NEWS OF THE FORCE | Wednesday, September 16, 2015 - Page 1

23 views

Skip to first unread message

Newsoft...@aol.com

unread,

Sep 16, 2015, 4:57:59 PM9/16/15

to newsoft...@googlegroups.com

Wednesday, September 16, 2015 - Today is

American fighting force arrives in Iraq

A 160-soldier strong American fighting force has arrived in Iraq's Anbar Province to tackle ISIS.

The continuing European migrant crisis

Croatia found itself dragged into Europe's migrant crisis today as dozens walked through fields across Serbia's border with its western neighbor, rerouted by bus after Hungary locked down its own frontier with Serbia.

The public images of refugees being shown range from horrific stories of dead refugees suffocating in a truck while being smuggled, to Germans clapping and welcoming the new arrivals.

Labor has abandoned British workers, opposition says

When British Prime Minister David Cameron attends the Commons today to answer MPs' questions, he will face a new leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition.

Japanese protestors rally

Crowds of protesters rallied today as Japan's Parliament moved close to passing bills for a defense policy change that could allow troops to fight abroad for the first time since World War II, despite opposition by many ordinary voters.

China to buy tons of U.S. soybeans

China, the world's top soybean buyer, will purchase millions of tons of the oilseed from the United States during President Xi Jinping's visit to the country next week, industry sources said.

Eurozone racing to restructure Greek banks

Eurozone officials are racing to restructure Greece's banking system before new rules kick in that could wipe out corporate deposits with potentially disastrous effects for the Greek economy.

Syria's president says only the people can decide if he quits

By Lisa Levine, News of the Force Tel Aviv

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview with Russian media he would only quit power if the Syrian people wanted him to - and not under pressure from the West.

A 15-year-old Irish girl has been jailed for murdering her mother after becoming obsessed with ISIS' beheading videos.

An Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps official says the nations new and improved drones have a flying range of 3,000 km, round-trip, and can hit any U.S. military base in the region.

Prime Minister Netanyahu will tell Russia's President Vladimir Putin that Russian weapons transfers will threaten Israel. The PM is making his first visit to Russia since November 2013.

On Nov. 9, U.S. President Barack Obama will host Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. "The president looks forward to discussing with the prime minister regional security issues, including implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action to peacefully and verifiably prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, and countering Tehran's destabilizing activities," the White House said today. "The president also looks forward to discussing Israel's relations with the Palestinians, the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, and the need for the genuine advancement of a two-state solution," it said. "Prime Minister Netanyahu's visit is a demonstration of the deep and enduring bonds between the United States and Israel as well as the unprecedented security cooperation including our close consultations to further enhance Israel's security, the White House said.

Antoine Lahad, who once led the South Lebanese Army, has died in Paris, France.

Violence is plaguing Jerusalem over Rosh Hashana. Prime Minister Netanyahu has once again "declared war" on stone-throwers, while the world accuses Israel of "provocations" for restoring law and order.

Christian schools in Israel are on strike. School strikes aren't unusual here, but usually it's the Jewish schools that are protesting.

A jailed alleged Islamic Jihad activist went on a hunger strike to protest his administrative detention, and was released due to his deteriorating medical condition. But then he was re-arrested.

The commander of IDF battalion that operates on the Egyptian border says Egypt will succeed in putting down ISIS within two years, but the group will attempt to strike Israel beforehand.

And a terror suspect has been apprehended after his failed stabbing attack near Nablus. The suspect allegedly pulled a knife from his trousers and attempted to stab an Israeli Border Police officer before security personnel were able to apprehend him.

Cuzin Jim's Thought for the Day: Money will buy a fine dog, but only kindness will make him wag his tail.

DOD approves community adjustment assistance grant for southwest Ohio

The Department of Defense (DOD) announced yesterday a $7,049,590 grant from its Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) to Wright State University to provide community adjustment assistance to plan for anticipated reductions in regional defense industry employment.

These federal funds are part of a larger $7,832,876 project in which the university and its partners will plan and carry out strategies to diversify Dayton's economy. This will be done by conducting a holistic assessment of the region's research and development ecosystem and developing pilot programs to assist companies and workers in adopting and producing market-ready technologies.

Ten subprojects will: Identify, organize, and assess regional stakeholder and partner capabilities; Develop a regional strategy to identify commercial market technology needs and intellectual property; Develop a regional strategy to identify commercially viable technologies, including plans to grow regional capabilities around market analysis, patent analysis, and management capability analysis; Develop a regional strategy to assess regional technologies; Develop a market push regional technology acceleration model; Develop a market pull regional technology commercialization model; Develop a platform to increase regional collaboration and identify local assets, including a network of technology development and entrepreneurial mentors; Develop pathways for workforce transition into the growing industries of medical manufacturing, unmanned systems, and information technology; Develop a regional international trade strategy; and, Develop a sustainability plan to ensure projects continue beyond the grant period.

The grant is awarded under the OEA's Defense Industry Adjustment Program to assist states and communities which have been significantly impacted by reductions or cancellations in DOD spending. States and communities can request OEA assistance to: Organize themselves to respond on behalf of affected communities, workers, and businesses; Plan local community and economic adjustment activities to lessen local economic impacts; and, Carry-out plans to replace lost economic activity.

OEA project managers work with impacted areas to coordinate a broader program of assistance from across the federal government when necessary. Proposals are considered for funding on a rolling basis and are subject to the availability of appropriations.

Further information about this program may be found on the OEA's website at www.oea.gov.

News from the U.S. Marshals Service

"Fugitive of the Week" Kevin Poole has been arrested by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force in a Concord, N.H., apartment. Poole was featured as the "Fugitive of the Week" on Feb. 12 when the arrest warrant originally was issued. Poole was being sought on an outstanding federal arrest warrant for violations of the conditions of supervised release.

U.S. Air Force news

The Air Force Reserve, the Air National Guard and the Army National Guard have teamed up for a joint training scenario called "Exercise Joint Conquest."

The family of a fallen airman enjoyed the Billups Avenue road dedication ceremony yesterday at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga.

Harris, Inc., will design the products to connect with a company-built vehicular intercom system and integrate with the Air National Guard's multi-wheeled tactical vehicles.

A Jacksonville Jaguars fly-over was actually a part of an exercise. A Florida Air National Guard spokesman has confirmed such fly-overs are part of regularly scheduled training exercises and are budgeted as such.

A former Georgia Air National Guard civilian employee and two civilian vendors are headed for prison after being convicted of corruption.

At least seven of the 10 people on board a float plane that crashed in Iliamna, Alaska, have survived the crash, said Staff Sgt. Edward Eagerton of the Alaska Air National Guard.

A study of active component and Air National Guard pilots has found most had emotional reactions to committing their first lethal drone strike.

The Ohio Air National Guard Base that shares a central Ohio cargo airport and houses the 121st Air Refueling Wing is getting a $500,000 upgrade.

The Northland Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol invites local veterans and the general public to their 2015 dining out banquet and award program on Oct. 3 at the Evangelical Covenant Church, 5405 Hart Lane, NW, in Bemidji, Minn. The keynote speaker will be Scott Markle, the Education Outreach Coordinator at the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center in Superior, Wis. The social hour begins at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6 p.m. The cost is $22 per person, or families or businesses may sponsor a table for $200. To register, send the registration form to: Northland Composite Squadron, 4130 Hangar Drive, NW, Bemidji, MN 56601. Make checks payable to the Minnesota Wing of the CAP. For more information or questions, contact 1st Lt. Patti Schrader at psch...@yahoo.com , or call (218) 252-0682.

Representatives from the Michigan Wing of the Civil Air Patrol recently met with members of local schools in an effort to promote STEM. Local schools have received a $50,000 grant for STEM education.

Antelope Valley, Calif., Civil Air Patrol (CAP) members showed up in force to support Aerospace Appreciation Night at Lancaster JetHawks Stadium on Aug. 9. Members from the Edwards AFB Composite Squadron 84, and Pancho Barnes Composite Squadron 49, in Rosamond, Calif., participated in the opening ceremonies of the special event honoring the area's rich aero-space heritage. This year's special guest was U.S. Air Force B-1 flight test engineer and NASA seven-time shuttle astronaut Jerry Ross. The evening opened with a presentation of the colors performed by Cadet Colin Rodriquez, Squadron 84, and Cadets Joseph Gallagher, Cecelia Gallager and Adam Staley from Squadron 49. The cadets also escorted and welcomed the Lancaster JetHawks onto the field. During the game, CAP members hosted an informational booth to publicize CAP's mission and provide membership information. Cadets also had the opportunity to meet both shuttle astronaut Jerry Ross and Brig. Gen. Carl Schaefer, the 412th Test Wing's commander. Individuals interested in joining the Civil Air Patrol may attend the Squadron 84 weekly meeting on Edwards AFB, which is held Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.; at 1518 Forbes Ave., Bldg. 1850. -For more information, email Edwards AFB Composite Squadron 84 at cap...@gmail.com or the Pancho Barnes Composite Squadron 49 at sq4...@yahoo.com .

And "You probably heard the cliche of rat's jumping off a ship before it sinks. Apparently your last news story about the CAP's Florida Wing has gained Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters' attention," a source has told NOTF. "The rats have been jumping off the Florida Wing ship for many years now and they (at NHQ) want to know why. Squadrons once with a hundred people are now at all time lows. National Headquarters does read News of the Force and they are concerned about the CAP's appearance to Congress -many members of which also reads your wrap and funds the CAP. Under the Courter regime, one commander got a hall pass, and the rest got fired or were 'do nothings,'" the source told us. "The members leaving the CAP in droves are not rats. They are people who want to give back, instead they are disappointed. Many just leave after the mound of paperwork and officers who never quite managed anything well. It's time for new leadership in Florida. Not just at the top - but a deep cut to root out the 'Pineda mentality' that still exists. The Florida Wing is an expensive flying club maintained and paid for by the U.S. Air Force. Perhaps leaders from outside the state who haven't been polluted with corruption could be sent in. Change the organization and stop the abuse, and the organization will flourish," the source added.

Defense secretary to award medals to French train attack heroes

Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Air Force Gen. Paul Selva, will host an award ceremony at 2 p.m., tomorrow, in the Pentagon's center courtyard for the three individuals who stopped a gunman on a Paris-bound train on Aug. 21.

At the ceremony, U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Spencer Stone will receive the Airman's Medal and a Purple Heart medal, Oregon Army National Guard Specialist Alek Skarlatos will receive the Soldier's Medal, and civilian Anthony Sadler will receive the Department of Defense Medal for Valor.

Secretary Carter and Gen. Selva will provide remarks during the ceremony. Stone, Skarlatos and Sadler will conduct a brief media availability in the Pentagon's center courtyard immediately following the awards ceremony.

Media are invited to cover this event.

DHS news

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson is making a visit to the same Missouri college where Winston Churchill made his famous "Iron Curtain" speech roughly seven decades ago. Johnson's scheduled Green Foundation Lecture this afternoon at Westminster College, in Fulton, Mo., comes at a time of homeland security questions about U.S. plans to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees and concerns about recent cyber-attacks. Johnson's appearance at the college is part of its yearly symposium, this one titled "Security vs. Liberty: Balancing the Scales of Freedom." Previous Green Lecture speakers have included former presidents Harry Truman and Gerald Ford and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. During a speech there in post-war 1946, Sir Winston Churchill used the term "Iron Curtain" in reference to Eastern Europe's growing domination by the then-Soviet Union.

A new audit shows that the DHS' computer systems are vulnerable to cyber-attacks. The Department of Homeland Security also needs to establish a cyber training program for analysts and investigators, the audit said.

Tom Ridge, the first secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, says the threat of terrorism continues to loom over the world today.

DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson has blasted San Francisco's policy of not cooperating with immigration officials.

And The Berkeley Forum, at UC-Berkeley, will host the Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, who will deliver remarks titled, "Threats to the Homeland."

Today in the Department of Defense

Secretary of Defense Ash Carter provided the keynote address this morning at the Air Force Association (AFA)'s Air & Space Conference 2015, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work has no public or media events on his schedule.

The Undersecretary of Defense (Policy), Christine Wormuth, and Army Gen. Lloyd Austin, III, commander of the U.S. Central Command, provided testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee regarding U.S. military operations to counter the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant this morning in Room SD-106, Dirksen Senate Office Bldg., Washington, D.C.

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, is traveling.

And Gen. David Goldfein, the Air Force's vice chief of staff, provided remarks on leading airpower in the 21st century this afternoon, and Gen. Mark Welsh, III, the chief of staff of the Air Force, moderated a four star forum this afternoon, at the Air Force Association's Air & Space Conference 2015, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, in National Harbor, Md.

UFO news

A crashed disc-shaped UFO was found on the ground near Volgograd, Russia, on Sept. 9. There's no word on the status of any occupants.

A senior member of the U.S. military has claimed that the U.S. Government has been working with aliens at Nellis AFB, Nev.

And a donut-shaped UFO was recorded on video as it flew over De Pinte, Belgium, last month.