeholder knowledge." This means reaching out to service members about the sexual abuse prevention and response program. It also means reaching out to the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services. It further means taking the message of the mission to non-traditional audiences to enlist their support for the effort.

Panetta appointed Air Force Maj. Gen. Mary Kay Hertog to oversee the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office. He also directed several new victim-focused policies that have been implemented since the end of fiscal 2011. Among these are expanded legal assistance, expedited transfers for victims of sexual assault and extended retention of forensic examination and investigative reports.

Other initiatives to enhance prevention and response efforts include establishing a sexual assault advocate credentialing and certification program; expanding sexual assault support services to military spouses and adult military dependents; expanding emergency care and support services to DOD civilians stationed abroad and DOD U.S. citizen contractors in combat areas; and increasing funding for investigators and judge advocates to receive additional specialized training.

The department is also assessing how the department trains commanding officers and senior enlisted leaders on sexual assault prevention and response.

"As this report makes clear, we have more work to do to confront this problem," Panetta said in the release. "There are no easy answers, but that makes it all the more essential for us to devote our energy and our attention to trying to confront this challenging crime."

THE AMERICAS AND WOMEN ENTREPRENURS

FROM:   U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Women's Entrepreneurship in the Americas (WEAmericas)
Fact Sheet Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC
April 13, 2012
Investing in women-owned small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is one of the best ways to simultaneously achieve economic, financial, and social impact. Research shows that women-owned SMEs are significant accelerators of economic growth. Because women are also responsible for nearly two-thirds of worldwide consumer spending, leading corporations are seeking competitive advantage by including more women vendors in their global value chains to better serve and understand their customers. Moreover, women tend to spend more of their earned income than men on the health and education of their families, yielding significant social impact and bolstering future gains in productivity and inclusive growth.

Women’s Entrepreneurship in the Americas (WEAmericas) leverages public-private partnerships to increase women’s economic participation and address three key barriers women confront when starting and growing SMEs: access to training and networks, access to markets, and access to finance. Through these collaborations, the United States and its partners will:

1) Provide training and mentoring to women entrepreneurs throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, with a focus on business growth;
2) Support market access initiatives in countries throughout the region; and
3) Launch and expand initiatives to facilitate women-owned SMEs’ access to credit and other financial services.

WEAmericas connects women to economic growth and business opportunities and brings together the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to achieve mutually beneficial goals: inclusive economic growth, increased financial returns and social impact, formalization of informal sector work, and enhanced competitiveness for firms and economies.

WEAmericas builds on commitments made during the 2011 APEC Leaders Summit and in the San Francisco Declaration—which countries throughout the Americas supported, including Canada, Chile, Mexico, Peru, and the United States—and ongoing work under Pathways to Prosperity. Both initiatives address barriers to women’s economic participation.

In addition to the U.S. government, WEAmericas founding partners include Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, ExxonMobil Foundation, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Kauffman FastTrac, Thunderbird School of Global Management, Vital Voices, Walmart Foundation, and WEConnect International.

The partners have developed the following initial collaborations, which focus on concrete actions in three crucial areas:access to training and networks, access to finance, and access to markets.

WEAmericas Partnerships
Walmart Foundation and the U.S. Department of State are partnering to provide training to women entrepreneurs at the SME level throughout the region. Women entrepreneurs will participate in a Department of State-sponsored exchange program, where they will connect with their American counterparts and have the opportunity to create lasting networks and business relationships. As part of the program, Kauffman FastTrac will host workshops on strategic planning and entrepreneurial trends. With Walmart support, Vital Voices will provide follow-on leadership and enterprise development training to build the capacity of women entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and succeed as leaders in the business community and in wider society.
Through Secretary Clinton’s International Fund for Women and Girls, the Walmart Foundation will also provide $1.5 million for the WEAmericas Small Grants Initiative to support broader economic empowerment and development for women-owned businesses in the region, particularly for indigenous and rural women.
As part of their 10,000 Women Entrepreneurship Partnership, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women and the U.S. Department of State will partner to bring cohorts of women from Latin America to the United States. This partnership provides women from around the world with scholarships for intensive business and management training at Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Cherie Blair Foundation for Women will offer women from the U.S. Department of State’s entrepreneurship programs an opportunity to participate in its Mentoring Women in Business initiative. The initiative combines mentoring with technology to provide cross-border support to women entrepreneurs. Using a specially developed algorithm, women entrepreneurs from the region will be matched with mentors through an e-mentoring platform.

2) Access to Finance
The IDB’s Structured and Corporate Finance Department (SCF) and Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) are partnering to launch women entrepreneurshipBanking (weB), an initiative to work with financial intermediaries in the region to help them establish lending models that support growth in women’s businesses. The MIF, through its Line of Activity for Promoting Small Enterprise Financing, will provide up to $5 million in technical assistance grants to transfer knowledge of effective lending models for women-owned SMEs and to train loan officers and credit managers in these products and services. SCF, through its financial markets strategy’s beyondBanking program, will offer up to $50 million in loans, risk-sharing facilities, and partial credit guarantees. By doing so, SCF will share some of the risk of testing these models and generate opportunities for more inclusive finance with these institutions. This unique combination of capital and technical assistance will maximize the success of forward-looking financial institutions’ portfolio development across the entire supply chain to ensure that women-owned SMEs have equal access to finance.

3) Access to Markets
ExxonMobil Foundation and the U.S. Department of State will provide grants to WEConnect International to support the registration and certification of women-owned businesses in Mexico. By identifying and certifying these businesses and connecting them with potential buyers of their goods and services, the program aims to reach at least 900 women business owners in Mexico and procurement executives from at least ten large corporations doing business in Mexico.

IDB, Walmart, and WEConnect International will also partner to enhance the capacity of women-owned businesses in Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru to gain access to new markets and increase their economic productivity as employers and community leaders. The project will focus on the outreach, education, and training required to ensure more women-owned businesses have the knowledge and networks needed to compete in global value chains. Large corporations that source internationally, such as Walmart, will be integral in the sharing of best practices and business opportunities.
About the Partners:


· Cherie Blair Foundation for Women provides women with the skills, technology, networks, and access to finance they need to become successful small and growing business owners so they can contribute to their economies and have a stronger voice in their societies.

· ExxonMobil Foundation has helped women in developing countries fulfill their economic potential and drive economic and social change in their communities. Since 2005, their investments of more than $53 million have enabled community-based and global partners to implement programs directly benefiting tens of thousands of women.

· Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women is a five-year initiative to provide a business and management education to underserved female entrepreneurs in developing and emerging markets. The program is designed to drive greater shared economic growth, leading to stronger healthcare, education, and greater prosperity in the communities where it operates.

· IDB supports efforts by Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) countries to reduce poverty and inequality. Established in 1959, it is the largest source of development financing for LAC, with a strong commitment to achieve measurable results, increased integrity, transparency, and accountability.

· Kauffman FastTrac is the leading provider of learning curricula that equip aspiring and existing entrepreneurs with the business skills, insights, tools, resources, and network to start and grow successful businesses. Kauffman FastTrac was created by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the largest foundation in the world devoted to entrepreneurship.

· Thunderbird School of Global Management equips students and leaders with the business skills and global mindset needed to create sustainable prosperity worldwide. The Thunderbird for Good initiative has provided 50,000 Latin American women with entrepreneurship training to help drive economic development, fight poverty, and improve living conditions in their communities.
· Vital Voices is a global NGO that provides training and mentoring to innovative women leaders, enhancing their ability to transform lives and advance peace and prosperity in their communities.

· Walmart unveiled its Global Women’s Economic Empowerment Initiative last fall, which uses the company’s size and scale to empower women across its supply chain. Over five years, the company will source $20 billion from women-owned businesses in the United States and double sourcing from women suppliers internationally. In addition, Walmart will train thousands of women on farms and in factories in employment and life skills to enhance their participation in global value chains.

· WEConnect International is a corporate led non-profit that identifies, educates, and certifies women's business enterprises and introduces them to corporate members representing $700 billion in annual spend.

ONE MARINE STAYS POSITIVE

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Face of Defense: Marine Inspires With Positive Attitude
By By Marine Corps Lance Cpl. William Waterstreet
Marine Corps Air Station Yuma
WASHINGTON, April 13, 2012 - If happiness dwells in the soul, as the ancient Greeks believed, then Marine Corps Cpl. Michael "Mikey" Raymundo is a prime example.
"I just like to have fun and not worry about what's going to happen tomorrow," Raymundo, a Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron comptroller here, said in a recent interview. "Just live in the moment. I like to make other people laugh, and I don't care what anybody else has to say. As long as I'm happy with myself, I'm good, and I know I'm always doing the right things."

The El Paso, Texas, native is at the center of every social interaction, and he always is wearing a smile. He brings energy and laughter to a room, his squadron buddies say.

"When he's not there, everyone keeps asking, 'Where's Mikey? Where's Mikey,'" said Cpl. Maxmillion Page, the Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron legal chief. "He has a very vibrant and unique personality, and everyone loves to have someone like that around. He's loyal. He's my brother."

"I'm no different from anyone else. I'm just outgoing. I want to be sociable. I want to get out there and help out my friends. Oh, and I'm sexy," Raymundo said with a grin.

While growing up in Texas, Raymundo said he tried to branch out and try new things.

"Growing up, I always tried to take on new challenges," he said. "I always like to try new things, and if I have an opportunity, I'm going to take it. I don't care about money, materials, cars or possessions. None of that matters to me. As long as I'm healthy, my family's good and we have what we need to survive, that's all we really need."

Now 24, Raymundo became active as a teen in wrestling and football, playing as a starting linebacker. He would spend summers with his grandmother across the border in Juarez, Mexico.

He attended El Paso Community College after high school and earned his associate's degree in criminal justice. While going to class as a full-time student, he also worked as a corporate trainer for Famous Dave's, traveling across the Southwest and opening stores.

After earning his degree in 2008, he decided to enlist in the Marine Corps.

"I wanted to join before it was too late," he said. "I wanted to do something different, and ever since I was little, I wanted to join the Marines. It was now or never."

At the end of his active service, Raymundo plans to join the reserve unit in his hometown and continue with the Corps until retirement.

However, he also has goals outside the Corps. He said he plans to become an entrepreneur, and already is working on a couple of inventions. One, a stationary workout machine, already has a patent pending.

"I couldn't do the workout I wanted to do one day because it was raining," he explained. "So I started drawing things up and talking to people."

Regardless of what happens, Raymundo always stays positive.

"I don't know if it's going to be a great invention," he said. "I'm just going with the flow and doing what my instinct tells me. I've got nothing to lose other than money, and money comes and goes."

Raymundo keeps a positive outlook to see his goals through. He also has some advice for others.

"Live life. Smile. Don't be so grumpy. Don't act so cool. Don't act so tough. Be a humble person and love everyone around you. Respect your family and friends. Do good things and good things will happen to you. Go out and get it. Don't be shy, and don't be scared," he said.

U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL SPEAKS ABOUT UPCOMING TALKS BETWEEN U.S. AND JAPAN

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks at Narita Airport
Remarks Kurt M. Campbell
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Tokyo, Japan
April 15, 2012
ASSISTANT SECRETARY CAMPBELL: Well let me just say good afternoon everyone, I’m sorry to have people coming out on Sunday afternoon, but it’s very good to be back in Tokyo. I am here along with a team from the Department of Defense and my colleague Peter Lavoy, for consultations with Japanese counterparts. We’re going to be discussing a number of things, upcoming high-level diplomacy, force posture issues in Asia, developments in Okinawa. We’ll also be talking about areas of cooperation [between] the United States and Japan in Afghanistan, the work we are doing in advance of the ASEAN Regional Forum, and a variety of other bilateral engagements. Obviously we’ll be discussing recent developments in North Korea, we will be wanting to listen carefully to Japanese views about next steps.

I’ll also be travelling to South Korea on this trip to have similar consultations with Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense officials. I think as you know, discussions are underway at the United Nations. The United States is in the Chair at the Security Council and I think there is a very strong sense among the partners, and you’ve seen it in the statements from the White House, from the G8, from Ambassador Rice, very strong condemnation of the provocative action that North Korea has taken that is in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, and very clear and determined effort to send a strong message that further provocations would be most unwelcome. I’ll have a couple of other opportunities to give statements during the day tomorrow, but I’m happy to take a couple of very quick questions.

QUESTION: Sir, North Koreans have just revealed what appears to be a new missile in their parade today. Do you have any information on this?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY CAMPBELL: I’m sorry, I just got off the airplane, so I’ll have to get briefed but I’ll catch up with my colleagues about that.

QUESTION: Any comments on Kim Jong Un, apparently he just spoke for the first time.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY CAMPBELL: Again, I apologize, I just got off a 14 hour flight so I haven’t been briefed on that.

QUESTION: According to news, he announced that North Korea would be a strong military nation. How would you respond to that?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY CAMPBELL: Let me just say again, I haven’t had the opportunity to get briefed on what he has said, once I have a chance to learn a little bit more I’ll be happy to provide some commentary.
Thank you all very much.

PRESIDENT ANNOUNCES NEW UNCONVENTIONAL NATURAL GAS AND OIL RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP

FROM:  EPA
Obama Administration Announces New Partnership on Unconventional Natural Gas and Oil Research
WASHINGTON – Today, three federal agencies announced a formal partnership to coordinate and align all research associated with development of our nation’s abundant unconventional natural gas and oil resources. The partnership exemplifies the cross-government coordination required under President Obama’s executive order released earlier today, which created a new Interagency Working Group to Support Safe and Responsible Development of Unconventional Domestic Natural Gas Resources. This new partnership will help coordinate current and future research and scientific studies undertaken by the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of the Interior – better positioning the Obama Administration to ensure that continued expansion of natural gas and oil production happens safely and responsibly as part of an all-of-the-above approach to American energy in which science plays a guiding and critical role.

As the president has made clear, domestic natural gas and oil resources will continue to play a key role in America’s energy future. Already, technological advancements like hydraulic fracturing – innovation supported by public research – have allowed development of previously uneconomic natural gas and oil deposits. In fact, since 2008, U.S. oil and natural gas production has increased each year. In 2011, U.S. crude oil production reached its highest level in 8 years, increasing by an estimated 110,000 barrels per day over 2010 levels to 5.59 million barrels per day. And U.S. natural gas production grew in 2011 as well – the largest year-over-year volumetric increase in history – easily eclipsing the previous all-time production record set in 1973. Overall, oil imports have been falling since 2005, and oil import dependence declined from 57 percent in 2008 to 45 percent in 2011 – the lowest level since 1995.

As the United States continues to expand domestic natural gas and oil production, it is critical that the public has full confidence that the right safety and environmental protections are in place – guided by the best available science. Leveraging each agency’s core competencies and strengths will enhance efforts to explore the significant new resource development opportunities made possible in recent years by hydraulic fracturing and other new technologies, and meet high-priority challenges in a coordinated and common-sense way.

“Science, research and innovation continue to play a vital role in our efforts to further expand oil and gas production in the United States and make sure it’s done safely and responsibly,” said Department of the Interior Deputy Secretary David J. Hayes. “Improvements in technologies like hydraulic fracturing are responsible for greatly increasing our capacity to develop America’s abundant unconventional resources in recent years. Through a close collaboration across the government that reduces redundancy and streamlines our research, we are positioning the Obama Administration to best meet the critical need of increasing public understanding and public confidence of these critical technologies so that we can continue safe and responsible exploration and production for many decades to come.”

“The development of American shale gas resources is having a transformative impact on the U.S. energy landscape, helping to improve our energy security while spurring economic development and job creation around the country,” said Acting Under Secretary of Energy Arun Majumdar. “The Energy Department remains committed to the safe and responsible development of this American resource, and continued cooperation between government and private industry partners under President Obama’s all-of-the-above approach to American energy.”

"We are moving into a new era of American energy, one that has the potential to create jobs, strengthen our energy independence and security, and cut pollution. President Obama has created this interagency working group to ensure that these energy innovations happen safely and responsibly, without compromising the environment or the health of the American people," said EPA Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe. "We will continue to rely on the best available science to oversee the responsible development of these energy sources."

A primary goal of this effort will be to identify research topics where collaboration among the three agencies can be most effectively and efficiently conducted to provide results and technologies that support sound policy decisions by the agencies responsible for ensuring the prudent development of energy sources while promoting safe practices and human health. The new research partnership is an example of the Obama Administration’s effort to coordinate activities across the federal government to support development of our abundant domestic natural gas resources in a safe and responsible way. Today the administration announced that a broader set of activities will be coordinated under an executive order issued by President Obama to create a new Interagency Working Group to Support Safe and Responsible Development of Unconventional Domestic Natural Gas Resources.

NASA PLANNING GROUP TAKES KEY STEPS FOR FUTURE MARS EXPLORATION

Three generations of Mars Rovers.  Credit: NASA


FROM:  NASA 
NASA's Mars Program Planning Group (MPPG), established 
to assist the agency in developing a new strategy for the exploration 
of the Red Planet, has begun analyzing options for future robotic 
missions and enlisting the assistance of scientists and engineers 
worldwide. 


NASA is reformulating the Mars Exploration Program to be responsive to 
high-priority science goals and the President's challenge of sending 
humans to Mars in the 2030s. 


"We're moving quickly to develop options for future Mars exploration 
missions and pathways," said John Grunsfeld, an astrophysicist, 
five-time space shuttle astronaut and associate administrator for 
NASA's Science Mission Directorate at the agency's headquarters in 
Washington. "As part of this process, community involvement, 
including international, is essential for charting the new 
agency-wide strategy for our future Mars exploration efforts." 


Grunsfeld leads the agency-wide Mars program reformulation effort 
along with William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for the 
Human Exploration and Operations Directorate, Chief Scientist Waleed 
Abdalati and Chief Technologist Mason Peck. 


In February, Grunsfeld named veteran aerospace engineer Orlando 
Figueroa to lead the MPPG. In March, the group established an initial 
draft framework of milestones and activities that will include 
options for missions and sequences bridging the objectives of NASA's 
science, human exploration and operations and technology. 


Starting today, the scientific and technical community across the 
globe can submit ideas and abstracts online as part of NASA's effort 
to seek out the best and the brightest ideas from researchers and 
engineers in planetary science. Selected abstracts will be presented 
during a workshop in June hosted by the Lunar and Planetary Institute 
in Houston. 


The workshop will provide an open forum for presentation, discussion 
and consideration of concepts, options, capabilities and innovations 
to advance Mars exploration. These ideas will inform a strategy for 
exploration within available resources, beginning as early as 2018 
and stretching into the next decade and beyond. 


"Receiving input from our community is vital to energize the planning 
process," said Doug McCuistion, director of the Mars Exploration 
Program at NASA Headquarters. "We'll integrate inputs to ensure the 
next steps for the Mars Exploration Program will support science, as 
well as longer-term human exploration and technology goals." 


The new strategy also will be designed to maintain America's critical 
technical skills, developed over decades, to achieve the highest 
priority science and exploration objectives. 


NASA has a recognized track record of successful missions on Mars, and 
exploration of the planet is a priority for the agency. The rover 
Opportunity, which landed on Mars in 2004, is still operating well 
beyond its official mission of 90 days. There also are two NASA 
satellites, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Odyssey, 
orbiting Mars and returning unprecedented science data and images. 


In August, NASA will land the Mars Science Laboratory, "Curiosity," on 
the planet's surface. This roving science laboratory will assess 
whether Mars was in the past or present an environment able to 
support life. In 2013, NASA will launch the Mars Atmosphere and 
Volatile Evolution orbiter, the first mission devoted to 
understanding the Martian upper atmosphere. 

WISCONSIN NATIONAL GUARDS HELP FARMERS IN KUMAR PROVINCE AFGHANISTAN

FROM:  WISCONSON DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AFFAIRS
Col. Darrel Feucht, commander of the Wisconsin National Guard's 82nd Agribusiness Development Team, and Command Sgt. Maj. Gregory Millard unfurl their unit's guidon during a transfer of authority ceremony Tuesday (April 10) at Camp Wright in Kunar Province, Afghanistan. The 82nd ADT has taken over the mission of providing agriculture and agribusiness support to the region from the 1-14th ADT of the Illinois National Guard. 82nd ADT photo by 2nd Lt. Stephen Montgomery
Wisconsin Guard unit begins agribusiness mission in Afghanistan

April 11, 2012
By 2nd Lt. Stephen Montgomery
82nd Agribusiness Development Team
KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - The Wisconsin National Guard's 82nd Agribusiness Development Team (ADT) has taken over the mission of helping Afghan farmers in Kunar Province after a transfer of authority ceremony Tuesday (April 10) at Camp Wright.

Col. Fred Allen, commander of the Illinois National Guard's 1-14th ADT, encased his unit's guidon in a canvas sleeve, symbolizing the end of his unit's mission in Afghanistan and handing that mission over to Col. Darrel Feucht, commander of the 82nd ADT.

"It's been a long road to assemble this team, train this team and, now, engage this team," Feucht said. "This team has worked hard with great anticipation for this day."
The 82nd ADT is the Wisconsin National Guard's first agribusiness development team, a National Guard initiative that leverages civilian skills crucial to improving agricultural methods.

"We now stand ready to perform our motto - to grow, to guide, to guard," Feucht continued. "To provide guidance to the Afghan farming community and guide each other in this partnership, to grow together as a unified team and grow crops, and to guard each other from those that do not see our goals in common."
The Wisconsin National Guard learned it would gain an agribusiness development team mission in 2010, and the unit trained for 12 months before reporting for active duty in February and completing mobilization training at Camp Atterbury, Ind.

DEFAULT JUDGMENT AGAINST DAVID E. HOWARD II, FLATIRON CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC, AND FLATIRON SYSTEMS, LLC

FROM:  SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
April 11, 2012
Securities and Exchange Commission v. Spyglass Equity Systems, Inc., et al,.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced that on April 6, 2012, the United States District Court for the Central District of California entered a Final Judgment against David E. Howard II, Flatiron Capital Partners, LLC (FCP), and Flatiron Systems, LLC (FS). Between December 2007 and March 2009, FCP and FS operated as investment companies that purported to trade securities using an automated trading system. Howard, a resident of New York City, was a co-managing member of FCP and the sole managing member of FS. The Commission’s complaint alleged, among other things, that, between December 2007 and January 2009, approximately 192 investors, located in at least 38 states, purchased LLC membership interests in FCP and FS. Investors were persuaded through false and misleading statements made by Howard and others to invest approximately $2.15 million in FCP and FS, and in addition, paid approximately $1.1 million in purported license fees for access to the trading systems. Thereafter, Howard misused and/or misappropriated almost $500,000 of the investor money and he and other principals lost the majority of the remaining funds through unsuccessful trading. Investors lost over $3 million in the scheme.

Howard, FCP and FS did not respond to the SEC’s allegations and the court therefore ordered default judgment against them. Howard, FCP and FS have each been enjoined from committing future violations of Sections 5(a), 5(c), and 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. In addition, Howard has been enjoined from future violations of Sections 206(1), 206(2), 206(4) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and Rule 206(4)-8 thereunder, and FCP and FS have each been enjoined from future violations of Section 7(1) of the Investment Company Act of 1940. The Judgment also found Howard and FCP jointly and severally liable to pay disgorgement of $487,028 plus prejudgment interest of $79,838.69 on that disgorgement for a total of $566,866.69 and Howard and FS jointly and severally liable to pay disgorgement of $1,124,218.95 plus prejudgment interest of $127,192.86 on that disgorgement for a total of $1,251,411.81. Finally, Howard was ordered to pay a penalty of $390,000.

SHUTTLE COLUMBIA STARTS MAIDEN VOYAGE

FROM:  NASA
On April 12, 1981, astronauts John Young and Bob Crippen launched into space on space shuttle Columbia on the STS-1 mission--NASA's first mission aboard a reusable spacecraft. STS-1 was NASA's first manned mission since the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. In this image, the two solid rocket boosters are aglow after being jettisoned. Image Credit: NASA

Navy News Service - USS AIRCRAFT CARRIER CARL VINCIN

Navy News Service - Eye on the Fleet Current Collection

SEC CHARGES CHINA-BASED COMPANY WITH STOCK MANIPULATION

FROM:  SEC
April 11, 2012
The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged that AutoChina International Limited and eleven investors, including a senior executive and director at the China-based firm, conducted a market manipulation scheme to create the false appearance of a liquid and active market for AutoChina’s stock.

According to the SEC’s complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, AutoChina senior executive and director Hui Kai Yan, a former AutoChina manager, and others fraudulently traded AutoChina’s stock to boost its daily trading volume. Starting in October 2010, the defendants and others deposited more than $60 million into U.S.-based brokerage accounts and engaged in hundreds of fraudulent trades over the next three months through these accounts and accounts with a Hong Kong-based broker-dealer. The fraudulent trades included matched orders, where one account sold shares to another account at the same time and for the same price, and wash trades, which resulted in no change of beneficial ownership of the shares. According to the complaint, AutoChina and the other defendants engaged in the scheme after lenders offered AutoChina unfavorable terms for a stock-backed loan due to low trading volume in its stock.

“AutoChina and the other defendants engaged in a brazen manipulation of AutoChina’s stock to obtain favorable loan terms,” said Robert Khuzami, Director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement. “The SEC will hold accountable publicly-traded companies, including foreign companies, that violate the U.S. securities laws and disrupt the U.S. capital markets.”

David P. Bergers, Director of the SEC’s Boston Regional Office, added, “The investing public has a right to honest and fair markets. Manipulation of stocks has no place in the financial strategies of any public company.”

The SEC complaint alleges that in the three months before the defendants opened the U.S.-based brokerage accounts, the average daily trading volume of AutoChina’s stock was approximately 18,000 shares. From November 1, 2010 through January 31, 2011, the average daily trading volume increased to more than 139,000 shares. On some days, the defendants and related accounts’ trading accounted for as much as 70% of the trading of AutoChina’s stock.

According to the SEC’s complaint, several of the defendants are related to AutoChina’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, who at the time of the scheme owned more than 57% of the company. Three of the defendants are siblings of AutoChina’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and another is married to one his siblings.
The SEC’s complaint charges AutoChina; Hui Kai Yan; Rui Ge Dong; Victory First Limited; Rainbow Yield Limited; Yong Qi Li; Ai Xi Ji; Ye Wang; Zhong Wen Zhang; Li Xin Ma; Yong Li Li; and Shu Ling Li with violating Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, Sections 9(a) and 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5. The complaint further alleges that Rui Ge Dong; Victory First Limited; Rainbow Yield Limited; Yong Qi Li; Ai Xi Ji; Ye Wang; Zhong Wen Zhang; Li Xin Ma; Yong Li Li; and Shu Ling Li aided and abetted AutoChina’s violations of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, Sections 9(a) and 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5.
The complaint seeks a final judgment permanently enjoining the defendants from committing future violations of these provisions, ordering them to disgorge their ill-gotten gains plus prejudgment interest, imposing financial penalties and barring Hui Kai Yan them from acting as an officer or director of a public company.

HERO RECEIVES AIR FORCE CROSS

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Air Force Capt. Barry F. Crawford Jr. smiles during a press briefing at the Pentagon, April 11, 2012. Crawford has been named to receive the Air Force Cross for his heroism during his deployment to Afghanistan as a special tactics officer. On May 4, 2010, Crawford was instrumental in saving the lives of three Afghan soldiers and evacuated two Afghans killed in action. DOD photo by Glenn Fawcett

Special Tactics Officer Receives Air Force Cross
By Air Force Capt. Kristen D. Duncan
Air Force Special Operations Command

WASHINGTON, April 12, 2012 - A special tactics officer received the Air Force Cross today for his role in a 2010 battle in Afghanistan.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz presented the award to Capt. Barry F. Crawford Jr. in the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes. The Air Force Cross is the service's highest medal, and second only to the Medal of Honor.
Crawford received the award for heroic actions controlling the air space and calling in airstrikes during the battle, allowing his special operations team to get out of the kill zone and ultimately saving the lives of his American comrades.

While assigned to the 23rd Expeditionary Special Tactics Squadron, Crawford was the joint terminal attack controller for a U.S. Army Special Forces and Afghan commando team.

Crawford called in multiple fixed- and rotary-wing air assets, allowing for the safe return of all U.S. forces, the evacuation of two Afghan commandos killed in action, and the rescue of three other wounded Afghan commandos.

"Captain Crawford repeatedly and conspicuously disregarded his own safety to assist his United States and Afghan teammates," Schwartz said at today's ceremony. "It is not hard to be utterly impressed by his bravery and inspired by his selflessness."

"Crawford braved effective enemy fire and consciously placed himself at grave risk on four occasions while controlling over 33 aircraft and more than 40 airstrikes on a well-trained and well-prepared enemy force," his award citation reads. "His selfless actions and expert airpower employment neutralized a numerically superior enemy force and enabled friendly elements to exfiltrate the area without massive casualties."

The team of about 100 personnel flew into the steep mountains of Laghman province early May 4, 2010. As soon as they were on the ground, they heard enemy chatter on the radios. Within 30 minutes, they found a substantial weapons cache inside the village. The enemy force apparently was dug in to defensive positions, waiting for the sun to rise before beginning their assault on the coalition force.

"As soon as the sun came up, we started taking extremely heavy enemy fire," Crawford said in an interview. "Our placement in the middle of the village, and the enemy's superior fighting positions, required us to 'run the gauntlet' of enemy fire no matter where we were in the valley."

Enemy fighters were expertly using sniper and medium machine-gun fire to target the force as insurgents were closing in on their location from all sides. Five commandos were wounded in the assault.

"Recognizing that the wounded Afghan soldiers would die without evacuation to definitive care, Captain Crawford took decisive action and ran out into the open in an effort to guide the [medical evacuation] helicopter to the landing zone," according to the citation. "Once the pilot had eyes on his position, Crawford remained exposed, despite having one of his radio antennas shot off mere inches from his face.

"Acting without hesitation," the citation continues, "Crawford then bounded across open terrain, engaging enemy positions with his assault rifle and called in AH-64 strafe attacks to defeat the ambush."

When the weather cleared, the team moved along the steep terrain. To allow his team to freely move in the open and prevent further casualties, Crawford coordinated the delivery of danger-close AH-64 Apache Hellfire missiles, and 500- and 2,000-pound joint direct attack munition bombs from F-15E Strike Eagles.

"Everyone there was on task and wanted to crush the enemy," Crawford said. "My teammates went above and beyond, and everyone's efforts really re-energized the entire assault force's morale."

As the U.S. and Afghan commandos left the burned-out village, Crawford's team once again came under attack. Stuck in an open, narrow valley with 300- to 500-foot sheer mountain cliffs around them, the team was forced to hold their position in poor weather conditions.

With the enemy merely 150 meters away, Crawford repeatedly called for danger-close 30 mm strafing, and rocket attacks from AH-64 Apaches overhead. To mark the enemy locations, Crawford ran into the open to engage the enemy while continuing to direct Apache airstrikes.

"The Apaches were our lifeline," Crawford said. "They were consistently engaging. It was a battle of survival for us, and they unleashed hell on the enemy."

The original mission was to collect intelligence from a remote village sympathetic to the Taliban. However, the village had been burned prior to their arrival. Their mission quickly turned into a battle for survival, which was remarkably successful. The special operations team suffered two Afghan commando casualties, but more than 80 insurgents were killed during the engagement, including three high-ranking enemy commanders.

FORMER PRESIDENT OF ALGERIA, AHMED BEN BELLA DIES

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Passing of Former President Ben Bella
Press Statement Mark C. Toner
Deputy Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC
April 14, 2012
The United States would like to convey to the people of Algeria its sincerest condolences over the passing of former president Ahmed Ben Bella.

President Ben Bella is recognized for his contributions to Algeria's freedom, including negotiating the independence treaty with France. He became the first president of an independent Algeria, recognized in 1962 by American President John F. Kennedy, continuing a long history of friendly ties between our nations. Ahmed Ben Bella will remain a symbol of independence for the Algerian people and the United States looks forward to continuing its strong relationship with the people of Algeria.