News of the Force: Tuesday, February 6, 2018 - Page 1
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NEWS OF THE FORCE: Tuesday, February 6, 2018 - Page 1
Breaking news
This just in: The U.S. House of Representatives passed a government funding bill late today by a vote of 245-182, avoiding another government shutdown and sending it to the Senate ahead of Thursday’s deadline.
U.S. moving troops from Iraq to Afghanistan
The U.S. military will begin to draw troops out of Iraq and relocate them to Afghanistan, after both Iraqi forces and the Iraqi Government say they have defeated the Islamic State in Iraq.
Enabled by accelerated successes following the liberation of Mosul, the coalition will shift its focus in Iraq from enabling combat operations to sustaining military gains against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials announced today. "The Coalition will tailor our forces in consultation with our Iraqi partners in order to ensure the lasting defeat of ISIS," said CJTF-OIR's director of operations, U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Jonathan Braga. As a result of the successful operations by the Coalition and its partners, ISIS has lost about 98 percent of the territory it once held in Iraq and Syria. However, Coalition commanders have noted ISIS is likely to transition back into an insurgency. ISIS still retains the ability to carry out lethal attacks and poses a potent threat to civilians and to the stability of the region. "We're clear the enemy is still capable of offensive action and retains the ability to plan and inspire attacks worldwide," Gen. Braga said. "Although OIR’s force composition may change over time to ensure we have the best forces on hand for the task, we will retain an appropriate amount of capabilities as well as an advisory presence to continue training, advising and equipping our partners in the continued fight against ISIS, all with the approval of the government of Iraq. Our enduring presence as invited guests in Iraq will shift to focus more on policing, border control and military capacity building. We will sustain the successful momentum and enhance the capacities of the Iraqi security forces in pursuing ISIS, now and in the future," Gen. Braga said.
Oil tanker ship missing off Africa's coast
An oil tanker fueled with thousands of tons of gas and carrying 22 crew members was reported missing off the coast of West Africa, a shipping company and India's foreign ministry said today.
Update: Pirates have released 22 Indian nationals taken captive after their oil tanker was boarded off the coast of West Africa last week.
6.4 magnitude earthquake strikes Taiwan, USGS says
An official from the Ministry of the Interior's fire station division said today people were trapped in buildings in Hualien, and a hotel has collapsed.
Maldives' ex-president urges India to intervene to resolve crisis
Maldives' ex-president Mohamed Nasheed today called for India to send an envoy backed by its military to free Supreme Court judges and other detainees held by the government following the imposition of a state of emergency.
Security forces in the Maldives have sealed off the country's Parliament and arrested two opposition legislators amid a deepening crisis over President Abdulla Yameen's refusal to free jailed politicians.
U.S. president attacks U.K.'s health service
U.S. President Donald Trump's habit of testing the U.S.' relationship with Britain took a new turn yesterday when he attacked the U.K.'s National Health Service (NHS), claiming it is "going broke and not working."
American conservation investigator killed in Kenya
Renowned American conservation investigator Esmond Bradley Martin, famed for his dangerous work uncovering illegal global trafficking of ivory and rhino horn, was stabbed to death over the weekend at his home in Kenya.
Norovirus scare may disrupt Olympics
Forty-one private security officers hired for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in South Korea are showing symptoms of a norovirus infection, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. The KCDC inspection team began an epidemiological survey yesterday on all 1,200 security officers hired for the event.
Boeing in talks to provide F/A-18s to India's Air Force
The Boeing Co. is in talks with the Indian Navy to sell its F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets in a bid to gain a bigger share of the defense market in the South Asian country, the world's biggest arms importer. A lot of technical evaluation has yet to take place.
Germans celebrate absence of the Berlin Wall
Yesterday, Berliners celebrated a once unthinkable occasion: The Berlin Wall has now been gone for longer than it stood. But on the same day, the city's authorities confirmed the discovery of a previously unreported stretch of the wall.
ANC leaders call NEC meeting
South Africa's ruling party has called a meeting of its top body for tomorrow amid growing pressure on President Jacob Zuma to stand down.
Duterte orders foreign nations to leave resource-rich plateau
President Rodrigo Duterte has demanded that other nations cease all marine research and exploration at a vast, resource-rich underwater plateau east of the main Philippine island of Luzon.
Haley accuses Russia of shielding Syria over chemical attacks
By Lisa Levine, News of the Force Tel Aviv
After multiple chlorine gas attacks on civilians in recent weeks, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley told the Security Council yesterday that Russia's proposal for an investigative body in Syria, "Is a way to whitewash the findings."
Russia's military says a pilot who ejected after Syrian insurgents shot down his plane traded fire with militants on the ground and then blew himself up to avoid being captured.
Videos of a Syrian militia abusing a Kurdish fighter's corps have stirred outrage. In Kobani, one fighter posed for selfies with the woman's corpse. Another called her a "female pig." And another man stood on her naked breast as someone said, "She's beautiful, man."
Poland's nationalist government is in the process of enacting legislation to criminalize speech that "claims, publicly and contrary to the facts, that the Polish nation or the Republic of Poland is responsible or co-responsible for Nazi crimes during World War II.
Israel has granted legal status to a previously unauthorized outpost in the occupied West Bank in response to a Palestinian shooting attack last month that killed one of its residents.
And an Israeli rabbi has been stabbed to death by a Palestinian terrorist. Itamar Ben-Gal was a beloved rabbi, middle school teacher, husband and father of four.
Nunes memo deals 'devastating blow' to Mueller's investigation, Judicial Watch says
Contrary to the claims of U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the intelligence memo released by the House Intelligence Committee strikes a "really devastating blow" at the Mueller investigation of alleged Trump-Russia collusion, said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. He added that "The whole thing is subject to being called off now."
Speaking on Fox News about 90 minutes after the memo was released to the public, Fitton said, "It would be difficult to overstate the revelations in this memo, not only in terms of the corruption during the Obama administration but the really devastating blow it strikes at Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. When you have the Obama Justice Department take their best shot with the FISA court, and their best shot is a Clinton campaign document - to run the narrative that there was Russia collusion requiring surveillance of a Trump campaign official or volunteer - and it turns out there was nothing else there but for that dossier paid for with Clinton/DNC funds, then that means there’s no Mueller investigation without the dossier, paid for by Clinton and DNC funds," said Fitton. "So the whole thing is subject to being called off now by the Justice Department, if they’re brave enough, based on these disclosures today," he said. He continued, "I’m hearing a lot of talk about the innocent explanations about the information in this memo. If they were so innocent, then why did the FBI and Justice Department steadfastly object and stonewall congressional requests and Judicial Watch requests for information about the dossier and how it was handled?"
Homeland insecurity
The Department of Homeland Security in a draft report from late January recommended authorities surveil Sunni Muslim immigrants in the United States long-term if it were decided that they fit "at-risk" demographic profiles. The
leaked Department of Homeland Security document recommends the continuous vetting of male Muslim immigrants from parts of the world deemed a security threat.
Several members of the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security yesterday urged for greater focus on cyber warfare skills in assessing future, urgent national security needs. Several lawmakers agreed skills for cyber warfare, such as developing artificial intelligence, will be key.
It's taken "too long" for Congress to reauthorize the Homeland Security Department, the department's chief House overseer said yesterday, arguing it's "demoralizing" for agencies to work for years on end without Congress' official backing.
Yesterday, the Hon. Ralph Goodale, Canada's Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, met with Kirstjen Nielsen, the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, in Washington, D.C., to discuss joint Canada-U.S. cooperation on a number of issues.
The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) revealed in a study this week that refugee resettlement in the United States costs taxpayers $1.8 billion dollars a year. The cost over five years is $8.8 billion. Roughly, each refugee costs U.S. taxpayers $15,900 per year - or around $79,600 for the first five years - that they spend in the United States. Refugees entering the U.S. often have no money, property or even marketable job skills. Most of the money spent on refugees is mainly cash or financial assistance, welfare programs and social services. Food stamps, Medicaid, SNAP, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), housing assistance, child care assistance, loan forgiveness, legal aid and job training are just a handful of the taxpayer funded programs made available to refugees.
And today marks the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the FBI join U.S. and foreign government partners, non-governmental organizations, and local communities to call for the eradication of the practice. Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a federal crime, and any involvement in committing this crime is a serious human rights violation which may result in imprisonment and potential removal from the U.S. Individuals suspected of FGM/C, including sending girls overseas to be cut, may be investigated by the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center and prosecuted accordingly. In 2017, prosecutors brought the first criminal indictment under 18 USC 116 based on a joint investigation conducted by the FBI and HSI. Dr. Jumana Nagarwala, a U.S. citizen and Detroit-area doctor, was indicted in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan for performing FGM/C on at least two 7-year old girls, although prosecutors estimate that she may have performed FGM/C on more than a hundred girls. Seven additional defendants have been subsequently charged with related crimes. All defendants are awaiting trial. "Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a violation of the rights of women and girls that leaves lasting mental, emotional and physical scars," said Chris Hacker, the Deputy Assistant Director of the FBI’s Criminal Division. "The FBI’s work investigating human rights issues such as FGM/C is among the most important work we do, safeguarding children. We will continue to work with our partners at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to protect vulnerable members of our community, and bring to justice those who have harmed young girls." "We continue to partner with the FBI, non-governmental organizations, and governmental partners both domestically and internationally to identify potential victims and those who conduct female genital mutilation," explained unit chief Mark Shaffer of ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center. "If HSI can help prevent this from happening, it is a win for everyone." The elimination of FGM/C has broad implications for the health and human rights of women and girls, as well as societies at large. This day serves as an opportunity to reflect on victims who have suffered from female genital mutilation/cutting, including many women and girls who have died or suffered lifelong health complications from the practice. The day also renews a global commitment to the health and well-being of all women, girls and communities by eliminating the practice. FGM/C prevalence is primarily concentrated in 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, but also occurs in parts of Western Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. It is global in scope and found in multiple geographies, religions, and socioeconomic classes. Anyone who has information about an individual who is suspected of assisting in this crime is urged to call the toll-free ICE tip line at (866) 347-2423 or complete the ICE online tip form or the FBI online tip form. All are staffed around the clock, and tips may be provided anonymously.
U.S. Navy and Marine Corps
Who is Carter Page? He served aboard an ammo ship and a frigate for three years, attended Surface Warfare Officers School in Rhode Island for two stints totaling seven months, and was a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Reserve from 1998 to 2004. He was not promoted while in the reserve.
U.S. Marines from the Black Sea Rotational Force and the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, along with troops from 9 other countries, have participated in the Swedish Basic Winter Warfare Course in Arvidsjaur, Sweden.
At least seven noncommissioned U.S. Marines were punished last year after a secret recording revealed hazing of junior ranking service members at Camp Pendleton, Calif. One of the junior ranking Marines - a lance corporal - decided to record audio of the final inspection with his cell phone, the report added.
The giant caves in the fjordside mountains of Hell, Norway, pack enough firepower for 4,600 U.S. Marines and are built to withstand the first few days of a hypothetical World War III. The several hundred feet of rock would most likely protect the hidden weapons stashes from a nuclear missile attack.
In Iraq, the first Marine Corps element to leave will likely be the additional security presence at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, roughly 150 Marines who have been sourced from the Corps' crisis response task force for the Middle East since 2015.
InstantEye Robotics, in Andover, Mass., has announced that it has received an order from PMA-263, the Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program Office, for an additional 800 InstantEye Mk-2 GEN3-A0 sUAS systems.
And Indiana's Michigan City High School (MCHS) Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (MCJROTC) Drill Team competed in the Chicagoland Military Drill Meet held on Saturday, Feb. 3rd, in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Twenty-three schools from Illinois, Indiana and Ohio participated.
U.S. Army
Despite the time difference, despite the accommodations, U.S. Army soldiers watched Super Bowl LII at the 7th Army Training Command's Hohenfels Training Area (HTA) in Germany, Feb. 4th-5th.
The U.S. Army's 443rd Civil Affairs Battalion conducted a transfer of authority ceremony with the 404th Civil Affairs Battalion on Feb. 3rd at Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.
A U.K. hacker who broke into NASA and U.S. Army computer systems has won his appeal of his extradition to the U.S. Lawyers for 32-year-old Lauri Love, who suffers from autism, had argued that he should be tried over the allegations in the U.K. and added that he would be at risk of killing himself if extradited to the U.S. Love also claims to suffer from Asperger's syndrome, anxiety, depression and "obsessive behaviors."
Oshkosh Defense, an Oshkosh Corporation company, has announced that the U.S. Army has placed a $106 million order for 416 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV) and associated installed and packaged kits.
The Lebanese Army will be receiving a total of 32 M2A2 Bradleys from the U.S. Army as part of a larger U.S. military assistance program announced in 2017 that includes light attack helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles.
U.S. Army Reserve members are on Ready Force-X status, where select units are called up for mobilization in less than 120 days, meaning they have to be ready, trained and available to deploy within that time frame. In today's complex and high tempo operational environment, America's Army Reserve needs to rapidly deploy highly trained units to any corner of the world with the personnel and equipment they have on hand.
The Army is reportedly ditching the "tape test." The Army has also turned its focus to prevention, piloting two fitness tests designed to better approximate combat tasks and skills. The idea is to increase physical readiness by testing soldiers on what they'll actually be doing downrange, but also to teach them to safely train and recover from those events.
And an Appleton mom who returned from overseas duties with the Wisconsin Army National Guard surprised her son with an unusual homecoming. She was disguised as a jaguar. Sgt. Jen Sabrowsky entered the lunchroom at McKinley Elementary School dressed as the school's mascot.
NOAA news
A United States NOAA "hurricane hunter" aircraft and a team of storm chasers have set up camp in Ireland as they undertake weather reconnaissance missions over the North Atlantic.
And last month, NOAA announced that 2017 was the U.S.' costliest year ever for natural disasters - shattering the previous record of 2005. The country suffered more than $300 billion in damages primarily due to hurricanes, severe storms, and wildfires.
News from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
The U.S. Department of Labor is currently accepting applications for the beta phase of the HIRE Vets Medallion Program to recognize employers who hire and retain veterans as employees.
If you feel sad in the winter, you may have Seasonal Affective Disorder. It is sometimes called winter depression.
The Phoenix, Ariz., VA is participating in the National Homeless Point-in-Time count. The point-in-time count is the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s annual effort to estimate the number of Americans, including veterans, who are without safe, stable housing.
Improving the lives of veterans with mental health issues is incredibly rewarding. And that’s just one of the many reasons to consider becoming a VA psychiatrist.
And your military duties may have exposed you to herbicides if you served in the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam Era (Jan. 9, 1962 - May 7, 1975). Service in the Republic of Vietnam includes service in the waters offshore and service in other locations if the conditions of service involved duty or visitation in South Vietnam; or, your job in the service (other than in Vietnam) exposed you to herbicides.
U.S. Public Health Service
Some U.S. Public Health Service commissioned officers have been missing pay for months. "I can tell you that some officers are decremented as much as $1,700 per month, an amount which is large enough to play havoc with even the most carefully crafted budget," said Jim Currie, the executive director of the Commissioned Officers Association of the
U.S. Public Health Service.
Page 1
Breaking news
This just in: The U.S. House of Representatives passed a government funding bill late today by a vote of 245-182, avoiding another government shutdown and sending it to the Senate ahead of Thursday’s deadline.
U.S. moving troops from Iraq to Afghanistan
The U.S. military will begin to draw troops out of Iraq and relocate them to Afghanistan, after both Iraqi forces and the Iraqi Government say they have defeated the Islamic State in Iraq.
Enabled by accelerated successes following the liberation of Mosul, the coalition will shift its focus in Iraq from enabling combat operations to sustaining military gains against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials announced today. "The Coalition will tailor our forces in consultation with our Iraqi partners in order to ensure the lasting defeat of ISIS," said CJTF-OIR's director of operations, U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Jonathan Braga. As a result of the successful operations by the Coalition and its partners, ISIS has lost about 98 percent of the territory it once held in Iraq and Syria. However, Coalition commanders have noted ISIS is likely to transition back into an insurgency. ISIS still retains the ability to carry out lethal attacks and poses a potent threat to civilians and to the stability of the region. "We're clear the enemy is still capable of offensive action and retains the ability to plan and inspire attacks worldwide," Gen. Braga said. "Although OIR’s force composition may change over time to ensure we have the best forces on hand for the task, we will retain an appropriate amount of capabilities as well as an advisory presence to continue training, advising and equipping our partners in the continued fight against ISIS, all with the approval of the government of Iraq. Our enduring presence as invited guests in Iraq will shift to focus more on policing, border control and military capacity building. We will sustain the successful momentum and enhance the capacities of the Iraqi security forces in pursuing ISIS, now and in the future," Gen. Braga said.
Oil tanker ship missing off Africa's coast
An oil tanker fueled with thousands of tons of gas and carrying 22 crew members was reported missing off the coast of West Africa, a shipping company and India's foreign ministry said today.
Update: Pirates have released 22 Indian nationals taken captive after their oil tanker was boarded off the coast of West Africa last week.
6.4 magnitude earthquake strikes Taiwan, USGS says
An official from the Ministry of the Interior's fire station division said today people were trapped in buildings in Hualien, and a hotel has collapsed.
Maldives' ex-president urges India to intervene to resolve crisis
Maldives' ex-president Mohamed Nasheed today called for India to send an envoy backed by its military to free Supreme Court judges and other detainees held by the government following the imposition of a state of emergency.
Security forces in the Maldives have sealed off the country's Parliament and arrested two opposition legislators amid a deepening crisis over President Abdulla Yameen's refusal to free jailed politicians.
U.S. president attacks U.K.'s health service
U.S. President Donald Trump's habit of testing the U.S.' relationship with Britain took a new turn yesterday when he attacked the U.K.'s National Health Service (NHS), claiming it is "going broke and not working."
American conservation investigator killed in Kenya
Renowned American conservation investigator Esmond Bradley Martin, famed for his dangerous work uncovering illegal global trafficking of ivory and rhino horn, was stabbed to death over the weekend at his home in Kenya.
Norovirus scare may disrupt Olympics
Forty-one private security officers hired for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in South Korea are showing symptoms of a norovirus infection, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. The KCDC inspection team began an epidemiological survey yesterday on all 1,200 security officers hired for the event.
Boeing in talks to provide F/A-18s to India's Air Force
The Boeing Co. is in talks with the Indian Navy to sell its F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets in a bid to gain a bigger share of the defense market in the South Asian country, the world's biggest arms importer. A lot of technical evaluation has yet to take place.
Germans celebrate absence of the Berlin Wall
Yesterday, Berliners celebrated a once unthinkable occasion: The Berlin Wall has now been gone for longer than it stood. But on the same day, the city's authorities confirmed the discovery of a previously unreported stretch of the wall.
ANC leaders call NEC meeting
South Africa's ruling party has called a meeting of its top body for tomorrow amid growing pressure on President Jacob Zuma to stand down.
Duterte orders foreign nations to leave resource-rich plateau
President Rodrigo Duterte has demanded that other nations cease all marine research and exploration at a vast, resource-rich underwater plateau east of the main Philippine island of Luzon.
Haley accuses Russia of shielding Syria over chemical attacks
By Lisa Levine, News of the Force Tel Aviv
After multiple chlorine gas attacks on civilians in recent weeks, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley told the Security Council yesterday that Russia's proposal for an investigative body in Syria, "Is a way to whitewash the findings."
Russia's military says a pilot who ejected after Syrian insurgents shot down his plane traded fire with militants on the ground and then blew himself up to avoid being captured.
Videos of a Syrian militia abusing a Kurdish fighter's corps have stirred outrage. In Kobani, one fighter posed for selfies with the woman's corpse. Another called her a "female pig." And another man stood on her naked breast as someone said, "She's beautiful, man."
Poland's nationalist government is in the process of enacting legislation to criminalize speech that "claims, publicly and contrary to the facts, that the Polish nation or the Republic of Poland is responsible or co-responsible for Nazi crimes during World War II.
Israel has granted legal status to a previously unauthorized outpost in the occupied West Bank in response to a Palestinian shooting attack last month that killed one of its residents.
And an Israeli rabbi has been stabbed to death by a Palestinian terrorist. Itamar Ben-Gal was a beloved rabbi, middle school teacher, husband and father of four.
Nunes memo deals 'devastating blow' to Mueller's investigation, Judicial Watch says
Contrary to the claims of U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the intelligence memo released by the House Intelligence Committee strikes a "really devastating blow" at the Mueller investigation of alleged Trump-Russia collusion, said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. He added that "The whole thing is subject to being called off now."
Speaking on Fox News about 90 minutes after the memo was released to the public, Fitton said, "It would be difficult to overstate the revelations in this memo, not only in terms of the corruption during the Obama administration but the really devastating blow it strikes at Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. When you have the Obama Justice Department take their best shot with the FISA court, and their best shot is a Clinton campaign document - to run the narrative that there was Russia collusion requiring surveillance of a Trump campaign official or volunteer - and it turns out there was nothing else there but for that dossier paid for with Clinton/DNC funds, then that means there’s no Mueller investigation without the dossier, paid for by Clinton and DNC funds," said Fitton. "So the whole thing is subject to being called off now by the Justice Department, if they’re brave enough, based on these disclosures today," he said. He continued, "I’m hearing a lot of talk about the innocent explanations about the information in this memo. If they were so innocent, then why did the FBI and Justice Department steadfastly object and stonewall congressional requests and Judicial Watch requests for information about the dossier and how it was handled?"
Homeland insecurity
The Department of Homeland Security in a draft report from late January recommended authorities surveil Sunni Muslim immigrants in the United States long-term if it were decided that they fit "at-risk" demographic profiles. The
leaked Department of Homeland Security document recommends the continuous vetting of male Muslim immigrants from parts of the world deemed a security threat.
Several members of the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security yesterday urged for greater focus on cyber warfare skills in assessing future, urgent national security needs. Several lawmakers agreed skills for cyber warfare, such as developing artificial intelligence, will be key.
It's taken "too long" for Congress to reauthorize the Homeland Security Department, the department's chief House overseer said yesterday, arguing it's "demoralizing" for agencies to work for years on end without Congress' official backing.
Yesterday, the Hon. Ralph Goodale, Canada's Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, met with Kirstjen Nielsen, the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, in Washington, D.C., to discuss joint Canada-U.S. cooperation on a number of issues.
The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) revealed in a study this week that refugee resettlement in the United States costs taxpayers $1.8 billion dollars a year. The cost over five years is $8.8 billion. Roughly, each refugee costs U.S. taxpayers $15,900 per year - or around $79,600 for the first five years - that they spend in the United States. Refugees entering the U.S. often have no money, property or even marketable job skills. Most of the money spent on refugees is mainly cash or financial assistance, welfare programs and social services. Food stamps, Medicaid, SNAP, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), housing assistance, child care assistance, loan forgiveness, legal aid and job training are just a handful of the taxpayer funded programs made available to refugees.
And today marks the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the FBI join U.S. and foreign government partners, non-governmental organizations, and local communities to call for the eradication of the practice. Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a federal crime, and any involvement in committing this crime is a serious human rights violation which may result in imprisonment and potential removal from the U.S. Individuals suspected of FGM/C, including sending girls overseas to be cut, may be investigated by the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center and prosecuted accordingly. In 2017, prosecutors brought the first criminal indictment under 18 USC 116 based on a joint investigation conducted by the FBI and HSI. Dr. Jumana Nagarwala, a U.S. citizen and Detroit-area doctor, was indicted in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan for performing FGM/C on at least two 7-year old girls, although prosecutors estimate that she may have performed FGM/C on more than a hundred girls. Seven additional defendants have been subsequently charged with related crimes. All defendants are awaiting trial. "Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a violation of the rights of women and girls that leaves lasting mental, emotional and physical scars," said Chris Hacker, the Deputy Assistant Director of the FBI’s Criminal Division. "The FBI’s work investigating human rights issues such as FGM/C is among the most important work we do, safeguarding children. We will continue to work with our partners at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to protect vulnerable members of our community, and bring to justice those who have harmed young girls." "We continue to partner with the FBI, non-governmental organizations, and governmental partners both domestically and internationally to identify potential victims and those who conduct female genital mutilation," explained unit chief Mark Shaffer of ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center. "If HSI can help prevent this from happening, it is a win for everyone." The elimination of FGM/C has broad implications for the health and human rights of women and girls, as well as societies at large. This day serves as an opportunity to reflect on victims who have suffered from female genital mutilation/cutting, including many women and girls who have died or suffered lifelong health complications from the practice. The day also renews a global commitment to the health and well-being of all women, girls and communities by eliminating the practice. FGM/C prevalence is primarily concentrated in 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, but also occurs in parts of Western Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. It is global in scope and found in multiple geographies, religions, and socioeconomic classes. Anyone who has information about an individual who is suspected of assisting in this crime is urged to call the toll-free ICE tip line at (866) 347-2423 or complete the ICE online tip form or the FBI online tip form. All are staffed around the clock, and tips may be provided anonymously.
U.S. Navy and Marine Corps
Who is Carter Page? He served aboard an ammo ship and a frigate for three years, attended Surface Warfare Officers School in Rhode Island for two stints totaling seven months, and was a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Reserve from 1998 to 2004. He was not promoted while in the reserve.
U.S. Marines from the Black Sea Rotational Force and the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, along with troops from 9 other countries, have participated in the Swedish Basic Winter Warfare Course in Arvidsjaur, Sweden.
At least seven noncommissioned U.S. Marines were punished last year after a secret recording revealed hazing of junior ranking service members at Camp Pendleton, Calif. One of the junior ranking Marines - a lance corporal - decided to record audio of the final inspection with his cell phone, the report added.
The giant caves in the fjordside mountains of Hell, Norway, pack enough firepower for 4,600 U.S. Marines and are built to withstand the first few days of a hypothetical World War III. The several hundred feet of rock would most likely protect the hidden weapons stashes from a nuclear missile attack.
In Iraq, the first Marine Corps element to leave will likely be the additional security presence at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, roughly 150 Marines who have been sourced from the Corps' crisis response task force for the Middle East since 2015.
InstantEye Robotics, in Andover, Mass., has announced that it has received an order from PMA-263, the Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program Office, for an additional 800 InstantEye Mk-2 GEN3-A0 sUAS systems.
And Indiana's Michigan City High School (MCHS) Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (MCJROTC) Drill Team competed in the Chicagoland Military Drill Meet held on Saturday, Feb. 3rd, in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Twenty-three schools from Illinois, Indiana and Ohio participated.
U.S. Army
Despite the time difference, despite the accommodations, U.S. Army soldiers watched Super Bowl LII at the 7th Army Training Command's Hohenfels Training Area (HTA) in Germany, Feb. 4th-5th.
The U.S. Army's 443rd Civil Affairs Battalion conducted a transfer of authority ceremony with the 404th Civil Affairs Battalion on Feb. 3rd at Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.
A U.K. hacker who broke into NASA and U.S. Army computer systems has won his appeal of his extradition to the U.S. Lawyers for 32-year-old Lauri Love, who suffers from autism, had argued that he should be tried over the allegations in the U.K. and added that he would be at risk of killing himself if extradited to the U.S. Love also claims to suffer from Asperger's syndrome, anxiety, depression and "obsessive behaviors."
Oshkosh Defense, an Oshkosh Corporation company, has announced that the U.S. Army has placed a $106 million order for 416 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV) and associated installed and packaged kits.
The Lebanese Army will be receiving a total of 32 M2A2 Bradleys from the U.S. Army as part of a larger U.S. military assistance program announced in 2017 that includes light attack helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles.
U.S. Army Reserve members are on Ready Force-X status, where select units are called up for mobilization in less than 120 days, meaning they have to be ready, trained and available to deploy within that time frame. In today's complex and high tempo operational environment, America's Army Reserve needs to rapidly deploy highly trained units to any corner of the world with the personnel and equipment they have on hand.
The Army is reportedly ditching the "tape test." The Army has also turned its focus to prevention, piloting two fitness tests designed to better approximate combat tasks and skills. The idea is to increase physical readiness by testing soldiers on what they'll actually be doing downrange, but also to teach them to safely train and recover from those events.
And an Appleton mom who returned from overseas duties with the Wisconsin Army National Guard surprised her son with an unusual homecoming. She was disguised as a jaguar. Sgt. Jen Sabrowsky entered the lunchroom at McKinley Elementary School dressed as the school's mascot.
NOAA news
A United States NOAA "hurricane hunter" aircraft and a team of storm chasers have set up camp in Ireland as they undertake weather reconnaissance missions over the North Atlantic.
And last month, NOAA announced that 2017 was the U.S.' costliest year ever for natural disasters - shattering the previous record of 2005. The country suffered more than $300 billion in damages primarily due to hurricanes, severe storms, and wildfires.
News from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
The U.S. Department of Labor is currently accepting applications for the beta phase of the HIRE Vets Medallion Program to recognize employers who hire and retain veterans as employees.
If you feel sad in the winter, you may have Seasonal Affective Disorder. It is sometimes called winter depression.
The Phoenix, Ariz., VA is participating in the National Homeless Point-in-Time count. The point-in-time count is the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s annual effort to estimate the number of Americans, including veterans, who are without safe, stable housing.
Improving the lives of veterans with mental health issues is incredibly rewarding. And that’s just one of the many reasons to consider becoming a VA psychiatrist.
And your military duties may have exposed you to herbicides if you served in the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam Era (Jan. 9, 1962 - May 7, 1975). Service in the Republic of Vietnam includes service in the waters offshore and service in other locations if the conditions of service involved duty or visitation in South Vietnam; or, your job in the service (other than in Vietnam) exposed you to herbicides.
U.S. Public Health Service
Some U.S. Public Health Service commissioned officers have been missing pay for months. "I can tell you that some officers are decremented as much as $1,700 per month, an amount which is large enough to play havoc with even the most carefully crafted budget," said Jim Currie, the executive director of the Commissioned Officers Association of the
U.S. Public Health Service.
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