NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN

Marines provide security after dismounting an amphibious assault vehicle while performing a direct action raid on an urban terrain facility during pre-deployment training on Fort Pickett, Va., Sept. 8, 2012. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Chris Stone.
　

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Combined Force Arrests Senior Insurgent Leader
From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, Sept. 19, 2012 - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested the senior Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader for Afghanistan's Kunduz province in the province's Qalah-ye Zal district today, military officials reported.

As the security force approached the IMU leader's location, he and another insurgent maneuvered from the compound and displayed hostile intent. The security force positively identified the insurgent threat and engaged. The insurgent was killed, and the IMU leader was arrested without injury. No civilians were harmed during the operation.

The detained senior insurgent leader is believed to have directed the terrorist organization's insurgent activity in Kunduz province, including the financing, manning and provision of weapons and equipment for attacks on Afghan and coalition forces. He also provided training and direction to insurgents, resulting in several attacks using improvised explosive devices.

The security force also detained four suspected insurgents as a result of this operation.

In other operations today:

-- A combined force arrested a Taliban weapons specialist and killed two armed insurgents in the Muqer district of Ghazni province. As the security force approached his location, two armed insurgents opened fire on the Afghan and coalition troops. The security force engaged the armed insurgents, killing them. No civilians were harmed in the exchange. Prior to his arrest, the Taliban weapons specialist planned and executed several attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in the region using mortars and small-arms fire.

-- A combined force detained six suspects during a search for a Haqqani network weapons facilitator in the Gardez district of Paktia province. The sought-after Haqqani facilitator is believed to work with Haqqani and insurgent leaders throughout western Paktia province to acquire and distribute weapons for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

-- An Afghan-led, coalition-supported force detained two suspects during a search for a Taliban facilitator in the Kandahar district of Kandahar province. The Taliban facilitator is believed to acquire, transport and distribute lethal supplies for insurgent attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in Kandahar City.

-- A combined force detained two suspects in the Zharay district of Kandahar province. The security force also found and destroyed bomb-making components. No civilians were harmed during the operation.

In a Sept. 17 operation, one of the Haqqani network leaders behind an Aug. 7 attack on a coalition base in Logar province, was killed by a combined security force in Logar's Pul-e Alam district. As the security force approached his location, he maneuvered from the compound and opened fire. The security force returned fire, killing him. Hemat was suspected of having supplied suicide bombers with equipment for the Aug. 7 attack, which wounded several Afghan civilians but failed to cause any significant damage to the coalition base. The security force also seized firearms and safely destroyed some explosives.

TWO ROMANIAN NATIONALS PLEAD GUILTY IN REMOTE HACKING SHCEME

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Monday, September 17, 2012

Two Romanian Nationals Plead Guilty to Participating in Multimillion Dollar Scheme to Remotely Hack into and Steal Payment Card Data from Hundreds of US Merchants’ Computers


Defendants Agree to Serve Seven-year and 21-month Prison Sentences

Two Romanian nationals pleaded guilty today to participating in an international, multimillion-dollar scheme to remotely hack into and steal payment card data from hundreds of U.S. merchants’ computers.

Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; John P. Kacavas, U.S. Attorney for the District of New Hampshire; and Holly Fraumeni, Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Manchester, N.H., Resident Office, announced today that Iulian Dolan, 28, of Craiova, Romania, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, and Cezar Butu, 27, of Ploiesti, Romania, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud.

In their guilty pleas, the defendants admitted that, from in or about 2009-2011, they participated in Romanian-based conspiracies with co-conspirator Adrian-Tiberiu Oprea, who is in U.S. custody and awaiting trial in the District of New Hampshire, to hack into hundreds of U.S.-based computers to steal credit, debit and payment account numbers and associated data (collectively "payment card data") that belonged to U.S. cardholders and then use the stolen payment card data to make unauthorized charges on, and/or transfers of funds from, those cardholders’ accounts (or alternatively to transfer the stolen payment card data to other co-conspirators who would do the same).

At the plea hearings today, federal prosecutors noted that the conspiracies involved more than 146,000 compromised cards and more than $10 million in losses.

Dolan admitted that he, along with Oprea, remotely hacked into U.S. merchants’ "point-of-sale" (POS) or "check out" computer systems, where customers’ payment card data was electronically stored. Specifically, Dolan first remotely scanned the internet to identify U.S.-based vulnerable POS systems with certain remote desktop software applications (RDAs) installed on them. Using these RDAs, Dolan logged onto the targeted POS systems over the internet. These were typically password-protected, so Dolan would attempt to crack the passwords, where necessary, to gain administrative access. He would then remotely install software programs called "keystroke loggers" (or "sniffers") onto the POS systems. These programs would record, and then store, all of the data that was keyed into or swiped through the merchants’ POS systems, including customers’ payment card data.

Dolan periodically remotely hacked back into the compromised merchants’ POS system to retrieve the customers’ payment card data and then electronically transferred the payment card data to various electronic storage locations ("dump sites") that Oprea had set up. Dolan knew that Oprea later attempted to use the stolen payment card data to make unauthorized charges on, or transfers of funds from, the accounts. He also knew that Oprea attempted to sell, or otherwise transfer, the stolen payment card data to other co-conspirators for them to use in a similar manner. During the course of the conspiracies, the co-conspirators hacked into several hundred U.S. merchants’ POS systems. Dolan stole payment card data belonging to approximately 6,000 cardholders and was aware that Oprea was engaged in similar conduct. Dolan received approximately $5,000 - $7,500 in cash and personal property from Oprea for his efforts.

In his plea agreement, Butu admitted that he repeatedly asked Oprea to provide him with stolen payment card data and that Oprea provided him with instructions for how to access the website where Oprea had stored a portion of the stolen payment card data. Butu later attempted to use the stolen payment card data to make unauthorized charges on, or transfers of funds from, the accounts. He also attempted to sell, or otherwise transfer, the stolen payment card data to other co-conspirators for them to use in a similar manner. Butu acquired stolen payment card data from Oprea belonging to approximately 140 cardholders.

In his plea agreement, Dolan has agreed to be sentenced to seven years, and Butu has agreed to be sentenced to 21 months in prison.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, with the assistance of the New Hampshire State Police and Romanian authorities.

VA APPROVES $28 MILLION IN GRANTS FOR HOMELESS VETS

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, center, and retired Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, director of the CIA, salute a crowd during the Veterans Day Parade in New York, Nov. 11, 2011. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Teddy Wade

　
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
VA Approves $28 Million in Grants for Homeless Veterans
From a Department of Veterans Affairs News

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2012 - The Department of Veterans Affairs today announced it has approved $28.4 million in grants to fund 38 projects in 25 states and the District of Columbia that will provide transitional housing to homeless veterans.

Among these 38 projects, 31 will provide temporary housing to homeless veterans with the goal that they will retain the residence as their own.

"As we drive toward our goal to end homelessness among veterans by 2015, VA continues to find innovative ways to permanently house veterans who were formerly homeless," said Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki. "Under President [Barack] Obama's leadership, we have made incredible strides in creating programs to aid these brave men and women who have served our Nation so well."

Thirty-one of the grants were awarded through VA's Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program's "Transition in Place" model. The program allows veterans the opportunity to take over payment of a lease instead of moving out after using VA services—substance use counseling, mental health services, job training and more. Other VA programs require veterans living in transitional housing to move out after 24 months.

GPD helps close gaps in available housing for the nation's most vulnerable homeless veterans, including women with children, Native American tribal populations, and veterans with substance use and mental health issues.

Those receiving funding have undergone a rigorous review by teams of experts rating each application under objective criteria to ensure that those funded have the ability to provide the services described and a solid plan to get these Veterans into housing with a high probability of obtaining residential stability and independent living.

"Securing permanent housing is a vital step in the journey of our homeless Veterans," said Dr. Susan Angell, executive director for VA's Veterans Homeless Initiative. "This is the last piece of the puzzle, and it is crucial for them in continuing to lead independent lives."

Community-based programs funded by GPD provide homeless veterans with support services and housing. GPD grants are offered annually as funding is available by VA's National Homeless Program.

Lisa Pape, national director of homeless programs for the Veterans Health Administration which oversees GPD said VHA's focus is creating and strengthening community services around the country so that homeless Veterans get the support they need.

"Our focus is creating a team of community support -- pairing a variety of services, such as mental health support, employment assistance and job training with the essential component of housing," Pape said. "Whether it is aid in overcoming substance use or finding a job, a community helping hand is exactly what these veterans need to lead a better quality of life."

On a single night in 2011, a national count of homeless veterans totaled 67,495, which is 12 percent lower than 76,000 in 2010. As part of the government's five-year plan to eliminate veteran homelessness by 2015, VA has committed almost $1 billion to strengthen programs that prevent and treat the many issues that can lead to veteran homelessness.

The award of grants follows closely with a notice VA published asking interested organizations to submit a nonbinding letter of intent to the Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program to apply for initial and renewal supportive services grants by Sept. 28, 2012. The SSVF Program in the first 10 months of operation has assisted more than 28,000 veterans and their families to prevent or rapidly end homelessness.

SCREENING FOR CONGENITAL HEART DEFECTS IN NEWBORNS

Photo Credit:  CDC
FROM: U.S. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL

Preventing Infant Deaths from Congenital Heart Defects
Kristine Brite McCormick had a healthy pregnancy and gave birth to her daughter, Cora, on November 30, 2009. Kristine and her husband soon brought baby Cora home, after getting a clean bill of health at the hospital. A few days after arriving home, Kristine was feeding Cora when the baby suddenly stopped breathing. Kristine and her husband rushed Cora to the hospital in minutes, but it was too late. Cora was gone. "We learned that she had an undetected congenital heart defect from the coroner," said Kristine. "Neither of us had ever even heard the term."

In the United States, every 15 minutes a baby is born with a congenital heart defect, the most common type of birth defect in this country.

After Cora’s death, her parents learned about newborn screening for critical congenital heart defects (CCHDs) using pulse oximetry. CCHDs are congenital heart defects that require surgery or intervention in the first year of life. Pulse oximetry is a simple bedside test to determine the amount of oxygen in a baby’s blood and the baby’s pulse rate. The test is done using a machine called a pulse oximeter, with sensors placed on the baby’s skin. The test is painless and takes only a few minutes. Low levels of oxygen in the blood can be the first sign of a CCHD. Cora’s mother Kristine wants to make sure that other parents know about newborn screening for CCHDs. In Indiana, where the McCormicks live, a new law requiring newborn screening for CCHDs is known as Cora’s Law, after Cora McCormick.

Congenital heart defects account for 24 percent of infant deaths due to birth defects. Like Cora, babies born with a CCHD can appear healthy at first and be sent home with their families before their condition is detected. These babies are at risk for serious complications and death within the first few days or weeks of life and often require prolonged hospitalizations and emergency care.

Newborn screening for CCHDs can identify some babies with these conditions before they show signs of illness. Once identified, these babies can be seen by pediatric cardiologists and can receive specialized care and treatment. Treatment can include medications and surgery. Detecting and treating CCHDs soon after birth can help to prevent death and disability early in life and can potentially improve the long-term health of individuals with these conditions.

In September 2011, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius approved adding CCHDs to the recommended list of conditions that are included in newborn screening. As newborn screening for CCHDs is implemented throughout the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will play an important role in helping the public understand the effectiveness of such screening. The National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) at CDC is helping assess how well screening programs are detecting CCHDs. NCBDDD also is researching the costs associated with CCHD screening. These activities will help states make decisions about adding these conditions to their existing newborn screening programs and will provide information that will be helpful for states with new or proposed CCHD screening programs.

"While we’ll never know for sure if it would have made a difference for Cora, we sure wish she’d had the simple screening. I hope for a day when no mother finds out about her child’s heart defect from the coroner," Kristine said. "My ultimate hope is that one day no baby is born with a broken heart and that congenital heart defects are prevented in every pregnancy."

JACKAL STONE 2012 SPECIAL OPERATIONS EXERCISE

Members of the Romanian special forces parachute into a drop zone during a demonstration for Ivo Josipovic, the president of Croatia, at the Josip Jovic Air Base in Udbina, Croatia, Sept. 17, 2012. Josipovic visited the air base during Jackal Stone 2012's media day to observe special forces representing 11 nations in this year's training event. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kyle Wagoner

Jackal Stone Promotes Special Operations Partnerships

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2012 - The scenario for the Jackal Stone 2012 special operations exercise taking place in Croatia reads like a Hollywood thriller.

A criminal gang infiltrated an industrial plant in the fictional nation of Freedonia, stealing nuclear, biological and chemical material to pass to a terrorist organization. Commandos from U.S. Special Operations Command Europe teamed up with special police from Croatia's Interior Ministry to track down the perpetrators and recover the material.

The recovery – following an action-packed mission – wasn't the end of the story. An analysis revealed that the insurgents behind the plot had tentacles extending deep into Freedonia. They had to be stopped.

Freedonia turned for help to the United Nations, which in turn, called on NATO to intervene with military forces. NATO declined, citing force commitments in Afghanistan and elsewhere, but urged individual member nations to form a coalition.

Eleven nations stepped forward, with the United States taking the lead. U.S. and Romanian company commanders command two ground task forces, and a Norwegian is leading the maritime component.

"We formed this coalition, and now we are going to take on the Freedonian insurgency problem," Army Maj. Gen. Michael S. Repass, commander of Special Operations Command Europe, told American Forces Press Service by phone from Croatia.

That sets the stage for Jackal Stone, an annual multinational exercise designed to build special operations capabilities and improve interoperability among European partner nations.

The two-part exercise began earlier this month with a bilateral U.S.-Croatian counterterrorism exercise and expanded into a multinational, multi-echelon counterinsurgency scenario that continues into next week.

About 700 U.S. participants are on the ground, working alongside special operators and enabling forces from 10 partner nations as they apply capabilities many have honed together in Afghanistan.

"To the extent possible, Afghanistan has informed everything that we are doing during this exercise," said Repass, who serves as Jackal Stone's coalition commander.

About 60 role-players, many portraying insurgents, add realism to the scenario.

"This is a live exercise, full up," Repass said. "We have role players, people who have taken on the personas of insurgents and are living those personas. And we have multiple sources of intelligence collecting on these personas in the operating environment."

That includes many of the intelligence sources in use in Afghanistan, including human intelligence and imagery from intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft flying overhead, he said. Participants also conduct post-mission analyses, applying biometrics from a database created especially for the exercise, and exploiting intelligence from seized cell phones and computers.

"So we have a very sophisticated operation at the tactical level that will feed intelligence upward, creating a much more robust intelligence picture," Repass said. "At the same time, we are getting national-level Freedonian and international intelligence feeding into us, and we are pushing that down to the tactical units."
　



Special operations forces from the United States, Croatia, and Romania prepare to assault a building during a demonstration of their tactical capabilities for Ivo Josipovic, the president of Croatia, at the Josip Jovic Air Base in Udbina, Croatia, Sept. 17, 2012. Josipovic visited the air base during Jackal Stone 2012's media day to observe special forces representing 11 nations in this year's training event. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kyle Wagoner

While exercising as they would operate in a real-world scenario, the participants are improving their ability to work together as they apply what NATO calls "smart defense," Repass said.

The basic premise is to leverage each other's capabilities to build stronger teams to serve in a coalition or NATO operation, he explained. "You provide tactical units up to your level of ability and your nation's willingness to do so, and you team up with another capable partner," he said.

Repass pointed to the International Security Assistance Force special operations structure in Afghanistan as a tangible demonstration of that concept. Stood up about four years ago, it has grown to an estimated 2,000 operators from about 18 countries.

Jackal Stone is building on this capability, Repass said, strengthening participants' collective ability to plan and execute combined and joint multinational operations with host-nation support from civil and governmental agencies.

That's fundamental to realizing the vision of Navy Adm. William H. McRaven, the Special Operations Command commander, of a special operations force network, postured for global challenges.

While ensuring special operations have the equipment and technical ability to operate together, Repass said the exercise helps strengthen the relationships that underpin their operations.

"One of the fundamental truths of this whole endeavor is that you can't build trust in a crisis. You have to have long relationships, and this is strictly done in the human domain," he said.

"The more we develop these relationships, the better we will work together in the future," Repass said. "The more capable and interoperable our militaries are, the better we will be as a community to achieve common goals of security, stability and peace."

SUNRISE VIEW FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

 

FROM: NASA
Sunrise

On Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011, International Space Station astronaut Ron Garan used a high definition camera to film one of the sixteen sunrises astronauts see each day. This image shows the rising sun as the station flew along a path between Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Image Credit: NASA

CHINA INVITED TO "RIM OF THE PACIFIC" NAVAL EXERCISE

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta speaks with Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force Gen. Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of general staff, in Beijing, Sept. 17, 2012. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo
Panetta: Navy Will Invite China to Pacific Rim Exercise
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

BEIJING, Sept. 18, 2012 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and his Chinese counterpart, Defense Minister Gen. Liang Guanglie, told reporters here today they see progress and room for growth in the two nations' military relationship.

During a news conference following small- and large-group meetings the two attended this morning, Panetta said he informed the general today that "the United States Navy will invite China to send a ship to participate in the RIMPAC [Rim of the Pacific] 2014 exercise."

The biannual exercise, hosted by the commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, is the world's largest maritime exercise. It involved 22 nations' navies this year.

The secretary said he hopes China's participation in RIMPAC 2014 will build on the positive momentum generated by a counterpiracy exercise the two nations took part in last week in the Gulf of Aden.

"These exercises enhance the ability of our navies to work together to confront the common threat of piracy," Panetta said.

The secretary said he and Liang also discussed establishing peacekeeping exchanges between the two militaries, which "would enhance our capabilities in this critical area."

The United States hopes in particular, he added, that through such exchanges "we can learn from China's experience leading [United Nations] peacekeeping missions in Cyprus and in the Western Sahara"

As the two nations increase cooperation, the secretary said, it's important for both sides to recognize they won't always agree.

"The United States continues to be concerned about challenges to maritime security in East Asia," Panetta said, referring to recent clashes between China and Japan over the Senkaku Islands, known in China as the Diaoyu Islands. In that and other territorial disputes in the Asia-Pacific region, Panetta said, he urges calm and hopes to see the nations involved keep communication channels open so they can resolve their claims peacefully, though diplomacy.

"It's in no country's interest for this situation to escalate into conflict that would undermine peace and stability in this very important region," he added. "This has been my consistent message throughout the week."

Map Credit:  U.S. Department Of Defense.

The secretary is midway through an Asia trip that began in Japan and will end later this week with a stop in New Zealand.

Panetta said in discussion with Liang, he also repeated the U.S. desire to have a military-to-military dialogue with China on conduct in cyberspace, which the secretary called a growing economic and security threat.

Finally, Panetta said, he focused during today's discussions on the U.S. strategic rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region. The United States intends its strategy to add impetus to economic, diplomatic and security interests in the region, which is vital to world trade, the secretary added.

"As I pointed out, a key to that rebalancing is having a constructive relationship with China," he said.

Liang told reporters during the conference the Chinese government has placed "great value" on Panetta's visit.

The general confirmed the events on the secretary's schedule through today: meetings here with Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping, State Councilor Dai Bingguo, who serves in a position roughly equivalent to the U.S. national security advisor; and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Xu Caihou.

Liang also confirmed Panetta's schedule includes visits to the People's Liberation Army armored engineering college, where the secretary will deliver a speech, and a visit to the eastern port city of Qingdao, where he will meet with the commander of China's North Sea Fleet.

The general said that in today's meetings, "we have exchanged ideas and opinions on bilateral and military-to-military relations between our two nations, on international and regional situations, and ... other issues of common interest. We have reached some consensus."

Liang said both sides agreed "solid and steady development of China-U.S. relations is significant to the two countries, the two peoples, and to the entire world."

Liang said he and Panetta agreed that within the larger picture of relations between the two countries, they must develop a new military-to-military relationship "based on equality, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation."

He noted there are issues -- including U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, the U.S. rebalancing strategy in the Asia-Pacific region, territorial disputes in the South and East China Sea, cybersecurity and outer space – on which better communication could "reduce suspicions and build trust."

The general added that discussions with Panetta have been conducted in a "candid, practical and constructive atmosphere."

NEBRASKA NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIER SERVES AS MENTOR TO AFGHAN FARMERS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Army Sgt. Alex Peyton, an agricultural specialist with the Nebraska National Guard's agribusiness development team, poses for a picture in the team's conference room at Forward Operating Base Gardez in Afghanistan's Paktia province, Sept. 1, 2012. The Nebraska team serves with the Paktia Provincial Reconstruction Team. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Christopher Bonebrake

Face of Defense: Nebraska Native Mentors Afghan Farmers
     By Army Sgt. Christopher Bonebrake
115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
PAKTIA PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Sept. 18, 2012 - Army Sgt. Alex Peyton, an agricultural specialist from Gothenburg, Neb., bristles with weapons and gear as he sits quietly in a wooden chair, surveying the world outside the wire at Forward Operating Base Gardez here.
Pulling guard duty is not one of his regular tasks, but as a member of the Nebraska National Guard's agribusiness development team, the agricultural section for the Paktia Provincial Reconstruction Team, he must do his part to keep his fellow service members safe.
In high school, Peyton was more interested in becoming a veterinarian than a veteran.
"I've always loved animals, and I worked for a local veterinarian during high school and pursued animal science during my first couple years in college," he said.
Peyton credits his grandfather with first sparking his interest in serving in the military. "My dad would tell me stories about my grandfather when he served in the Big Red One during World War II," he said.
Ever since Peyton joined the Nebraska National Guard in 2007, he has not looked back.
"It was one of the best decisions I ever made," he said. "I serve because when I wear the uniform, it's an honor that is hard to explain. It gives me a great feeling when I put it on."
Peyton deployed to Iraq in 2010 to serve as an intelligence analyst. While he was there, he heard about the agricultural development teams the National Guard was deploying to Afghanistan to help infrastructure development.
When he returned from Iraq, Peyton said, he was looking for summer work and started looking into agronomy -- the study of farming. He worked for a friend at his church taking soil samples and identifying pests, and found that he loved it.
"When I heard about this deployment, I thought it would be a great opportunity to get out in the field and do what I'm learning on the civilian side," he said. "I'm here to help the people of Afghanistan become better farmers, but at the same time learn about early farming practices."
There is no specific course designed to train agricultural specialists in the Army. Selection for being on an agribusiness development team is based upon experience in the civilian world, including education. Peyton was selected because of his work with animals and his current pursuit of a degree from University of Nebraska-Lincoln in agronomy. He said he believes that his experiences in Afghanistan will make him a better student and potential employee when he returns next year.
On a typical mission, Peyton talks with Afghan farmers to assess how the team can better help them improve the quality of their crops. The team also conducts quality assurance and quality control missions, examining the farmers' produce to see if the training they have received has made an impact.
Army Sgt. 1st Class John Ruden, Peyton's first-line leader, describes him as very capable.
"He has a lot of potential for more leadership roles and responsibilities," Ruden said. "He loves to engage with the local populace and teach them about agriculture. When there's a chance to go out, he's always eager to do the mission.
"His work ethic is really good, as well," Ruden added. "If I give him a task, he'll do it. He may ask me five different questions about how to do it, but that's because he wants to do it right, which is great."
Army Lt. Col. William Prusia, the team's officer in charge, described Peyton as a motivated and dedicated soldier who makes a significant contribution to the team.
"Sergeant Peyton is a very sharp and knowledgeable young man," Prusia said. "He brings a unique skill set to the team that is invaluable. I don't know many guys in their 20s who have the knowledge and experience he has."
When he gets home, Peyton said, he plans to finish his degree in agronomy and stay in the National Guard until he reaches at least the rank of master sergeant.
"I continue to serve because I have so many friends who got out early and regret it," he said. "Overall, I'm really happy I joined and enjoy what I do here. I'd rather stay in than get out and look back with regret."

U.S.-CHINA PARTICIPATED IN NAVAL EXERCISE TO CURB PIRACY

FROM: U.S. NAVY
120917-N-YF306-390 GULF OF ADEN (Sept. 17, 2012) A visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team member from the Chinese People's Liberation Army (Navy) frigate Yi Yang (FF 548) boards a rigid-hull inflatable boat after completing a bilateral counter-piracy exercise aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81). The focus of the exercise was American and Chinese naval cooperation in detecting, boarding, and searching suspected pirated vessels. Winston S. Churchill is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Aaron Chase/Released)

　

US and China Team Up for Counter-Piracy Exercise
By USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) Public Affairs

AT SEA (NNS) -- Guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) and other U.S. Navy assets participated in a counter-piracy exercise with elements of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (Navy) PLA(N) near the Horn of Africa, Sept. 17.

The exercise, the first bilateral counter-piracy exercise ever conducted between the U.S. and China, paired Winston S. Churchill with PLA(N) frigate Yi Yang (FF 548) to conduct a combined visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) boarding.

The focus was on bilateral interoperability in detecting, boarding and searching suspected vessels as well as the ability of both Chinese and American naval assets to respond to pirated vessels.

"Piracy is a threat to the freedom of the seas, economic security, and the safety of mariners from all nations. Bilateral exercises such as this demonstrate the cooperative will of the international community and increases proficiency of multinational forces in confronting the threat," said Cmdr. Chris D. Stone, Winston S. Churchill's commanding officer. "We have common regional and global security challenges, and we are able to jointly address those by training together."

VBSS teams from both ships performed the boarding on Winston S. Churchill, which was simulating a pirated vessel. Executing the boarding side-by-side as a combined U.S.-Chinese team, the team successfully searched the vessel and provided assistance to the role-playing mariners.

Participants felt that the training was meaningful, providing a unique opportunity to operate alongside one another.

"It was exciting to interact with the Chinese Sailors and cooperate in a critical environment," said Lt. j.g. Edward R. Kellum, boarding officer for Winston S. Churchill's VBSS team. "Anytime we work with a foreign military, it adds a different perspective to how we operate. However, to collaborate with the Chinese in an anti-piracy framework is a rare opportunity and a real achievement for maritime security."

Following the exercise, leaders from both navies discussed the elements of the boarding in order to learn how to better operate together in the future.

U.S and Chinese leaders expressed how important and beneficial the training was, both in terms of building cooperative ties and development of techniques to counter piracy.

"We're appreciative of the opportunity to train with other nations to establish ties that will allow us to work together to face the piracy threat," said Stone. "As fellow mariners we have great admiration for our Chinese counterparts who are sailing alongside us and other coalition partners to keep the sea lanes safe."

Winston S. Churchill is currently deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts, and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom.

THE GREEN INVESTMENT PONZI SCHEME

Photo:  NYSE Shortly After 1929 Crash.  Credit:  Wikimedia
FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

SEC Obtains Final Judgments Ordering More Than $135 Million in Monetary Relief in "Green" Investment Ponzi Scheme
The Securities and Exchange Commission announced that on September 13, 2012, the Honorable Christine M. Arguello, U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Colorado, entered final judgments against Troy B. Wragg, Amanda E. Knorr, Speed of Wealth, LLC, Wayde M. McKelvy, and Donna M. McKelvy ordering disgorgement, prejudgment interest, and civil penalties totaling more than $135 million. The Court ordered Wragg and Knorr to pay $37,031,035.36 in disgorgement plus interest of $3,713,772.06 jointly and severally with Mantria Corporation and a civil penalty of $37,031,035.36 each; Speed of Wealth and Wayde McKelvy to pay $6,273,632.78 in disgorgement plus interest of $869,141.87 jointly and severally and a civil penalty of $6,273,632.78 each; and Donna McKelvy to pay $429,731.84 in disgorgement plus interest of $55,172.93 and a civil penalty of $214,865.92.

The parties were originally charged in a Complaint filed on November 17, 2009. The Complaint alleged that Wayde and Donna McKelvy, through their Denver-based company Speed of Wealth LLC, as well as Mantria executives Wragg and Knorr, raised funds for numerous Mantria "green" initiatives such as a supposed "carbon negative" housing community in rural Tennessee and a "biochar" charcoal substitute made from organic waste. The SEC alleged that Mantria’s "green" representations were fraudulent and that investors were falsely promised enormous returns on their investments ranging from 17 percent to "hundreds of percent" annually. Mantria’s environmental initiatives did not generate any significant cash, and any returns paid to investors were funded almost exclusively from other investors’ funds. In addition, none of the relevant offerings were registered with the Commission, nor were any of the defendants registered as a broker-dealer or associated with a registered broker-dealer.

Upon the Commission’s motion, the Court entered a temporary restraining order on November 16, 2009, and an order of preliminary injunction on December 2, 2009. After entry of the September 13, 2012 final judgments, permanent injunctions have now been entered against all Defendants.

U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT DAILY PRESS BRIEFING

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Violent TV and kids’ bad nights

Violent TV and kids’ bad nights

RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS

 

FROM: U.S. NAVY
120916-N-SH953-389 ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (Sept. 16, 2012) Retired Navy SEAL Jim Woods, a member of the U.S. Navy parachute demonstration team, The Leap Frogs, lands as the USS Constitution Honor Guard marches onto the field during the opening ceremonies of the Bills and Chiefs NFL football game during Buffalo Navy Week 2012. Buffalo Navy Week is one of 15 signature events planned across America in 2012. The weeklong event commemorates the bicentennial of the War of 1812, hosting service members from the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kathryn E. Macdonald/Released)

The amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5) pulls away from the pier for a scheduled deployment to the western Pacific region. U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Elizabeth Merriam (Released) 120917-N-BB534-184

SPACECRAFT LANDS IN KAZAKHSTAN

FROM: NASA

Expedition 32 Landing
The Soyuz TMA-04M spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 32 Commander Gennady Padalka of Russia, NASA Flight Engineer Joe Acaba and Russian Flight Engineer Sergie Revin in a remote area near the town of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan, on Monday, September 17, 2012. Padalka, Acaba and Revin returned from five months onboard the International Space Station where they served as members of the Expedition 31 and 32 crews.
Photo Credit- NASA-Carla
Cioffi

EXPORT-IMPORT BANK BACKS AIRCRAFT SALE IN BRAZIL

Map Credit:  CIA World Factbook.

FROM: U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK

Ex-Im Authorizes $900,000 in Export Insurance
to Back Texas Small Business’s Aircraft Sale in Brazil;
Supports 135 Jobs in Texas
Washington, D.C. – The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) has authorized credit insurance to support the export by Air Tractor Inc. of nearly $900,000 worth of American-made crop-spraying aircraft to a biofuel and soybean grower in Brazil.

This Bank-supported export sale is the twentieth of approximately forty similar deals expected to benefit Air Tractor this year. The total body of export sales will support 135 American jobs in Olney, Texas, both in production and in sales management.

"We’re glad to see Air Tractor -a small business in Texas- winning this sale to Brazil, which is one of our nine key markets," said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. "This export transaction continues the long relationship we have had with Air Tractor that helped them dramatically grow their foreign sales while supporting American jobs."

Air Tractor employs 270 people to build its aircraft and custom equipment. Since 1972, the Air Tractor line has sold about 2,800 aircraft to buyers on six continents. Over the past 17 years, Air Tractor has utilized Ex-Im Bank’s medium-term insurance to export an estimated $70 million worth of its aircraft, primarily to small private-sector buyers in Argentina and Brazil. In 2009 and 2011, Air Tractor also obtained Bank-guaranteed working capital loans.

"The export finance products of Ex-Im Bank have been invaluable to Air Tractor in supporting our growth in the international market over the last 15 years," said David Ickert, chief financial officer for Air Tractor. "We continue to look to Ex-Im Bank for support as we expand our export sales in the future. The Bank’s products and hard-working employees are key to our export growth and job creation."

The financing will support the export of Air Tractor’s model AT-502B, a single-engine turbo prop aircraft outfitted with a 500-gallon hopper that can be utilized both to extinguish fires and to spray crops. The aircraft is specifically adapted to operational conditions in Brazil’s State of Mato Grosso.

Taua Biodiesel Ltda, headquartered in Nova Mutum, Brazil, purchased the medium-sized Air Tractor equipment for its agricultural operations. The Taua group produces biodiesel fuel, vegetable oil, and soybean meal on 40,000 acres now under cultivation. Taua plans to increase its operation to 100,000 hectares by 2015.

Ex-Im Bank concentrates market development efforts in Brazil because of that country’s massive and growing consumer population, which welcomes goods stamped "Made in USA." The Bank’s exposure in Brazil as of the end of fiscal year 2011 amounted to $2.7 billion.

JAPAN TO HAVE NEW ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILE RADAR INSTALLATION



U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta meets with Japanese Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto in Tokyo, Sept. 17, 2012. DOD photo by Erin Kirk-Cuomo

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

U.S., Japan Agree to Add Second Radar Installation
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

TOKYO, Sept. 17, 2012 - The United States and Japan have agreed to add a second U.S. anti-ballistic missile radar installation in Japan, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta announced here today.

During a news conference following separate meetings with Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister Koichiro Gemba and Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto, Panetta and Morimoto both discussed the radar's significance.

The agreement "reflects our joint commitment to this alliance, and to promoting peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region," Panetta said.

A defense official traveling with PanettaTPY-2, will augment one previously set up in Shariki on the northern part of Honshu island. A team from the United States arrived in Japan this week to work with Japanese officials in determining a site for the new radar, the official added.

The official said the radar is not a defense against China, but rather against the growing ballistic missile threat North Korea poses to "the U.S. homeland as well as U.S. citizens, our deployed forces, allies and partners in the region."

"U.S. missile defense and Japan are focused on deterring North Korean aggression," the official said, "and if deterrence fails, defending against the growing arsenal of North Korean ballistic missiles. North Korea has hundreds of ballistic missiles that can threaten our interests ... [as well as] other countries in the region."

The official said the land-based system will bolster regional security and allow flexibility in deploying ships equipped with the same radar, now stationed in the Asia-Pacific region, to other parts of the world as needed.

"The U.S. has been committed to the collective regional security of the Asia-Pacific region for decades, and to that end we cooperate with our partners on a broad range of capabilities, including missile defense," the official said.

According to a Missile Defense Agency fact sheet, the AN-TPY-2 is an X-band, high-resolution, phased-array radar designed specifically for ballistic missile defense, capable of tracking all classes of ballistic missiles and identifying small objects at long distances.

Used with the Ballistic Missile Defense System, the AN-TPY-2 acts as advanced "eyes" for the system, detecting ballistic missiles early in their flight and providing precise tracking information for the system's use.

EARTH SUSTAINABILITY

Photo:  Mountain Landscape.  Credit:  Wikimedia. 
FROM: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Maintaining Earth's Sustainability: Scientists, Engineers, Educators Take Coordinated Approach National Science Foundation makes second set of awards in sustainability Research Coordination Networks program

September 17, 2012

Coordinating phosphorus research to create a sustainable food system; studying urban heat islands; and advancing social and environmental understanding of mountain landscapes are all topics of new grants totaling $5 million recently made through the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Science, Engineering and Education for Sustainability (SEES) portfolio.

The awards are through NSF's SEES-Research Coordination Networks (RCN) program.

Grants also include building a research network for promoting Arctic urban sustainability in Russia; multidisciplinary approaches to carbon capture, utilization and storage; creating an engineering research collaboratory for sustainable infrastructure in a changing climate; and developing an integrated network for social sustainability concepts, language and assessment.

"These collaborative projects address difficult challenges that threaten the sustainability of our country's natural resources and built environment," says Thomas Peterson, NSF assistant director for Engineering.

"With a sound base in science and engineering, sustainable development can benefit society, the economy and the environment over the long term."

SEES activities span the range of scientific domains at NSF.

SEES RCN awards are supported by NSF's Directorates for Biological Sciences; Computer & Information Science & Engineering; Education and Human Resources; Engineering; Geosciences; Mathematical & Physical Sciences; Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences; Office of Cyberinfrastructure; Office of International Science and Engineering; and Office of Polar Programs.

These NSF directorates and offices support interdisciplinary research and education projects that will move society toward global sustainability; build new links among existing projects and partners; add new participants in sustainability research; and develop the workforce needed to understand and address the complex issues of environmental sustainability.

"An important metric of the success of a program like SEES RCN is the legacy it will leave long after the program has been completed," says Marge Cavanaugh, NSF acting assistant director for Geosciences.

"The interdisciplinary partnerships that SEES RCN projects will create, along with the broadly educated and creative students and young researchers they will produce, are just as important as the new processes and links that will be discovered."

Sustainability science and engineering goes beyond adaptation to and mitigation of environmental change. A sustainable world is one in which human needs are met without harm to the environment, and without sacrificing the ability of future generations to meet their needs in turn.

This formidable task requires understanding the integrated system of society and the natural world, along with the alterations humans are making on Earth, scientists, engineers and educators believe.

NSF's SEES activities are addressing this need by supporting interdisciplinary research and education leading to a better understanding of, predictive capability for, and solutions to environmental challenges.

The RCN program's goal is to advance a scientific field or create new directions in research and education. Groups of investigators coordinate their research, training and education activities across disciplinary, organizational, geographic and international boundaries.

The program fosters new collaborations, including international partnerships, and addresses interdisciplinary topics.

By linking U.S. and international scientists in research on sustainable cities, energy, water, engineering and manufacturing sustainability, and related subjects, SEES RCNs are creating new directions in sustainability science and engineering.

European Space Agency United Kingdom (EN) Update

European Space Agency United Kingdom (EN) Update

U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT DAILY PRESS BRIEFING

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U.S. ENERGY SECURITY

FROM: U.S. NAVY

120908-N-QY430-010 NORFOLK (Sept. 08, 2012) Adm. John C. Harvey, Jr. commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, left, greets U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack during a tour of the guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61). Secretary Vilsack made the visit to discuss efforts by the Departments of Agriculture and the Navy to strengthen energy security for our nation's military. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Rafael Martie/Released)

USDA and DON Visit to USS Monterey Reinforces Commitment to Greater Energy Security
NORFOLK (NNS) -- U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy Tom Hicks toured the USS Monterey (CG 61) at Naval Station Norfolk Sept. 8, highlighting the commitment of both agencies to greater energy security for the nation's military.

During the tour, Vilsack and Hicks discussed the tremendous opportunities advanced biofuels hold for reducing America's dependence on foreign oil while creating more jobs in rural communities.

"Developing the next generation of advanced biofuels for our nation's military is both a national security issue and an economic issue," said Vilsack. "By utilizing renewable energy produced on American soil, our military forces will become less reliant on fuel that has to be transported long distances and often through choke points that can be disrupted during times of conflict.

"Meanwhile, a strong and diverse biofuels industry will support good-paying jobs in rural America that can't be shipped overseas," he continued. "Through this joint effort, USDA and the U.S. Navy have the opportunity to create a model for American energy security while ensuring the safety of our troops and the long term viability of our armed forces."

"Secretary Vilsack's leadership and the work carried out by USDA on alternative fuel is so critical to the Navy's efforts to address a critical military vulnerability: our reliance on foreign oil," stated U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus. "I am grateful that he took the time today to tour USS Monterey and meet some of our Sailors. I am sure he came away as impressed with their professionalism and skill as I am always am."

This past July, the U.S. Navy completed a demonstration of the "Great Green Fleet" using a 50/50 blend of advanced hydroprocessed biofuel and conventional fuel to power helicopters, jets, a cruiser and two destroyers. The demonstration also incorporated technologies designed to enhance the combat capability of Navy warships, such as energy efficient solid state lighting, stern flaps and shipboard "smart voyage" planning decision aid software.

The July demonstration took place off the coast of Hawaii as part of the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC). Secretary Mabus observed operations, which included fueling helicopters and jets from the deck the USS Nimitz (CVN 68); completing arrested landings of aircraft onto a carrier, the first ever using biofuels; refueling a destroyer while underway; and air-to-air refueling.

"Today's event demonstrates our joint commitment to energy security and how the department is exploring ways to improve our combat capabilities." said Tom Hicks, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for Energy. "We are excited about our partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Energy to produce advanced biofuels for military and commercial use."

Navy, USDA and DOE recently announced an agreement that makes $30 million in funding available to support commercialization of "drop-in" biofuel substitutes for diesel and jet fuel through the Defense Production Act Title III (DPA). The DPA dates back to 1950 and has been used to support the industrialization of defense-critical domestic industries such as steel, aluminum, titanium, semiconductors, beryllium, and radiation-hardened electronics.

At the same time, DOE announced an additional $32 million to support research into advanced biofuel technologies that are in earlier stages of development.

SEC ALLEGES BROKERS CHURNED ACOUNTS FOR FEES

FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSIOIN

Washington, D.C., Sept. 10, 2012 – The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged three former brokers at an Atlanta-based brokerage firm for "churning" the accounts of customers with conservative investment objectives, causing severe investor losses while the brokers collected handsome fees.

The SEC also charged the head supervisor at JP Turner & Company, Michael Bresner, as well as the firm’s president William Mello and the firm itself for compliance failures. JP Turner and Mello agreed to settle the SEC’s charges, while an administrative proceeding will continue against the three brokers and the supervisor.

Churning is a fraudulent practice in which brokers disregard the customer’s investment objectives and engage in excessive trading for the purpose of generating commissions and other revenue for themselves or their firms. The SEC’s Enforcement Division alleges that brokers Ralph Calabro, Jason Konner, and Dimitrios Koutsoubos engaged in churning while they worked at JP Turner. They collectively generated commissions, fees, and margin interest totaling approximately $845,000 while the defrauded customers suffered aggregate losses of approximately $2.7 million.

"Broker-dealers’ supervisory systems must provide customers with reasonable protection from churning and similar abuses. JP Turner’s supervisory systems failed to do that," said William P. Hicks, Associate Director of the SEC’s Atlanta Regional Office.

According to the SEC’s order instituting administrative proceedings against the three brokers and the supervisor, Calabro lives in Matawan, N.J. and Konner and Koutsoubos each live in Brooklyn, N.Y. They all work at different firms now. While at JP Turner, they collectively churned the accounts of seven customers with conservative investment objectives and low or moderate risk tolerances. The churning occurred between January 2008 and December 2009.

According to the SEC’s order, Bresner lives in Atlanta and is an executive vice president and the head of supervision at JP Turner. He is charged with failing to reasonably supervise Konner and Koutsoubos, who generated such high commissions for some of their churned customers that it triggered a requirement in the firm’s procedures requiring that Bresner personally review the underlying trading activity. However, Bresner failed to take appropriate action in response to the trading in these accounts despite several red flags.

Specifically, the SEC’s Enforcement Division alleges that Calabro, Konner, and Koutsoubos violated Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5, and Bresner failed reasonably to supervise Konner and Koutsoubos with a view to preventing and detecting their violations.

The settled administrative order against JP Turner and Mello finds that they failed to implement adequate procedures to detect and prevent the fraudulent churning of customer accounts. Mello as president was ultimately responsible for establishing and implementing the firm’s supervisory policies and procedures designed to detect and prevent churning violations. Although JP Turner had a monitoring system to identify actively traded accounts, the system imposed few requirements and no meaningful guidance for supervisors to review these accounts and take meaningful action to investigate the trading activity.

In settling the SEC’s charges without admitting or denying the findings, JP Turner agreed to hire an independent consultant to review the firm’s supervisory procedures in order to prevent future violations. The SEC’s order censures JP Turner and requires payment of $200,000 in disgorgement (JP Turner’s approximate share of the commissions and fees generated by the fraudulent churning) plus $16,051 in prejudgment interest and a $200,000 penalty. The order suspends Mello from association in a supervisory capacity with a broker, dealer, or investment adviser for a period of five months and requires him to pay a $45,000 penalty.

The SEC’s investigation was conducted in its Atlanta Regional Office by staff attorneys Natalie M. Brunson and Song P. Brandon under the supervision of Assistant Regional Director Matthew F. McNamara. The SEC’s litigation will be led by Regional Trial Counsel M. Graham Loomis, senior trial counsels Edward G. Sullivan and W. Shawn Murnahan, and staff attorney Natalie Brunson. Assistant Regional Director Anthony D. Russell and securities compliance examiner Charlotte E. Moncrieff conducted the examination that led to the investigation.

U.S. NAVY PHOTOS FROM HISTORY

FROM:  U.S. NAVY
020103-N-3653A-001.JPG - USS George Washington (CVN 73) Jan. 3, 2002. - Snow covering the flight deck of the USS George Washington after more than eight inches fell in the Norfolk, Virginia area. U.S Navy photo by PH3 Summer M. Anderson. (Released)

011014-N-XXXXL-002 Honolulu, Hawaii (Oct. 24, 2001) -- The Japanese fishing vessel "Ehime Maru" is lifted from the ocean floor by the Rockwater 2 to a shallow-water recovery site off the coast of Honolulu. In this photo, the "Quest" electric work-class remotely operated vehicle (ROV) observes the wreckage. The Ehime Maru went down off the coast of Honolulu, Hawaii, after a collision at sea  with the submarine USS Greeneville (SSN 772). U.S. Navy Photo. (RELEASED)

SPACEDOCK

FROM:  NASA
Astronaut Ron Garan took this image during the spacewalk conducted on Tues., July 12, 2011. It shows the International Space Station with Space Shuttle Atlantis docked on the right and a Russian Soyuz on the far left. In the foreground is the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) experiment installed during the STS-134 mission.


AMS is a state-of-the-art particle physics detector designed to use the unique environment of space to advance knowledge of the universe and lead to the understanding of the universe's origin by searching for antimatter and dark matter, and measuring cosmic rays.

Image Credit: NASA

25TH ANIVERSARY OF NUCLEAR RISK REDUCTION CENTERS

Photo:  Little Boy.  Credit:  Wikimedia

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
25 Years of Enhanced Strategic Security Through the Nuclear Risk Reduction CentersMedia Note

Office of the Spokesman

Washington, DC

September 15, 2012

Today, the U.S. Department of State commemorates the 25th Anniversary of the creation of the Nuclear Risk Reduction Centers (NRRCs). Established under President Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Gorbachev with the purpose of opening a communications channel to reduce the risk of conflict, the Nuclear Risk Reduction Centers at the Department of State in Washington, D.C. and the Russian Ministry of Defense in Moscow operate twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and are equipped with secure and reliable lines of direct communication to perform the critical mission of sustaining strategic security.

Over the years, the U.S. NRRC has expanded its role in bilateral and multilateral security and confidence building arrangements, supporting conventional treaties and agreements with a wide variety of foreign partners and international institutions.

Today, the U.S. NRRC exchanges thousands of time-sensitive notifications a year under a multitude of arms control treaties and agreements such as the New START Treaty and is a key resource for the promotion of transparency and stability that enhances confidence and directly contributes to our national security interests.

As we meet the security challenges of the 21st century, we will continue to support future arms control measures and explore new ways at strengthening modern confidence building through technical and innovative means.

ALLEGED FOREX FRAUD UNCOVERED

FROM: U.S. COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION

CFTC Charges Florida Resident William Jeffery Chandler with Forex Fraud and Misappropriation

Federal court enters emergency order freezing defendant’s assets and protecting books and records

Washington, DC – The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today announced that on September 11, 2012, Judge James D. Whittemore of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida entered an emergency order freezing the assets of defendant William Jeffery Chandler of Ft Myers, Fla. The court’s order also prohibits Chandler from destroying or altering books and records. The judge set a hearing on the CFTC’s motion for a preliminary injunction for September 26, 2012.

The court’s order arises out of a civil enforcement action filed by the CFTC on September 10, 2012, charging Chandler with foreign currency (forex) fraud and misappropriation. Chandler has never been registered with the CFTC in any capacity, according to the complaint.

The CFTC complaint alleges that, since at least July 2010, and continuing to the present, Chandler has solicited at least six individuals to contribute at least $773,100 to a pooled account to trade off-exchange forex contracts in Chandler’s account at Dukascopy Bank SA, a Switzerland-domiciled bank. To entice prospective pool participants to invest, Chandler allegedly guaranteed a two percent to 12.5 percent monthly return on participants’ principal.

However, according to the complaint, Chandler’s Dukascopy Bank account was closed on or about July 15, 2011, due to changes in U.S. regulations. The Dukascopy Bank account was transferred to Alpari US LLC, a U.S.-based registered Retail Foreign Exchange Dealer, on August 8, 2011, according to the complaint. At that time, the pooled account allegedly had a balance of only $292.49, far less than the amount contributed by pool participants.

Chandler allegedly continues to solicit and receive funds from pool participants to trade in his Dukascopy Bank account, even after it had closed, and continues to represent to pool participants that their funds remain in the pool in his Dukascopy Bank account. Although Chandler has received requests from many pool participants to return their funds, he refuses to refund participant’s principal, instead asserting a litany of fabricated excuses, according to the complaint. Chandler has misappropriated the vast majority of the pool’s funds for his personal use, the complaint charges.

Furthermore, pool participants received statements from a purported accounting firm named A.R. Watkins; however, upon information and belief, A.R. Watkins is a fictitious entity controlled by Chandler, according to the complaint.

In its continuing litigation, the CFTC seeks civil monetary penalties, restitution, rescission, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains, trading and registration bans, and preliminary and permanent injunctions against further violations of the Commodity Exchange Act and CFTC regulations, as charged.

The CFTC appreciates the assistance of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

CFTC Division of Enforcement staff responsible for this case are Jo Mettenburg, Jeff Le Riche, Stephen Turley, Rick Glaser, and Richard Wagner.

IMPROVING U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CONTRACTOR MANAGEMENT

Photo:  Alan F. Estevez.  Credit:  U.S. DOD.

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

DOD Pursues Improvement in Operational Contractor Management

By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 2012 - Efforts to improve management of civilian contractors performing critical mission support functions are creating a cultural shift in the way the military prepares for battle, senior Defense Department officials told the House Armed Services Committee today.

Alan F. Estevez, assistant secretary of defense for logistics and materiel readiness, and Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Craig C. Crenshaw, the Joint Staff's vice director of logistics, testified along with other experts at a hearing held to examine the Defense Department's planning and management of contractors on the battlefield.

Lessons learned in the combat theater over the last decade can optimize management and oversight of operational contract support in future operations, they said.

Estevez said that as the DOD has increasingly embraced operational contract support, he has seen a cultural shift in the way the military prepares for contingency operations.

"The lessons we have learned from recent operations are being incorporated and applied ... across all echelons of the department, including the military services and the combatant commands," he added.

Operational contract support capabilities and planning have become significant in the stand-up of joint contingencies and combatant commands, and the development and updates of policy and doctrine with an eye on increased visibility and accountability, Estevez told the House panel. Improvements in training and education in both the acquisition and nonacquisition workforce responsible for contingency contract management also are part of the program's evolution, he added.

As an example, Estevez cited a critical lesson learned following the nuclear reactor failure that resulted from the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

"[U.S.] Pacific Command established the Air Force as the lead service for contracting," Estevez said. "This meant that all forces deploying to Japan had a clear understanding of the contracting authority and would not be competing against each other for scarce resources."

To sustain these advances, Estevez added, DOD needs to maintain its focus, secure and solidify gains, and continue its momentum in implementing the operational contract support capability.

"To lose such capability now would be truly wasteful," he said.
Crenshaw agreed, explaining that the Defense Department began a "deliberate effort" in 2007 to significantly improve strategic operational contract support guidance.

"I am confident that ongoing efforts will ensure that we meet the warfighter's current and future needs while judiciously managing DOD resources and balancing risk," Crenshaw said.

The heart of the plan, the general said, involves closer links of contracts and contractors to operational effects to more rapidly and decisively achieve the joint force commander's intent.

"In the past decade, we have recognized that contractors leverage important support to our troops while advancing operation objectives," he said.

U.S.-BURUNDI RELATIONS

Map Credit:  U.S. State Department.
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

The United States established diplomatic relations with Burundi in 1962, following its independence from a Belgian-administered trusteeship. From 1993 to 2006, the country saw civil war driven by ethnic tensions. The 2000 Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Accords provided a negotiated settlement to the conflict. National elections in 2010 were judged by domestic and international observers to be free and fair. Democratic consolidation remains critical, as does the need to demonstrate peace dividends to the population. Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world.

U.S. Government goals in Burundi are to help the people of Burundi realize a just and lasting peace based on democratic principles and sustainable economic development. The United States encourages political stability, ongoing democratic reforms, political openness, respect for human rights, and economic development. In the long term, the United States seeks to strengthen the process of internal reconciliation and democratization within all the states of the region to promote a stable, democratic community of nations that will work toward mutual social, economic, and security interests on the African continent. As the situation in Burundi normalizes, the United States seeks to facilitate its integration into regional and international markets, as a means to promote sustainable economic development.

U.S. Assistance to Burundi

U.S. foreign assistance aims to promote private sector-led economic growth, emphasizing agricultural production and trade (particularly within the East African Community Common Market); improve health care delivery; combat HIV/AIDS; reduce malnutrition in children under the age of 2 years; strengthen good governance and government effectiveness; and build the capacity of Burundi to maintain peace and security both at home and elsewhere in Africa. All development assistance programs seek to prioritize women and youth.

Bilateral Economic Relations

Burundi is eligible for preferential trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. The United States has signed trade and investment framework agreements with the East African Community and with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa. Burundi is a member of both regional organizations. U.S. exports to Burundi include iron and steel products, baking-related products, pharmaceutical products, wheat, and furniture and bedding. The primary import from Burundi to the United States is coffee.

Burundi's Membership in International Organizations

Burundi and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization.