MARINE RECYCLES TO CUT COSTS

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Matthew S. Belk, a motor vehicle mechanic with Combat Logistics Battalion 4, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward), attaches leads to a dead battery at the CLB-4 compound on Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, May 20, 2012. The battery, which had been drained of power during tactical logistics support operations, was recharged as part of the battalion's battery recycling program. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Mark Stroud  

Face of Defense: Marine Embraces Recycling to Cut Costs
By Marine Corps Cpl. Mark Stroud
III Marine Expeditionary Force
OKINAWA, Japan, June 1, 2012 - Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Matthew S. Belk, a motor vehicle mechanic with Support Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 4, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward), came up with a plan to help his battalion save money in a combat zone through recycling on Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan.

Belk's idea was to implement a system that function-tests depleted tactical vehicle batteries. Under the new system, each spent battery that passes the function test is then recharged and redistributed throughout the battalion for use in its vehicle fleet.

"This is [Belk's] brainstorm. He came up with the idea and [gathered all of the necessary equipment]," said Marine Corps Cpl. Edgar E. Aguilar, noncommissioned officer-in-charge at the battalion's hazardous waste accumulation point.

"The program has saved over $120,000 so far on purchasing new batteries," Aguilar said.
Prior to implementation of the recycling program, all dead batteries were delivered to Camp Leatherneck's hazardous waste accumulation point for proper disposal, Aguilar said.

"The value of the program is that it saves money for the battalion," said Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer Troy C. Havard, maintenance officer, Support Company, CLB-4. "It is also friendly to the environment since it keeps us from having to dispose of the batteries."

The battalion's maintenance Marines used battery chargers to test batteries on tactical vehicles when they came in for maintenance work, Belk said.

"I used to work in the maintenance bay," he said. "I knew they had chargers, and I knew we could use them [at the CLB-4 hazardous waste accumulation point] for a recycling program."

The Marines ensure re-energized batteries maintain their charge by testing them for proper function before distributing them for use in the battalion's fleet of vehicles.

"We measure the voltage of the batteries after they have been charged ... if they meet a certain requirement, we separate them and leave them for a day," Belk said. "I measure them again and, if they are still holding the charge, they are good to go."

Batteries that do not properly maintain a charge are delivered to the Camp Leatherneck hazardous waste accumulation point for disposal, Belk said.

The battery recycling program saves the battalion money and helps the environment, Belk said, and also provides a good example for other Marines to follow in the areas of fiscal responsibility and protecting the environment.

U.S. NAVY AND DEFENDING AMERICAN INTERESTS IN ASIA-PACIFIC REGION

FROM:  U.S. NAVY
An F/A-18E assigned to the Eagles of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 115 lights its afterburners before launching from the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). George Washington departed Fleet Activities Yokosuka on May 26 to begin its 2012 patrol. George Washington and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, provide a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interest of the U.S. and its allies and partners in the Asia-Pacific region. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Paul Kelly (Released) 120603-N-TX154-132

U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA AND VIETNAMESE DEFENSE MINISTER GEN. THANH HAVE HISTORICAL MEETING

FROM AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE

Past, Present, Future Come Together in Hanoi Meeting

By Jim Garamone

HANOI, Vietnam, June 4, 2012 - The past, present and future came together here today during a meeting between Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Vietnamese Defense Minister Gen. Phuong Quang Thanh.

The two men used the shared history of the United States and Vietnam to assess the status of military-to-military relations between the nations and chart the future of the partnership.

The past was represented by the two men exchanging artifacts of the Vietnam War -- the diary of a Vietnamese soldier and letters written by American service members.

The present was represented by Panetta's historic visit yesterday to an American ship being repaired by Vietnamese workers in Cam Ranh Bay.

The future was represented by plans the men made to broaden and deepen defense cooperation between the two nations.

The meeting, held at the Vietnamese Ministry of Defense, was a chance for both sides to assess the progress made in the 17 years since the United States and Vietnam normalized diplomatic relations. Panetta said the relationship between the two nations is based on mutual trust and understanding.

The two men discussed the memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation signed last year. The memo looks at areas where the two countries can work together, and has been successful over the past year, the Vietnamese defense minister said.

The two men agreed to expand cooperation in five key areas. These are high-level dialogues between the two countries, maritime security, search and rescue operations, peacekeeping operations and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

"I also noted in our discussion the importance of our establishing an Office of Defense Cooperation to enhance our cooperation in these areas and as a signal of the United States' enduring commitment to this important defense relationship of the future," Panetta said.

The men shared views on how the United States could work with the defense ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to try to improve the maritime rights of all nations, the defense secretary said. "We also discussed our shared commitment to a peaceful and prosperous and secure Asia-Pacific region," Panetta said.

The secretary expressed his deep thanks for Vietnam's long-standing efforts to help the United States resolve the fate of those missing in action from the Vietnam War. "In particular I want to thank him for his offer to open up three new areas for remains recovery," he said.

"Our continued progress in this area -- as well as other legacies of war -- reflects ... the growing maturity of the relationship between the United States and Vietnam," Panetta said. "I want the general to know and the people of Vietnam to know that we will ... do everything possible to continue to work together to achieve our shared objectives and our common goals. I believe that the United States and Vietnam can build a better future not only for our people, but for the entire Asia-Pacific region."

U.S. AND NIGERIAN PARTNERSHIP

Map:  Nigeria.  Credit:  U.S.  CIA 1979 . 
FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks at U.S.-Nigeria Binational Commission "A Rising Partnership"
Remarks William J. Burns
Deputy Secretary Washington, DC
June 4, 2012
Thank you, George, for that kind introduction. We appreciate USIP co-hosting this event with us in your beautiful building. I want to extend a warm welcome to Foreign Minister Ashiru, to the Nigerian state governors, Cabinet officials, and National Assembly members who have made the long journey to join us today.

As Ambassador Moose has already mentioned, we meet today against a sad and tragic backdrop. Let me extend once again our deepest and sincerest sympathies to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in the terrible plane crash in Lagos yesterday.

Today’s gathering is both unique and historic, and I am honored to be a part of it. Never before have we brought such a diverse and senior group of Nigerian and U.S. officials together under the auspices of the Binational Commission. It is also a sign of our wide-ranging ambitions that we welcome such a diverse and distinguished group from the U.S. government, including representatives from the Department of Defense, USAID, Department of Energy and elsewhere.

The United States approaches this partnership from the fundamental premise that Nigeria is one of the most strategically important nations in sub-Saharan Africa. One out of every four Africans is Nigerian. Nigeria is Africa’s largest oil producer, home to its largest Muslim population, and its largest contributor of peacekeepers. Nigeria is also our largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa, with $35 billion in annual trade between our countries. A leader in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Nigeria has led peacemaking efforts from Liberia to Cote d’Ivoire to Guinea-Bissau. On the UN Security Council, Nigeria has lent its voice to causes of conscience in Libya, Syria, and around the world.

We are invested in your success because we recognize Nigeria as a strategic center of gravity in its own right. But we also recognize a broader truth: across the continent, communities are struggling to find productive paths for growing youth populations; to defeat corruption; to turn a corner in improving governance, infrastructure and public health; to hold together different faiths and regions and to take on the drivers of extremism. In other words, Nigeria’s challenges are Africa’s challenges. And if we can help Nigeria chart a secure, prosperous and democratic course, then Nigeria’s successes can be Africa’s as well -- successes we can measure in improved lives, livelihoods, and leadership in the region.

That is what Secretary Clinton envisioned when she and then-Secretary to the Government of the Federation Mahmud Yayale Ahmed signed the framework for the Bi-National Commission in 2010. Two years later, we can proudly say that the BNC has grown into a forum for frank conversations to keep our bilateral relations on track; into a convening point for the many committed actors in both our governments; and into an expansive dialogue to turn common cause into creative thinking and coordinated action. And, as the four working groups that will meet over these two days reflect, our partnership is increasingly rooted in shared values, delivering results, and ready to take on the challenges ahead.

First, our working group on Good Governance, Transparency and Integrity (GTI) can already point to important successes. Last April’s elections were Nigeria’s most successful and credible since its return to democracy in 1999. This is due in no small part to our sustained engagement through the GTI working group and our shared commitment to a transparent and consultative preparation for the elections. The United States is proud to have supported the efforts of the Nigerian government and the Independent National Electoral Commission through a $31.3 million election assistance program in collaboration with the UK.

Today, we broaden our focus from elections to what comes after: in particular, transparent, effective governance. An old American newspaperman one said that “there is not a crime, there is not a dodge, there is not a trick, there is not a swindle, there is not a vice which does not live by secrecy.” Today we will discuss how freedom of information, accountability, and transparency can empower citizens to take on the difficult and deep-rooted challenge of corruption.We look forward to hearing your views on a challenge that is not unique to Nigeria and is a huge impediment to development and prosperity across the world.

Energy and investment -- the subject of our second working group -- is also critical to Nigeria’s economic present and future. Our economic ties are strong: the United States accounts for some $5.4 billion in foreign direct investment in Nigeria annually, and Nigeria is the fifth largest foreign supplier of oil to the United States. Nigeria has taken significant steps on its “roadmap” to rehabilitate its energy infrastructure. Now we must work together to sustain progress and match it with increased international investment in Nigeria’s energy sector. In February, we sent a high-level U.S. energy trade mission, and several of the American participants have already made follow-up business trips to Nigeria -- laying the groundwork for future partnerships and growth. Today, we will discuss how we can advance these reform efforts that will increase private investment in power sector infrastructure, promote the use of clean energy sources and help Nigeria translate its tremendous natural riches into lasting and widespread prosperity for all of its people.

While oil currently provides more revenues, nearly seventy percent of Nigeria’s population is engaged in agriculture, which why the third working group, focused on Food Security and Agriculture, is so important. The United States is working to strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural sector through encouraging policy reforms, technology transfer, and strong private sector involvement. We are committed to help Nigeria meet its ambitious plans to invest in and improve its ability to feed its people and become a major agricultural exporter. We have done this through the integration of technical assistance programs like USAID’s “MARKETS” program which aims to add over $100 million in support through a twelve-year value chain-focused program to increase farmer yields through improved technology. We are also encouraging private investment, to help seal the promise of growth and opportunity for all Nigerians. For example, a recent agreement between Taraba State and Dominion Rice Integrated Farms will reduce Nigeria’s rice imports by 15% and create daily work for 15,000 Nigerians.

As we all know, economic prosperity alone does not create successful societies. Security is a prerequisite for successful development, for a successful Nigeria. We are all disturbed by the repeated scenes of violence in various parts of Nigeria that threaten to undercut the gains Nigeria has made. This is why discussions in the fourth working group -- on Regional Security Cooperation – are so critically important. Violent, extremist militants like those associated with Boko Haram offer no practical program to improve the lives of Nigerians. They depend on resentment and neglect. It is incumbent on the government of Nigeria – both at the Federal and state level – to provide not only basic services but a compelling narrative of constructive civic engagement that points Nigeria toward a better future.

To that end, we are ready to explore a potential partnership with the Nigerian army to build its civil affairs capacity which, in turn, will help Nigeria build trust between citizens and the security services charged with protecting them. In addition, building on our fruitful discussions last June, we are committed to helping Nigeria develop a comprehensive counterterrorism strategy -- one that includes citizen engagement and dialogue -- alongside more traditional security measures. The United States is determined to help Nigeria translate its comprehensive strategy into concrete action. We are also committed to help Nigeria coordinate its security responses through an intelligence fusion center.

As we address the complex issues that the BNC covers, we should expect no “silver bullet”, and no quick fixes. Meaningful reform is a difficult task for any government at any level. But you are not starting from scratch. A strong team of reformers and highly qualified ministers, many of whom are with us today, have already undertaken substantial reforms and mutually reinforcing initiatives.

To highlight just a few of your many success stories: Finance Minister Ngozi has pushed a strong reformist agenda, with support from Central Bank Governor Sanusi, Trade and Investment Minister Aganga, and Minister of Power Nnaji – all of whom have taken steps to promote sustained economic development, job creation, increased agricultural productivity and more foreign investment. Governors from states such as Kano, Rivers, Borno, and Taraba, who are with us today, have demonstrated that accountable and responsible leadership can achieve meaningful results.

When government commits itself to progress and meaningful reforms, the Nigerian people have shown time and time again that they are willing to rise to the occasion. When they see that the work of government at the national, state, and local levels is positively impacting their lives, I believe they will stand with those who have stood with them. And Nigeria will move forward.

In every region of the world, from Southeast Asia to South America, nations are solving the challenges of economic development and clean, accountable governance. They are spreading prosperity to once neglected regions and groups. They are bridging old divides between religions, ethnicities and tribes within their borders. These new nations are stepping forward, propelled by a rising middle class, to claim their place as economic powers and regional leaders in the century ahead.

Nigeria can and should be among them. When Secretary Clinton visited Nigeria in 2009, she said: “The capacity for good governance exists in Africa and it exists in Nigeria. We have seen it in many places, and we have seen it in Nigeria.”

The challenges before us are great, but so too is the promise of the Nigerian people. So let us make the most of this moment and build on the strong foundations of our partnership to secure a better future -- for Nigeria, for America, for Africa and for the world.

Thank you.

L.A. PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT FOUND GUILTY FOR ROLE IN $18.9 MILLION MEDICARE FRAUD

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE  
Monday, June 4, 2012
Los Angeles Physician Assistant Found Guilty for Role in $18.9 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme
WASHINGTON – A Los Angeles physician assistant who worked at fraudulent medical clinics where he used the stolen identities of doctors to write prescriptions for medically-unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME) and diagnostic tests has been convicted of conspiracy, health care fraud and aggravated identity theft charges in connection with a $18.9 million Medicare fraud scheme, announced the Department of Justice, FBI and U.S. Department Health and Human Services (HHS).

On June 1, 2012, after a two-week trial in federal court in Los Angeles, a jury found David James Garrison, 50, guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, six counts of health care fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.  The trial evidence showed that Garrison worked at fraudulent medical clinics that operated as prescriptions mills and trafficked in fraudulent prescriptions and orders for medically-unnecessary power wheelchairs, DME and diagnostic tests that were used by fraudulent DME supply companies and medical testing facilities to defraud Medicare.  Garrison wrote the prescriptions and ordered the tests on behalf of doctors whom he never met and who did not authorize him to write prescriptions and order tests on their behalf.

The trial evidence showed that between March 2007 and September 2008, Garrison’s co-conspirator, Edward Aslanyan, and others owned and operated several Los Angeles medical clinics established for the sole purpose of defrauding Medicare.  Aslanyan and others hired street-level patient recruiters to find Medicare beneficiaries willing to provide the recruiters with their Medicare billing information in exchange for expensive, high-end power wheelchairs and other DME, which the patient recruiters told the beneficiaries they would receive for free.  Often, the solicited Medicare beneficiaries did not have a legitimate medical need for the power wheelchairs and equipment.  The patient recruiters then provided the beneficiaries’ Medicare billing information to Aslanyan and others or brought the beneficiaries to the fraudulent medical clinics.  In exchange for recruiting the Medicare beneficiaries, Aslanyan and others paid the recruiters a cash kickback for every beneficiary they recruited.

Many of the beneficiaries whose Medicare billing information was used at the medical clinics lived hundreds of miles from the clinics, including some beneficiaries who lived over 300 miles from the clinics.  One witness testified that the clinics used beneficiaries who lived such long distances from the clinics because the Medicare billing numbers of Medicare beneficiaries who lived in and around Los Angeles had been used in other Medicare fraud schemes and, therefore, could no longer be used to bill Medicare.

The evidence presented at trial showed that Garrison wrote prescriptions for power wheelchairs, which the beneficiaries did not need and did not use.  In some cases, Garrison wrote power wheelchair prescriptions for beneficiaries he never examined and who never visited the clinics and, in one instance, prescribed a power wheelchair to a beneficiary who the evidence showed suffered from a mental defect and did not have the mental capacity to operate a power wheelchair.  Several Medicare beneficiaries testified that they were approached by patient recruiters who convinced them to accept free power wheelchairs, but that they never went to the medical clinics and were never examined by Garrison.

Once Garrison wrote the power wheelchair prescriptions, Aslanyan and others sold them from $1,000 to $1,500 to the owners and operators of approximately 50 different fraudulent DME supply companies, which used the prescriptions to submit fraudulent power wheelchair claims to Medicare.  The DME supply companies purchased the power wheelchairs wholesale for approximately $900 per wheelchair but billed the wheelchairs to Medicare at a rate of approximately $5,000 per wheelchair.  Aslanyan also used the prescriptions Garrison wrote at Vila Medical and Blanc Medical Supply, another fraudulent DME supply company that Aslanyan owned and operated.  When the owners and operators of the DME supply companies complained to Aslanyan and others about Garrison’s prescriptions looking the same, witness testimony established that Garrison changed the signature he used on the prescriptions.

In addition, the trial evidence showed that Garrison ordered the same medically-unnecessary diagnostic tests for every Medicare beneficiary, including tests for sleep studies, ultrasounds and nerve conduction.  These tests were then billed to Medicare by fraudulent diagnostic testing companies that paid Aslanyan kickbacks to operate from the medical clinics.

Throughout the trial, evidence was introduced that showed that Garrison had admitted to writing prescriptions for power wheelchairs and ordered diagnostic tests on behalf of approximately six different doctors, and that he did not have a Delegation of Services Agreement with at least two of these doctors, as required by law.
As a result of this fraud scheme, Garrison, Aslanyan, and their co-conspirators submitted and caused the submission of over $18 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, and received $10.7 million on those claims.

At sentencing, scheduled for Sept. 17, 2012, Garrison faces a maximum penalty of 72 years in prison and a $2 million fine.  The aggravated identity theft conviction carries a mandatory two year prison sentence.  In 2009 and 2010, Garrison was convicted on state charges of tax evasion and felonious possession of a firearm.  Currently, Garrison is facing federal drug charges as a result of his alleged involvement with another medical clinic where medically-unnecessary prescriptions for Oxycontin were distributed.  Garrison is scheduled for trial on the federal drug charges on Nov. 6, 2012.  He is presumed innocent of the charges against him.

The jury’s verdict was announced by Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney André Birotte Jr. for the Central District of California; Tony Sidley, Assistant Chief of the California Department of Justice, Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse; Glenn R. Ferry, Special Agent-in-Charge for the Los Angeles Region of the HHS Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); and Steven Martinez, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.

The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Jonathan T. Baum of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kirman of the Central District of California.  The case is being investigated by the FBI.

The case was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, supervised by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.  The Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations are part of the Health Care Fraud Prevention & Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), a joint initiative announced in May 2009 between the Department of Justice and HHS to focus their efforts to prevent and deter fraud and enforce current anti-fraud laws around the country.

DEMONSTRATION OF AN A-10C THUNDERBOLT II

FROM:   U.S. AIR FORCE
An A-10C Thunderbolt II from Air Force Reserve Command's 442nd Fighter Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., fires its 30mm cannon during a straffing run over the Sayler Creek Bombing Range near Boise, Idaho, Oct. 14 during Hawgsmoke 2010. An active associate unit will form at Whiteman AFB in which Regular Air Force Airmen will train with reservists on the close-air support aircraft, according to an announcement Nov. 3, 2011. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lt. Col. David Kurle)

U.S. NAVY CHAPLIN KEEPING SOME READY FOR THEIR JOB

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Navy Chaplain (Cmdr.) Francis Foley rides in the back of a truck as he leaves Combat Outpost Now Zad, Afghanistan, May 27, 2012. Foley delivered care packages and attended to the spiritual needs of Marines and sailors at the outpost. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Isaac Lamberth  

Face of Defense: Chaplain Provides Spiritual Aid on the Fly
By Marine Corps Cpl. Isaac Lamberth
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
COMBAT OUTPOST NOW ZAD, Afghanistan, May 31, 2012 - Marines and sailors have fought alongside each other for more than 230 years, with Navy corpsmen, doctors and nurses continuously keeping Marines fit for battle. But for many, spiritual needs are another important element of readiness.

Navy Chaplain (Cmdr.) Francis Foley, command chaplain for 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, visited Marines and sailors here May 27.

"It is such a great feeling when the chaplain comes out here to visit us," said Marine Corps 1st Lt. Rick Chapman, police advisory team executive officer for 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment. Chapman said the visits not only increase morale, but also allow service members to seek spiritual guidance.

"The Chaplain Corps provides Marines the opportunity to look into the spiritual side of life," Chapman said. "When the chaplain visits and the Marines attend the services, it gives them a taste of home and allows them to forget about the worries they have around here."
Chapman said Marines go to the services to partake in religious activities and to be around others who share their beliefs with a leader of their faith. But the chaplain's presence also gives them a chance express their anxieties and day-to-day frustrations, he added.
"Father Foley's visit gives the Marines here the ability to vent to someone else," Chapman said. "It's very helpful for them to talk to an outsider about certain subjects."
Foley is one of four Catholic chaplains in Regional Command Southwest. With so few chaplains in the area, Foley said, he tries to get out to various outposts to speak with Marines and let them know their sacrifices are appreciated and that their hard work does not go unnoticed.

"I always thank the troops for what they do," said Foley, who hails from Philadelphia. "To hear that from a stranger means a lot to these guys."

Many Marines at remote outposts, such as this one in Afghanistan's Helmand province, do get many chaplain visits as they'd like. Foley said he tries to get out to these troops as much as he can, often delivering care packages to help in raising their spirits.
"Bringing the care packages is a really big deal to these guys," Chapman said. "Little things like peanut butter, snacks and socks mean so much to them. It gives them insight from home and what they're fighting for."

The visits also give him first-hand perspective into how the Marines and sailors live, the chaplain said, and give him a great appreciation for the amenities he has at Camp Leatherneck. Marines in remote outposts sometimes go days without electricity, rarely receive hot meals and sleep on cots nightly.

Foley said he has visited about 18 forward operating bases and combat outposts and plans to visit many more Marines and sailors while he is out here.

"I try to get out as much as I can and see the Marines out there," he said. "If I can get them to smile and laugh, I've done my job and made it easier for the next chaplain who comes to visit them."

SEC. OF STATE CLINTON SPEAKS IN SWEDEN ON CLIMATE AND CLEAN AIR

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Climate and Clean Air Coalition Event
Remarks Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of StateSwedish Climate Ambassador Anna Lindstedt, Swedish Minister for the Environment Lena Ek
Stockholm, Sweden
June 3, 2012
AMBASSADOR LINDSTEDT: Thank you. Your Royal Highness, Madam Secretary, Madam Minister, ladies and gentlemen, a warm welcome to you all, and thank you for being with us on this special occasion. We are honored by the presence of Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden. Your Royal Highness, thank you so much for showing interest in this initiative.

With us today, we have the Secretary of State of the United States of America Hillary Rodham Clinton. Madam Secretary, we highly value your presence. Allow me to express my admiration for your hard work and dedication. To me, as a diplomat, you’re a role model. And it’s encouraging that you have taken such interest in the Climate and Clean Air Coalition on Short-Lived Climate Pollutants. We see the coalition as a means to strengthen ties between our two countries and as an important tool to promote health and clean air as well as to combat climate change.

I will now hand over to Lena Ek, Sweden’s minister for the environment. But first, let me convey how privileged I feel to work with you, Madam Minister. You show such determination in advancing a whole range of environmental policies, including this initiative.

Madam Minister, the floor is yours.

MINISTER EK: Thank you. Your Royal Highness, Secretary Clinton, Excellency, ladies and gentlemen, I’m extremely happy and honored to have this opportunity once again to address the issue of short-lived climate pollutants or SLCPs together with Secretary Clinton.

Much as happened in the short time since we met in Washington in February to launch the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to reduce SLCPs. We were proud to host the first formal meeting of the coalition here in Stockholm in April, where we were joined by new members, and the coalition has now grown from six to 16 countries, plus the European Commission, UNEP, and the World Bank. And we especially, of course, welcome the decision of all G-8 members to join at the recent summit in Camp David.

Short-lived climate pollutants is a strange and maybe unfamiliar set of words to most, but SLCPs such as black carbon, soot, tropospheric ozone, methane, and short-lived HFCs all have some characteristics in common. They significantly contribute to global and regional warming. They also impact crop yields, deteriorate air quality, and affect human health across the globe. And they are short-lived. And just because of this, they represent a golden opportunity to slow down climate warming in the near term, even more so because they represent as much as a third of increases in average global temperature.

I believe this coalition owes to rapid success to two things. Firstly, it delivers a simple but powerful message based on science. By preventing SLCPs emissions, we can significantly reduce near-term climate change and at the same time save 2.5 million lives per year, increase crop yields and food security, and promote gender equality and women’s rights across the globe.

Secondly, this is a coalition of action. All partners bring something to the table, and in joining have agreed to take action also at home. The coalition is structured around the basic idea that we need to act now, and countries are demonstrating their will and ability to reduce domestic emissions by agreeing to implement national reduction actions on SLCPS.

It’s only through effective action on greenhouse gases that we can stop climate change. Researchers are telling us that without drastic CO2 emission reductions we are facing temperature increases that will be substantially higher than the two-degree target. Therefore, we are wholly committed to the UNFCCC negotiations and to making the necessary mitigation efforts at home. Measures to reduce CO2, such as the Sweden carbon tax of 150 U.S. dollars per ton CO2, are not only necessary but contribute to green growth and enable lower taxes in other areas and job creation in the economy as a whole.
The key to success in the climate negotiations is trust building. Trust comes from commitment to action and through collaboration. And this is how I see the coalition, as a valuable complement to the UNFCCC. The coalition on SCLPs has decided on the first five focal area actions for emission reductions and be ready to kick off projects in all partner countries. Two areas of particular importance at this early stage – one is how to engage the private sector. Reducing SCLP emissions from diesel trucks, landfills, and recovery and user buy guides are examples of actions with huge potential that I’m looking at. To successfully realize that potential, we need the active engagement of businesses, and we need to build partnerships and exchange best practices on a global scale.

The other area is awareness raising. How do we communicate short-lived climate pollutants in a way that will catch people’s imagination and that is easy to understand? Today, Secretary Clinton and I have had a stimulating discussion with students and business leaders, and we will follow up on this thoroughly. Encouraged by this exchange and by the many invaluable suggestions, we have decided to extend the debate beyond this room. We intend to invite people, especially young persons all over the world, to participate in a contest of how to best communicate actions on short-lived climate pollutants. The benefits of actions are tremendous. Help us make them known.
Thank you. (Applause.)

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you very much, Minister, and thank you for your leadership on behalf of the coalition. And it’s a great pleasure for me to be here in Sweden. It’s my first visit as Secretary of State, but it’s a chance for me to express publicly what I have told my friend and colleague, Foreign Minister Carl Bildt – how grateful the United States is for the close collaboration and cooperation we have in so many areas. This coalition is another example of that.

I also want to thank Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria for joining us, and more importantly, for your personal commitment and activities on behalf of the issue of climate change.

Now, Sweden and the United States have a long tradition of working closely together on issues that shape our security, our prosperity, and our people’s future. And on some of the most difficult challenges of our time, Sweden and the United States are stalwart partners. Now when it comes to the climate crisis, Sweden is a global leader, both in finding solutions and encouraging other countries to put them to use. We do need more action in the fight against climate change. We need real-world solutions and we need results.
The Climate and Clean Air Coalition is designed to get results for what are called – as the minister just said – short-lived climate pollutants, including methane, black carbon, and the hydrofluorocarbons. These pollutants are responsible for more than 30 percent of current global warming. And because they are also very harmful to human health and to agriculture, we can save millions of lives and tons of crops as well by acting now. This is what we call a win-win for sure.

In February, Sweden, the United States, four other nations, and the UN Environmental Program launched the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, and since then, as the minister said, we’ve been growing, bringing on all G-8 countries, as well as Norway, Nigeria, Denmark, and Colombia. And we were pleased when the World Bank and the European Commission signed up as well. We’ve also increased our funding thanks in part to contributions from Sweden and Norway. We are setting up a science advisory panel. And just in April, Sweden hosted the coalition’s first ministerial meeting, when we decided on a set of global action-oriented initiatives to implement immediately.

So we have built some strong initial momentum, but we need your help. Today, Sweden and the United States are beginning a global campaign to close the information gap about short-lived climate pollutants. Few people actually know about the impact we could have on global warming if we aggressively target them. And fewer still know that many cost-effective solutions already exist and are just waiting to be broadly implemented.
We, in fact, are going to be holding a global contest to find the best, most creative ideas for raising awareness about short-lived pollutants and the work that must be done to stop them. So I invite everyone to visit the coalition’s new website for further information. The address is www.UNEP.org/CCAC. And you can see it on your wall somewhere. It’s supposed to be. I don’t know where it is, but we were hoping – is it over there? Oh, over there. Okay.

Now, what we’re really looking for is how to translate the great ideas that came out of the group that Minister Ek was referring to this afternoon, that included some very dynamic Swedish university students who brainstormed about ways that could raise awareness, how we put all of that into motion. And so we’re looking for cartoon ideas, slogan ideas, app ideas. Whatever you come up with, we are going to be receptive.

Now, included in the group that Minister Ek and I met with were leading Swedish companies also supporting this effort, because we know we cannot solve this crisis without the active cooperation and, indeed, the leadership of the private sector, particularly oil and gas companies, makers of diesel trucks, green tech companies that can help turn methane from landfills into clean energy. Today, for example, representatives from Volvo, Mack Trucks talked about how to cut down black carbon worldwide, 20 percent of which is emitted by the transportation sector.

Major reductions of short-lived pollutants can be done inexpensively and with existing technologies. Experts tell us, for example, that one third of all methane leaked and vented by oil and gas companies can be avoided at a net cost of zero dollars or zero kroner. So we need to convince decision makers everywhere, political leaders, CEOs, civil society leaders, investors, and students that this is one of those areas where we can show tangible progress almost immediately and that we can do it in a cost-effective way.
Here are just a few concrete examples. We’re launching an initiative focused on hydrofluorocarbons. By 2050 – 2050 – at the current rate, these greenhouse gases could grow to nearly 20 percent of carbon dioxide emissions. So we will start by holding a technology conference in Bangkok in July to showcase new technologies that can eliminate the need for these potent greenhouse gases in refrigeration and air conditioning. At the upcoming sustainability conference in Rio, we’ll launch an initiative working with cities to reduce methane and other pollutants from their waste systems, and we will be working with oil and gas companies to take advantage of all the currently available zero-cost options.

Now, we’re aware that reducing these short-lived pollutants by themselves will not solve the collective crisis facing the world. We must also aggressively reduce carbon dioxide emissions, which we know remain the principal contributor to climate change and last in the atmosphere for generations. And countries and people around the world, like Sweden and Norway and Denmark, where I just visited, are taking bold actions.

The United States is also moving forward. The Obama Administration has adopted fuel efficiency standards that will be among the most aggressive in the world, effectively doubling the miles we will get per gallon of gas. We’ve made historic investments, more than $90 billion, in clean energy and are committed to being a world leader in this vital sector. And since just 2008, we’ve nearly doubled how much electricity we generate from renewable sources. And we’re making a big push to improve energy efficiency in commercial buildings and home appliances. We’re focused on pursuing President Obama’s call for a clean energy standard to cut carbon dioxide emissions while building domestic and export markets for clean energy technology.

And while we continue to work on bringing down carbon dioxide emissions and finalizing an international agreement, let’s also deliver a blow to methane, black carbon, and HFCs. We are poised to do both, and we should.

Now, I began my day yesterday in the high north, in Tromso, Norway, where we saw some breathtaking views and where we toured the waters on a research vessel, listening to marine biologists and sea ice experts and others explain the changes that have come to the Arctic. The waters don’t freeze, even in the dead of winter. The ice shelves that have crumbled no longer protect coastlines from erosion. Species are at risk. And it’s such a reminder to be in a beautiful place like Stockholm, or yesterday in Tromso, that we inherited a fragile, marvelous planet, and it’s our duty to protect it.

So we’re very grateful, once again, to be working hand in hand with Sweden. We’ve already made progress on the Climate and Clean Air Coalition in less than four months. And we’re going to continue working closely with Sweden and our other partners. And we are determined to take aggressive action in the months ahead. We can do no less.

Thank you all very much. (Applause.)

SEC. OF LABOR ON INTERNATIONAL FORCED LABOR

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Statement by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on statistics updated by International Labor Organization regarding forced labor
WASHINGTON — Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on data regarding forced labor that have been issued by the International Labor Organization:

"When Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation nearly 150 years ago, he underscored the commitment of the United States to the enduring cause of freedom. President Obama has called upon everyone to 'educate themselves about all forms of modern slavery and the signs and consequences of human trafficking,' pledging to combat this crime within our borders and join 'with our partners around the world... to end this injustice.' One such important partner is the International Labor Organization, which today released a new global estimate on forced labor that indicates approximately 21 million individuals, including 15 million adults and 6 million children around the world, continue to be, in the words of the report, 'trapped in jobs... which they cannot leave.' These numbers provide more precise estimates and focus our attention on the magnitude of this global crime and on the plight of those who continue to be coerced or deceived into forced labor or sexual exploitation, and are a welcome addition to the research in this important area.

"The Department of Labor commends the ILO for the transparency of its research process and for its commitment to improving survey methodologies to estimate hidden and vulnerable populations. The department funded the ILO's efforts to develop survey guidelines to estimate forced labor of adults and children, and worked with four governments to conduct national forced labor surveys. When the tools of research are used to inform policies and programs, the effectiveness of our efforts to eradicate modern slavery will be long-lasting. The department commends those governments that contributed to the global estimate by opening their doors to data collection in order to better understand the complexities regarding modern slavery, and we encourage other governments to do so as well.

"The United States will continue to bring resources to bear on the scourge of modern slavery through the President's Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, in partnership with civil society and the private sector. Today we reaffirm our commitment to eradicating this affront to human dignity and justice."

NASA'S HUBBLE SHOWS MILKY WAY COLLISION WITH ANDROMEDA GALAXY

Photo Credit:  NASA

FROM:  NASA

WASHINGTON -- NASA astronomers announced Thursday they can now predict 

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

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

the neighboring Andromeda galaxy. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Baltimore. 

The solution came through painstaking NASA Hubble Space Telescope 

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

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

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

the two galaxies and the invisible dark matter that surrounds them 

both. 

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

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

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

Tony Sohn of STScI. 

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

Although Andromeda is approaching us more than two thousand times 

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

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

an additional two billion years after the encounter for the 

interacting galaxies to completely merge under the tug of gravity and 

reshape into a single elliptical galaxy similar to the kind commonly 

seen in the local universe. 

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

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

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

different orbits around the new galactic center. Simulations show 

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

galactic core than it is today. 

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

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

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

will hit the Milky Way first. 

The universe is expanding and accelerating, and collisions between 

galaxies in close proximity to each other still happen because they 

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

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

encounters between galaxies were more common in the past when the 

universe was smaller. 

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

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

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

"milepost marker." 

Hubble went on to discover the expanding universe where galaxies are 

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

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

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

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

wavelength of waves produced by a moving source relative to an 

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

by Andromeda's motion toward us. 

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

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

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

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

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

der Marel, conducted extraordinarily precise observations of the 

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

collide and merge with the Milky Way. 

"This was accomplished by repeatedly observing select regions of the 

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

STScI. 

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

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

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

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

flattened pancake shape with most of the stars on nearly circular 

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

randomized orbits to create an elliptical-shaped galaxy." 

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

FROM:   NASA

The Galaxy Next Door

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

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

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

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

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

UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG POST-9/11 VETS

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

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

                                  Chart From:  U.S. Veterans Administration

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

                                    Chart From:  U.S. Veterans Administration

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

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

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

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

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

DEFENSE SECRETARY VISIT SHOWS STRENGTHENING TIES WITH VIETNAM

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA RESPONDS TO CHINA'S CONCERNS

Photo:  Chinese Tank.  Credit:  Wikimedia.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Secretary Responds to China Concerns During Dialogue

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PEGASUS: NEW EYES IN THE SKIES

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

EARTHQUAKE DETECTED, NO LARGE-SCALE TSUNAMI EXPECTED

FROM:  NOAA

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

TO - CIVIL DEFENSE IN THE STATE OF HAWAII

SUBJECT - TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT

THIS STATEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY. NO ACTION REQUIRED.

AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS

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

EVALUATION

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

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

NAVY SAILORS PREPARE FOR A WMD ATTACK

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