News of the Force: Thursday, November 30, 2017 - Page 2

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News of the Force: Thursday, November 30, 2017 - Page 2

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Homeland insecurity

    

    In a crowded conference room earlier this month in Menlo Park, Calif., representatives from companies around the world listened intently as the DHS presented plans to bring facial recognition technology to the U.S.' borders.

    Local and state police, as well as Homeland Security agents, have descended on the 300 block of West Green Street in Allentown, Pa. They put up police tape but remained mum on why they were there.

    Homeland Security Inspector General John Roth announced he plans to retire shortly after he complained to lawmakers about a delay in the release of his report on the rollout of President Donald Trump's first travel ban. In the report, Roth detailed the ban's chaotic implementation.

    The State Department and the Department of Homeland Security are responding to 223 women who have worked in the national security field who are speaking out about having been victims of sexual harassment, abuse or assault, or knowing others who are victims.

    And three months before some U.S. states host primary elections, the Department of Homeland Security has begun offering security clearances to state election officials.

 

U.S. Air Force

    

    The head of the U.S. Air Force's Thunderbirds, an elite military flight demonstration squadron, was removed from command because of a loss of confidence in his leadership, the military said yesterday. The Air Force said Lt. Col. Jason Heard had led the team well, but there was a concern over "risk management."

    The Air Force is about to wrap up its 16-month-long study on coordinating cyber, air and space operations.

    Ball Aerospace has been selected by the U.S. Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) to build the Air Force next-generation weather satellite.

    The Lockheed Martin Corp. has won a modification contract for the C-130J center wing box replacement program.

    The Air Force Reserve Command may not use appropriated funds to purchase disposable plates and utensils where potable water was not available, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has said.

    The Indian Shores, Fla., police department is "adjusting" its personnel. In the meantime, Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Matthew Ehrhart, an active first lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, will be working full time in the patrol division.

    A member of the Air National Guard's 104th Fighter Wing, at Barnes ANGB, Mass., is reportedly being investigated by local law enforcement. Col. James Suhr, commander of the 104th, says police have informed the wing that they have opened an investigation into one of their members.

    In Ripon, Wis., Catalyst Charter School sixth-grade teacher Sandy Wisneski recently took a flight with the Civil Air Patrol (CAP). The CAP offers an Aerospace Education membership program for teachers that allows them to take advantage of flights, like Wisneski did, as well as other educational resources.

    The Rest Haven Funeral Home and Memorial Park, along with the Civil Air Patrol's Lakeshore Squadron, will host the 2017 Wreaths Across America Ceremony at 11 a.m. on Dec. 16th at Rest Haven’s Rockwall Chapel at 2500 State Highway 66, East, in Greeneville, Texas. After the ceremony, wreaths will be placed on veterans’ graves. To sponsor a wreath, visit www.resthavenfuneral.com. Grave-specific requests will be accepted.

    And last week at the annual California Wing Conference of the Civil Air Patrol, CAP Major Stu Oster was recognized as the California Wing's Pilot of the Year. This prestigious award is given to the CAP pilot who best exemplifies the high standards of professionalism, safety and effectiveness expected of CAP pilots while performing the organization's missions. Major Oster also was previously awarded the FAA's Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. Major Oster is a member of Fallbrook Squadron 87 and has served in the CAP since 2009 after retiring as a pilot for American Airlines. He lives in Rimrock Estates with his wife, Bozzi, a retired American Airlines flight attendant. In addition to his service in the CAP, Major Oster is a volunteer with the San Diego County Sheriff's Senior Volunteer Patrol at its Valley Center substation.

 

U.S. Public Health Service

    

    During the response to Hurricane Maria, NDMS personnel. along with U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps officers, provided care to more than 32,100 residents affected by the storm. NDMS members and USPHS officers also provided care to more than 2,000 people affected by Hurricane Irma.

    Now that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has chosen 14 members to serve on its new Tick-Borne Disease Working Group, the panel will hold its first public meetings on Dec. 11th (12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Eastern) and Dec. 12th (9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) in Washington, D.C.

    And now, it seems, certain employers in the health care field are using staff-members' decision to not visit their doctors for flu shots as a justification for termination. At least that's the gist of a story that went viral over the Thanksgiving weekend in the United States.

 

U.S. Navy and Marine Corps

    

    U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. David W. Coffman, director of Navy Expeditionary Warfare, spoke at the Navy League's special topic breakfast this morning at the Westin Crystal City, at 1800 Jefferson Davis Highway, in Arlington, Va.

    "Some segment of our military-industrial complex must be motivated and have the capability to manufacture the quality and quantity of the weapons needed," says Joseph F. Callo, a retired rear admiral in the U.S. Navy Reserve.

    Onslow County, N.C., Sheriff Hans Miller, the FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), held a joint press conference yesterday afternoon to discuss their ongoing investigation into the disappearance of 3-year-old Mariah Woods. This is the fourth day of an "intensive search" for the cooperating agencies. Officials have combed through hundreds of acres by foot, air and with K-9 units, Sheriff Miller said. The investigation has the support of more than 14 agencies, Sheriff Miller said. Officials have conducted 100 interviews, followed more than 140 leads and had the assistance of more than 225 investigators working around the clock. "Our goal is to bring Mariah back," Sheriff Miller said. When questioned about the adults in Mariah's life, Sheriff Miller said that "We've talked to them, they've talked to us," but would not elaborate further. Biological father Alex Woods and his fiance said last night the lead detective in the case of missing Mariah Woods told them they are no longer suspects. Officials emphasized multiple times that investigative details and particulars about the case are not being disclosed at this time and they plan on having another press conference later. Sheriff Miller said that this was a "focused" incident and there is no danger to the public. He also confirmed that the woman and child from the surveillance video released last night is not Mariah. Officials were also questioned during the press conference after a dive team was seen pulling out of High Hill Road, which was closed to traffic yesterday. Law enforcement had no comment. "We are taking every lead seriously," an FBI official said. Officials are asking for members of the community to search their own properties for anything that looks out of the ordinary. If anyone finds something suspicious, they should contact the Onslow County Sheriff's Office. The FBI official also emphasized that they are still looking for anyone who had contact with the family on Sunday, Nov. 26th, or Monday, Nov. 27th, to come forward. If you have any information about Mariah's disappearance or this case, contact the Onslow County Sheriff's Office at (910) 455-3113 or call 911..

    The U.S. Marine Corps is opening its first full-time recruiting station outside of the United States at Kleber Kaserne in Germany, the Corps has said. The Marines are establishing the new station located in an area with about 50,000 U.S. personnel and family members.

    Teams of U.S. Marines on remote bases could be re-supplied in the future with "disposable" unmanned gliders toting up 1,000 lbs. of cargo.

    U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser, commander of the U.S. Africa Command, recited an aath with Marines and sailor O-3 selects during a promotion ceremony aboard the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS San Diego (LPD 22), yesterday.

    PacStar®, a leading developer and supplier of advanced communications solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), has been awarded a $10.7 million contract by the U.S. Marine Corps' Networking On-The-Move (NOTM) program to provide PacStar 400-Series products.

    And Toys for Tots is a program ran by the Untied States Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas.

 

NOAA news

    

    Perhaps the White House wasn't paying close attention when they picked Barry Myers to run the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). During Myers' confirmation hearing yesterday, he repeatedly expressed support for climate science research and also said that humans are the "real cause" of climate change.

    And ECS has been awarded a prime contract from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to provide environmental and professional support services.

 

U.S. Army

    

    The Kansas Army National Guard can trace its roots back to about 1855 when the militia was representing free state advocates. During the Civil War, which lasted from 1861 until 1865, about 4,000 of these Kansas soldiers served with Union forces.

    For more than 100 years, the United States Army tested chemicals on soldiers.

    The Mantech International Corp. has said that the U.S. Army has awarded the company an $847 million task order for Vehicle Engineering Maintenance and Operations Support, or VEMOS.

    The U.S. Army on Nov. 28th began fielding its first M17 Modular Handgun System (MHS)' sidearms to the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky.

    General Dynamics Information Technology, a business unit of General Dynamics, has been awarded the Mission Training Complex Capabilities Support contract by the U.S. Army Contracting Command.

    In San Antonio, Texas, today, 67-year-old Opal Jewel Charles, of Cibolo, Texas, was sentenced to five years in a federal prison for stealing money collected for wounded warriors and their families, announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., and Resident Agent in Charge Ray A. Rayos, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID).

    Major Gen. Terrence McKenrick, the deputy commander of U.S. Army Central Command, has visited Tajikistan to meet with senior Tajikistan leaders and U.S. Embassy officials. During his visit, he discussed a wide range of common security issues with senior Tajik officials from the Ministry of Defense.

    A Pennsylvania Army National Guard helicopter crew has hoisted an injured hunter to safety.

    And more than 300 soldiers from the 1st Battalion of the 148th Infantry Regiment, of the the Ohio Army National Guard, were welcomed home after 10 months overseas training with members of the Jordanian Armed Forces, also referred to as the Arab Army, and participated in the multi-national training event Eager Lion 2017.

 

News from the U.S. Marshals Service

    

    Yesterday morning, a man wanted for raping two young girls was tracked down and captured in West Virginia by the Harrisonburg Division of the U.S. Marshals' Capital Area Regional Task Force, with assistance from the Martinsburg Division of its Mountain State Fugitive Task Force.

    Harris County, Texas, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez and U.S. Marshal Gary Blankinship have held a press conference announcing the capture of murder fugitive William Joseph Greer. Greer was charged in the December 2006 murder of his girlfriend. He had been on the run for 11 years.

    The U.S. Marshals Museum received more than $50,000 in donations on Giving Tuesday after an anonymous donor matched a board member's $25,000 challenge. The two donations alone more than doubled the gifts received by the U.S. Marshals Museum in the past three years of Giving Tuesday.

    The U.S. Marshals are looking for a Youngstown, Ohio, murder suspect and a reward is available.

    The U.S. Marshals Service on Tuesday arrested Kevin D. Gardner, 26, at a relative's home in East St. Louis, Illinois. Gardner is among three men charged with murder there.

    And a woman wanted on a probation violation on a fraud conviction is this week's New Hampshire Fugitive of the Week, according to a press release from the U.S. Marshals Service in Concord. Kim Wheeler, 48, who also goes by the aliases of Kim White, Kim Robinson and Kim Caron.

 

American Red Cross

    

    Volunteers in Duluth, Minn., are bundling thousands of holiday cards written to local military service members and veterans. The American Red Cross of Northern Minnesota sent out about 15,000 holiday cards in their "Cards for Heroes" program last year and they hope to match that number this holiday season.

    Patricia Smitson, the CEO of the Greater Cincinnati-Dayton (Ohio) Region of the American Red Cross, announced today that she will retire.

    Volunteers with the American Red Cross say they'll come to any house, apartment, or business and install a working smoke detector.

    And American Red Cross blood donors must be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health. For more information, call 1-800-733-2767 or visit the Red Cross website online at http://www.redcrossblood.org.

 

The parting shots

    Jim Nabors, a singer and actor best known for his role as "Gomer Pyle" on The Andy Griffith Show, has died. He was 87. Nabors died in Honolulu early this morning after battling health issues for some time. His popular character was the center of a spin-off series, Gomer Pyle, USMC, which ran for five seasons. He also appeared in films like The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Stroker Ace. As a singer, Nabors released 28 albums. He was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1991.

    A Hillcrest, Calif., married couple were arrested at the Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok on Tuesday night. Travis "Ti" Dasilva and Joseph Dasilva had warrants that charged them with showing their naked buttocks at the Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn) in Bangkok.

    Monica Lewinsky is fed up with former President Bill Clinton's impeachment being known as "The Monica Lewinsky scandal," hitting out at the TV network HLN after it announced it would be revisiting the investigation in a two-part special.

    The Canadian government will pay up to 110 million Canadian dollars, or $85 million, to compensate victims of the so-called “gay purge,” decades of government-authorized discrimination against gay Canadians.

    Behind closed doors, President Trump has revived a conspiracy theory that his predecessor, Barack Obama, was not born in the U.S., according to a report.

    And the Buckeye, Ariz., police chief is being accused of unethical conduct for running a side private security business with at least one subordinate officer. Chief Larry Hall founded Blue Knights Securities Group, LLC, with a top Buckeye police sergeant, records show.

 

 

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