Tuesday, July 9, 2013
TO REDEFINE MILITARY HEALTHCARE
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Fort Belvoir Hospital Aims to Redefine Military Healthcare
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
FORT BELVOIR, Va., July 8, 2013 - When the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital opened its doors in August 2011, it represented a long list of "firsts." It was the nation's newest, most technologically advanced military treatment facility, the first one to receive gold-level LEED "green" construction certification, and one of just two joint hospitals in the Military Health System
Less than two years later, the staff at the Defense Department's newest treatment facility is implementing another first: an ambitious new strategy that its commander hopes will help redefine military healthcare.
One of the most striking things about the gleaming new hospital is that despite its 1.3-million-square foot footprint, it has only 120 inpatient beds. Most of the facility is built around 440 examination rooms and 55 clinics that concentrate on outpatient care and preventive medicine, Army Col. Chuck Callahan, the hospital commander, told American Forces Press Service.
"The outpatient arena is where healthcare takes place in 2013," he said. "Good healthcare is focused on prevention, which means you don't need to get hospitalized."
With that goal in mind, the hospital staff is working to keep patients healthy and, when they need medical care, to make it the most positive experience possible.
This is the foundation of the new strategy Callahan began rolling out last year. Tapping the hospital staff and patients directly, he incorporated almost 700 of their suggestions into a plan designed to improve the care provided.
"This strategy we have embraced really belongs to the staff and patients of the organization, and we are now in the process of beginning to implement them," Callahan said.
Early indications are positive, he said. Making appointments is easier than ever before. Parking is convenient. The facility itself is inviting. And most important of all, Callahan said, everything about the hospital operation is focused directly on patients and their families.
People who have tried to see a doctor when they are sick probably know the pitfalls of a reactionary healthcare system. Getting squeezed in for a same-day appointment can be difficult, at best. If a condition requires a visit with a specialist, that draws treatment out even longer and often requires multiple appointments.
"The notion of patient- and family-centered care means we look at the way care is delivered from the perspective of the patient, both individually and as a population," Callahan said. It's a proactive approach that boils down to "'What health care do you need and how do we provide it to you?' rather than the opposite, 'Here is what we have and sorry if it is not what you need,'" he said.
The centerpiece of this model is an ongoing relationship between patients and their providers.
Patients are assigned to a "medical home" -- a team of doctors, nurses and specialists who oversee their care. "This is a group that puts their arms around that group of patients and manages their health -- not just treats their disease," Callahan said.
As a result, patients know who to call when they have health issues or questions. When they need to make an appointment, they can feel confident that they'll get one, and be seen by providers who know their conditions and medical histories.
Patients with complex medical issues also have ready access to the "medical neighborhood" within the hospital, Callahan said. No longer do they need to schedule multiple visits with a series of specialists who may never communicate with each other. Instead, providers from across the "neighborhood" coordinate through medical home to provide interdisciplinary care.
"That's all the providers, plus the patient and family, in the same room, talking through the treatment and management plan," Callahan said. "It's the model we are evolving as a hospital."
The facility itself incorporates what Callahan called "evidence-based design" that supports healing. Design decisions were made to be therapeutic, incorporating natural light, outside views, healing gardens and pavilions inspired by nature: Eagle, River, Sunrise, Oak and Meadow.
Sections of the hospital are color-coded so visitors can quickly get their bearings. All in-patient rooms have just one bed, and a pull-out sofa that family members can sleep on. The design team tapped the Disney Corporation's concepts of "on-stage" versus "off-stage" operations, relegating non-medical services to back hallways or non-prime hours.
While improving access to care when patients are sick and making the hospital experience as positive as possible are major goals of the new strategy, a foundation of the medical home concept is taking care of patients when they are healthy, Callahan said.
Instead of waiting for patients to call, he said, providers reach out to initiate required tests and procedures. They also rely heavily on social media and a secure Internet-based messaging system to answer patients' health-related questions and provide healthcare information aimed at promoting health and well-being.
"The focus is on managing the patients so they get what they need and what they don't even know that they need," Callahan said. "It's not just a matter of 'What are you here for today?'
The goal is to keep you out of the hospital and keep you healthy. That's much better than waiting until you are sick."
Making these investments up front changes the paradigm in delivering healthcare, creating healthier beneficiaries and improving their quality of life, Callahan said.
As the Defense Department struggles with tough budget choices amidst skyrocketing medical costs, this proactive approach makes financial sense, he added.
"Treatment of disease is almost always more expensive than screening for and preventing disease. Almost always," Callahan said. "So we are making the investment up front. As we move toward health and well-being, we are not only providing better healthcare to our beneficiaries. We are also going a long way toward saving healthcare costs in the long run."
Callahan said he expects the new strategy to be fully in place within the next five years, but emphasized that he doesn't anticipate a point where the staff will ever fully declare "mission accomplished."
"Performance improvement is a journey. It is not a destination," he said "Getting better as an organization is a journey, so we are going to continue to evolve our strategy to adapt to healthcare changes and better ways to provide for our patients.
"So there is never going to be a point of 'arriving,'" he said. "In terms of healthcare, there will always be traveling."
Fort Belvoir Hospital Aims to Redefine Military Healthcare
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
FORT BELVOIR, Va., July 8, 2013 - When the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital opened its doors in August 2011, it represented a long list of "firsts." It was the nation's newest, most technologically advanced military treatment facility, the first one to receive gold-level LEED "green" construction certification, and one of just two joint hospitals in the Military Health System
Less than two years later, the staff at the Defense Department's newest treatment facility is implementing another first: an ambitious new strategy that its commander hopes will help redefine military healthcare.
One of the most striking things about the gleaming new hospital is that despite its 1.3-million-square foot footprint, it has only 120 inpatient beds. Most of the facility is built around 440 examination rooms and 55 clinics that concentrate on outpatient care and preventive medicine, Army Col. Chuck Callahan, the hospital commander, told American Forces Press Service.
"The outpatient arena is where healthcare takes place in 2013," he said. "Good healthcare is focused on prevention, which means you don't need to get hospitalized."
With that goal in mind, the hospital staff is working to keep patients healthy and, when they need medical care, to make it the most positive experience possible.
This is the foundation of the new strategy Callahan began rolling out last year. Tapping the hospital staff and patients directly, he incorporated almost 700 of their suggestions into a plan designed to improve the care provided.
"This strategy we have embraced really belongs to the staff and patients of the organization, and we are now in the process of beginning to implement them," Callahan said.
Early indications are positive, he said. Making appointments is easier than ever before. Parking is convenient. The facility itself is inviting. And most important of all, Callahan said, everything about the hospital operation is focused directly on patients and their families.
People who have tried to see a doctor when they are sick probably know the pitfalls of a reactionary healthcare system. Getting squeezed in for a same-day appointment can be difficult, at best. If a condition requires a visit with a specialist, that draws treatment out even longer and often requires multiple appointments.
"The notion of patient- and family-centered care means we look at the way care is delivered from the perspective of the patient, both individually and as a population," Callahan said. It's a proactive approach that boils down to "'What health care do you need and how do we provide it to you?' rather than the opposite, 'Here is what we have and sorry if it is not what you need,'" he said.
The centerpiece of this model is an ongoing relationship between patients and their providers.
Patients are assigned to a "medical home" -- a team of doctors, nurses and specialists who oversee their care. "This is a group that puts their arms around that group of patients and manages their health -- not just treats their disease," Callahan said.
As a result, patients know who to call when they have health issues or questions. When they need to make an appointment, they can feel confident that they'll get one, and be seen by providers who know their conditions and medical histories.
Patients with complex medical issues also have ready access to the "medical neighborhood" within the hospital, Callahan said. No longer do they need to schedule multiple visits with a series of specialists who may never communicate with each other. Instead, providers from across the "neighborhood" coordinate through medical home to provide interdisciplinary care.
"That's all the providers, plus the patient and family, in the same room, talking through the treatment and management plan," Callahan said. "It's the model we are evolving as a hospital."
The facility itself incorporates what Callahan called "evidence-based design" that supports healing. Design decisions were made to be therapeutic, incorporating natural light, outside views, healing gardens and pavilions inspired by nature: Eagle, River, Sunrise, Oak and Meadow.
Sections of the hospital are color-coded so visitors can quickly get their bearings. All in-patient rooms have just one bed, and a pull-out sofa that family members can sleep on. The design team tapped the Disney Corporation's concepts of "on-stage" versus "off-stage" operations, relegating non-medical services to back hallways or non-prime hours.
While improving access to care when patients are sick and making the hospital experience as positive as possible are major goals of the new strategy, a foundation of the medical home concept is taking care of patients when they are healthy, Callahan said.
Instead of waiting for patients to call, he said, providers reach out to initiate required tests and procedures. They also rely heavily on social media and a secure Internet-based messaging system to answer patients' health-related questions and provide healthcare information aimed at promoting health and well-being.
"The focus is on managing the patients so they get what they need and what they don't even know that they need," Callahan said. "It's not just a matter of 'What are you here for today?'
The goal is to keep you out of the hospital and keep you healthy. That's much better than waiting until you are sick."
Making these investments up front changes the paradigm in delivering healthcare, creating healthier beneficiaries and improving their quality of life, Callahan said.
As the Defense Department struggles with tough budget choices amidst skyrocketing medical costs, this proactive approach makes financial sense, he added.
"Treatment of disease is almost always more expensive than screening for and preventing disease. Almost always," Callahan said. "So we are making the investment up front. As we move toward health and well-being, we are not only providing better healthcare to our beneficiaries. We are also going a long way toward saving healthcare costs in the long run."
Callahan said he expects the new strategy to be fully in place within the next five years, but emphasized that he doesn't anticipate a point where the staff will ever fully declare "mission accomplished."
"Performance improvement is a journey. It is not a destination," he said "Getting better as an organization is a journey, so we are going to continue to evolve our strategy to adapt to healthcare changes and better ways to provide for our patients.
"So there is never going to be a point of 'arriving,'" he said. "In terms of healthcare, there will always be traveling."
U.S. MARINES-GEORGIAN SOLDIERS CONDUCT OPERATION NORTHERN LION II
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey taxis before transporting U.S. Marines and Georgian soldiers conducting operation Northern Lion II on Camp Bastion in Afghanistan's Helmand province, July 3, 2013. The aircraft crew is assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 264. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Alejandro Pena
A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey crew chief provides security while transporting U.S. Marines and Georgian soldiers during operation Northern Lion II on Camp Bastion in Afghanistan's Helmand province, July 3, 2013. The crew chief is assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 264. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Alejandro Pena.
Monday, July 8, 2013
COMPANY TO PAY $14.5 MILLION TO SETTLE OVERBILLING ALLEGATIONS
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Tacoma, Wash., Medical Firm to Pay $14.5 Million to Settle Overbilling Allegations
Bills Claimed Higher Level of Service Than Was Documented
Sound Inpatient Physicians Inc. will pay $14.5 million to settle allegations that it overbilled Medicare and other federal health care programs, the Justice Department announced today. Sound Physicians is a Tacoma, Wash.-based provider of hospitalists and other physicians to hospitals and other medical facilities. It employs more than 700 hospitalists and post-acute physicians, who provide services at 70 hospitals and a growing network of post-acute facilities in 22 states.
"Physicians who participate in Medicare and other federal health care programs must document and bill for their services accurately and honestly," said Stuart F. Delery, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division. "The Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that Medicare and other federal funds are expended appropriately."
Today’s settlement addresses allegations that, between 2004 and 2012, Sound Physicians knowingly submitted to federal health benefits programs inflated claims on behalf of its hospitalist employees for higher and more expensive levels of service than were documented by hospitalists in patient medical records. Hospitalists are physicians, typically trained in internal medicine, who provide care exclusively to hospital inpatients and have no office or outpatient practice.
"Fraudulently inflated billing of government health care programs puts those programs at risk, and impacts the system’s ability to care for the neediest in our communities," said Jenny A. Durkan, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington. "During this time of tight government budgets, we will do all we can to make sure everyone plays by the rules and does not run up the taxpayers’ tab."
Allegations that Sound Physicians had improperly billed a variety of federal health care programs were brought to the government’s attention through a lawsuit filed by a former Sound Physicians employee, Craig Thomas, under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act. The act allows private citizens to bring civil actions on behalf of the government and share in any recovery. Thomas will receive $2.7 million of the $14.5 million settlement for exposing Sound Physicians’ inflated claims.
This civil settlement illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud and marks another achievement for the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT) initiative, which was announced in May 2009 by Attorney General Eric Holder and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. The partnership between the two departments has focused efforts to reduce and prevent Medicare and Medicaid financial fraud through enhanced cooperation. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Since January 2009, the Justice Department has recovered a total of more than $14.7 billion through False Claims Act cases, with more than $10.7 billion of that amount recovered in cases involving fraud against federal health care programs.
The Sound Physicians settlement was the result of a coordinated effort by the Department of Justice, Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington; the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General; the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General; the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Office of Inspector General; and the TRICARE Management Activity Office of General Counsel.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Tacoma, Wash., Medical Firm to Pay $14.5 Million to Settle Overbilling Allegations
Bills Claimed Higher Level of Service Than Was Documented
Sound Inpatient Physicians Inc. will pay $14.5 million to settle allegations that it overbilled Medicare and other federal health care programs, the Justice Department announced today. Sound Physicians is a Tacoma, Wash.-based provider of hospitalists and other physicians to hospitals and other medical facilities. It employs more than 700 hospitalists and post-acute physicians, who provide services at 70 hospitals and a growing network of post-acute facilities in 22 states.
"Physicians who participate in Medicare and other federal health care programs must document and bill for their services accurately and honestly," said Stuart F. Delery, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division. "The Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that Medicare and other federal funds are expended appropriately."
Today’s settlement addresses allegations that, between 2004 and 2012, Sound Physicians knowingly submitted to federal health benefits programs inflated claims on behalf of its hospitalist employees for higher and more expensive levels of service than were documented by hospitalists in patient medical records. Hospitalists are physicians, typically trained in internal medicine, who provide care exclusively to hospital inpatients and have no office or outpatient practice.
"Fraudulently inflated billing of government health care programs puts those programs at risk, and impacts the system’s ability to care for the neediest in our communities," said Jenny A. Durkan, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington. "During this time of tight government budgets, we will do all we can to make sure everyone plays by the rules and does not run up the taxpayers’ tab."
Allegations that Sound Physicians had improperly billed a variety of federal health care programs were brought to the government’s attention through a lawsuit filed by a former Sound Physicians employee, Craig Thomas, under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act. The act allows private citizens to bring civil actions on behalf of the government and share in any recovery. Thomas will receive $2.7 million of the $14.5 million settlement for exposing Sound Physicians’ inflated claims.
This civil settlement illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud and marks another achievement for the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT) initiative, which was announced in May 2009 by Attorney General Eric Holder and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. The partnership between the two departments has focused efforts to reduce and prevent Medicare and Medicaid financial fraud through enhanced cooperation. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Since January 2009, the Justice Department has recovered a total of more than $14.7 billion through False Claims Act cases, with more than $10.7 billion of that amount recovered in cases involving fraud against federal health care programs.
The Sound Physicians settlement was the result of a coordinated effort by the Department of Justice, Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington; the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General; the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General; the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Office of Inspector General; and the TRICARE Management Activity Office of General Counsel.
CHAIRMAN JOINT CHIEFS GIVES INTERVIEW TO CNN
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Dempsey Discusses Middle East, U.S. Troop Issues
By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 7, 2013 - Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, discussed events in the Middle East and U.S. troop issues during an interview broadcast today but recorded July 3 with Candy Crowley for CNN's State of the Union news program.
Dempsey answered questions about recent events in Egypt, the ongoing civil war in Syria and the situation in Afghanistan.
Dempsey, who has served at length in the Middle East during his military career, called Egypt a great country and a cornerstone of the region.
"It's got an incredible history and culture and the world needs Egypt to be stable," the chairman said, adding that what the Egyptians want to do with their government "is for them to decide, and I mean that sincerely."
He added, "As a student of that part of the world and someone who lived in the region for most of the last 10 years -- what we're seeing is that democracy takes a while to stick."
Turning to Syria, where civil war has raged since March 2011, killing tens of thousands and displacing millions, Dempsey said the United States is contributing hundreds of millions of dollars in assistance and working closely with partners in the region.
Dempsey said he tries to see the broader picture with regard to the situation in Syria.
"This is an issue that extends from Beirut to Damascus to Baghdad, and in fact over the last six months the levels of violence in both Lebanon and Baghdad have been alarmingly high," he explained.
Events in Syria reflect a regional issue, Dempsey added, that's related "to a competition at best and a conflict at worst between the Sunni and Shia sects of Islam, and it's been hijacked at some level on both sides by extremists -- al-Qaida on one side and Lebanese Hezbollah and others on the other side."
It's not a simple matter of stopping the fighting in Syria by introducing any particular U.S. capability, the chairman said, pointing out that "this is about a 10-year issue and if we fail to think about it as a 10-year regional issue we could make some mistakes."
Dempsey said he's not making predictions about how long President Bashar al-Assad will stay or not stay in Syria.
"I'm suggesting that the underlying causes of the conflict as I have just described them will persist for 10 years," he said.
Turning to Afghanistan, Dempsey said the International Security Assistance Force has another 18 months to get Afghanistan's security forces where they need to be to maintain a stable security platform.
The ISAF is slated to disband at the end of 2014 when its combat mission in Afghanistan ends. NATO will then train, advise and assist Afghanistan's security forces.
"I think that we will get the Afghan security forces to a point where they will be able to provide security generally across the country. But there will be pockets of resistance," Dempsey said.
"The problem," he added, "is that I can't speak with much optimism at this point about the other factors of governance, be they economic or political. They have to keep pace. And we will know because ... there are elections scheduled for early '14."
Asked about whether it will be difficult to bring adversaries like the Taliban into the Afghanistan peace process, Dempsey answered with an example from another war.
"It is always difficult to think about the losses that we've suffered and the idea that at some point we would find reconciliation with [the Taliban], but I'm mindful of the fact that all wars end with some level of political reconciliation," he said.
Dempsey recalled that his Vietnamese counterpart joined him for dinner in his quarters last week.
"Outside we flew their flag next to our flag. I was almost unnerved by it because I went into West Point during the Vietnam War preparing to go fight in Vietnam. And here we are now, some years later, and they are seeking to become much closer partners with us," the chairman said.
"I think there are several flavors of Taliban," he continued. "I think there are some who are reconcilable and undoubtedly some who are not. So long as we can have enough precision in the way we reach out to them, then I won't have ... concerns about whether our sacrifices would somehow be undermined."
Turning to issues facing U.S. troops, Dempsey said the American people have been extraordinary in their appreciation of the military's contribution to the nation over the past decade.
"After every conflict there's a period of time when the nation decides what it will think of the veterans of that conflict," the chairman said, adding that now is the time to start thinking about the image this generation's men and women warriors deserve.
"If I do have a worry," Dempsey said, "it's that this generation of veterans may be seen as somehow victims because a great many things have manifested themselves -- post-traumatic stress syndrome, rising rates of suicide, rising divorce rates, sexual assault.
"So I don't want to have this generation's young men and women, the warriors, seen as victims somehow," he continued. "This conflict has been a source of strength as well for many veterans."
Dempsey also said he'd "like the American people to give veterans opportunities -- not as a handout but rather to recognize what they might bring to the workplace, what they might bring to their communities."
Dempsey Discusses Middle East, U.S. Troop Issues
By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 7, 2013 - Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, discussed events in the Middle East and U.S. troop issues during an interview broadcast today but recorded July 3 with Candy Crowley for CNN's State of the Union news program.
Dempsey answered questions about recent events in Egypt, the ongoing civil war in Syria and the situation in Afghanistan.
Dempsey, who has served at length in the Middle East during his military career, called Egypt a great country and a cornerstone of the region.
"It's got an incredible history and culture and the world needs Egypt to be stable," the chairman said, adding that what the Egyptians want to do with their government "is for them to decide, and I mean that sincerely."
He added, "As a student of that part of the world and someone who lived in the region for most of the last 10 years -- what we're seeing is that democracy takes a while to stick."
Turning to Syria, where civil war has raged since March 2011, killing tens of thousands and displacing millions, Dempsey said the United States is contributing hundreds of millions of dollars in assistance and working closely with partners in the region.
Dempsey said he tries to see the broader picture with regard to the situation in Syria.
"This is an issue that extends from Beirut to Damascus to Baghdad, and in fact over the last six months the levels of violence in both Lebanon and Baghdad have been alarmingly high," he explained.
Events in Syria reflect a regional issue, Dempsey added, that's related "to a competition at best and a conflict at worst between the Sunni and Shia sects of Islam, and it's been hijacked at some level on both sides by extremists -- al-Qaida on one side and Lebanese Hezbollah and others on the other side."
It's not a simple matter of stopping the fighting in Syria by introducing any particular U.S. capability, the chairman said, pointing out that "this is about a 10-year issue and if we fail to think about it as a 10-year regional issue we could make some mistakes."
Dempsey said he's not making predictions about how long President Bashar al-Assad will stay or not stay in Syria.
"I'm suggesting that the underlying causes of the conflict as I have just described them will persist for 10 years," he said.
Turning to Afghanistan, Dempsey said the International Security Assistance Force has another 18 months to get Afghanistan's security forces where they need to be to maintain a stable security platform.
The ISAF is slated to disband at the end of 2014 when its combat mission in Afghanistan ends. NATO will then train, advise and assist Afghanistan's security forces.
"I think that we will get the Afghan security forces to a point where they will be able to provide security generally across the country. But there will be pockets of resistance," Dempsey said.
"The problem," he added, "is that I can't speak with much optimism at this point about the other factors of governance, be they economic or political. They have to keep pace. And we will know because ... there are elections scheduled for early '14."
Asked about whether it will be difficult to bring adversaries like the Taliban into the Afghanistan peace process, Dempsey answered with an example from another war.
"It is always difficult to think about the losses that we've suffered and the idea that at some point we would find reconciliation with [the Taliban], but I'm mindful of the fact that all wars end with some level of political reconciliation," he said.
Dempsey recalled that his Vietnamese counterpart joined him for dinner in his quarters last week.
"Outside we flew their flag next to our flag. I was almost unnerved by it because I went into West Point during the Vietnam War preparing to go fight in Vietnam. And here we are now, some years later, and they are seeking to become much closer partners with us," the chairman said.
"I think there are several flavors of Taliban," he continued. "I think there are some who are reconcilable and undoubtedly some who are not. So long as we can have enough precision in the way we reach out to them, then I won't have ... concerns about whether our sacrifices would somehow be undermined."
Turning to issues facing U.S. troops, Dempsey said the American people have been extraordinary in their appreciation of the military's contribution to the nation over the past decade.
"After every conflict there's a period of time when the nation decides what it will think of the veterans of that conflict," the chairman said, adding that now is the time to start thinking about the image this generation's men and women warriors deserve.
"If I do have a worry," Dempsey said, "it's that this generation of veterans may be seen as somehow victims because a great many things have manifested themselves -- post-traumatic stress syndrome, rising rates of suicide, rising divorce rates, sexual assault.
"So I don't want to have this generation's young men and women, the warriors, seen as victims somehow," he continued. "This conflict has been a source of strength as well for many veterans."
Dempsey also said he'd "like the American people to give veterans opportunities -- not as a handout but rather to recognize what they might bring to the workplace, what they might bring to their communities."
RECENT FEMA PHOTOS OF THE FLOODING IN GELENA, ALASKA
FROM: FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ADMINISTRATION
Gelena, Alaska, July 1, 2013 -- Houses were moved off their foundations by ice and water in the flooding, leaving piles of debris to be removed. FEMA can assist with debris removal and structural advice. Photo by Ed Edahl/FEMA
Galena, Alaska, June 29, 2013 -- A lake of stranded water still covers the baseball fields hatching a bumper crop of mosquitoes which further stresses the disaster survivors and emergency managers. The major federal disaster, signed by President Obama on June 25, authorizes assistance to individuals and households in Alaska Gateway Regional Educational Attendance Area (REAA), Lower Yukon REAA, Yukon Flats REAA, and the Yukon-Koyukuk REAA. Adam DuBrowa/ FEMA
OVER $126 MILLION IN FEDERAL DISASTER AID GOES TO ILLINOIS RESIDENTS
FROM: FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
Federal Disaster Aid to Illinois Residents Tops $126.4 Million
Release date:
July 5, 2013
Release Number:
4116-IL NR-073
AURORA, Ill. – Federal assistance in Illinois has reached more than $126.4 million, distributed among more than 51,100 individuals and households, since a major disaster was declared for storms and flooding that occurred April 16 through May 5.
Storm damage after May 5 is not included in the presidential disaster declaration for Illinois.
The latest summary of federal assistance includes:
More than $126.4 million in FEMA grants approved for individuals and households;
Of that amount, more than $109 million has been approved for housing assistance, including temporary rental assistance and home repair costs;
More than $17 million has been approved to cover other essential disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses and damaged personal possessions;
More than 74,600 home inspections have been completed to confirm disaster damage; and
More than $27.4 million in loans to homeowners, renters or business owners has been approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration;.
The registration deadline has been extended to July 24. The 15-day extension was requested by the State of Illinois.
Two additional counties have been added to the major disaster declaration for individual assistance. Putnam and Warren county survivors also have until July 24 to register for federal disaster assistance. The two counties were previously approved for public assistance, which provides local governments and certain eligible nonprofits with funding for debris removal, emergency protective measures and infrastructure repairs such as building roads and bridges.
Federal Disaster Aid to Illinois Residents Tops $126.4 Million
Release date:
July 5, 2013
Release Number:
4116-IL NR-073
AURORA, Ill. – Federal assistance in Illinois has reached more than $126.4 million, distributed among more than 51,100 individuals and households, since a major disaster was declared for storms and flooding that occurred April 16 through May 5.
Storm damage after May 5 is not included in the presidential disaster declaration for Illinois.
The latest summary of federal assistance includes:
Of that amount, more than $109 million has been approved for housing assistance, including temporary rental assistance and home repair costs;
More than $17 million has been approved to cover other essential disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses and damaged personal possessions;
More than 74,600 home inspections have been completed to confirm disaster damage; and
More than $27.4 million in loans to homeowners, renters or business owners has been approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration;.
The registration deadline has been extended to July 24. The 15-day extension was requested by the State of Illinois.
Two additional counties have been added to the major disaster declaration for individual assistance. Putnam and Warren county survivors also have until July 24 to register for federal disaster assistance. The two counties were previously approved for public assistance, which provides local governments and certain eligible nonprofits with funding for debris removal, emergency protective measures and infrastructure repairs such as building roads and bridges.
Sunday, July 7, 2013
RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS
FROM: U.S. NAVY
The aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) returns to homeport at Naval Station Norfolk. The Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group completed a deployment supporting maritime security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ryan D. McLearnon (Released) 130703-N-GC639-400
The Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Florida (SSGN 728) departs Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay. Florida will perform routine operations while at sea. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class James Kimber (Released) 130703-N-FG395-083
ANIMAL-TO-HUMAN INFECTIOUS DISEASE AT ANNUAL CONFERENCE
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| FROM: CDC. This is a male Ixodes ricinus tick (smaller) shown copulating with a female tick (larger). I. ricinus, the "castor bean" tick, so called because of its resemblance to the castor bean, is a vector for the B. burgdorferi spirochete, the cause of Lyme disease, and is commonly found on farm animals, and deer who are the natural host. Credit: Centers For Disease Control and Prevention/Wikimedia |
FROM: THE NATONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Interplay of Ecology, Infectious Disease, Wildlife and Human Health Featured at Annual Conference
West Nile virus, Lyme disease and hantavirus. All are infectious diseases spreading in animals and in people. Is human interaction with the environment somehow responsible for the increase in these diseases?
The ecology and evolution of infectious diseases will be highlighted at two symposia at the Ecological Society of America's annual meeting, held from Aug. 5-9 in Minneapolis, Minn.
One symposium will address human influences on viral and bacterial diseases through alteration of landscapes and ecological processes.
Another will focus on the emerging field of eco-epidemiology, which seeks to integrate biomedical and ecological research approaches to addressing human health threats.
Much of the research presented is funded by the joint National Science Foundation- (NSF) National Institutes of Health Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases (EEID) Program.
"These sessions show that basic research is critical for managing disease threats," said Sam Scheiner, NSF EEID program director. "They also showcase the need to link scientists with public health professionals."
The first symposium, on Monday, Aug. 5, will take a deeper look at the connections between human activities and infectious diseases.
Though we often think of diseases as simply being "out there" in the environment, human actions--such as feeding birds--can influence the abundance, diversity and distribution of wildlife species and thus, infectious diseases.
"New human settlements, the spread of agriculture and the increasing proximity of people, their pets and livestock to wild animals increase the probability of disease outbreaks," said session organizer Courtney Coon of the University of South Florida.
"We're interested in learning more about how urban and other environments that humans dramatically change affect the susceptibility and transmission potential of animals that are hosts or vectors of disease."
What are the key determinants of spillover of wildlife diseases to domestic animals and humans?
Why is the prevalence of pathogens in wildlife in urban areas often altered by counterparts in less developed environments?
Speakers will address these and other questions.
The second symposium, on Tuesday, Aug. 6, will continue the theme of infectious diseases, but with an eye toward integrating biomedical and ecological approaches into the investigation and control of emerging diseases.
"Environmental processes and human health are linked, and we'd like to chart a future in which ecologists and epidemiologists more routinely work in tandem to address health problems," said symposium organizer Jory Brinkerhoff of the University of Richmond.
Scientists studying human diseases may overlook possible ecological factors.
For example, most Lyme disease cases in the eastern United States happen in the North even though the black-legged tick, which transmits the bacterium, is found throughout the Eastern states.
Human life histories and interactions with the environment, researchers say, are critically important to the success of managing a mosquito-borne virus called dengue fever.
"Disease ecologists and epidemiologists address some of the same kinds of questions, yet operate largely in isolation of one another," said Brinkerhoff.
"We're bringing them together to share their approaches and study designs, and to strengthen our ability to address public health issues."
Disease Ecology in Human-Altered Landscapes: Monday, Aug. 5, 2013, 1:30 p.m.-5 p.m., 205AB, Minneapolis Convention Center.
Organizer/Moderator: Courtney Coon, University of South Florida
Co-Organizer: James Adelman, Virginia Tech
Speakers:
Matthew Ferrari, Penn State University
Marm Kilpatrick, University of California, Santa Cruz
Raina Plowright, Penn State University
Sonia Altizer, University of Georgia
Becki Lawson, Zoological Society of London
Eco-Epidemiology: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Addressing Public Health Problems: Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2013, 1:30 p.m.-5 p.m., 205AB Minneapolis Convention Center.
Organizer/Moderator: Jory Brinkerhoff, University of Richmond
Co-Organizer: Maria Diuk-Wasser, Yale School of Public Health
Speakers:
Daniel Salkeld, Colorado State University
Mark Wilson, University of Michigan
James Holland Jones, Stanford University
Harish Padmanabha, National Center for Socio-Environmental Synthesis
Jean Tsao, Michigan State University
-NSF-
DOD SAYS PEOPLE AND PARTNERS ARE CRITICAL CYBER NEEDS
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| Navy Lt. John Knolla mans the tactical action officer watch in the combat direction center aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan during Exercise Valiant Shield 2006 in the Philippine Sea. Valiant Shield focuses on integrated joint training among U.S. military forces, enabling real-world proficiency in sustaining joint forces and in detecting, locating, tracking and engaging units at sea, in the air, on land and in cyberspace in response to a range of mission areas. U.S. Navy photo by Airman Christine Singh |
Critical Cyber Needs Include People, Partners, General Says
By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 2, 2013 - Despite the inherent technical "geekiness" of cyberspace and urgent Defense Department efforts in that area, people and partners are among DOD's most critical cyber needs, the senior military advisor for cyber to the undersecretary of defense for policy said last week.
Army Maj. Gen. John A. Davis spoke to a large audience at the June 25-27 Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association International Cyber Symposium in Baltimore.
Cyber partnerships such as those with the National Security Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency and external partnerships such as those with industry, international allies and academia represent a transformation in the way DOD approaches cyber, Davis said.
For more than two years, he said, "DOD has been fundamentally and deliberately transforming the way we think, the way we organize, the way we train and equip, the way we provide forces and capabilities, the way we command and control those forces, the way we operate and the way we insure leadership and accountability for cyberspace operations."
Even the general's job as military advisor for cyber, a new position formally approved in August in an environment of reduced resources, "is an indication of how seriously senior department leaders are taking this subject," he said.
The standup of U.S. Cyber Command in 2010 was part of this transformation, he said.
"It brought together disparate cyber functions of operating our networks, defending our networks and applying offensive capabilities against adversary networks," said Davis, adding that Cybercom's collocation with the National Security Agency at Fort Meade, Md., greatly improved DOD cyber capabilities.
"There's a much better integration of intelligence through NSA's hard work," the general said. "From shared situational awareness to a common operational picture, NSA is doing some really great work. Leveraging their skills and expertise is not only an operational advantage, it's a necessity."
Beyond NSA's technical focus, Davis said, DOD needs broad strategic context for intelligence to fulfill its cyber mission and that DIA, along with other intelligence community organizations, plays a critical role.
Ultimately, people and organizations who work against the United States and its allies in cyberspace are behind the development of malicious code and software, he said.
"This is where DIA is helping us refine and improve our indications and warning so it's not limited to actions taking place at the speed of light, but actions by humans and organizations and processes that might help us ... act with more options for leadership decisions," the general added.
As it does with interagency partners at the Department of Justice's FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, DOD builds capabilities in cyberspace by working with industry, international partners and academia.
In its work with the defense industrial base, or DIB, DOD is the sector-specific agency under Homeland Security for interacting with the DIB.
In 2010, the voluntary DIB Cybersecurity Information Assurance, or CS/IA, effort opened as a permanent program after a pilot period with 34 companies. Activities under the program enhance cybersecurity capabilities to safeguard sensitive DOD information on company unclassified information systems.
With the publication of a federal rule in 2012, DOD expanded the program, and nearly 100 companies now participate. At the same time, the optional DIB Enhanced Cybersecurity Services, or DECS, became part of the expanded DIB program.
Homeland Security officials said DECS is a voluntary program based on sharing indicators of malicious cyber activity between DHS and owners and operators of critical infrastructure. The program covers 18 critical infrastructure sectors, including banking and finance, energy, information technology, transportation systems, food and agriculture, government facilities, emergency services, water, and nuclear reactors, materials and waste.
"DOD relies heavily on critical infrastructure, which is in part why the department has a role to play in providing support to defend these commercial systems," Davis said. More than 99 percent of electricity and 90 percent of voice and communication services the military relies on come from civilian sources, he noted.
"Defending our networks is a challenge that's not getting any easier because of our reliance on key networks and systems that are not directly under DOD's control," the general observed.
Davis said the DIB CS/IA program and DECS "are part of a whole-of-government approach to improve the nation's cybersecurity posture. It's a holistic approach, because that's what's required in order to achieve this goal."
DOD international engagement supports the U.S. International Strategy for Cyberspace and President Barack Obama's commitment to fundamental freedoms, privacy and the free flow of information, and the right of self-defense, Davis said.
DOD's ongoing cyber engagement with allies and close partners takes many forms, he added, including sharing information about capabilities and processes, warning each other about potential threats, sharing situational awareness and fielding more interoperable capability.
Such engagement includes joint training venues and exercises, he said -- "everything from tabletop exercises to more sophisticated exercises, and we're doing joint training and putting cyber into our bilateral exercises on a more regular basis."
With the State Department and other interagency partners, the general added, DOD participates on cyber matters in bilateral, multilateral and international forums, such as the United Nations and NATO.
"As an example of a critical bilateral relationship," he said, "I've had the great honor twice in the past year to engage as part of a U.S. academic and government interagency forum with counterpart Chinese academic and government organizations."
The last meeting was in Washington in December, Davis said.
"We recognize China as a rising power and one of the world's leading voices in this discussion, so senior government officials across the interagency have actively engaged their Chinese government counterparts, including their military [counterparts] ... in a number of ways already and we would like to see those engagements expand," Davis said.
On July 8, DOD officials and several interagency partners "will hold a working group meeting on cyber with our Chinese counterparts to talk about this directly and to strive for concrete solutions with actionable steps for progress," he added.
DOD's partnership with academia addresses what Davis describes as the department's biggest challenge going forward: building the cyber workforce.
"DOD is looking at ways to fundamentally change the way it recruits, trains, educates, advances and retains both military and civilians within the cyberspace workforce," he said. "The vision is to build a system that sustains the cyberspace operations' viability over time, increases the depth of military cyberspace operations experience, develops capable leaders to guide these professional experts ... and ensures that we build real cyberspace operational capability from within our human resources into the future."
The department is looking to partner in new ways with other federal, academic and private institutions, he said, to attract and retain skilled professionals in cyberspace.
"While cyber is always viewed as a technical area," Davis said, "the fact is it's always about people. People are going to make the difference in cyber, just as they have in every other dimension of DOD operations. So we must get the people part right to guarantee success for the future.
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