SOMALI LEADERS VISIT PENTAGON TO DISCUSS U.S. ASSISTANCE AGAINST TERRORISTS

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work, left center, meets with Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, right center, and Somali Defense Minister Gen. Abdulkadir Sheikh Ali Dini at the Pentagon, June 9, 2015. The leaders met to discuss issues of mutual importance. DoD photo by Army Sgt. 1st Class Clydell Kinchen. . 

Deputy Defense Secretary Hosts Somali Leaders at Pentagon
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, June 10, 2015 – Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work yesterday hosted the Somali prime minister and defense minister in their first meeting at the Pentagon.

In a statement summarizing the meeting, Defense Department officials said Prime Minister Omar Ali Sharmarke and Defense Minister Gen. Abdulkadir Sheikh Ali Dini met with Work to discuss the importance of U.S.-Somali security assistance and counterterrorism operations.

Work praised the success of Somali forces in degrading the al-Shabab militant group in the past two years, officials said.

Taking the Fight to al-Shabab

The leaders discussed how taking the fight to al-Shabab requires integrating regional militia forces into the Somali National Army deliberately, but without delay, officials said. The leaders also discussed successes of the Danab companies, which could serve as a good model for the rest of the Somali army, they added.

Work underscored the Defense Department's strong commitment to supporting both the African Union Mission in Somalia and the development of Somali security forces, the statement said.

“The deputy secretary noted it is imperative that Somalia completes the state formation process in advance of holding elections next year, in line with the agreed timeline,” the statement said. “Progress on the political front is a necessary foundation for the development of Somali security forces.”

The leaders said they look forward to working together well into the future, the statement said.

CHAIRMAN JOINT CHIEFS DISCUSSES DEFENSE WITH ISRAELI LEADERS

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Dempsey, Israeli Leaders Discuss Defense Cooperation
By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

TEL AVIV, Israel, June 9, 2015 – Discussing threats from Iran or the vicious actions of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant has a different resonance when the conversation is in Israel rather than the United States, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said here today.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff discussed these threats and the state of the military-to-military relationship between the United States and Israel during meetings at the Kyria, the headquarters for Israel’s defense establishment.

The proximity of the threat changes the conversation, Dempsey said. “My first visit to Israel happened to be in Tel Aviv in late 2011,” the chairman told reporters traveling with him. “Then-chief of defense [Lt. Gen.] Benny Gantz took me to a hotel in central Tel Aviv, and we had dinner on the roof -- on a helipad. He took me there purposely. He said ‘Look around you. From this roof, you can see 65 percent of the population of Israel.’

“His message to me,” the chairman continued, “was that was why he needed our help to build and thicken an integrated air/missile defense system, because of the threat of rockets and missiles not only from Gaza, but even more prominently from Lebanon and potentially … from Iran.”

Huge Investments

U.S. and Israeli military officials went to work, the chairman said. Since then, both nations have made huge investments in the Iron Dome, David’s Sling and the Arrow air defense systems.

“We’ve really developed a fully integrated air defense system like nowhere else in the world,” the chairman said. “We also built a fusion center in southern Israel for command and control. We’ve exercised it, and as a result, when the issue occurred in Gaza last year they were very skilled in integrating their air and missile defense system.”

The United States has committed to sustain the system and to “thicken” it, because the threat is increasing, not decreasing, he said.

Army Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot, the commander in chief of the Israel Defense Force, hosted Dempsey. The chairman also met with Israeli Defense Minister Moshe “Boogie” Yaalon.

Firm Commitment

Dempsey told the Israeli leaders that America’s commitment to Israel is firm, and that the cooperation between the two militaries is rock solid. “The purpose of the visit is transitional,” the chairman said. “We’ve really solidified our relationship of the last few years in the face of increasing disorder around Israel.”

Syria has disintegrated, and Iran and its proxies threaten Israel. An Israeli military official, speaking on background, called Iran the greatest danger to his nation.

Israelis are worried about what effect a deal with Iran to curtail its nuclear ambitions will have on the region. “Regarding Iran, if there is a nuclear deal with Iran, we have work to do,” Dempsey said. “If there is no deal with Iran, we have work to do.”

If there is a deal, he explained, this does not let Iran off the hook for its other malign activities in the region. Iran is proliferating ballistic missile technology, it is trafficking weapons in the region, and it is operating throughout the region via surrogates and proxies, the chairman said. Iranian moves with naval mines and undersea activities are another concern, Dempsey said, as is Iran’s threat in cyberspace.

Partners Want Assurances

American partners in the region want to be reassured that if there is a nuclear deal, then the United States won’t ignore these other activities, he said. “We’re clear-eyed about the risks that Iran poses to the region,” the chairman added, “and we will work with those partners to address those risks.”

Dempsey said he also spoke with Israeli officials about maintaining Israel’s qualitative military edge in the region and in pursuing a quantitative military edge.

Qualitative and Quantitative Military Edge

“As regional groups and partners increase their capabilities,” he said, “the Israelis, naturally, are going to want have discussions with us about how to maintain not only a qualitative military edge, but a quantitative military edge.”

In response to the Iranian threat, nations in the region are growing their air forces, ground forces and maritime forces.

“Israel wants to be sure we are not just helping them on the qualitative side, but also attuned to the fact that while we encourage our Gulf partners to build capability to offset Iran and these substate actors like ISIL -- that they don’t grow so much in size that they become an overmatch in the region,” Dempsey said.

Israel will be the only country in the region with the F-35 Lighting II joint strike fighter, he noted, and that will give them a qualitative advantage. Still, the chairman said, he reassured Israeli officials that the United States is attuned to their concerns and will work with them on mitigating any risk to them.

SEC SAYS MAN CHARGED WITH FRAUD AGAINST SMALL BUSINESS FOR POSING AS A HEDGE FUND MANAGER,

FROM:  U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
06/10/2015 11:40 AM EDT

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced fraud charges against a New Jersey man accused of posing as a hedge fund manager and defrauding small companies out of more than $4 million.

The SEC alleges that Nicholas Lattanzio falsely promised small businesses that he would arrange project financing for them and generate substantial returns on money they invested in his Black Diamond Capital Appreciation Fund.  He told them they could withdraw their money if the promised project financing didn’t materialize, and he claimed his fund had as much as $800 million under management and a proven track record of producing double-digit returns.

According to the SEC’s complaint filed in federal court in New Jersey, the fund never had more than approximately $5 million in assets as Lattanzio simply took investor money and spent it on himself and his family.  He allegedly used fund assets to purchase a million-dollar home in Montclair, N.J., a $124,000 luxury car, and $100,000 worth of merchandise from Tiffany & Co.  He also paid off more than $760,000 in credit card debt, withdrew approximately $570,000 in cash or checks written to himself and his girlfriend, paid more than $30,000 to a yacht broker, and funded his children’s private school tuition and his membership at an exclusive golf club.

“As alleged in our complaint, Lattanzio masqueraded as a sophisticated hedge fund manager to capitalize on small businesses’ legitimate need for financing.  He falsely reassured his investors they were earning profits while he was swiping their money to bankroll his affluent lifestyle that he otherwise could not afford,” said Andrew M. Calamari, Director of the SEC’s New York Regional Office.

In a parallel action, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey today announced criminal charges against Lattanzio, and the New Jersey Bureau of Securities within the State Attorney General’s Division of Consumer Affairs also announced sanctions against him.

The SEC’s complaint charges Lattanzio, Black Diamond Capital Appreciation Fund, and three other Lattanzio-controlled entities with securities fraud in violation of the Securities Act of 1933 and Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  The complaint also charges Lattanzio and some of the entities with investment adviser fraud in violation of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

The SEC’s continuing investigation is being conducted by David Austin, Roseann Daniello, and George Stepaniuk, and the litigation will be led by Todd Brody and David Austin.  The case is being supervised by Sanjay Wadhwa.  The SEC appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the New Jersey Bureau of Securities within the State Attorney General’s Division of Consumer Affairs.

HHS SAYS PREVENTION PROGRAM REDUCES FALL AMONG ELDERLY

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
June 8, 2015
Comprehensive prevention program effectively reduces falls among older people
HHS-supported study tests falls intervention program

Families and physicians have a new tool in the fight against falls- a comprehensive prevention program developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that reduces both falls and resulting use of long-term care such as nursing homes.

The prevention program, which includes clinical in-home assessments of health, physical functioning, falls history, home environment, and medications to create customized recommendations, was developed by HHS based on the research evidence on risk factors and interventions. Using a randomized control trial, the program was tested among long-term care insurance policy holders age 75 and older to determine whether the intervention was effective and, if so, the impact on long-term care utilization.

The study found that the program led to significantly lower rates of falls over a one-year study period. Those who received the intervention had a 13 percent lower rate of falls, and an 11 percent reduction in risk of falling compared to the control group. Participants also had a significantly lower rate of injurious falls. Long-term care insurance claims were 33 percent lower over a three-year period. The intervention, which cost $500 per person to administer, saved $838 per person.

Falls- which happen to 1 in 3 people age 65 and over every year-- can cause pain, suffering, and death, and cost an estimated $35 billion in health care spending in 2014. They are a leading risk factor for needing long-term care at home or in a nursing facility. Given the impact of falls, findings from the HHS-funded study give hope for reducing the rate of falls among the growing population of older adults.

“While falls are preventable, we need to intervene at the right time in a way that is comprehensive and yet individually tailored,” said Richard Frank, Ph.D., the assistant secretary for planning and evaluation at HHS, whose office funded the study. “Preventing falls helps everyone: the older person, their family, and the health and long-term care systems. And this study shows that by investing in falls prevention, we can reduce long-term care use and spending.”

The risk factors for a fall include fear of falling, gait and balance problems, certain medications, clutter in the home, and some health conditions. Few interventions have taken a comprehensive approach to address all of the risk factors through one program.

Although this study focused on the rate of falls and long-term care utilization and costs, future research will examine the impact of the intervention on health care utilization and costs.

“We expect to see a similar or greater return on investment in terms of health care costs,” added Richard Frank.

FORMER HOSPITAL PRESIDENT GETS 45 YEAR PRISON TERM FOR ROLE IN $158 MILLION MEDICARE FRAUD

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Former President of Riverside General Hospital Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison in $158 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

Operator of Psychiatric Facility Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison, and Owner of Group Home Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison

The former president of a Houston hospital, his son and a co-conspirator were sentenced today to 45 years, 20 years and 12 years in prison, respectively, for their roles in a $158 million Medicare fraud scheme.

Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson of the Southern District of Texas, Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner of the FBI’s Houston Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Lucy R. Cruz of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) Houston Field Office, the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU), Special Agent in Charge Mike Fields of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services-Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Dallas Regional Office, Special Agent in Charge Joseph J. Del Favero of the Railroad Retirement Board-Office of Inspector General (RRB-OIG) and Inspector General Patrick E. McFarland of the Office of Personnel Management-Office of Inspector General (OPM-OIG) made the announcement.

“The former President of Houston's Riverside hospital, his son and their co-conspirators saw mentally ill, elderly and disabled Medicare beneficiaries as commodities to be turned into profit centers – not as vulnerable individuals in need of health care,” said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell.  “Rather than providing needed medical care to a historically underserved community, the defendants ran a longstanding hospital into the ground through their greed and fraud.  According to the evidence presented at trial, the defendants had patients sit around the facility watching movies while they received no treatment.  Meanwhile, the defendants billed Medicare more than $158 million for care that was never provided.  This brazen fraud cannot and will not be tolerated.”

Earnest Gibson III, 70, the former president of Riverside General Hospital, Earnest Gibson IV, 37, the operator of Devotions Care Solutions, a satellite psychiatric facility of Riverside General Hospital, and Regina Askew, 50, the owner of Safe and Sound group home, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal of the Southern District of Texas.  In addition to the significant terms of imprisonment, Earnest Gibson III was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $46,753,180, Earnest Gibson IV was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $7,518,480, and Regina Askew was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $46,255,893.

Following a five-week jury trial, on Oct. 20, 2014, Earnest Gibson III, Earnest Gibson IV and Regina Askew each were convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks, as well as related counts of paying or receiving illegal kickbacks.  Earnest Gibson III and Earnest Gibson IV also were convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering.  Co-defendant Robert Crane, a patient recruiter, also was convicted of conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 9, 2015.

According to evidence presented at trial, from 2005 until June 2012, the defendants and others engaged in a scheme to defraud Medicare by submitting to Medicare, through Riverside and its satellite locations, approximately $158 million in false and fraudulent claims for partial hospitalization program (PHP) services.  A PHP is a form of intensive outpatient treatment for severe mental illness.

Specifically, evidence at trial demonstrated that the Medicare beneficiaries for whom the hospital billed Medicare did not qualify for or need PHP services.  Moreover, the evidence showed that Medicare beneficiaries rarely saw a psychiatrist and did not receive intensive psychiatric treatment.  In fact, some of the beneficiaries were suffering from Alzheimer’s and could not actively participate in the treatment for which Medicare was billed.

Evidence presented at trial also showed that Earnest Gibson III paid kickbacks to patient recruiters and to owners and operators of group care homes, including Regina Askew, in exchange for which those individuals delivered ineligible Medicare beneficiaries to the hospital’s PHPs.  Earnest Gibson IV also paid patient recruiters, including Robert Crane and others, to deliver ineligible Medicare beneficiaries to the specific PHP operated by Earnest Gibson IV.

To date, six other individuals either have pleaded guilty based on their involvement in the scheme.  Mohammad Khan, an assistant administrator at Riverside, who managed many of the hospital’s PHPs, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay illegal kickbacks, and five counts of paying illegal kickbacks; on May 21, 2015, Mohammad Khan was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sim Lake of the Southern District of Texas to 40 years in prison for his role in the scheme.  William Bullock, an operator of a Riverside satellite location, as well as Leslie Clark, Robert Ferguson, Waddie McDuffie and Sharonda Holmes, who were involved in paying or receiving kickbacks, also have pleaded guilty to participating in the scheme and await sentencing.

The case was investigated by the FBI, IRS-CI, Texas MFCU, HHS-OIG, RRB-OIG and OPM-OIG.  The case was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, under the supervision of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Texas.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Chiefs Laura M.K. Cordova and Jennifer L. Saulino and Trial Attorney Ashlee C. McFarlane of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.

Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, now operating in nine cities across the country, has charged nearly 2,100 defendants who collectively have billed the Medicare program for more than $6.5 billion.  In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.

DOD REPORTS ON AIRSTRIKES AGAINST ISIL INFRASTRUCTURE FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT ISIL, ISIS, ISIL

Airstrikes Destroy ISIL Infrastructure, Weapons
From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, June 10, 2015 – U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, which took place between 8 a.m. yesterday and 8 a.m. today, local time, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Airstrikes in Syria

Bomber and fighter aircraft conducted five airstrikes in Syria:

-- Near Hasakah, one airstrike struck an ISIL staging area.

-- Near Raqqah, three airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units, destroying three ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL armored vehicle.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, one airstrike struck an ISIL crude oil collection point.

Airstrikes in Iraq

Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 16 airstrikes in Iraq, approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense:

-- Near Baghdadi, one airstrike struck an ISIL resupply vehicle.

-- Near Beiji, five airstrikes struck four ISIL tactical units, destroying three ISIL vehicles, an ISIL building and an ISIL vehicle-borne improvised explosive device.

-- Near Kirkuk, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL building.

-- Near Makhmur, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and an ISIL mortar system, destroying an ISIL building and an ISIL heavy machine gun.

-- Near Mosul, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and an ISIL mortar system, destroying an ISIL building, an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL heavy machine gun.

-- Near Sinjar, one airstrike truck an ISIL large tactical unit, an ISIL mortar firing position and an ISIL building, destroying five ISIL buildings, an ISIL vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL rocket propelled grenade cache.

-- Near Tal Afar, four airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units, two ISIL mortar systems, an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL rocket firing position, destroying three ISIL buildings, an ISIL rocket and an ISIL tunnel system.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Syria include the United States, Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

STATEMENT ON ADDITIONAL STEPS TO COUNTER ISIL

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE
June 10, 2015
Statement by the Press Secretary on Additional U.S. Steps in the Counter-ISIL Effort

In furtherance of his comprehensive strategy to degrade and destroy the ISIL terrorist group, President Obama has approved additional actions to enhance the implementation of the counter-ISIL campaign.

To improve the capabilities and effectiveness of partners on the ground, the President authorized the deployment of up to 450 additional U.S. military personnel to train, advise, and assist Iraqi Security Forces at Taqaddum military base in eastern Anbar province. The President made this decision after a request from Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi and upon the recommendation of Secretary Carter and Chairman Dempsey, and with the unanimous support of his national security team. These new advisors will work to build capacity of Iraqi forces, including local tribal fighters, to improve their ability to plan, lead, and conduct operations against ISIL in eastern Anbar under the command of the Prime Minister. This effort will complement the ‎efforts of U.S. and coalition trainers at the four previously-established training sites in Al-Asad, Besmaya, Erbil, and Taji, where over 9,000 Iraqi troops have already been trained, with an additional 3,000 currently in training. These additional U.S. troops will not serve in a combat role and will augment the 3,100 U.S. troops who have already deployed to Iraq.

This train, advise, and assist mission builds on lessons learned during the past several months and is just one aspect of our commitment to support the Iraqi Security Forces. Toward this end, the President has also directed the expedited delivery of essential equipment and materiel in coordination with the central government to Iraqi forces, including Peshmerga and tribal fighters, operating under Iraqi command, to ensure that our partners have the equipment needed to effectively fight ISIL.

The President also approved a comprehensive approach to aid the Iraqi government’s efforts to support the people and communities living in areas newly liberated from ISIL. At the President’s direction, the United States has been working closely with the Iraqi government, the global counter-ISIL coalition, and the United Nations to develop a holistic framework to help the Iraqi government provide sustained security, services and assistance, and local governance among other key support. The United States fully supports the development of an international fund facilitated by the United Nations to help these communities across Iraq recover.

More broadly, we will continue our efforts to leverage all instruments of power to counter ISIL globally and most importantly, to protect the US Homeland. Thousands of foreign fighters – including Europeans and some Americans – have joined ISIL in Syria and Iraq. We remain concerned that these trained fighters will return to their home countries and carry out attacks and seek to inspire supporters to conduct attacks at home, and the President directed his national security team to intensify efforts with coalition partners to stem the flow of foreign fighters to and from Iraq and Syria.

The President also reaffirmed U.S. support for the efforts of Prime Minister Al-Abadi and other Iraqi leaders to build an inclusive and effective governance structure within which all of Iraq’s diverse communities feel that they have a say in determining the future of their country. In this regard, the U.S. will fully support the plan endorsed by the Council of Ministers on May 19 for the liberation of Anbar, as well as the Iraqi Government’s priority of de-centralization to empower local communities in line with the Iraqi Constitution. This “functional federalism” effort being pursued by the Iraqi government is integral to ensuring that ISIL – once defeated – can never again return to Iraqi soil.

CHAIRMAN JOINT CHIEFS SAYS PRESIDENT OBAMA WANTS ADVICE ON IRAQ

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Dempsey: President Seeks Advice on Improving Iraq Mission
By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

JERUSALEM, June 9, 2015 – President Barack Obama has asked the military for recommendations on how to make the effort to train and equip Iraqi security forces more effective, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.

“What he’s asked us to do is take a look at what we’ve learned over the last eight months in the train-and-equip program and make recommendations to him on whether there are capabilities that we may want to provide to the Iraqis to actually make them more capable,” Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said to reporters traveling with him.

“He’s asked us to look at whether there are other locations where we might establish training sites,” the general added. “He’s asked us to take a look at how we might develop Iraq’s leaders.”

The president asked military leaders to examine where there has been success and where the effort “may have been moving at a pace that’s late-to-need or where certain units have not stood and fought,” Dempsey said.

Looking at Ways to Instill Confidence

The Joint Chiefs are looking at ways to instill confidence in Iraqi forces or other means to improve their training, the chairman said. They have made some recommendations, he said, but follow-on questions must first be answered, such as how recommendations would be implemented, what risks they might entail to the mission and the force, and trade-offs around the globe.

U.S. military capabilities are needed in other parts of the world, Dempsey noted. U.S. forces are operating in Europe to reassure NATO allies in the face of Russian aggression in Ukraine, there are additional issues in the Persian Gulf region related to reassuring allies against Iranian threats, and U.S. forces still are needed in Afghanistan, he said.

In addition, the general said, “some of our Pacific allies are unsettled by Chinese reclamation projects, so we’ve got work to do with our allies there.”

Necessary Troop Levels Undetermined

Whether more troops will be needed in Iraq remains to be seen, the chairman said. The process calls for the U.S. Central Command Commander Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III to determine how recommendations would be put in place, he explained.

“We try not to negotiate the resources before we negotiate the concept,” Dempsey said. “Then we ask at some point is if he has the resources currently assigned.” If the answer is no, then we look across the force to see where they can be generated.

“I haven’t received from Centcom the assessment of resources required,” he continued, “and that is appropriate, because I want to first understand that we have a concept that could actually improve capability.”

The president specifically asked about enhancing the train-and-equip mission, Dempsey said. “It wasn’t whether there are options that would imply the strategy is ineffective, it was, rather, ‘Are there things we can do?’” he said.

The military has two lines of effort against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Iraq. One entails a combination of airstrikes and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets to support the Iraqi security forces. The other is to train and equip the Iraqi security forces to take the fight to ISIL.

NASA VIDEO: NASA's Flying Saucer Makes Second Voyage to the Edge of Space

FINANCIAL FIRM PRESIDENT SENT TO PRISON FOR 10 YEARS

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Thursday, June 4, 2015
President of New Jersey-Based Financial Services Firm Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Multimillion-Dollar Securities Fraud

The president of an investment and financial services firm was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for evading taxes and defrauding dozens of investors in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas and elsewhere of $5 million, announced by U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman for the District of New Jersey.

Everett C. Miller, 45, of Marlton, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Renee Marie Bumb to information charging him with one count of securities fraud and one count of tax evasion.  Judge Bumb imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Miller was the founder, chief executive officer, president, principal and sole owner of Carr Miller Capital LLC (CMC), an investment and financial services firm based in Marlton, New Jersey.  Miller and others solicited investments through the firm from individuals located in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Arkansas, Texas and elsewhere.  CMC had more than 30 affiliates and related entities and more than 75 related bank accounts.  Miller controlled the firm’s finances and established himself as synonymous with CMC.  Prior to founding CMC in June 2006, Miller was a registered financial advisor at several financial institutions.

Miller admitted that from June 2006 through December 2010, he and others issued promissory notes to more than 190 investors across the United States and Miller and CMC received $41.2 million from these investors.  The notes were provided as “securities,” but Miller and CMC never registered the notes as securities with any federal or state agency, nor were the notes exempt from such registration requirements.  The notes had a term of nine months and promised the investors returns of seven to 20 percent per year and a return of the principal investment at the end of the nine-month period.

Miller and others falsely represented to the investors that their money would be invested in certain ways, but the investors were not provided with material information about their investments or were misled about the risks of their investments.  Miller commingled and pooled the investors’ monies into one of CMC’s 75 related bank accounts.  Unbeknown to the investors, Miller used some of the monies in the following ways: to repay prior investors, most in Ponzi scheme fashion, to pay CMC and its related entities’ payrolls and operating expenses and to support Miller’s lifestyle.  Miller’s purchases included luxury automobiles; home furnishings and electronic equipment; tickets to entertainment and sporting events; travel, lodging and vacations; meals, entertainment, retail shopping; and groceries.                

On Aug. 11, 2009, the Arkansas Securities Department (ASD) initiated an investigation of Miller, CMC and others for selling unregistered securities to investors in the form of the promissory notes.  Following the investigation, the ASD issued a cease-and-desist order against Miller, CMC and others from selling the notes.

From August 2009 through December 2010, despite knowing about the ASD’s investigation of the promissory notes and CMC’s inability to pay either the interest or the principal on them, Miller and others continued to sell the notes as unregistered securities to investors.  They issued notes to approximately 50 new investors, but never returned any of the principal to the new investors.

Miller admitted that for calendar years 2007, 2008 and 2009, he intentionally failed to provide the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) with any information regarding the proceeds that he personally received in connection with his fraudulent scheme.  Miller failed to disclose $218,770, $244,879 and $199,507 for 2007, 2008 and 2009, respectively.  In total, Miller admitted failing to report $663,156 in taxable income to the IRS, resulting in a tax loss to the government of $47,342.

At the plea proceeding, Judge Bumb entered a consent judgment and order of forfeiture in the amount of $4,999,400, which constitutes the proceeds Miller obtained as a result of the securities fraud.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Bumb sentenced Miller to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $22.34 million.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents with the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Richard M. Frankel in Newark, New Jersey; IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan D. Larson; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Maria L. Kelokates, for the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.  He also thanked the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority – Criminal Prosecution Assistance Group and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Philadelphia Office for its assistance with this investigation.  In addition, he thanked the New Jersey Securities Fraud Prosecution Section, the Arkansas Securities Department and the Texas State Securities Board for their roles in the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shirley U. Emehelu of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark, New Jersey.

This case was brought in coordination with President Barack Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force.

PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SPEECH ON HEALTH CARE IN AMERICA

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE
June 09, 2015
The President's Speech to the Catholic Health Association on Health Care in America

Today, at the invitation of the Catholic Health Association, President Obama will address their annual conference and thank them for their dedication to helping ensure all Americans have access to health care. The President will discuss how the passage of the Affordable Care Act reflects our values and the kind of country we strive to be.  He will also describe how the Affordable Care Act has become part of the fabric of an improved American health care system, one where we and our children can rely on health security throughout our lives, and make the most of our opportunities as a result.

Additionally, the White House released updated data on how the Affordable Care Act is working in every state in the country. Five years after healthcare reform became a reality, more than 16 million Americans have gained coverage, and the Affordable Care Act has improved coverage for virtually everyone who already had insurance.  Americans can no longer be discriminated against for having pre-existing conditions, women can't be charged more just for being women, and there are no longer lifetime limits on the care Americans receive.  And hospitals, doctors and other providers are changing the way they operate to deliver better care at lower cost.

The White House also launched a new interactive long form webpage -- "Health Care in America" -- which includes an embedded letter to the President written by the late Senator Ted Kennedy as he endured brain cancer, having instructed his wife to send the letter to the President after he passed away. A lifelong champion for health reform, Senator Kennedy encouraged the President to endure the fight for health care reform and thanked him "one last time" for carrying it forward. The page also includes an interactive timeline that contextualizes a century-long fight for real health reform in America, dozens of stories of Americans whose lives have benefited from reform, and a live player that will stream the President's remarks tomorrow.

President Obama’s remarks will be livestreamed HERE, and excerpts of his prepared remarks are included below:

“The rugged individualism that defines America has always been bound by a set of shared values; an enduring sense that we are in this together. That America is not a place where we simply ignore the poor or turn away from the sick. It’s a place sustained by the idea that I am my brother’s keeper and I am my sister’s keeper. That we have an obligation to put ourselves in our neighbor’s shoes, and to see the common humanity in each other.

So after nearly a century of talk, after decades of trying, after a year of sustained debate, we finally made health care reform a reality for America.”

…

“Five years in, what we’re talking about is no longer just a law. This isn’t about the Affordable Care Act. This isn’t about Obamacare. This isn’t about myths or rumors that won’t go away.

This is reality. This is health care in America.”

SECRETARY KERRY'S STATEMENT ON 'CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE'

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
June 9, 2015

Climate change poses a threat to every country on Earth, and we all need to do what we can to take advantage of the small window of opportunity we still have to stave off its worst, most disastrous impacts. But even as we take unprecedented steps to mitigate the climate threat, we also have to ensure our communities are prepared for the impacts we know are headed our way – and the impacts we are already seeing all over the world in the form of heat waves, floods, historic droughts, ocean acidification and more.

Thanks to President Obama’s Climate Action Plan, we’ve taken a number of important steps to increase the resilience of American communities. But as the President has always said, this is a global challenge, and we’re not going to get very far if we keep our efforts contained within our borders. That’s why the United States is deeply committed to helping the rest of the world – especially the poorest and most vulnerable nations – adapt to the changing climate as well.

As part of that commitment, last fall, President Obama announced his intention to create a private-public partnership to provide climate data and information to help promote resilient development worldwide. Today we formally launched the Climate Services for Resilient Development partnership, along with the government of the United Kingdom and our partners at the American Red Cross, the Asian Development Bank, Esri, Google, the Inter-American Development and the Skoll Global Threats Fund. In addition to the $34 million we and our partners are putting toward that new partnership, we also announced a series of individual steps we’re taking to make adapting to climate change easier around the globe – including, for example, the volunteer “climate resilience corps” that the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps will be launching in developing countries, and NASA’s release of the first-ever climate modeling system that breaks data down to the country level, which will enable countries to better target their individual adaptation planning efforts.

In the United States, we’ve developed some of the most advanced technologies and scientific expertise on climate change, and we want to make sure these tools are reaching those who need it the most. Each of the commitments announced today will make it easier for people to take control of their own futures and play an active role in helping to prepare their communities, their countries, and ultimately their planet for the changes ahead.

When it comes to confronting climate change, no country should be forced to go it alone – because no country can possibly address this threat alone. It will require all of us – every country, around the world, doing what it can to contribute to the solution. That understanding is at the core of the initiatives we are unveiling today, it’s what is driving our work toward an ambitious global agreement in Paris later this year, and it’s what will continue to guide our leadership in the fight against climate change in the months and years to come.

CYBER PHYSICAL THERAPY BEING TRIED BY VETERANS

FROM:  NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Veterans will be first to try cyber physical therapy
High-speed research networks help scientists develop and deploy future health technologies

The Internet has been transformational, changing how we communicate with friends and family, how we shop, and more recently, how we heal. Physical therapy is the latest treatment to be offered as telemedicine, with an experimental system now connecting specialists to patients to provide help they otherwise couldn't get, aiding recovery from serious ailments, from broken limbs to stroke.

In an effort to connect physical therapy with wounded veterans far from treatment facilities, researchers from the University of Texas (UT) at Dallas have developed a rehabilitation system that uses real-time video, 3-D computer-generated worlds and force-feedback "haptic" devices to re-create a physical therapy session between a patient and a therapist, all at long distance over high-speed networks.

The team demonstrated the system at the Beyond Today's Internet Summit in March 2015. Organized by US Ignite and the Global Environment for Networking Innovations (GENI), two groups dedicated to advancing the frontiers of the Internet, the event showed what new capabilities are possible with ultra-high-speed, "smart", programmable networks.

Powerful Internet brings powerful applications

Though the majority of U.S. citizens still have Internet connection speeds in the tens of megabits per second, through the GENI and US Ignite programs, supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation, researchers, experts and some communities are able to access gigabit networks with speeds 40-100 times faster than standard networks.

For 3-D tele-rehabilitation to be lifelike and effective requires the system to have virtually no lag-time--or latency, in networking lingo--between action and reaction.

"To transfer all of this data requires a bandwidth greater than 100 megabits per second, which we currently can't do over the Internet," said Karthik Venkataraman, a Ph.D. student working on the computer-enabled health technologies in computer scientist Balakrishnan Prabhakaran's Multimedia Systems Lab at UT Dallas."GENI and US Ignite provide the bandwidth and low latency that is required by these kinds of applications."

Reach out and touch someone

Every year, physical therapists help millions of people recover from the debilitating impacts of strokes, injuries and a range of other ailments--but not everyone has access to a treatment facility or a physical therapy professional.

"We're trying to virtualize a physical therapy session in which a patient and a therapist cannot be present at the same location," explained Venkataraman.

To bring the tele-rehabilitation to life, the system uses Microsoft Kinect to create 3-D, real-time models of the patient and the doctor. The models then join a shared virtual environment, a computer-generated space customized by the participants.

To simulate the touch aspect of the physical therapy session, the patient responds to a touch-sensitive "haptic" arm controlled by the therapist via a paired haptic device.

At the summit, the team demonstrated a physical therapy session in which two individuals practice sawing a log, a task that mimics the movements used by recovering stroke patients. The participants feel both the resistance of the log and the guiding movements of their partner, just as would occur at an in-person therapy session.

The researchers say this is just one example of what can be achieved with next-generation networks that support high-bandwidth and low-latency communication. The team is also working on extending the tele-rehabilitation system so one therapist or physician can work with multiple patients at the same time.

"This scaled-up version will ensure privacy in the sense that the patients will not be able to see other patients. Only the therapist will be able to view and monitor multiple patients," said Prabhakaran Balakrishnan, the lead researcher on the project. "The therapist will also be able to pick one patient and work with him or her on a one-to-one basis."

In collaboration with Thiru Annaswamy, a physician and assistant professor of medicine, the 3-D tele-rehabilitation system will be deployed at the Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center and used to help rehabilitate disabled veterans, with field trials beginning in June.

"If the patient and the therapist cannot be in the same location," Venkataraman said, "we still want to be able to give that virtual experience of him or her being together with the therapist in the same room."

-- Aaron Dubrow, (
Investigators
Balakrishnan Prabhakaran
Ovidiu Daescu
Mark Spong
Xiaohu Guo
Gopal Gupta
Dinesh Bhatia
Roozbeh Jafari
Related Institutions/Organizations
University of Texas at Dallas
Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center

MAN MAKES GUILTY PLEA IN KANSAS AIRPORT CAR BOMB PLOT

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Monday, June 8, 2015
Kansas Man Pleads Guilty in Plot to Explode Car Bomb at Airport

A Wichita, Kansas, man pleaded guilty to attempting to explode a car bomb at the airport in Wichita, announced Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin and U.S. Attorney Barry R. Grissom of the District of Kansas.

Terry Lee Loewen, 59, of Wichita, pleaded guilty today to one count of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction.  Loewen was arrested in December 2013 when he tried to enter the grounds of the Wichita Mid-Continent Airport for the purpose of exploding a bomb.  (The airport recently was renamed Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport).

“Terry Loewen utilized his privileged airport access to attempt a terrorist attack in Wichita,” said Assistant Attorney General Carlin.  “Detecting, disrupting and holding accountable those who wish to harm Americans remains our highest priority.”

“Protecting the American people from terrorism is our primary mission,” said U.S. Attorney Grissom.  “It is vital that we disrupt attacks against our homeland and bring terrorists to justice.”

In his plea, Loewen admitted he came to the attention of the FBI late in May 2013 when he became a Facebook friend of a person who was posting comments advocating violent jihad.  The FBI began communicating with Loewen through an undercover employee.  After Loewen expressed his desire to engage in violent jihad, the undercover employee offered to introduce him to someone who could help him do it.

Loewen told the undercover employee he was waiting for what he called “the green light” from Allah to carry out a violent attack on a civilian target.  He said he did not expect to live through any of the attacks he had in mind.  He also said he was inspired by the teachings of Osama bin Laden and Anwar al-Awlaki, and that he had downloaded thousands of pages of information on jihad.

In September 2013, Loewen sent photos of airplanes on the tarmac at the Wichita airport.  He commented that he could have “walked over there, shot both pilots … slapped some C4 on both fuel trucks and set them off before anyone even called TSA.”

In October 2013, Loewen met with a second undercover FBI employee who Loewen believed was a “brother” and would help him blow up a plane.  Loewen said he had scouted the airport to determine a time and place for an attack that would be sure to kill as many people as possible.

Loewen assisted the second FBI employee in the final assembly of an improvised explosive device.  He was not aware that the explosive materials used in the device were inert.  In the early hours of Dec. 13, 2013, the second FBI employee picked up Loewen at a Wichita hotel.  They drove to where the bomb was stored and finished wiring the device.  When they reached the airport, Loewen twice used his airport badge at a card reader to attempt to get onto the tarmac before he was arrested.

Loewen’s sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.  Both parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

Assistant Attorney General Carlin and U.S. Attorney Grissom commended the FBI Wichita Joint Terrorism Task Force, which includes members from the FBI, Sedgwick County, Kansas, Sheriff’s Office and Kansas Highway Patrol.  Assisting with the investigation were the FBI Kansas City Division, the Transportation Security Administration, the Wichita Airport Authority and the Wichita Police Department.  Assistant Attorney General Carlin and U.S. Attorney Grissom also commended the prosecutors on the case, Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Smith and Tony Mattivi of the District of Kansas and Trial Attorney Erin Creegan of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

SHAPE CHANGING WING FLAPS

FROM:  NASA GREEN AVIATION

Green Aviation Project Tests Shape Changing Wing Flaps

A NASA F-15D flies chase for the G-III Adaptive Compliant Trailing Edge (ACTE) project. This photo was taken by an automated Wing Deflection Measurement System (WDMS) camera in the G-III that photographed the ACTE wing every second during the flight. The ACTE experimental flight research project is a joint effort between NASA and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory to determine if advanced flexible trailing-edge wing flaps, developed and patented by FlexSys, Inc., can both improve aircraft aerodynamic efficiency and reduce airport-area noise generated during takeoffs and landings.

The experiment is being carried out on a modified Gulfstream III (G-III) business aircraft that has been converted into an aerodynamics research test bed at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center. The ACTE project involves replacement of both of the G-III's conventional 19-foot-long aluminum flaps with the shape changing flaps that form continuous bendable surfaces.

DOD ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL LABS RECEIVED LIVE ANTHRAX SAMPLES

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Pentagon Provides DoD Laboratory Review Update
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, June 8, 2015 – As part of its ongoing laboratory review, the Defense Department today announced additional laboratories and one new state have been added to the list of sites that received low concentrations of live anthrax samples.

In line with Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work’s pledge of a transparent DoD laboratory review process, Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren provided the update to reporters on the number of labs and locations which received the samples.

Warren said 66 laboratories in 19 states and Washington, D.C., as well as three foreign countries are now known to have received the live anthrax samples.

“The new state that we’re adding is Pennsylvania,” he said. “Thirty-one people remain on post-exposure prophylaxis, so that’s no change.”

In addition to Washington, D.C., Warren said the states identified as having received live samples are California, Utah, Texas, Tennessee, Virginia, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Washington, Illinois, Florida, Arizona, Ohio, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania.

“The [number of] countries remain the same,” he said, citing Australia, South Korea and Canada.

These locations include all identified academic, federal and civilian facilities affected, Warren said.

FTC SENDS OUT CHECKS RELATED TO MORTGAGE RELIEF SERVICES SCAM

FROM:  U.S. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
FTC Returns Money to Consumers in Mortgage Relief Scam

The Federal Trade Commission is mailing 2,653 checks totaling more than $467,000 to consumers who lost money to a scheme that charged large up-front fees for mortgage relief services that were not provided.

The FTC won a court action against Jackson, Crowder & Associates and Crowder Law Group, in which the FTC alleged that the defendants falsely promised to modify consumers’ mortgages and substantially reduce their monthly payments, exaggerated the role an attorney would play, and pretended to be affiliated with a government agency.

Consumers who receive the checks from the FTC’s refund administrator for this matter, Gilardi & Co. LLC, should deposit or cash them within 60 days of the mailing date. The FTC never requires consumers to pay money or to provide information before refund checks can be cashed. The amount of the check will vary based upon each consumer’s loss.

WHITE HOUSE VIDEO: President Obama's Bilateral Meeting with Prime Minister Cameron of the U...

S. KOREA ROBOT WINS FIRST PRIZE AT DARPA ROBOT FINALS

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

Right:  Team Kaist’s robot DRC-Hubo uses a tool to cut a hole in a wall during the DARPA Robotics Challenge Finals, June 5-6, 2015, in Pomona, Calif. Team Kaist won the top prize at the competition. DARPA photo
   
Robots from South Korea, U.S. Win DARPA Finals
By Cheryl Pellerin
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

POMONA, Calif., June 7, 2015 – A robot from South Korea took first prize and two American robots took second and third prizes here yesterday in the two-day robotic challenge finals held by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

Twenty-three human-robot teams participating in the DARPA Robotics Challenge, or DRC, finals competed for $3.5 million in prizes, working to get through eight tasks in an hour, under their own onboard power and with severely degraded communications between robot and operator.

A dozen U.S. teams and 11 from Japan, Germany, Italy, South Korea and Hong Kong competed in the outdoor competition.

DARPA launched the DRC in response to the nuclear disaster at Fukushima, Japan, in 2011 and the need for help to save lives in the toxic environment there.

Progress in Robotics

The DRC’s goal was to accelerate progress in robotics so robots more quickly can gain the dexterity and robustness they need to enter areas too dangerous for people and mitigate disaster impacts.

Robot tasks were relevant to disaster response -- driving alone, walking through rubble, tripping circuit breakers, using a tool to cut a hole in a wall, turning valves and climbing stairs.

Each team had two tries at the course with the best performance and times used as official scores. All three winners each had final scores of eight points, so they were arrayed from first to third place according to least time on the course.

DARPA program manager and DRC organizer Gill Pratt congratulated the 23 participating teams and thanked them for helping open a new era of human-robot partnerships.

Loving Robots

The DRC was open to the public, and more than 10,000 people over two days watched from the Fairplex grandstand as each robot ran its course. The venue was formerly known as the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds.

"These robots are big and made of lots of metal, and you might assume people seeing them would be filled with fear and anxiety," Pratt said during a press briefing at the end of day 2.

"But we heard groans of sympathy when those robots fell, and what did people do every time a robot scored a point? They cheered!” he added.

Pratt said this could be one of the biggest lessons from DRC -- “the potential for robots not only to perform technical tasks for us but to help connect people to one another."

South Korean Winning Team

Team Kaist from Daejeon, South Korea, and its robot DRC-Hubo took first place and the $2 million prize. Hubo comes from the words ‘humanoid robot.’

Team Kaist is from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, which professor JunHo Oh of the Mechanical Engineering Department called “the MIT of Korea,” and he led Team Kaist to victory here.

In his remarks at the DARPA press conference, Oh noted that researchers from a university commercial spinoff called Rainbow Co., built the Hubo robot hardware.

The professor said his team’s first-place prize doesn’t make DRC-Hubo the best robot in the world, but he’s happy with the prize, which he said helps demonstrate Korea’s technological capabilities.

Team IHMC Robotics

Coming in second with a $1 million prize is Team IHMC Robotics of Pensacola, Florida -- the Institute of Human and Machine Cognition -- and its robot Running Man.

Jerry Pratt leads a research group at IHMC that works to understand and model human gait and its applications in robotics, human assistive devices and man-machine interfaces.

“Robots are really coming a long way,” Pratt said.

“Are you going to see a lot more of them? It's hard to say when you'll really see humanoid robots in the world,” he added. “But I think this is the century of the humanoid robot. The real question is what decade? And the DRC will make that decade come maybe one decade sooner.”

Team Tartan Rescue

In third place is Team Tartan Rescue of Pittsburgh, winning $500,000. The robot is CHIMP, which stands for CMU highly intelligent mobile platform. Team members are from Carnegie Mellon University and the National Robotics Engineering Center.

Tony Stentz, NREC director, led Team Tartan Rescue, and during the press conference called the challenge “quite an experience.”

That experience was best captured, he said, “with our run yesterday when we had trouble all through the course, all kinds of problems, things we never saw before.”

While that was happening, Stentz said, the team operating the robot from another location kept their cool.

Promise for the Technology

“They figured out what was wrong, they tapped their deep experience in practicing with the machine, they tapped the tools available at their fingertips, and they managed to get CHIMP through the entire course, doing all of the tasks in less than an hour,” he added.

“That says a lot about the technology and it says a lot about the people,” Stentz said, “and I think it means that there's great promise for this technology.”

All the winners said they would put most of the prize money into robotics research and share a portion with their team members.

After the day 2 competition, Arati Prabhakar, DARPA director, said this is the end of the 3-year-long DARPA Robotics Challenge but “the beginning of a future in which robots can work alongside people to reduce the toll of disasters."

ED DEPT FACT SHEET ON MISLEADING CLAIMS BY CAREER COLLEGES

FROM:  U.S. EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
Fact Sheet: Protecting Students from Abusive Career Colleges
Administration outlines new debt relief process for Corinthian Colleges’ students

JUNE 8, 2015

Over the past six years, the Education Department has taken unprecedented steps to hold career colleges accountable for giving students what they deserve: a high-quality, affordable education that prepares them for their careers. The Department established tougher regulations targeting misleading claims by colleges and incentives that drove sales people to enroll students through dubious promises. The Department has cracked down on bad actors through investigations and enforcement actions. The Department also issued "gainful employment" regulations, which will help ensure that students at career colleges don't end up with debt they cannot repay. The Department will continue to hold institutions accountable in order to improve the value of their programs, protect students from abusive colleges, and safeguard the interests of taxpayers.

"While some for-profit career colleges play a critical role in helping students succeed in their educational and training pursuits, too often, bad actors in the sector have preyed on some of our nation's most vulnerable students and taken advantage of hard-working Americans who simply want a better future for themselves and their families," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "I am committed to ensuring that every student has access to an education that will put them on solid footing for a career, and I will hold schools accountable for practices that undercut their students and taxpayers. Where students have been harmed by fraudulent practices, I am fully committed to making sure students receive every penny of relief they are entitled to under law. We will make this process as easy as possible for them, including by considering claims in groups wherever possible, and hold institutions accountable."

Today, the Education Department is announcing new steps in this work, particularly to address the concerns of students who attended schools owned by Corinthian Colleges Inc.

How debt relief will work for Corinthian students

The Department has worked to rapidly develop a streamlined process for getting debt relief to Corinthian students. The Department's aim is to make the process of forgiving loans fair, clear and efficient—and to ensure that students who are eligible to participate know about this opportunity.

Some Corinthian schools closed down, while others were sold but remain open under different ownership. The announcements today are for:

Corinthian students whose schools have closed down.
Corinthian students who believe they were victims of fraud, regardless of whether their school closed.
Helping Corinthian students whose schools have closed

In general, when a college closes, students are eligible to discharge their federal student loans if they were attending when the school closed or who withdrew from the school within 120 days of the closing date. Given the unique circumstances for former Corinthian students, the Department is expanding eligibility for students to apply for a closed school loan discharge, extending the window of time back to June 20, 2014, to capture students who attended the now-closed campuses after Corinthian entered into an agreement with the Department to terminate Corinthian's ownership of its schools.

The Department's Federal Student Aid office has been and will continue to contact potentially impacted student borrowers to provide clear information about their options, including loan discharge applications, in addition to providing enhanced information on the Department's website.

In addition, the Department has worked with a group of organizations and institutions—including those within the California State University system, led by CSU Fullerton and C-REAL, Beyond 12, and the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators and its California and Western region affiliates—as they have established an independent volunteer advising corps that will help students navigate their options. The resource is available at www.NextStepsEDU.org, where students can sign up and be connected to a volunteer advisor from the field who can help students determine which option is best suited to their situation. (Note that as the Department is not managing this initiative, it cannot endorse any advice that a student may receive.)

Helping students who believe they were victims of fraud, regardless of whether their school closed

Provisions in the law called "defense to repayment" or "borrower's defense" allow borrowers to seek loan forgiveness if they believe they were defrauded by their college under state law. This provision has rarely been used in the past. Now, the Department is taking unprecedented action to create a streamlined process that is fair to students who may have been victims of fraud and that holds colleges accountable to taxpayers.

In taking these actions, as Under Secretary Ted Mitchell outlined in a blog post today, the Department is committed to helping support affected students. Given the pressing need presented by the unique situation for students who attended colleges owned by Corinthian, the Department is today announcing specific steps for students who attended those campuses, as well as outlining broader processes for all students that will be established moving forward.

Extending debt relief eligibility to groups of students wherever possible: In order to receive loan forgiveness under a "defense to repayment," students must assert that a college's actions violated state law and affected their provision of educational services or their federal loans. Wherever possible, the Department will rely on evidence established by appropriate authorities in considering whether whole groups of students (for example, an entire academic program at a specific campus during a certain time frame) are eligible for borrower defense relief. This will simplify and expedite the relief process, reducing the burden on borrowers.
For example, after analyzing the Department's findings in its investigation of Heald College and relevant California law, the Department has determined that evidence of misrepresentation exists for students enrolled in a large majority of programs offered at Heald College campuses between 2010 and 2015. Specifically, the Department has determined that students who relied on misrepresentations found in published job placement rates for many Heald programs qualify to have their federal direct student loans discharged. Students can have their loans forgiven and receive refunds for amounts paid based on a simple attestation. More information about this process—including the attestation form—is available on studentaid.gov/Corinthian. Additional details will be posted on the website in the coming weeks.

Providing loan forbearance and pausing payments: All former Corinthian students who apply for borrower defense have the option of having their federal loans immediately placed into forbearance, which stops their monthly payments to ensure they do not fall behind or default on their loans while the Department works to resolve the claim. For such students who are already in default on their loans, the Department will immediately halt collection activity. Students will receive a notification from their loan servicer to confirm the change in status of their loans.
Appointing a Special Master dedicated to borrower defense issues: The Department will appoint a Special Master to oversee borrower defense issues and charge that person with ensuring the process is simple, streamlined, and fair to students and taxpayers. While the specific steps announced today are for former Corinthian students, the Special Master will help develop a broader system that will support students at other institutions who believe they have a defense to repayment. The Special Master will be named in the coming weeks.
Establishing a streamlined process: As noted above, the Department will work to provide debt relief to groups of students wherever possible, as we already have determined is possible for many Heald College students. For other Corinthian students, with the help of the Special Master, the Department will create a simple application for debt relief, which borrowers can complete online or by email or postal mail. Starting today, former Corinthian students can visit studentaid.gov/Corinthian to learn more, and in the coming weeks, the Department will have an online form available for these borrowers. In addition, students can call a special toll-free borrower defense hotline at (855) 279-6207 to ask about their options.
Building a better system for debt relief for the future: The Department will develop new regulations to clarify and streamline loan forgiveness under the defense to repayment provision, while maintaining or enhancing current consumer protection standards and strengthening those provisions that hold colleges accountable for actions that result in loan discharges. That process will begin later this year and will not slow down the loan discharge process for current applicants.
Calling on Congress to do its part

The Department continues to take aggressive action that ensures defrauded borrowers get the debt relief they are entitled to, steps up oversight and enforcement to identify colleges that present the greatest risk to students and taxpayers, and holds schools accountable for their actions. But to fully address these issues, Congress must also take action. Congress needs to strengthen both consumer protections for students and accountability for colleges to make sure there are better oversight and enforcement tools in place to prevent colleges from harming students and leaving taxpayers holding the bag. The Department looks forward to working with Congress on such efforts, including:

Congress should strengthen—not roll back—efforts to protect students and taxpayers from waste and fraud.
Congress needs to enact rules that hold colleges and their executives responsible for fraudulent acts, not taxpayers.
Students deserve truth in advertising. Congress needs to ensure students have access to meaningful information about college costs and outcomes and are not bombarded by aggressive and deceptive marketing.
Students deserve borrower protections. Congress should also consider preventative action to protect prospective and current students by ensuring that students are not pressured into enrolling and can get relief when the program they signed up for is not what they were promised.
Congress must protect our service members and veterans by eliminating loopholes that make them targets for aggressive marketing and recruitment by for-profit colleges.
Additional Administration efforts to strengthen consumer protections

The Obama Administration has moved swiftly to take action on some of the most problematic practices in the for-profit industry. The steps the Department announced today are part of the Administration's comprehensive approach to protecting students, eliminating bad actors, and encouraging behavior that improves student outcomes—especially in making it easier to afford and complete a degree.

Too often, students at some of the largest career colleges—many run by for-profit companies—enroll with hopes of finding a good job but instead are left saddled with debt in exchange for a worthless degree or certificate.

For-profit students pay more up front: On average, attending a two-year for-profit institution costs a student four times as much as attending a community college.
They borrow more often: More than 80 percent of students at for-profits borrow federal student loans to pay for college, while less than half of students at public institutions do.
And they default on their student loans at disproportionately high rates: Ultimately, students at for-profit colleges represent only about 11 percent of the total higher education population but 44 percent of all federal student loan defaults, a clear sign that some of these colleges were not preparing students for good jobs.
Today's announcement, coupled with the work over the past six years and upcoming efforts, aim to crack down on these abuses and to strengthen consumer protections. Some of the additional steps the Department has taken and updates on its ongoing work include:

Establishing Regulations to Protect Students from Poor-Performing Career Colleges

Last year, the Department published regulations that will eliminate the flow of federal student aid to career training programs that leave students buried in debt with few opportunities to repay it. Those regulations take effect on July 1, 2015.

To qualify for federal student aid, the law requires that for-profit programs and certificate programs at private non-profit and public institutions prepare students for "gainful employment in a recognized occupation." In May 2015, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York upheld the Department's approach to the gainful employment regulations against a challenge from a for-profit industry trade association, saying the Department's regulations represented "reasoned decisionmaking."

Enforcing the Ban on Incentive Compensation

In 2010, the Obama Administration released a broad set of rules to: strengthen the Department's authority to protect students from aggressive recruiting practices fueled by incentive compensation; take action against colleges engaging in deceptive advertising, marketing and sales practices; and to clarify minimum requirements for states to oversee postsecondary programs and handle student complaints.

Under Secretary Mitchell recently issued a memo encouraging the Office of Federal Student Aid to recover funds from schools that are found to have violated the incentive compensation ban. The memo reverses a more lenient approach initiated in 2002 under the Bush Administration by Education Deputy Secretary Hansen, which both the Education Department Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office found to be a barrier to effective enforcement of the law.

Protecting military service members, veterans and their families

For-profit colleges can obtain no more than 90 percent of their revenue from Title IV federal student aid dollars, but federal education aid from programs like the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance and Department of Veterans Affairs GI Bill Benefits is not counted toward that limit. This has made service members and veterans particularly vulnerable to aggressive marketing and recruitment by for-profit colleges, which often pursue aid targeted to such individuals to make up the required 10 percent of their revenue.

In its FY 2016 budget proposal, the Department proposed to eliminate this loophole by including DOD's tuition assistance and GI Bill benefits into the 90 percent calculation. Now, it is up to Congress to act on this plan and protect our nation's military and their families.

In addition, through Executive Order 13607 (the Principles of Excellence for Educational Institutions Serving Service Members, Veterans, Spouses, and Other Family Members), the Administration has worked to protect our nation's military families by ensuring that federal military and veterans educational benefits programs are providing service members, veterans, spouses, and other family members with the information, support, and protections they deserve.

Strengthening accountability and oversight across the federal government through a career college task force

The Department has established an interagency task force, led by Under Secretary Ted Mitchell, to help ensure proper accountability for and oversight of career colleges and for-profit institutions. The task force will enhance the enforcement activity at the Department as well as at other federal and state agencies through tighter coordination of their activities and better information sharing to protect students from school practices and policies that are unfair, deceptive, and abusive, and that put taxpayer funds at risk.

The task force is building on efforts already under way among various federal agencies, and includes the Departments of Justice, Defense, Treasury, Veterans Affairs, and Labor, as well as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Trade Commission, Internal Revenue Service, and Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, the federal partners will continue engaging with state Attorneys General and other stakeholders. The task force gathered for its first official meeting in May.

Given the important responsibilities each of these agencies has and the vital role that states play, this team will leverage their resources and expertise to continue to assist one another in the enforcement of federal criminal and civil laws and regulations, including against institutions and individuals who commit fraud or other criminal activity, thereby making the best use of scarce resources and better protecting the interests of students and taxpayers. And to allow for greater transparency and participation from the higher education community in these efforts—including institutions, consumer advocates and student groups—the task force will periodically organize opportunities for public discussions beginning this summer.

Holding Corinthian Colleges Accountable

In the case of Corinthian Colleges, the Department began tightening oversight of the college's practices and uncovered misrepresentation of its job placement rates. The Department acted to hold Corinthian accountable and ensured students pursuing their education did not face abrupt disruption while enforcement action was being undertaken.

Since that process began in 2014, the Department has taken a series of steps to protect students by requiring the company to sell or close all of its programs, ensuring students received more information about what was happening and their options, requiring expanded refund rights for students, and establishing an independent monitor under the leadership of former U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, who ensured Corinthian remained accountable to students. Fitzgerald and his team ensured that students were made aware of their refund options, ensured that Corinthian's use of federal student aid was made in accordance with Department regulations, and ensured that students were provided correct information about the state of Corinthian's campuses and programs.

Most of Corinthian's campuses were acquired by the nonprofit Zenith Education Group, which agreed to provide a number of new consumer protections, such as providing refund and withdrawal opportunities to students in poorly-performing programs, and to take steps to strengthen programs and improve affordability, including by reducing tuition. The sale allowed most Corinthian students to continue pursuing their education and career goals without disruption, and the Department and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have worked together to provide more than $480 million in loan forgiveness for borrowers who took out Corinthian's high-cost private student loans.

In April 2015, the Department informed Corinthian that it was being fined about $30 million for misrepresenting job placement rates to current and prospective students in its Heald College system. Since then, Corinthian announced it was closing down the last of its remaining campuses. Recognizing the challenges and uncertainty facing students, the Department continues to provide information directly to Corinthian's students about their federal student aid and their options, including both transferring to another school to continue their education or discharging their loan.

Creating options that make it easier to repay federal student loans

The Department is helping more students manage their student debt through flexible repayment options such as the Pay As You Earn plan (PAYE), which caps student loan payments at 10 percent of a borrower's monthly income. The Department is also acting on President Obama's Student Aid Bill of Rights proposal from earlier this year to support more borrowers to help borrowers enroll and participate in PAYE.

In addition, the Administration is continuing outreach to help borrowers who may be struggling to repay their loans, ensuring that they have the information they need to select the best repayment option for them and avoid default. Thanks to these comprehensive efforts, there are now 3.8 million borrowers enrolled in income-driven repayment plans, up from 760,000 in 2012.

Providing families with clear information to make a smart college choice

The Department has provided a wealth of consumer tools designed to help students and families decide which college is right for them. In addition to requiring institutions to provide accurate information about their graduates' job placement success and the types of employment their graduates obtained, the Administration has created resources such as the College Scorecard and the Financial Aid Shopping Sheet, which can help families compare financial aid packages apples-to-apples. Since the launch of the Shopping Sheet in 2012, more than 3,000 institutions—representing more than two-thirds of the entire undergraduate population—have voluntarily adopted the Shopping Sheet to provide prospective students.

The Department also believes there is more to be done to help increase student access to affordable higher education and to improve student outcomes, and will continue to take action toward that goal.