Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom statement on Supreme Court decision

Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom released the following statement on the Supreme Court’s decision to deny hearing five cases on same-sex marriage:

 

“Today, we saw a significant step in achieving marriage equality. By the Supreme Court denying lower court appeals, same-sex marriage will now be legal in eleven more states, lifting the total to thirty.

The fight, however, is not over. We cannot rest until every state in the union recognizes all Americans with equal rights, equal respect and equal recognition.

With more than half of all Americans supporting same-sex marriage, and that number continuing to grow, the Supreme Court will have no choice but to make a ruling on the issue. When that time comes, I hope the justices are courageous enough to take a stand and be on the right side of history.”

 

Lt. Gov. Newsom pushed the issue to the national forefront when he initiated the marriage of same sex couples at City Hall in San Francisco in 2004. Then, thousands of courageous couples took their vows, spurring debate and ultimately challenging state laws.

AIRCRAFT CONTROL

10/06/2014 07:11 PM CDT

U.S. Air Force pilots assigned to an E-3B Sentry airborne warning and control system aircraft fly a mission to support airstrikes against Islamic State of Irag and the Levant targets over northeastern Iraq, Oct. 2, 2014.

AMPHIBIOUS RAID

10/06/2014 07:26 PM CDT

Philippine and U.S. Marines take control of a shoreline to simulate an amphibious raid using combat rubber raiding craft during Amphibious Landing Exercise 15 in Palawan, Philippines, Oct. 2, 2014. The annual exercise, known as Phiblex, aims to strengthen interoperability across a range of capabilities, including disaster relief and contingency operations.

DOD Contracts

CONTRACTS

 

AIR FORCE

 

Raytheon Co., Integrated Defense Systems, Sudbury, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $19,502,764 fixed-price-incentive-firm contract for the initial engineering, manufacturing and development phase of the Three-Dimensional Expeditionary Long-Range Radar (3DELRR) program. The 3DELRR program will replace the aging TPS-75 radar system and will be the principal U.S. Air Force long-range, ground-based sensor for detecting, identifying, tracking, and reporting aerial targets for the Joint Force Air Component Commander through the Theater Air Control System. This base contract includes the purchase of three radar systems. The total contract, including all options, is currently estimated at $71,821,520 and includes the procurement of an additional three radar systems, for a total of six radar systems and product support. Work will be performed at Sudbury, Massachusetts, and Andover, Massachusetts, and the current contract award is expected to be completed byOct. 31, 2018. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition, with three offers received. Fiscal year 2014 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $11,000,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Theater Battle Control Division, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity (FA8730-15-C-0004).
 

Information Systems Worldwide Corp., Arlington, Virginia, has been awarded a $9,780,495 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for software and hardware. Contractor will provide research techniques to extract features from open source information available via various platforms, as well as mobile devices and applications. They will also develop prototypes to correlate this data with existing mission data, and create discovery services to enable its information to be efficiently and effectively exploited in an intelligence context. Work will be performed at Arlington, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by April 5, 2017. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition, with 38 offers received. Fiscal 2014 research and development funds in the amount of $579,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-15-C-0114).

L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, Waco, Texas, has been awarded an $8,490,385 modification (P00019) to previously awarded contract FA8625-13-C-6597 for C-27J Australia Continental United States (CONUS) Contractor Logistics Support (CLS). Contractor will incorporate program requirements for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) C-27J FMS Australia CLS for CONUS training. Work will be performed at Waco, Texas, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2017. This contract involves foreign military sales. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.
 

The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Cambridge, Massachusetts, has been awarded an $8,124,147 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for software. Contractor will develop comprehensive software architecture for extracting semantic artifacts from large software corpora and represent these artifacts in a multi-representational database capable of answering both complex graph queries, as well as matrix-based queries. Work will be performed at Cambridge, Massachusetts, and is expected to be complete by Oct. 6, 2018. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with offers solicited electronically via an open Broad Agency Announcement, with 51 offers received. Fiscal 2014 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $582,871 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-15-C-0242).
 

ARMY

 

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Connecticut, was awarded a $21,757,443 modification (P00189) to firm-fixed-price contract W58RGZ-12-C-0008 to exercise an option for two UH-60M helicopters for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, increasing the number of aircraft originally contracted for. Fiscal 2014 other procurement funds in the amount of $21,757,443 were obligated at the time of the award. Estimated completion date is Sept. 30, 2015. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal (Aviation), Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.
 

NAVY

 

P&S Construction, Inc.,* North Chelmsford, Massachusetts, is being awarded $17,907,700 for firm-fixed-price task order 0020 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N40192-10-D-2804) to construct hardened structures around existing and new petroleum, oil and lubricants structures. Work also includes expanding the hydrant loop system and providing additional system redundancy. There are four sites in this project: the Andy 1 Intake Manifold; Andy 2 Bulk Storage Pump House; Andy 2 Contingency, Hydrant Pump House; and the Andy 4 Hydrant Loop C and Hydrant Loop B Connection. Work will be performed in Yigo, Guam, and is expected to be completed by March 2016. Fiscal 2014 military construction (Air Force) contract funds in the amount of $17,907,700 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Two proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Marianas, Guam, is the contracting activity.

Three Indicted in Prescription Drug Smuggling Ring

The Department of Justice announced today that three Athens, Texas, residents have been indicted on charges associated with their alleged smuggling of imitation, unapproved, and misbranded prescription drugs from China.

Wanda Hollis, 63, Tom Giddens, 57, and Catherine Nix, 41, were each charged with one felony count of conspiracy to smuggle merchandise into the United States, seven counts of causing the introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce with the intent to defraud or mislead, seven counts of smuggling and one count of tampering with a witness.  Giddens was also charged with two additional counts of tampering and Nix was charged with one additional tampering count.  The defendants were also charged with misdemeanor counts of causing misbranded imitation drugs to be introduced into interstate commerce.  Nix was arrested on October 2 in Athens.  Giddens and Hollis surrendered this morning.

According to the indictment, the defendants conspired to smuggle at least 30 known shipments, totaling approximately 100,000 pills, from China to Texas.  As alleged in the indictment, the shipments contained bogus imitations of Xanax, Valium, sibutramine, Cialis, Viagra and Stilnox, which is marketed in the United States as Ambien.  None of the pills seized and tested were legitimate, and all either contained incorrect active ingredients or were sub-potent.  The defendants also attempted to conceal their smuggling by using shipping labels that concealed the contents of their shipments, including customs declarations falsely describing the contents as “gifts” or “toys” with low declared monetary values, and by using multiple addresses in an effort to reduce the likelihood of seizures by U.S. Customs authorities.  Additionally, the indictment states that the defendants instructed family members to destroy evidence once they became aware that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was investigating them.

“The smuggling and sale of counterfeit prescription drugs puts the public's health and safety at risk,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Joyce R. Branda for the Justice Department’s Civil Division.  “Consumers should know that the drugs they are buying are what they purported to be and not misbranded to look like name-brand products that could ultimately do them more harm than good.”

“A key element of FDA’s mission to protect the public’s health is to ensure that safe and effective prescription drugs are properly distributed via the supply chain and dispensed to the ultimate consumer, and that includes ensuring that those prescription drugs contain the treatments that patients expect,” said Acting Director Philip J. Walsky of the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations.  “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who would put the public’s health at risk by introducing illegal prescription drugs.”

This case was investigated by the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations.  The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney John W.M. Claud of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen Hurst for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas.

 

Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Prepared remarks of U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan at the Dedication and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Joplin High School and the Franklin Technology Center, Joplin, Missouri

OCTOBER 3, 2014

Thank you for that kind introduction.

I visited Joplin not long after the tornado struck. And the devastation of the storm was seared throughout the community. But what you have accomplished here, together, is nothing short of amazing.

Both Joplin High School and Franklin Technology Center were destroyed. Makeshift classrooms, cafeterias, and recreational facilities had to be created within weeks.

It was no surprise that after the tornado, student and staff absences went up. The number of students with chronic attendance problems climbed.  Students’ grades slipped. The demand for mental health services soared.

So three years ago it wasn’t clear that this day and this celebration of progress would happen.  But the commitment of parents, teachers, the remarkable leadership of Superintendent Huff, and the hard work of school staff for Joplin’s children has been nothing short of extraordinary.

Teachers, counselors, coaches, and principals worked countless extra hours to help kids, while dealing with their own grief and sense of loss.

Despite the fact that Joplin’s students and teachers had to move schools a total of 18 times—18 times!--since the tornado, the on-time graduation rate has actually risen almost ten percentage points in Joplin since May 2011. The dropout rate has dropped more than 40 percent.

That is a staggering accomplishment—and it’s all the more remarkable because it was done without sacrificing rigor. In fact, by the second semester of this school year, the number of students at Joplin High enrolled in AP classes and dual credit courses will have jumped by 40 percent since the fall of 2012, from about 450 students to almost 650 students.

That progress is a tribute to the hard work, skill, and commitment of teachers, principals, and, just as important, students themselves.

Collectively, the example you are setting is a powerful one--you are leading the nation where we need to go. You are demonstrating what is possible when a community pulls together to do the right thing for children, even in the face of the most anguishing adversity.

No school, no rebuilding effort, can ever entirely end the grief or completely compensate for the devastation of May 22, 2011. Nothing can bring back the seven students and the middle school staff member lost on that terrible day, or the many members of the community who died. But you have honored their legacy by not just rebuilding the school system but by rebuilding it in a transformational way.

There is so much in life that we can’t control. But we can choose how we decide to respond, over time, to tragedy and loss—and the new Joplin High and Franklin Technology Center is a wonderful testament to your unwavering commitment to progress. You refused to let the tornado be the end of the story of Joplin.

Parents, teachers, and school staff chose to pursue a bigger dream of what education should look like in Joplin.  And the new Joplin High School and Franklin Technology Center establishes a great educational model for the rest of the world of a relevant and rigorous 21st century education.

Instead of just taking the insurance money to rebuild Joplin High as it was, you chose to reach higher. Under the leadership of C.J. Huff, an advisory group of staff, students, parents, community members, business leaders, and education experts convened “dream” sessions to design the new school.

You’ve created a visionary model that integrates, instead of separates, college and career preparation. The career and technology focus of Franklin Technology Center is now integrated into the core college-prep curriculum of Joplin High School--and Franklin Technology Center itself is now part of Joplin High School.

Today, you have 34 career pathways for students to explore. But you also offer a dozen honors classes, a dozen AP classes, and 43 dual credit classes in both the core curriculum and the career and technical side. What a great way to reduce the cost of college for Joplin’s hard-working families! What a great way to help every student find their passion and develop their unique strengths and talents!

Think about the opportunities you have created--a Joplin High student will now be able to graduate with both their diploma and an associates’ degree when they are only 18 years old. The partnerships you have created with Missouri Southern State University and Crowder College are the kind of partnerships we need to duplicate at many more high schools across the nation.

The personalized learning experiences cultivated at JHS are our future. JHS’s creation of blended learning classes, the switch to eBooks and mobile devices is helping to both transform and modernize JHS. You are striving to cultivate the 21st century skills that our students need to be college and career-ready--to be lifelong learners and problem solvers.

I am a huge fan of Superintendent Huff and I love what he says: “We’re not teaching kids to chase their dreams, we’re teaching them to catch them.”

I look forward to watching both Joplin High School’s evolution in this beautiful new building and the revolution of learning opportunities you are leading.

I look forward to every student here catching their dreams. And I thank you for your collective courage, commitment, and creativity.

Thanks for believing in each other, caring about each other, and giving your community’s children the combination of love, support, opportunity, and high expectations every child needs.

The example you set for all of us in how you to live your values is powerful--and means more to me personally than you can ever know. Thank you!

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HAWKEYE TAKEOFF

10/06/2014 05:44 PM CDT

An E-2C Hawkeye takes off from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush in the Persian Gulf, Oct. 2, 2014. The carrier is supporting maritime security operations, strike operations in Iraq and Syria as directed, and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. The Hawkeye is assigned to Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 124.

MARINA KITCHEN CELEBRATES THANKSGIVING WITH HOME-STYLE MENU, NOVEMBER 27, 2014

Diners Invited to Forgo the Holiday Mess, and Enjoy a Twist On Traditional Thanksgiving Favorites at Marina Kitchen

San Diego, CA (October 6, 2014) - Marina Kitchen offers a cornucopia of classic Thanksgiving fare with its annual buffet style holiday feast on November 27, 2014.   This Thanksgiving, Marina Kitchen invites diners to forgo the fuss of preparing a holiday feast at home and to celebrate Thanksgiving at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina.  Executive Chef Aron Schwartz creates a contemporary buffet menu inspired by American holiday favorites with a modern twist on classic Thanksgiving staples, said Steve Pagano, Hotel Manager for the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina.   "Whether our guests are looking for their favorite Thanksgiving dish, or want to experience a twist on tradition, Marina Kitchen provides a venue for both travelers and locals to create delicious holiday memories, without the added mess of prep and clean up," continued Pagano. Thanksgiving is about good food and great company, at Marina Kitchen we strive to provide both."   Marina Kitchen will serve Thanksgiving dinner on November 27, 2014 from 1:30 p.m. until 7p.m.  The menu is priced at $48 for adult, and $12.99 for children 12- years and under. Celebrated as one of the largest buyers of locally sourced ingredients, Executive Chef Aron Schwartz has crafted a menu featuring organic and sustainable produce and meats. Highlights include a selection of appetizers prepared with items found at local farmer's markets, and a traditional carving station featuring a Free Range Turkey and Roasted Brandt Beef New York.  For an additional $20, guests may choose to enjoy a wine-pairing menu, specially created by award-winning sommelier, Joshua Orr.    The menu is as follows:   FIRST COURSE - FARMER'S MARKET   Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Bourbon Chantilly Cream, Toasted Pumpkin Seeds   Local Field Green Salad Shaft Bleu Cheese, Candied Walnuts, Cranberry Vinaigrette   Burrata Cheese Tomato Jam, Toasted Country Bread   Shrimp Artichoke Dip Sautéed White Mexican Shrimp, Local Artichokes, Lavosh Cracker   Selection of Artisan Meats & Cheeses   MAIN COURSE - CARVING STATION   Herb Roasted Free Range Turkey   Roasted Brandt Beef New York   Cinderella Pumpkin Risotto Wild Arugula, Pecan Brittle     SIDES - KITCHEN PANTRY   Daily Seasonal Fish   Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes   White Cheddar Scalloped Potatoes   Brioche Stuffing   Seasonal Local Farm Vegetables   House Made Orange Cranberry Sauce     DESSERT STATION   Pumpkin Pie Chantilly Cream   Apple Tart Crème Anglaise   Chocolate Pecan Pie   Pear Crisp    To book your reservation for the Thanksgiving buffet at  Marina Kitchen, call 619-699-8222 or book online at www.opentable.com.  For the latest details on Marina Kitchen, like Marina Kitchen's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MarinaKitchenSD or follow Marina Kitchen on Twitter@MarinaKitchenSD.

MARINA KITCHEN   Marina Kitchen is the epicenter of a food and beverage experience at the San Diego Marriott Marquis and Marina. With panoramic views of the bay from its indoor and outdoor dining space, focus on serving "modern comfort food" using fresh, seasonally available ingredients, and wine program with a distinct West-coast orientation, Marina Kitchen is quintessential Southern California dining at its best. Marina Kitchen's contemporary design, lounge atmosphere, and cozy and private seating arrangements make it the perfect place for guests to dine, work, gather with groups, and play. For the latest information, follow Marina Kitchen on Facebook orTwitter.   MARRIOTT MARQUIS SAN DIEGO MARINA   The centerpiece of the inspiring San Diego Bay, the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina offers 1,360 guest rooms, more than 75,000 square feet of meeting space, and a 446-slip marina. Adjacent to San Diego Convention Center and steps from the Gaslamp Quarter, this downtown San Diego hotel's location provides convenient access popular attractions like the San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld San Diego. The iconic hotel recently completed a comprehensive 100 million dollar transformation and boasts a lush resort pool area, state-of-the-art fitness center, deluxe accommodations, and top-notch cuisine at three waterfront restaurants. For additional information visit www.SanDiegoMarquis.com.

FBI Arrests Suburban Chicago Man for Allegedly Attempting to Support Terrorism Overseas

A southwest suburban Bolingbrook man was arrested Saturday night for allegedly attempting to travel overseas to join a foreign terrorist organization operating inside Iraq and Syria, federal law enforcement officials announced today.  The defendant, Mohammed Hamzah Khan, 19, a U.S. citizen, was charged with attempting to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Khan was taken into custody without incident at O’Hare International Airport by members of the Chicago FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force before he attempted to fly to Vienna, Austria, on his way to Istanbul, Turkey.

Khan was charged in a criminal complaint filed today in U.S. District Court with one count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.  He appeared this morning in U.S. District Court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Cox, and remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing at 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

According to the complaint affidavit, a roundtrip ticket was purchased for Khan on Sept. 26 to travel from Chicago to Istanbul, departing on Saturday, and returning later this week.

Law enforcement agents observed Khan passing through the security screening checkpoint Saturday afternoon at O’Hare’s international terminal.  Federal agents then executed a search warrant at Khan’s residence and recovered multiple handwritten documents that appeared to be drafted by Khan and/or others, which expressed support for ISIL, the affidavit alleges.  Some of those documents, including travel plans and materials referencing ISIL and jihad, are described in the complaint affidavit.

Khan was initially approached by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers and was later interviewed later by FBI agents at the airport. 

Attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.

The JTTF is comprised of Special Agents of the FBI, officers of the Chicago Police Department, and representatives from an additional 20 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.  The Justice Department’s National Security Division assisted in the investigation.  U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Illinois State Police also provided significant assistance. 

The arrest and complaint were announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert J. Holley, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The investigation is continuing, they said.  

The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Hiller and Angel Krull.

The public is reminded that a complaint contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.       

Prang disagrees with Governor's veto

Councilmember Jeffrey Prang, leading candidate for Los Angeles County Assessor on theNovember 4th ballot, expressed disappointment in Governor Brown's veto of Assembly Bill (AB) 2415 by Assemblyman Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), mandating tax agents register in a manner similar to lobbyists that provides greater accountability and transparency.

The bill's provisions were similar to those of a Los Angeles County ordinance championed by Mr. Prang that prohibits tax agents from contributing to Assessor candidates. Despite the veto, the local ordinance remains intact and enforceable.

"With utmost respect for our Governor, I am deeply disappointed in his decision to veto AB 2415," Prang said. "This valuable legislation would have meant greater transparency and accountability within this profession, and ensuring taxpayers their government is acting honestly and fairly should be the top priority of each elected official."

With this veto, the Governor rejected a measure requiring property tax agents to register with the State, a change necessary after Los Angeles County Assessor, John Noguez, and a Tax Agent, Ramin Salari, allegedly conspired to illegally lower property tax assessments and were subsequently charged with corruption.

In rejecting the measure, Brown acknowledged "serious misconduct in a limited number of cases," but argued this did not justify a new registration program.

As part of the Reform Administration brought on to remove Noguez and restore the integrity of the Assessor's Office, Mr. Prang made clear his support for "any reasonable measure to illuminate the actions of tax assessors and prevent future abuses."

DoD Announces Recruiting and Retention Numbers for Fiscal 2014, Through August 2014

The Department of Defense announced today recruiting and retention statistics for the active and reserve components for fiscal 2014, through August 2014.

Active Component

• Recruiting. All four active services met or exceeded their numerical accession goals for fiscal 2014, through August.

• Army – 50,290 accessions, with a goal of 49,700; 101.2 percent.
• Navy – 30,151 accessions, with a goal of 30,151; 100 percent.
• Marine Corps – 22,215 accessions, with a goal of 22,187; 100.1 percent.
• Air Force – 22,467 accessions, with a goal of 22,467; 100 percent.

• Retention. All four services exhibited strong retention numbers for the 11th month of fiscal 2014.

Reserve Component

• Recruiting. Four of the six reserve components met or exceeded their fiscal-year-to-date 2014 numerical accession goals through August 2014. All six reserve components also met or exceeded the DoD quality benchmarks.

• Army National Guard – 43,519 accessions, with a goal of 45,101; 96.5 percent.
• Army Reserve – 24,548 accessions, with a goal of 26,823; 91.5 percent.
• Navy Reserve – 3,621 accessions, with a goal of 3,621; 100 percent.
• Marine Corps Reserve – 8,315 accessions, with a goal of 8,209; 101.3 percent.
• Air National Guard – 9,396 accessions, with a goal of 9,106 ; 103.2 percent.
• Air Force Reserve – 6,386 accessions, with a goal of 4,853; 131.6 percent.

• Attrition – All reserve components have met their attrition goals or were within the allowed variance. Current trends are expected to continue. (This indicator lags due to data availability.)

Services Continue Strong Fiscal Year Recruiting Through August

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 2014 - All four active services met or exceeded their numerical accession goals for fiscal year 2014 through August, Defense Department officials announced today.

Here are the numbers for the first 11 months of the past fiscal year:

-- Army: 50,290 accessions, 101.2 percent of its goal of 49,700;

-- Navy: 30,151 accessions, 100 percent of its goal of 30,151;

-- Marine Corps: 22,215 accessions, 100.1 percent of its goal of 22,187; and

-- Air Force: 22,467 accessions, 100 percent of its goal of 22,467.

All four services exhibited strong retention numbers in August, officials said.

Meanwhile, four of the six reserve components met or exceeded their fiscal-year-to-date 2014 numerical accession goals through August, and all six reserve components also met or exceeded the DoD quality benchmarks, officials said.

Here are the reserve component accession numbers for fiscal 2014 through August:

-- Army National Guard: 43,519 accessions, 96.5 percent of its goal of 45,101;

-- Army Reserve: 24,548 accessions, 91.5 percent of its goal of 26,823;

-- Navy Reserve: 3,621 accessions, 100 percent of its goal of 3,621;

-- Marine Corps Reserve: 8,315 accessions, 101.3 percent of its goal of 8,209;

-- Air National Guard: 9,396 accessions, 103.2 percent of its goal of 9,106; and

-- Air Force Reserve: 6,386 accessions, 131.6 percent of its goal of 4,853.

All reserve components had met their attrition goals or were within the allowed variance and current trends are expected to continue, officials said, noting that availability of data for this indicator lags behind availability of accessions data.

SLED HOCKEY SMILE

10/03/2014 11:54 AM CDT

Air Force Master Sgt. Axel Gaud-Torres reacts to playing a game of sled hockey at the World Arena in Colorado Springs, Colo., Oct. 2, 2014. Gaud-Torres and other athletes competing in the 2014 Warrior Games played sled hockey with local wounded warriors as a demonstration before the Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche professional hockey game. The Kings scored a 2-1 win over the Avalanche.

INTO THE BLUE

10/03/2014 12:09 PM CDT

Retired Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jim Castaneda throws the discus during the track and field competition at the Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo., Oct. 2, 2014. More than 200 wounded, ill and injured service members are competing in the Warrior Games at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.

Questions We Should Be Asking #CDC About #Ebola in Dallas

There are some questions that should be asked. 

What happened to the feces excreted by Duncan? 

Did those feces enter the sewer system? What happened to the vomit? 

Was it cleaned up with paper towels and did it end up in landfill? 

What is the CDC doing to keep Ebola from entering the animal population? 

Also, Duncan vomited just outside of the apartment building. What was done to clean that up? 

Were small animals allowed to eat that vomit? 

In Africa the disease is often spread through rats.

Eric Thomas Duncan Timeline

Fills out a series of questions at the airport on September 19th about his health and activities in the weeks before his flight. He answers "no" to all of them. One question specifically asks Duncan if he cared for an Ebola patient or touched the body of anyone who died. He answers "no."

Arrives in the US on September 20th.

Became ill on September 24th.

September 26th, Duncan seeks medical attention and is turned away.

September 28th, Duncan is brought to the hospital in an ambulance. He vomits violently outside his apartment before getting into the ambulance. He is taken to the hospital and immediately isolated.

September 30th, Duncan is diagnosed as having Ebola.

Texas health officials have reached out to about 80 people who may have had direct contact with Eric Thomas Duncan. They have all been instructed to notify health care professionals if they feel ill. Additionally, they will be monitored to see if they seek medical care for the next three weeks. The Texas Department of State Health Services says the number is higher, about 100 contacts.

Up to 18 people that had direct contact with Duncan, including three members of the ambulance crew that took Duncan to the hospital and the five children living with Duncan's girlfriend.

For now it appears that this is contained. Let's hope that it is. 

#Hagel Praises Historic Bonds, Current Coalition Ties With #France

By Amaani Lyle

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2014 - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel welcomed French Minister of Defense Jean-Yves Le Drian to the Pentagon to reaffirm their mutual resolve to address a spectrum of issues, from terrorism to infectious disease control, the two leaders said in a joint news conference today.

The secretary lauded Le Drian for France's leading role in the international coalition to degrade and destroy the terrorist group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, noting that France was the first nation to join the United States in conducting airstrikes against the terrorist network. The coalition has since grown to include 40 nations.

The fight against ISIL

"American and French forces will continue to work side by side to support Iraqi forces on the ground as French aircraft patrol the skies over Iraq and provide valuable intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance on ISIL targets," Hagel said.

These efforts, he added, enable Iraqi and Kurdish security forces to take the offensive against ISIL.

The two leaders also discussed ways to continue building and strengthening the coalition and supporting the new government of Iraq.

"The United States and France recognize the grave threat that ISIL poses to our shared regional interests and our citizens," Hagel said.

He recounted the recent murder of a French hostage in Algeria, an incident he described as a "stark reminder of the deadly threats ISIL presents" to France and its allies.

Challenges in Africa

During their meeting today, the secretaries also focused on security challenges in North and West Africa, two regions Hagel said now face surges of violent extremism, instability and deadly infectious disease.

"France's leadership in confronting extremist threats in the Sahel is particularly important as the United States continues to provide support to French operations in Mali, including airlift, refueling and intelligence cooperation," he said.

Hagel also noted that the two nations will continue to coordinate efforts across the region in response to the Ebola crisis.

NATO a cornerstone of security

The defense secretary said that in discussions at the NATO summit in Wales last month, the two nations agreed on the importance of reinforcing NATO partnerships in Eastern Europe and strengthening the readiness and capabilities of the NATO alliance.

"A strong and united NATO will be critically important to assuring a Europe whole, free and at peace," Hagel said. "That goal remains a cornerstone of America's approach to global and transatlantic security."