Knighthawk helicopter crash’s while operating in the central Red Sea

(BMLTV) September, 24, 2013 - Two sailers died September 22, while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, according to the Department of Defense. Lt. Cmdr. Landon L. Jones, 35, of Lompoc, Calif., and Chief Warrant Officer Jonathon S. Gibson, 32, of Aurora, Ore., were killed when their MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter crashed while operating in the central Red Sea.

Both sailors were assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Six at Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, Calif.

by abhi ahmadadeen

First unmanned QF-16 flight takes place

A QF-16 Full Scale Aerial Target from the 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron takes off on its first unmanned flight at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. Sept. 19. The 82nd ATRS operates the Department of Defense’s only full-scale aerial target program. The QF-16 will provide a fourth generation fighter representation of real world threats . (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Javier Cruz/Released)

(BMLTV) TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The QF-16 full scale aerial target's inaugural unmanned flight occurred Sept. 19. The 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron and Boeing Co. conducted the flight, which is the first step in a two year process to phase out the QF-4 full scale aerial target.

 "The QF-4 did a good job for many years, but it's time to turn the page in the aerial target program. This program will bring us into the 4th generation aircraft," said Lt. Col. Ryan Inman, 82nd ATRS commander. "And will provide us with a mission capable, very sustainable aerial target to take us into the next 10 to 20 years."

 A pilot performed all normal preflight checks before climbing out of the cockpit and locking the canopy from the outside. Control was then turned over to Thomas Mudge, 82nd ATRS pilot controller, sitting in a control room on the opposite side of base. The QF-16 took off at 3 p.m. for an hour long mission profile including take off, conducting a series of simulated maneuvers and reaching supersonic speeds before returning to base and landing.

"The flight itself went very well," said Mudge. "Its performance and abilities are great and we're looking forward to this airplane." The first QF-16 was delivered to Tyndall in November 2012 for operational and developmental testing to ensure their viability for aerial targets.

The QF-16 is a supersonic reusable full-scale aerial target modified from an F16 Fighting Falcon. The emergence of U.S. 5th generation fighters such as the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning means American forces need an advanced target, similar to what they would actually find on the battle field.

"It takes it to the next generation, which now provides the shooters an aircraft that is completely a replication of current real world situations," said Inman. "The new targets will allow the Air Force and allied nations to have a realistic understanding of what they could face." With successful testing at Tyndall complete, the targets will be now move to Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., to begin testing on an air-to-ground system. They will be part of live-fire testing before being sent back to Tyndall for operation.

The 82nd ATRS is part of the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group, which falls under the 53rd Wing at Eglin Air Force Base. The unit operates the Department of Defense's only full-scale aerial target program, which provides Air Force, Navy, Marine and Army customers targets for developmental and operational tests.

by 2nd Lt. andrea valencia

Memo prepares DOD employees for government shutdown

Dr. Ashton B. Carter, deputy secretary of defense, holds a Pentagon press conference, March 12, 2010. Carter issued a memo Sept. 23, 2013 outlining the possibility of a shutdown of some DoD services. (DoD photo by R. D. Ward/Released)

(BMLTV) WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2013 - Although Defense Department officials believe a government shutdown can be avoided when the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1, they want DOD employees to be prepared for the possibility, Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter said in a memo issued to the workforce today.

"The fiscal year ends Sept. 30, and Congress has not passed a budget. If Congress does not approve a budget or pass a continuing resolution, the portions of the government funded via appropriated funds will be forced to close. "The department remains hopeful that a government shutdown will be averted," Carter wrote in the memo.

"The administration strongly believes that a lapse in funding should not occur and is working with Congress to find a solution." Congress still can prevent a lapse in appropriations, but "prudent management requires that we be prepared for all contingencies, including the possibility that a lapse could occur at the end of the month," the deputy secretary wrote. The absence of funding would mean a number of government activities would cease. "While military personnel would continue in a normal duty status, a large number of our civilian employees would be temporarily furloughed," Carter said.

"To prepare for this possibility, we are updating our contingency plans for executing an orderly shutdown of activities that would be affected by a lapse in appropriations." President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel understand the hardships such a shutdown could cause civilian employees, the deputy secretary wrote.

 "The administration strongly believes that a lapse in funding should not occur and is working with Congress to find a solution," Pentagon Press Secretary George Little told reporters today. "The secretary has made it clear that budget uncertainty is not helpful for us in executing our budget efficiently, and a shutdown would be the worst type of uncertainty. A shutdown would put severe hardships on an already stressed workforce, and is totally unnecessary." Carter vowed to provide more information as it becomes available. The Office of Personnel Management's website has more information.

by jim garamone

North Carolina soldier dies in Laghman Province, Afghanistan

(BMLTV) September 21, 2013 - The Department of Defense released a statement this evening saying that Sgt. William D. Brown III, 44, of Franklin, N.C., died Sept. 19, in Laghman Province, Afghanistan, from a non-combat incident. The soldier's death is under investigation.
Brown was assigned to the 94th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Polk, La.

Oscar-Winning Surgeon to speak at ODU about quest to heal acid attack victims around the world

(BMLTV) September 20, 2013 - London-based plastic surgeon Dr. Mohammad Ali Jawad will screen the Academy Award-winning documentary “Saving Face,” which focuses on his internationally renowned work treating acid attack victims, and speak about his experiences during a lecture at Old Dominion University on Sept. 25.

The free event will be held at 7 p.m. in the Ted Constant Convocation Center’s Big Blue Room and is open to the campus community and the general public. Parking will be available free of charge in the 43rd Street garage, adjacent to the convocation center.

Jawad’s international reputation stems from high-profile plastic surgery cases, including his work to restore a British model who was the victim of a vicious acid attack. The HBO film “Saving Face” – which won the 2012 Academy Award for best short documentary – explores Jawad’s efforts in Pakistan. ”Saving Face” shares the stories of women victimized by brutal acid attacks as Jawad works to reconstruct and heal them.

The documentary has subsequently been nominated for five Emmy Awards, which will be announced Oct. 1 in New York City. The ODU event, which is sponsored by the university’s Center for Global Health in partnership with Physicians for Peace, will focus on Jawad’s work assisting women who are victims of acid attacks – a growing act of violence in countries around the world.

Physicians for Peace recently recruited Jawad as a lead volunteer for a team of specialists providing Colombian medical professionals the skills and knowledge they need to treat the rising number of acid attack victims in that country. "When it comes to acid burns, one is too many,” Jawad said. “Acid attacks are mainly against women as the assailant wants to destroy the face because it is her identity. They become the walking dead.

This horrible issue needs to be brought to the attention of the United States. My philosophy is if you treat these patients with a lot of compassion and restore them to normality, then they can go back be an effective member of society.” Acid flinging, where caustic liquids are intentionally thrown on women or young girls, often is an act of revenge, according to the London-based charity Acid Survivors Trust International.

The long-term consequences of these attacks include blindness and permanent scarring of the face and body, along with far-reaching social, psychological and economic difficulties. Of the 1,500 acid attacks reported globally each year, 80 percent target women.

Physicians for Peace is an international non-profit organization that harnesses the exponential power of education to create sustainable access to everyday healthcare. Through effective, hands-on training in high impact areas of healthcare, Physicians for Peace empowers communities in the developing world to help themselves, and thereby gain the sense of greater peace that comes with moving from a state of surviving to a state of living.

Headquartered in Norfolk, VA, they have established medical training partnerships in more than 60 countries since 1989. Find us on-line at www.physiciansforpeace.org, on facebook at www.facebook.com/physiciansforpeace and follow them on Twitter, @Physician4Peace.

Old Dominion University is Virginia’s forward-focused research university with rigorous academics, an energetic residential community, entrepreneurial research and collaboration, and initiatives that contribute nearly $2.1 billion to the economy.

ODU’s Center for Global Health prepares leaders so they are equipped to bring together the people and resources needed to build sustainable, inter-professional initiatives that address pressing local, national and international health problems.

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel releases statement on the incident at Washington Navy Yard

(BMLTV) WASHINGTON, September 16, 2013 - I have been receiving regular updates on the shooting at the Washington Navy Yard, and continue to monitor the situation closely.  This is a tragic day for the Department of Defense, the national capital area, and the nation.  My thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this outrageous act of violence, their families, and all those affected by today's events.  I am grateful for the swift response of federal and local law enforcement, and for the professionalism of DoD personnel at the Navy Yard complex.  The Department of Defense will continue to offer its full assistance in the investigation of this terrible and senseless violence.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter and Norwegian Ministry of Defense State Secretary Eirik Thorshaug meet at the Pentagon.

(BMLTV) September 3, 2013 - Carter and Thorshaug, the two leaders exchanged views about the on-going violence in Syria. Deputy Secretary Carter reiterated the need for the international community to respond to the chemical weapon attacks that claimed innocent lives in Syria. They agreed on the importance of the norms surrounding the prohibition on the use of chemical weapons, and on the need for close consultation in the days ahead.

Deputy Secretary Carter and State Secretary Thorshaug also discussed the positive developments in Afghanistan and the future of NATO post-2014. The two leaders underscored the need for enhanced focus on maintaining interoperability and readiness through training and exercises in the both the near and long term.

The two leaders highlighted the close cooperation between the United States and Norway exemplified by current cooperation on the F-16 and the planned Norwegian procurement of the F-35. Deputy Secretary Carter and State Secretary Thorshaug also reaffirmed the continued cooperation in the Arctic as access and activity in the region increases.