Friday, October 12, 2012
NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR OCTOBER 12, 2012
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| U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO |
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Combined Force Arrests Haqqani Leader
From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release
KABUL, Afghanistan, Oct. 12, 2012 - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Haqqani leader in Paktiya province today, military officials reported.
The arrested insurgent leader is suspected of conducting improvised explosive device and indirect-fire attacks against Afghan and coalition forces, officials said.
The security force also detained a number of suspected insurgents and seized several assault weapons and a large quantity of explosive material as a result of the operation, officials said.
In other operations today:
-- A combined force killed a number of armed insurgents during a search for Taliban fighters in Sar-e Pul province. The security force seized several assault rifles, shotguns, and grenades during the operation.
-- A combined force arrested a number of suspected insurgents during a search for a Taliban leader in Helmand province. The sought-after Taliban leader is responsible for directing multiple attacks targeting Afghan and coalition forces throughout Helmand province.
EQUATORIAL GUINEA NATIONAL DAY
Equatorial Guinea National Day
Press Statement
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
October 12, 2012
On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I am delighted to send best wishes to the people of Equatorial Guinea as you celebrate your independence day this October 12.
The United States is committed to promoting peace and prosperity for the people of Equatorial Guinea. We support efforts to achieve economic growth in a manner that is consistent with the values of democracy and good governance. And we remain committed to working together to meet the challenges of the future.
I wish all people of Equatorial Guinea peace and prosperity in the years to come.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
U.S.-EQUATORIAL GUINEA RELATIONS
The United States established diplomatic relations with Equatorial Guinea in 1968, following the country's independence from Spain. Equatorial Guinea's President has held office for more than three decades, and his party dominates the legislature. Three major U.S. foreign policy issues form the cornerstone of the bilateral relationship with Equatorial Guinea -- good governance and democracy; the protection of human rights; and U.S. national security, especially access to energy resources. The United States seeks to encourage improved human rights, the development of a working civil society, greater fiscal transparency, and increased government investment in Equatorial Guinea's people in areas such as health and education.
U.S. Assistance to Equatorial Guinea
U.S. assistance to Equatorial Guinea has focused on introducing the country’s military and police forces to the principles of human rights, good governance, and democracy, and on improving regional maritime security. The U.S. Agency for International Development has several small regional projects, but does not have a presence within the country. The Ambassador's Self-Help Fund annually finances a number of small grassroots projects. Equatoguineans visit the U.S. under programs sponsored by the U.S. Government, U.S. oil companies, and educational institutions.
Bilateral Economic Relations
Equatorial Guinea's hydrocarbon riches dwarf all other economic activity; the country's oil reserves are located mainly in the Gulf of Guinea. U.S. oil companies are one of Equatorial Guinea’s largest investors, and they have a lead role in oil and gas exploration and extraction. Equatorial Guinea's exports to the U.S. are dominated by petroleum products. In an effort to attract increased U.S. investment, U.S. passport-holders are entitled to visa-free entry for short visits. Imports from the United States include machinery, iron and steel products, optic and medical instruments, and inorganic chemical and rare earth minerals.
Equatorial Guinea's Membership in International Organizations
Equatorial Guinea has used its oil wealth to expand its foreign presence, establishing diplomatic missions in other countries. Equatorial Guinea and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, and World Bank. The country also is an observer to the Organization of American States and World Trade Organization.
MIAMI AREA THERAPIST SENTENCED FOR PART IN $205 MILLION MEDICARE FRAUD
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| Photo Credit: U.S. Department Of Defense. |
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Miami-Area Therapist Sentenced to 108 Months in Prison for Participating in $205 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme
WASHINGTON – Miami-area resident Vanja Abreu (Ph.D), former program director at the mental health care company American Therapeutic Corporation (ATC), was sentenced today to 108 months in prison for participating in a $205 million Medicare fraud scheme, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer of the Southern District of Florida; Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Michael B. Steinbach of the FBI’s Miami Field Office; and Special Agent-in-Charge Christopher Dennis of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Office of Investigations Miami office.
Abreu, 49, of Pembroke Pines, Fla., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Seitz in the Southern District of Florida. In addition to her prison term, Judge Seitz sentenced Abreu to serve three years of supervised release following her prison term and pay $72,771,469 in restitution, jointly and severally with co-defendants.
On June 1, 2012, after a seven week trial, a federal jury in the Southern District of Florida found Abreu guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
Evidence at trial demonstrated that Abreu and her co-conspirators caused the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare through ATC, a Florida corporation headquartered in Miami that operated purported partial hospitalization programs (PHPs), intensive treatments for severe mental illness, in seven different locations throughout South Florida and Orlando.
Evidence at trial revealed that ATC secured patients by paying kickbacks to assisted living facility owners and halfway house owners who would then steer patients to ATC. These patients attended ATC, where they were ineligible for the treatment ATC billed to Medicare and where they did not receive the treatment that was billed to Medicare. After Medicare paid the claims, some of the co-conspirators then laundered the Medicare money in order to create cash to pay the patient kickbacks.
Evidence at trial revealed that Abreu was a program director at ATC’s Boca Raton, Fla., center from September 2005 to November 2005. In November 2005, Abreu moved to ATC’s Miami center, where she was the program director until February 2009, at which point she was promoted to corporate leadership and oversaw operations at all ATC centers until April 2010. Evidence at trial revealed that program directors, including Abreu, helped doctors at ATC sign patient files without reading the files or seeing the patients. Evidence further revealed that Abreu and others would assist the owners of ATC in fabricating doctor notes, therapist notes and other documents to make it falsely appear in ATC’s patient files that patients were qualified for this highly specialized treatment and that the patients were receiving the intensive, individualized treatment PHP is supposed to be. Included in these false and fraudulent submissions to Medicare were claims for patients who were in the late stages of diseases causing permanent cognitive memory loss and patients who had substance abuse issues and were living in halfway houses. These patients were ineligible for PHP treatment, and because they were forced by their assisted living facility owners and halfway house owners to attend ATC, they were not receiving treatment for the diseases they actually had.
Abreu was charged in an indictment returned on Feb. 8, 2011. ATC, the management company associated with ATC, and 20 individuals, including the ATC owners, have all previously pleaded guilty or have been convicted at trial.
ATC executives Lawrence Duran, Marianella Valera, Judith Negron and Margarita Acevedo were sentenced to 50 years, 35 years, 35 years and 91 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in the fraud scheme. The 50- and 35-year sentences represent the longest sentences for health care fraud ordered to date. Acevedo, who was one of the first defendants to plead guilty and has been cooperating with the government since November 2010, testified at the doctors’ trial.
ATC and its management company, Medlink Professional Management Group Inc., pleaded guilty in May 2011 to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. ATC also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive illegal health care kickbacks. On Sept. 16, 2011, the two corporations were sentenced to five years of probation per count and ordered to pay restitution of $87 million. Both corporations have been defunct since their owners were arrested in October 2010.
The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Jennifer L. Saulino, Robert A. Zink and James V. Hayes of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. The case was investigated by the FBI and HHS-OIG, and 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 Southern District of Florida.
Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, now operating in nine cities across the country, has charged more than 1,480 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $4.8 billion. In addition, HHS’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, is taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
EPA AWARDING $30 MILLION FOR DIESEL EMISSION REDUCTION PROGRAM
Photo: Diesel Engine. Credit: WikimediaFROM: U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
EPA Awards $30 Million for Clean Diesel Projects
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding $30 million for clean diesel projects as part of its ongoing campaign to reduce harmful diesel exhaust that can lead to asthma attacks and premature deaths.
The Diesel Emission Reduction Program, also known as DERA, is designed to replace, retrofit or repower older diesel-powered engines like marine vessels, locomotives, trucks and buses.
Diesel engines are durable, fuel-efficient workhorses in the American economy. However, older diesel engines that predate newer, cleaner standards emit large amounts of air pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM). These pollutants are linked to health problems, including asthma, lung and heart disease and premature death. The clean diesel projects funded through these grants will work to address the more than 11 million older diesel engines that continue to emit higher levels of pollution.
In this year’s competition, winners were selected based on a proposal’s potential for maximizing health and environmental benefits by targeting areas that have significant air quality issues. Reduced air pollution from diesel engines in these areas can have a direct and significant impact on community health.
New this year is an increased funding availability per award that will allow EPA to target larger engines used in marine vessels and locomotives, which will result in significant emissions reduced per engine.
DERA was enacted in 2005 and since it was first funded in FY 2008, EPA has awarded over 500 grants nationwide. These projects have reduced hundreds of thousands of tons of air pollution and saved millions of gallons of fuel.
U.S.-BANGLADEDESH MILITARY RELATIONS
Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, is escorted by Bangladeshi military personnel during a troop-review ceremony in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Oct. 10, 2012. Military-to-military relations between the United States and Bangladesh underlined Locklear's visit to Bangladesh. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Carl N. Hudson
Locklear Encourages Closer U.S.-Bangladesh Military Ties
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Oct. 11, 2012 - Praising Bangladesh as a global model in both peacekeeping and disaster management, Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, told Bangladeshi leaders and reporters yesterday he welcomes more opportunities for the United States and Bangladesh to work together to support their mutual security interests.
Locklear visited Dhaka, Bangladesh's capital city, where he met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Army Chief Gen. Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan and Navy Chief Vice Adm. Zahir Uddin Ahmed.
The United States, Bangladesh and other regional neighbors all stand to benefit from a strong U.S.-Bangladeshi military-to-military relationship, Locklear told reporters following the meetings.
"As I look across this part of the world, having a prosperous, secure and safe Bangladesh is a cornerstone to the future security of this part of the world," he said.
Locklear recognized strides Bangladesh -- the world's seventh-most-populated country -- has made as it learns not to prosper in a challenging geographic environment.
With a long history of devastating natural disasters, Bangladesh has made tremendous strides in managing their effects, the admiral said. "I think it is a model for others to follow," he said, expressing hope that the United States and Bangladesh can "learn from each other and strengthen our cooperation in some of these key areas."
In addition, Bangladesh has become "the world standard for peacekeeping operations," Locklear said. "And there is a lot that other nations can learn from what your forces do globally in support of U.N.-sanctioned peacekeeping operations," he added.
Bangladesh also recently built and launched its first ship, "quite an accomplishment" toward building a maritime force, he said.
Locklear congratulated both Bangladesh and Burma for taking their dispute over territorial seas, exclusive economic zones and continental shelves in the Bay of Bengal to the international law of the sea tribunal. The tribunal handed down its judgment in March.
Calling this "an excellent model" for other nations around the world, Locklear said the tribunals offer a way to deal with contested maritime areas in the South China Sea, East China Sea and elsewhere around the world.
Asked by a reporter, Locklear said any support from the United States to help Bangladesh defend its waters as defined by the tribunal would be at the request of the Bangladeshi government.
"And we will help in ways that would improve their capacity to be able to monitor what is going on in their maritime areas and to respond when their maritime interests are at stake," he said.
Assigning "a very good grade" to the military-to-military relationship between the United States and Bangladesh, Locklear said he would like to build on it to become stronger partners in ensuring a positive security environment.
He cited the biannual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training, or CARAT, exercise series, in which the two militaries train together to increase interoperability. This year's exercise included the navies of the United States and Bangladesh, as well as Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and, for the first time, Timor Leste.
In another measure under discussion, but not yet concrete, the United States could transfer a retired U.S. Coast Guard cutter to the Bangladeshi navy.
Locklear and the Bangladeshi military leaders discussed these and other issues, agreeing to annual general-officer-level meetings to assess progress and chart the way forward for the military-to-military relationship.
While hoping to lock in key events such as exercises and senior-level visits as part of a five-year plan, Locklear said, he hopes to foster "a pretty free-flowing, living relationship like you would expect from any other partner."
The United States has no problem with Bangladesh advancing relationships with other regional nations, particularly China, Locklear said in answer to a reporter's question.
"In the end, we should have a security environment where everyone participates ... in their own interest, but also in the collective interest of everyone else," he said.
He emphasized that the U.S. rebalance toward the Asia-Pacific region is not designed to "contain" China, as some have argued. "It is a strategy of looking at how do we ensure peace and prosperity and enhance a security environment for the decades, for the years to come in this part of the world where the United States, like China, like Bangladesh, like India have shared interests," he explained.
"There are too many problems facing the world today for everyone to line up and take sides," Locklear said. "We have to be able to be productive together and to create an environment that is better for our children and for their grandchildren. We have to be positioned with our military and our capabilities across all our nations, to be able to deal with massive humanitarian disasters that we know will come again. We have to ensure that the maritime, the cyber, the global commons are secure and safe, so that everyone can have access to them and so economies can grow.
"So the expectation would be that if Bangladesh chooses to have multiple relationships, it would be healthy for the security environment," Locklear said.
U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ALLEGES RESALE OF CREDIT REPORT DATA
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Three Related Companies for Violating Fair Credit Reporting Act
The United States has filed a complaint against three related companies that bought and sold consumer credit reports, the Justice Department announced today. The government’s complaint charges these companies with violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The companies have agreed to pay a $1.2 million civil penalty to resolve these charges.
In a complaint filed Oct. 9, 2012, the United States alleged that Direct Lending Source Inc., and Bailey & Associates Advertising Inc., both Florida corporations, Virtual Lending Source LLC, based in San Diego, Calif., and the principals of all of these entities, Robert M. Bailey, Jr. and Linda Giordiano , violated the FCRA by failing to comply with provisions forbidding the sale of credit reports without a "permissible purpose." The complaint alleges that the defendants purchased thousands of "pre-screened" consumer lists, or collections of credit report data. The only permissible purpose under the Act for using such prescreened lists is to make "firm offers of credit or insurance" to consumers. However, the complaint alleges that the defendants re-sold the lists to dealers who marketed loan modification, debt relief and credit repair services rather than making firm offers of credit. According to the complaint, some of the dealers who purchased the defendants’ credit report data have become the subject of law enforcement actions or warnings involving fraud committed against consumers in financial trouble.
The complaint also alleges that the defendants did not take reasonable steps to identify the ultimate purchasers of the credit reports. In some cases, according to the complaint, the defendants sold lists to brokers who then re-sold them to unidentified entities.
"The sensitive financial information in credit reports must be protected from those who would use it to target vulnerable consumers for sham offers," said Stuart Delery, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division. "We will work with the Federal Trade Commission to aggressively enforce the laws that safeguard these reports."
Along with the $1.2 million civil penalty, the defendants agreed to injunctions against future FCRA and FTC violations in a proposed consent decree that must be approved by the court. The proposed order would prohibit the defendants from using, obtaining or reselling consumer reports for unauthorized purposes. The proposed order also would prohibit the defendants from selling consumer reports in connection with solicitations for debt relief and mortgage relief services that charge advance fees.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which oversees the FCRA, referred the case to the Department. The lawsuit, United States v. Direct Lending Source et al., was filed in the Southern District of California.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Delery thanked the FTC for referring this matter to the Department. The Consumer Protection Branch of the Justice Department’s Civil Division brought the case on behalf of the United States.
USDA SECRETARY VILSACK DESIGNATES 1 MILLION MORE CONSERVATION ACRES
Photo Credit: USDAFailure to Pass Food, Farm and Jobs Bill Puts Enrollments in Jeopardy LEWIS, Iowa, Oct. 8, 2012—Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today underscored the Obama Administration’s commitment to partnerships in conservation by announcing the allocation of 400,000 acres to support conservation and restoration of wildlife and their habitats as part of the Conservation Reserve Program, or CRP. Under Vilsack’s leadership, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has enrolled more than 12 million acres in CRP, a voluntary program available to agricultural producers to help them use marginal and environmentally sensitive land to bring conservation and economic benefits for their land and communities. Today’s announcement of 400,000 state acres for wildlife enhancement (SAFE acres), fulfills Vilsack’s commitment made last spring to commit 1 million acres for special initiatives to restore grasslands, wetlands and wildlife habitat.
"Since 2009, USDA has worked with producers and private landowners to enroll a record number of acres in conservation programs," said Vilsack. "These efforts have not only conserved our natural resources, but bolstered rural economies for current and future generations. That’s why it’s important for Congress to pass comprehensive, multi-year food, farm and jobs legislation—so that America’s rural communities have certainty that millions of acres of conservation lands will be there tomorrow to sustain and create jobs in the small businesses that reinforce our tourism and recreation industry."
With 400,000 SAFE acres available, USDA will work with producers and landowners to target habitat for high-priority species like the lesser prairie chicken and sage grouse, as well as game species like pheasants and quail that providing hunting opportunities and support rural jobs. Existing projects in 20 states will be able to add up to 280,000 combined acres for all projects, including prairie, wetlands, forest and savanna habitat restoration.In addition, more than 100,000 acres were added to target species as diverse as northern scarlet snakes, ferruginous hawks and the American woodcock.
SAFE is a voluntary continuous CRP practice that conserves and restores habitat for wildlife species that are threatened or endangered, have suffered significant population declines or are important environmentally, economically or socially. SAFE is currently capped at 1.25 million acres nationally. Acres are now allocated across 97 SAFE projects located in 36 states and Puerto Rico. Under SAFE, state fish and wildlife agencies, non-profit organizations and other conservation partners work collaboratively to target CRP delivery to specific conservation practices and geographic areas where enrollment of eligible farm land in continuous CRP will provide significant wildlife value. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) monitors SAFE and other continuous CRP activity and manages available acres to ensure that CRP goals and objectives are being met.
The Food Security Act of 1985, Section 1231(a), as amended, provides authority to enroll land in CRP through September 30, 2012.However, no legislation has been enacted to reauthorize or extend this authority; therefore, CRP currently is unable to enroll new acres.
In March, Secretary Vilsack announced USDA’s intent to enroll up to 1 million acres in a new CRP grasslands and wetlands initiative meant to target environmentally sensitive land through continuous signups. FSA has set aside acres within CRP for specific enrollments that benefit duck nesting habitat, upland birds, wetlands, pollinators and wildlife. In addition, USDA announced a continuous sign-up of highly erodible cropland, which seeks to protect the nation’s most environmentally sensitive lands. The Highly Erodible Cropland initiative permits landowners to enroll up to 750,000 acres of land with an Erodibility Index (EI) of 20 or greater.
CRP is one of America’s most valuable and vital conservation efforts, ensuring cleaner air and water, preventing soil erosion, and enhancing economic opportunity in rural America by supporting recreation and tourism. The approach to target the most sensitive lands is essential to maintain the substantial benefits of CRP while ensuring that productive farmlands continue to produce America’s food, feed, fiber and renewable fuel.
Highlights of CRP include:
CRP has restored more than two million acres of wetlands and two million acres of riparian buffers;
Each year, CRP keeps more than 600 million pounds of nitrogen and more than 100 million pounds of phosphorous from flowing into our nation’s streams, rivers, and lakes;
CRP provides $1.8 billion annually to landowners—dollars that make their way into local economies, supporting small businesses and creating jobs; and
CRP is the largest private lands carbon sequestration program in the country. By placing vulnerable cropland into conservation, CRP sequesters carbon in plants and soil, and reduces both fuel and fertilizer usage. In 2010, CRP resulted in carbon sequestration equal to taking almost 10 million cars off the road.
As part of President Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors Initiative, the Administration is opening up recreational access to lands and waters, supporting the creation of urban parks and trails, increasing youth employment in conservation jobs and making historic investments in large landscapes such as the Everglades. The initiative is empowering locally-led conservation and outdoor recreation efforts, from supporting the working landscapes of the Dakota Grasslands and longleaf pine in the southern U.S., to designating the Chimney Rock National Monument inColorado, to countless other success stories across the country.
In 2011, USDA enrolled a record number of acres of private working lands in conservation programs, working with more than 500,000 farmers and ranchers to implement conservation practices that clean the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, and prevent soil erosion. Moreover, the Obama Administration, with Agriculture Secretary Vilsack’s leadership, has worked tirelessly to strengthen rural America, implement the Farm Bill, maintain a strong farm safety net, and create opportunities for America’s farmers and ranchers. U.S. agriculture is currently experiencing one of its most productive periods in American history thanks to the productivity, resiliency, and resourcefulness of our producers.
ARMY GENERAL MARTIN E. DEMPSEY SAYS ROLES OF SERVICES CHANGING
Land, Sea Roles Changing, Dempsey Says
By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2012 - While the Navy's aircraft carrier fleet is sized correctly to carry out its mission, land forces are facing "significant changes," Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said here today.
"At this point in time, I believe we've got what we need," Dempsey said in response to questions following his speech at a National Press Club luncheon.
After the Budget Control Act of 2011 imposed about $500 billion in defense spending cuts over 10 years, he said, the Defense Department had to examine its strategic positions.
"Strategy that's not sensitive to resources is nothing more than rhetoric," he said. "There's always this balance between ends, ways and means. So the means changed. We had to take a look at the ends and the ways."
Part of that strategy includes a rebalancing of forces in the Asia-Pacific region, he said.
The Pacific is largely a maritime domain, the chairman said. "You've got to go a long way before you find anything with dirt on it," he noted. This makes the Navy and its capabilities crucial to the region, he said, at the same time they're doing a "remarkable" job of meeting defense needs in the Gulf.
In addition, the Navy has successfully balanced that mission with the maintenance requirements inherent to a nuclear fleet, he continued, but there's always the question of what's next.
"Is it something smaller? ... Is it something submersible?" he asked, noting the Navy's asymmetric advantage under the sea.
As U.S. strategy evolves, the Defense Department will attempt to answer those questions while continuing to examine the makeup of the fleet, he said, but at least until 2020, he believes the carrier fleet is what the United States needs.
As the chairman of the joint force, Dempsey said, he likes having four different service chiefs around the table. The Navy's role in the future force, he added, is just one part of a larger picture.
The idea that land forces are no longer necessary is a bad one, the chairman said. "I'm not in the camp that says, 'You know, you'll never fight another significantly big land conflict,'" he added, noting that the nature of land combat is changing.
When he entered the Army during the Cold War, Dempsey said, it was built by assembling the large organizations first -- the corps and divisions. "And then we said to ourselves, 'If we need something less than that, we'll disaggregate it,'" he said.
"I think that the era we're entering now requires us to think exactly the opposite," Dempsey said. "That is to say, we need to think about empowering the squad -- the 10-man group of individuals with everything we can empower them with -- and then figure out how to grow it from the bottom up."
That will take land forces in a different direction, he said, not just in the way they're designed, but also in the way they're equipped and trained.
"There are some significant changes coming ... in the way we think about building our land component," Dempsey said. "And I would suggest it's not from the top down, but rather from the bottom up."
GETTNG READY TO DEPLOY: ON THE FIRING RANGE WITH A M240B MACHINE GUN
Army Sgt. Raymond Ramos, left, counts Army Pfc. Samuel Oehring's hits after firing an M240B machine gun at Orchard Combat Training Center, Idaho, Oct. 7, 2012. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Antuan Parrish
Face of Defense: Soldier Makes Mark at Firing Range
By Army Staff Sgt. Antuan Parrish
5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
ORCHARD COMBAT TRAINING CENTER, Idaho, Oct. 11, 2012 - For Army Pfc. Samuel Oehring, who grew up in the rural areas of Texas and Arkansas, shooting was a part of everyday life.
Even though Oehring -- an allied trade specialist assigned to Forward Support Company, 864th Engineer Battalion -- has shot many other weapons, he explained that shooting the M240B machine gun takes a lot of skill and focus.
"The 240 has more recoil," he said. "If you don't pay attention to the recoil and tuck it tight into yourself, you'll lose your sight picture. Also, if you put too much of your finger on the trigger, the weapon will pull left and right. You have to pay attention to the small details to properly shoot this weapon."
Oehring's company went to the range here Oct. 7 to fire their M240B machine guns during their battalion's deployment preparation training. For Oehring, it was only his second time firing the weapon, and he admitted the first time wasn't that great of an experience. He didn't qualify, scoring only a 33.
"I didn't do so well during the last qualification," he acknowledged. "The [noncommissioned officers] have been coaching and teaching us on how to use the weapons properly."
Army Sgt. Raymond Ramos, who was working safety at the range, said he ensures that Oehring and the other soldiers in the platoon know every aspect of the weapon and not just how to pull the trigger.
"I first make sure they always clean their weapons," said Ramos, a native of Pacifica, Calif. "I also teach them function checks, assembly and disassembly, and to know all the parts."
Oehring later qualified with a 35, which is the minimum score to qualify. He was ecstatic when walking off the range about how he had improved.
"I just want to make sure they know what they're doing before going to combat," said Ramos, a 10-year veteran.
Oehring's father served in the Army and was part of the reason he joined two years ago.
"My father passed while I was in [advanced individual training]," Oehring said. "I promised him before he passed that I'd do my part to serve my country."
Oehring said he is looking forward to the upcoming deployment and is confident in his leaders' abilities.
"They've got us ready for whatever comes our way, and have done a great job at doing it," he said.
HYDROLOGY AND CHANGES IN THE ARTIC LANDSCAPE
A team of scientists is working to understand how local changes in hydrology might bring about major changes to the Arctic landscape, including the possibility of a large-scale carbon release from thawing permafrost. Bryan Travis, an expert in fluid dynamics, is author of the Mars global hydrology numerical computer model, or MAGHNUM, used for calculating heat and fluid transport phenomena. (MAGHNUM was previously used to model hydrological phenomena under freezing conditions on other planets, including Mars.) Travis advanced the MAGHNUM software with a variety of improvements and additional components into a new program, called ARCHY, a comprehensive Arctic hydrology model. A LANL team's goal is to make ARCHY capable of accurately modeling Arctic topography, thawing, and erosion. Because it includes advective heat transport, ARCHY will help to predict how quickly and how extensively the Arctic permafrost will thaw. Photo From: Los Alamos National Laboratory.
SPAIN'S NATIONAL DAY
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| Map: Spain. Credit: CIA World Factbook. |
On the Occasion of Spain's National Day
Press Statement
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
October 10, 2012
On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I am delighted to send best wishes to the people of Spain as you celebrate La Fiesta Nacional de España this October 12.
With the 500th anniversary of Ponce de Leon’s landing in Florida approaching, we are reminded of Spain’s important contributions that have made a profound role in shaping this nation’s history. Today the United States and Spain are working closely together to tackle the challenges of an increasingly globalized world. We share a common desire to strengthen peace and security worldwide, protect the environment, and promote economic prosperity. The United States deeply values the strong alliance between our two nations as well as Spain’s important contributions to international organizations such as NATO, the United Nations, and the OECD.
On this Fiesta Nacional de España, we join with Spain in the spirit of friendship and look forward to deepening our cooperation in the years to come.
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| North facade of the Royal Palace in Madrid |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM CIA WORLD FACTBOOK
Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). A peaceful transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco FRANCO in 1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined the EU in 1986) gave Spain a dynamic and rapidly growing economy and made it a global champion of freedom and human rights. The government's major focus for the immediate future will be on measures to reverse the severe economic recession that started in mid-2008
Thursday, October 11, 2012
ROVER STUFF OR MARTIAN METAL? THE SHINY THING?
View of Curiosity's First Scoop Also Shows Bright Object
This image from the right Mast Camera (Mastcam) of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity shows a scoop full of sand and dust lifted by the rover's first use of the scoop on its robotic arm. In the foreground, near the bottom of the image, a bright object is visible on the ground. The object might be a piece of rover hardware.
This image was taken during the mission's 61st Martian day, or sol (Oct. 7, 2012), the same sol as the first scooping. After examining Sol 61 imaging, the rover team decided to refrain from using the arm on Sol 62 (Oct. 8). Instead, the rover was instructed to acquire additional imaging of the bright object, on Sol 62, to aid the team in assessing possible impact, if any, to sampling activities.
For scale, the scoop is 1.8 inches (4.5 centimeters) wide, 2.8 inches (7 centimeters) long.
Image credit-NASA-JPL-Caltech-MSSS
VORTEX SURFING
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| C-17 Aircraft. Credit: U.S. Air Froce. |
'Vortex surfing' could be revolutionary
by Roger Drinnon
Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
10/10/2012 - SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFNS) -- Migrating birds, NASCAR drivers and Tour de France bicyclists already get it. And now the Air Force is thinking about flying gas-guzzling cargo aircraft in formation -- 'dragging' off one another -- on long-haul flights across the oceans.
Flight tests with C-17s "vortex surfing" at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., Sept. 6 and Oct. 2, have demonstrated potentially large savings of fuel and money by doing what geese do naturally. Tests show that flying in formation might be smarter than flying alone for Airmen, and not just for birds.
As one effort in the Air Force drive to reduce its overall fuel consumption, vortex surfing may be the wave of the future.
"The concept, formally known as Surfing Aircraft Vortices for Energy, or $AVE, involves two or more aircraft flying together for a reduced drag effect like what you see with a flock of geese," said Dr. Donald Erbschloe, the Air Mobility Command chief scientist.
A series of test flights involving two aircraft at a time, allowed the trailing aircraft to "surf" the vortex of the lead aircraft, positioning itself in the updraft to get additional lift without burning extra fuel.
Early indications from the tests promise a reduction of fuel consumption by up to 10 percent for the duration of a flight. Over long distances and with even a small fraction of Air Mobility Command's average of more than 80,000 flights a year, the fuel and cost savings could reach into the millions of dollars, experts say.
Next up: The Air Force Research Laboratory will analyze the data from for possible applications to other aircraft on a variety of missions.
Dr. Erbschloe said larger air mobility aircraft like the C-17 can fly in formations that are potentially easy to maintain and which do not require the planes to be exceptionally close together.
"The test flights were flown at longitudinal separations of 4,000 or greater," said William Blake, one of the key developers of $AVE at the AFRL.
According to AFRL officials, modified C-17 formation flight system software enabled precise auto-pilot and auto-throttle systems to ensure the trailing aircraft achieved and maintained proper flight position without active assistance from pilots.
"The autopilot held the position extremely well -- even close to the vortex," said Capt. Zachary Schaffer, an aircraft commander on one of the test flights. "The flight conditions were very safe; this was as hands-off as any current formation flying we do."
Other pilots found differing levels of ride quality and discovered some flight test points might be difficult for long-endurance flights.
"The key will be finding the right balance of quality for improving fuel efficiency and ride," said Maj. Eric Bippert, another aircraft commander on one of the test flights.
Bippert said being a part of the test program with so many talented engineers was a remarkable experience, and the concept could eventually impact global air transportation, overall.
"AMC has done really well with fuel efficiency at the operational level," said Erbschloe. "The command has worked to gain efficiencies from the 'low-hanging fruit' such as optimizing flight routing, reducing weight where possible, and by not carrying excess fuel. $AVE offers significant efficiency gains, if employed in concert with these initiatives."
He said early indications show the tests meet AMC criteria of the concept regarding safety and minimization of aircrew and aircraft strain while also being operationally sensible with a viable return on investment.
"AMC consumes 20 percent of the fuel used by the overall federal government, so we're constantly looking for pragmatic ways to improve our fuel efficiency," said Erbschloe.
"Assured energy advantage for our Air Force is only possible through revolutionary energy initiatives like $AVE," said Dr. Mark Maybury, Air Force chief scientist, upon hearing the results of the tests.
The $AVE concept was previously highlighted in the 2011 Energy Horizons study, sponsored by the Secretary of the Air Force and chaired by Maybury.
The tests were the culmination of an ongoing, combined effort between AMC, the AFRL, the 412th Test Wing, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Boeing Company and NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT FOR WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 6, 2012
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| Photo Credit: U.S. Bureau Of Land Management |
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending October 6, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 339,000, a decrease of 30,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 369,000. The 4-week moving average was 364,000, a decrease of 11,500 from the previous week's revised average of 375,500.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending September 29, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending September 29 was 3,273,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,288,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,279,250, a decrease of 7,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,287,000.
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 327,063 in the week ending October 6, an increase of 25,990 from the previous week. There were 405,906 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent during the week ending September 29, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,778,396, a decrease of 42,837 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.5 percent and the volume was 3,113,245.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending September 22 was 5,044,649, a decrease of 43,970 from the previous week. There were 6,819,938 persons claiming benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2011.
Extended Benefits were only available in New York during the week ending September 22.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,545 in the week ending September 29, an increase of 230 from the prior week. There were 2,514 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 4 from the preceding week.
There were 17,283 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending September 22, an increase of 704 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 38,511, a decrease of 18 from the prior week.
States reported 2,106,072 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending September 22, a decrease of 36,977 from the prior week. There were 3,016,035 persons claiming EUC in the comparable week in 2011. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending September 22 were in Puerto Rico (3.9), Alaska (3.7), Virgin Islands (3.7), Pennsylvania (3.2), New Jersey (3.1), California (3.1), Connecticut (2.9), Nevada (2.7), and Oregon (2.7).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending September 29 were in New York (+2,764), California (+2,069), North Carolina (+1,217), Pennsylvania (+989), and Arkansas (+538), while the largest decreases were in Mississippi (-3,393), Michigan (-2,639), Florida (-1,972), Ohio (-1,723), and Oregon (-1,135).
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