Kendall Encouraged by U.S.-India Defense Trade Progress

By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2014 - The Defense Department's undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics yesterday discussed the Defense Trade and Technology Initiative and how it relates to U.S.-India military-to-military relations.

The initiative, part of a broader effort to build the United States' relationship with India, is making progress and aids the U.S. rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region, Frank Kendall told the U.S.-India Business Council at the organization's gala in Washington, D.C.

U.S.-India cooperation

At the beginning of the initiative, DoD approached the Indian Ministry of Defense with programs where the two nations could work together, Kendall said.

"These offers included some traditional sales of American equipment as well as a number of what we called co-production and co-development opportunities," he said.

At its core, the initiative is an effort to streamline the approval process for release of technology to India, Kendall said. An example of this, he said, is the co-production and co-development of the Javelin missile.

"These suggestions for cooperative programs are still available for consideration," the undersecretary said. "And, I believe, are under active consideration by the Indian government."

The initiative also looks to more broadly based research, he said.

Progress has resumed

During the Indian elections there was a time-out on the initiative, Kendall said. Now, he said, progress has resumed. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Kendall journeyed to India in August and both men came back excited over the possibilities of the initiative with India.

"It was very clear to Secretary Hagel and to myself that a new wind was blowing in India -- the monsoon had changed direction and intensity," Kendall said. "Everyone we met, at all levels, was highly interested in opportunities for cooperation. The desire we felt to inject new momentum into this relationship and into DTTI was echoed by everyone whom we met."

And now, there has been movement. Kendall said he and his Indian counterpart will meet in-person every six months. India will work to finalize approval of the renewal of the Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Memorandum of Agreement so it can be signed next month.

Opportunities to develop science and technology projects

The two nations agreed "to identify specific co-development and co-production opportunities," and to develop specific science and technology projects, Kendall said.

"I'm excited and encouraged about these developments, but I know there is a lot of work still to be done," the undersecretary said. "Both India and the United States have bureaucracies that can be equal parts engines for change and impediments to progress. But both of us can move when the leadership and motivation exist to do so."

Kendall said both sides must keep pushing.

"Good intentions must lead to tangible results, or the momentum we have built is going to fade," he said. In that spirit, the United States has set aside $20 million for strategic cooperative science and technology projects with India.

Kendall emphasized that the initiative is not just an attempt to sell U.S. defense products to India. It is, he said, one facet "to build a deeper, closer, and broader relationship with one of the most important countries on Earth."

WADING WATER

10/10/2014 01:29 PM CDT

U.S. Marines and Philippine forces move onto the beach during a simulated amphibious raid as part of Amphibious Landing Exercise, PHIBLEX 15, in Palawan, Philippines, Oct. 1, 2014.

GUARD'S BEST

10/10/2014 01:29 PM CDT

Army Spc. Ryan Montgomery, center, navigates an obstacle course while competing in the Department of the Army Best Warrior Competition at Fort Lee, Va., Oct. 8, 2014. Montgomery represented the Army National Guard as its top enlisted soldier of the year.

BANKING LEFT

10/10/2014 02:00 PM CDT

An F-22 Raptor demonstrates its maneuverability during the Wings Over the Pacific air show on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Sept. 28, 2014.

How to Run Your Home More like a CEO

4 Tips for Time & Budget Management from a Business Development Strategist

All successful CEOs have one thing in common: They’re able to maintain a big-picture perspective. It’s also something successful moms have in common, says Zenovia Andrews, a business strategist, speaker, author and mom who coaches entrepreneurs and CEOs on time and budget management.

“In business, CEOs implement a process that achieves efficient time and resource management in the most cost-effective way; sounds a lot like a mom, doesn’t it?” says Andrews, founder and CEO of The MaxOut Group, a company devoted to empowering and teaching entrepreneurs development strategies to increase profits. 

“If every mom were a CEO, America would rule the world!”

Andrews, author of the new book “All Systems Go – A Solid Blueprint to Build Business and Maximize Cash Flow,” (www.zenoviaandrews.com), suggests the following tips for moms to better manage money and time.

•  CEOs utilize apps, and so should CEO Moms. When a CEO’s personal assistant isn’t around or, if it’s a small business and she doesn’t have one, then apps do nicely. There are several apps for moms, including Bank of Mom – an easy way to keep track of your kids' allowances. Set up an account for each child and track any money they earn for chores or allowance. The app also allows you to track their computer and TV time as well as other activities.

•  Measurement is the key to knowledge, control and improvement. CEOs have goals for their businesses and Moms have goals for their family members. In either case, the best way to achieve a big-picture goal is to identify action steps and objectives and a system for measuring progress. Want to improve your kids’ test scores, help your husband lose weight or – gasp – free some time for yourself? There are four phases to help track progress: planning, or establishing goals; collection, or conducting research on your current process; analysis – comparing information from existing processes with the new one; and adapting, or implementing the new process.

•  Understand your home’s “workforce.” A good CEO helps her employees grow and develop, not only for the company’s benefit, but for the employee’s as well. Most people are happiest when they feel they’re learning and growing, working toward a goal, which may be promotion within the company or something beyond it. When they feel the CEO is helping with that, they’re happier, more productive, more loyal employees. Likewise, CEO Moms need to help their children gain the skills and knowledge they need not only to succeed in general but to achieve their individual dreams.

•  A well-running household is a community effort; consider “automated” systems. In business, automated systems tend to be as clinical as they sound, typically involving technology. Yet, there’s also a human resource element. Automated systems are a must for CEO Moms, and they tend to take the form of scheduling at home. Whose night is it for the dishes, or trash? One child may be helpful in the kitchen, whereas another may be better at cleaning the pool.

About Zenovia Andrews

Zenovia Andrews,www.zenoviaandrews.com, is a business development strategist with extensive experience in corporate training, performance management, leadership development and sales consulting with international clients, including Pfizer, Inc. and Novartis Pharmaceuticals. A sought-after speaker and radio/TV personality, she is the author of “All Systems Go” and “MAXOut: I Want It All.”

NASA Shares What MAVEN Spacecraft Has Seen in its First Few Weeks at Mars

This image shows an artist concept of NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission in orbit around Mars.

NASA will host a news teleconference at 2 p.m. EDT Tuesday, Oct. 14, to announce early science results from its Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission.

Launched in November 2013, the spacecraft entered orbit around Mars on Sept. 21 completing an interplanetary journey of 10 months and 442 million miles (711 million kilometers). MAVEN is the first spacecraft devoted to exploring and understanding the Martian upper atmosphere to help scientists understand climate change over the Red Planet's history.

The teleconference participants are:
-- Elsayed Talaat, MAVEN program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington
-- Bruce Jakosky, MAVEN principal investigator at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado, Boulder (CU-Boulder)
-- Mike Chaffin, Remote Sensing Team member at CU-Boulder
-- Justin Deighan, Remote Sensing Team member at CU-Boulder
-- Davin Larson, Solar Energetic Particles instrument lead at the University of California, Berkeley

Acting Assistant Attorney General Joyce R. Branda Delivers Remarks at Press Conference Announcing False Claims Act Resolution with Extendicare

Thank you Stuart for that introduction, for your leadership on the Elder Justice Initiative more broadly, and your commitment to pursuing those who provide materially substandard care to our senior citizens.

The United States began investigating Extendicare as part of the Elder Justice Initiative’s proactive effort to monitor the quality of care provided by the largest nursing home chains in the country.  Based upon available federal data and state survey data, we identified Extendicare as a national chain where the care rendered to residents appeared to be well below that provided by its peers in the industry.   The government also investigated two complaints filed by whistleblowers against Extendicare.  One whistleblower filed in Pennsylvania in 2010 alleging billing for unnecessary therapy, while the other whistleblower filed in Ohio in 2013 alleging materially substandard care at an Extendicare facility in Ohio. 

After an extensive nationwide investigation by federal and state authorities, our team found evidence of serious quality of care problems at many Extendicare-managed facilities in the 2007 to 2013 timeframe.  The team focused its investigation on a core group of 33 Extendicare facilities in 8 states that were the most troublesome.  The eight states involved with this settlement are: Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin.

At those facilities, the team found many serious problems with the delivery of care.  These problems stemmed in large part from Extendicare’s business model – a model that was driven more by profit and less by the quality of the care it provided.  Extendicare employed fewer skilled nurses than were needed to care for the very sick residents in those facilities and failed to properly train and supervise the staff it did have.   Specifically, the company failed to provide appropriate catheter care to some of its residents, failed to follow the appropriate protocols to prevent pressure sores or falls by residents, and failed in some cases to safely administer medications.  As a result of these pervasive problems, the investigation identified many disturbing examples of falls, fractures and head injuries to residents – often unnoticed by the staff for hours – as well as malnutrition, dehydration, pressure ulcers and infections - some of which required amputations and unnecessary hospitalizations.  Moreover, the chronic staff shortages and poorly trained staff meant that residents who needed assistance with feeding and toileting didn’t get that assistance, many residents were not washed, resulting in poor hygiene, fluids were not provided, and residents were not re-positioned for comfort and to prevent pressure ulcers.  Our team’s investigation revealed that Extendicare inappropriately admitted very sick residents without the ability to provide adequate care to them.  The result was that the short-term residents did not get the minimum skilled care that they needed and Extendicare’s long-term care residents were often ignored.  

As a result of the government’s investigation, Extendicare agreed to pay $28 million to resolve allegations that it billed Medicare and Medicaid from 2007 to 2013 for materially substandard skilled nursing services – services that were so deficient that they were effectively worthless at 33 of its 146 skilled nursing facilities.  As Stuart indicated, this is the largest chain-wide skilled nursing facility quality of care settlement resolved by the United States.

The government team also investigated allegations that Extendicare provided and then billed Medicare for medically unreasonable and unnecessary rehabilitation therapy services.  Medicare bases the daily rate at which a skilled nursing facility can bill for a Medicare patient, in part, on the amount of skilled therapy provided to a patient during a seven day assessment period.  As such, the more minutes of skilled therapy provided during that assessment period, the higher the daily rate the provider can charge Medicare for that patient.  In this case, the government found that Extendicare, through its subsidiary, ProStep, provided medically unreasonable and unnecessary rehab therapy services, particularly during the assessment periods.  Not only do these unreasonable and unnecessary services result in overcharges to the Medicare Trust fund.  Even more significantly, they risk harm to the elderly residents who are put through therapies that they don’t need and that can tax them physically.

As part of today’s settlement, Extendicare will pay an additional $10 million to resolve these allegations involving medically unreasonable and unnecessary rehabilitation therapy services rendered at 33 of its skilled nursing facilities from 2007 to 2013.                                          

As the Acting Associate Attorney General observed earlier, this Extendicare settlement is a significant example of an investigation where the department worked closely with its federal and state partners to return funds to the Medicare Trust Fund and require a comprehensive compliance program to improve the quality of resident care with appropriate oversight.  I want to thank our partners from the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, and those who are participating by telephone today – David Degnan, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and Assistant Attorney General Michael Pellicciotti from the Washington State Attorney General’s office.  I understand that Michael will be available to answer any questions you may have.  I also want to thank the other state Attorneys General who provided such invaluable assistance throughout this investigation.

This agreement is groundbreaking not only because of the size of the quality of care settlement, but also because of the innovative nature of this chain-wide corporate integrity agreement which focuses on remedying the wrongs that the Extendicare team uncovered.  I will now turn it over to Gregory Demske, the Chief Counsel to the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services to discuss the specific nature of the corporate integrity agreement negotiated by his office.

FIVE INCH

10/10/2014 11:57 AM CDT

The guided-missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke fires its 5-inch gun during a live-fire exercise in the Mediterranean Sea, Oct 7, 2014. The Arleigh Burke is conducting operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe.

Navy to Commission Amphibious Assault Ship America

The Navy will commission its newest amphibious assault ship, USS America (LHA 6), during a 1 p.m. EDT ceremony Saturday, October 11, 2014, in San Francisco, California.   Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus will deliver the ceremony's principal address. Mrs. Lynne Pace, wife of retired U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is serving as the ship's sponsor. In a time-honored Navy tradition, she will give the order to "man our ship and bring her to life."  "This ship, forged in America, with components and systems manufactured all across America, shall remind us of the long and historic links between our communities and our Navy and Marine Corps," Secretary Mabus said. "Having a ship named America, sailing the world's oceans, always present in defense of our freedoms and ready to respond is yet another extension of our American spirit."   USS America is the first ship of its class, replacing the Tarawa class of amphibious assault ships. As the next generation "big-deck" amphibious ship, LHA 6 is optimized for aviation, and will be capable of supporting current and future aircraft such as the tilt-rotor MV-22 Osprey and F-35B Lightning II. The ship is equipped with a fuel efficient hybrid electric propulsion system, the same built for USS Makin Island (LHD 8), which is an energy initiative designed to give the ship the benefit of increased range, endurance and time on station enhancing USS America's combat capability. It also provides greater flexibility with regards to scheduling refueling and reduced maintenance costs.   LHA 6 provides a flexible, multi-mission platform with capabilities that span the range of military operations -- from forward deployed crisis response to forcible entry operations. The ship also provides forward presence and power projection as an integral part of joint, interagency and multinational maritime expeditionary forces.   USS America will operate for sustained periods in transit to, and operations in, an amphibious objective area to include: embarking, transporting, controlling, inserting, sustaining and extracting elements of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force, and supporting forces by helicopters and tilt rotors supported by F-35Bs.   The ship includes additional aviation spaces and will have an increased aviation capacity: enlarged hangar deck, realignment and expansion of the aviation maintenance facilities, a significant increase in available stowage for parts and support equipment, and increased aviation fuel capacity. USS America, as well as the second ship of the class, the future USS Tripoli (LHA 7), will not include a well deck. Capt. Robert A. Hall Jr. of Billerica, Mass., is the ship's commanding officer and will lead a crew of 1,200 sailors and nearly 1,900 embarked Marines. The 44,971-ton ship is 844 feet in length, has an overall beam of 106 feet, and a navigational draft of 26 feet.   Since the American Revolution, three U.S. Navy warships have sailed with the name America. The first America was originally a racing schooner launched in 1851 and taken into Confederate naval service in 1861 before being captured and taken into the U.S. Navy service in 1862. She served in the U.S. Navy until 1873 before returning to civilian life racing and cruising. In 1921 she was presented to the Navy for preservation as a relic and remained at the U.S. Naval Academy until being scrapped in 1945. The second America transported troops during World War I. The third ship to bear the name was a Kitty-Hawk class aircraft carrier that supported operations from the Vietnam War through Operation Desert Storm. USS America will be the fourth U.S. Navy ship to bear this name. Video of the event will be available through the Defense Media Activity at: www.navy.mil.

Joshua Tree National Park has some of the most beautiful...

Joshua Tree National Park has some of the most beautiful sunsets, like this one captured by Manish Mamtani. Joshua Tree is also known for its unique rock formations (perfect for climbing) and its Joshua tree forests (rumored to be the inspiration for Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax). Chief ranger Jeff Ohlfs says that Keys View, with its panoramic views of the Coachella Valley, is a must.http://bit.ly/heartjoshuatree

Hubble Catches a Dusty Spiral in Virgo

This magnificent new image taken with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows the edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 4206, located about 70 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation of Virgo. Captured here are vast streaks of dust, some of which are obscuring the central bulge, which can just be made out in the center of the galaxy. Towards the edges of the galaxy, the scattered clumps, which appear blue in this image, mark areas where stars are being born. The bulge, on the other hand, is composed mostly of much older, redder stars, and very little star formation takes place. NGC 4206 was imaged as part of a Hubble snapshot survey of nearby edge-on spiral galaxies to measure the effect that the material between the stars — known as the interstellar medium — has on light as it travels through it. Using its Advanced Camera for Surveys, Hubble can reveal information about the dusty material and hydrogen gas in the cold parts of the interstellar medium. Astronomers are then able to map the absorption and scattering of light by the material — an effect known as extinction — which causes objects to appear redder to us, the observers. NGC 4206 is visible with most moderate amateur telescopes at 13th magnitude. It was discovered by Hanoverian-born British astronomer, William Herschel on April 17, 1784. European Space Agency Credit:  ESA/Hubble & NASA, Acknowledgement: Nick Rose

Airstrikes Target ISIL in Syria and Iraq

From a U.S. Central Command News Release

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2014 - U.S. military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria yesterday and today using attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft to conduct nine airstrikes, U.S. Central Command officials reported.

In addition, U.S. military forces used fighter aircraft to conduct one airstrike against ISIL in Iraq, officials added.

In Syria, two airstrikes southeast of Kobani destroyed two ISIL training facilities, while four strikes south of Kobani destroyed two ISIL vehicles, struck two small ISIL units and damaged an ISIL tank. One airstrike northeast of Kobani destroyed an ISIL vehicle.

An airstrike east of Dayr az Zawr destroyed an ISIL armored vehicle staging facility. One airstrike northeast of Al Hasakah struck a small ISIL unit.

To conduct these strikes, the U.S. employed U.S. attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft deployed to the Centcom area of operations. In addition, United Arab Emirates and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia aircraft participated in these airstrikes. All aircraft exited the strike areas safely.

In Iraq, one airstrike northwest of Baghdad struck a small ISIL unit and destroyed an ISIL building.

To conduct this strike, the U.S. employed fighter aircraft deployed to the Centcom area of operations. All aircraft exited the strike areas safely.

The strikes were conducted as part of President Barack Obama's comprehensive strategy to degrade and destroy ISIL. The destruction of targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to lead, control, project power and conduct operations.

Obama’s ‘myRA’ Accounts This Fall May Alter Your Retirement Plans Financial Expert Shares 3 Factors to Consider When Planning for an IRA

Important changes are coming this fall for what’s become one of the biggest concerns of the era: affording retirement.

Those who are saving for retirement and meticulously troubleshooting tax obstacles may want to restructure their plans. While members of Congress continue to battle over the budget, the Obama administration is preparing to roll out “myRA” savings accounts – IRA accounts – for those who do not currently have access to one.

When the “myRA” account reaches a certain amount, fledgling savers can roll it into a regular IRA account; different states will have their own guidelines. However, some of the benefits of existing savings options could be in peril, says financial advisor Jake Lowrey, president of Lowrey Financial Group, (www.lowreyfinancial.com).

Those include some of the tax advantages of retirement accounts currently enjoyed by higher-income workers. Some Roth IRA owners may also lose their exemption from required minimum distributions, or RMDs, while IRAs totaling less than six figures could see RMDs disappear.  

“There will be many people who’ll be unhappy about the changes and that’s understandable, but some may help our country avoid an avalanche of retirees facing poverty,” Lowrey says.

In just 15 years – 2030 – the last of the baby boomers will have reached 65. That means one of every five Americans will be of retirement age, according to the Pew Research Center’s population projections.

“Most people simply don’t know how to plan for retirement, and that’s made even more challenging with the changing government policies,” says Lowrey.

He offers guidance on choosing between a traditional IRA and a Roth IRA as a retirement savings vehicle.

•  Traditional IRAs and Deductibility: For either traditional or Roth IRAs, it’s all a matter of how one prefers to be taxed. Generally speaking, the money you deposit in a traditional IRA isn't taxed that year, and whatever earnings you have on your contributions won't be taxed until you withdraw that money as a retiree.  So, if you earn $40,000 in one year and put $3,000 of it in an IRA, your taxable income drops to $37,000. The deposit will grow tax-free through the years. If you withdraw any before age 59½, you’ll face a penalty. After that, you can withdraw and the money will be taxed as earned income.

•  Roth IRAs, Exemptions and No RMDs: Roth IRA contributions are never deductible. You pay taxes on the money when you earn it, just like any other income. The benefit of a Roth is that when the owners decide to withdraw from it after age 59½, they will not be faced with any taxes. In other words, the Roth offers tax-exempt rather than tax-deferred savings. Also, traditional IRA rules include required minimum distributions (RMDs). With a traditional IRA, you must begin to take RMDs by April 1 of the year following the year you reach age 70.5, but that isn’t the case with a Roth IRA.

•  The Best of Both Worlds?Naturally, IRA owners want to chart a path in which they’re penalized with taxes the least. It may be possible to cushion one’s retirement savings against future tax increases by converting some of an IRA to a Roth and earn tax-free gains going forward.

“Converting to a Roth will make sense for many people, and if you’re eligible to contribute to both types of IRAs, you may divide contributions between a Roth and traditional IRA,” Lowrey says. “But the total contributions to both must not surpass the limit for that tax year.”

About Jake Lowrey

Jake Lowrey is a financial consultant and president of Lowery Financial Group, (www.lowreyfinancial.com), an ethical and professional firm that guides clients to retirement success, including planning for long-term care needs. As a relationship-driven organization, Lowrey and his team educate clients about the newest, most progressive retirement and long-term care planning strategies to assure a brighter financial future.

NASA Prepares its Science Fleet for Oct. 19 Mars Comet Encounter

Image Credit: 

NASA

Comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring will make a close flyby of Mars on Oct. 19. At a distance of only 87,000 miles, it’s a near miss of the Red Planet.

Larger version

NASA’s extensive fleet of science assets, particularly those orbiting and roving Mars, have front row seats to image and study a once-in-a-lifetime comet flyby on Sunday, Oct. 19.

Comet C/2013 A1, also known as comet Siding Spring, will pass within about 87,000 miles (139,500 kilometers) of the Red Planet -- less than half the distance between Earth and our moon and less than one-tenth the distance of any known comet flyby of Earth.

Siding Spring’s nucleus will come closest to Mars around 2:27 p.m. EDT, hurtling at about 126,000 mph (56 kilometers per second). This proximity will provide an unprecedented opportunity for researchers to gather data on both the comet and its effect on the Martian atmosphere.

“This is a cosmic science gift that could potentially keep on giving, and the agency’s diverse science missions will be in full receive mode,” said John Grunsfeld, astronaut and associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. “This particular comet has never before entered the inner solar system, so it will provide a fresh source of clues to our solar system's earliest days.”

Siding Spring came from the Oort Cloud, a spherical region of space surrounding our sun and occupying space at a distance between 5,000 and 100,000 astronomical units.  It is a giant swarm of icy objects believed to be material left over from the formation of the solar system.

Siding Spring will be the first comet from the Oort Cloud to be studied up close by spacecraft, giving scientists an invaluable opportunity to learn more about the materials, including water and carbon compounds, that existed during the formation of the solar system 4.6 billion years ago.

Some of the best and most revealing images and science data will come from assets orbiting and roving the surface of Mars. In preparation for the comet flyby, NASA maneuvered its Mars Odyssey orbiter, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), and the newest member of the Mars fleet, Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN), in order to reduce the risk of impact with high-velocity dust particles coming off the comet.

The period of greatest risk to orbiting spacecraft will start about 90 minutes after the closest approach of the comet's nucleus and will last about 20 minutes, when Mars will come closest to the center of the widening trail of dust flying from the comet’s nucleus.

"The hazard is not an impact of the comet nucleus itself, but the trail of debris coming from it. Using constraints provided by Earth-based observations, the modeling results indicate that the hazard is not as great as first anticipated. Mars will be right at the edge of the debris cloud, so it might encounter some of the particles -- or it might not," said Rich Zurek, chief scientist for the Mars Exploration Program at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California.

The atmosphere of Mars, though much thinner that Earth's, will shield NASA Mars rovers Opportunity and Curiosity from comet dust, if any reaches the planet. Both rovers are scheduled to make observations of the comet.

NASA’s Mars orbiters will gather information before, during and after the flyby about the size, rotation and activity of the comet's nucleus, the variability and gas composition of the coma around the nucleus, and the size and distribution of dust particles in the comet's tail.

Observations of the Martian atmosphere are designed to check for possible meteor trails, changes in distribution of neutral and charged particles, and effects of the comet on air temperature and clouds. MAVEN will have a particularly good opportunity to study the comet, and how its tenuous atmosphere, or coma, interacts with Mars' upper atmosphere.

Earth-based and space telescopes, including NASA’s iconic Hubble Space Telescope, also will be in position to observe the unique celestial object. The agency’s astrophysics space observatories -- Kepler, Swift, Spitzer, Chandra -- and the ground-based Infrared Telescope Facility on Mauna Kea, Hawaii -- also will be tracking the event.

NASA’s asteroid hunter, the Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE), has been imaging, and will continue to image, the comet as part of its operations. And the agency’s two Heliophysics spacecraft, Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) and Solar and Heliophysics Observatory (SOHO), also will image the comet. The agency’s Balloon Observation Platform for Planetary Science (BOPPS), a sub-orbital balloon-carried telescope, already has provided observations of the comet in the lead-up to the close encounter with Mars.

Images and updates will be posted online before and after the comet flyby. Several pre-flyby images of Siding Spring, as well as information about the comet and NASA’s planned observations of the event, are available online at:

#NASA’s #NuSTAR Telescope Discovers Shockingly Bright #DeadStar

A rare and mighty pulsar (pink) can be seen at the center of the galaxy Messier 82 in this new multi-wavelength portrait. NASA's NuSTAR mission discovered the "pulse" of the pulsar — a type of dead star — using is high-energy X-ray vision.

Image Credit: 

NASA/JPL-Caltech

Full image and caption

This animation shows a neutron star -- the core of a star that exploded in a massive supernova. This particular neutron star is known as a pulsar because it sends out rotating beams of X-rays that sweep past Earth like lighthouse beacons.

Image Credit: 

NASA/JPL-Caltech

Larger view

The brightest pulsar detected to date is shown in this animation that flips back and forth between images captured by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR.

Image Credit: 

NASA/JPL-Caltech

Full image and caption

Astronomers have found a pulsating, dead star beaming with the energy of about 10 million suns. This is the brightest pulsar – a dense stellar remnant left over from a supernova explosion – ever recorded. The discovery was made with NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR.

"You might think of this pulsar as the 'Mighty Mouse' of stellar remnants," said Fiona Harrison, the NuSTAR principal investigator at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California. "It has all the power of a black hole, but with much less mass."

The discovery appears in a new report in the Thursday Oct. 9 issue of the journal Nature.

The surprising find is helping astronomers better understand mysterious sources of blinding X-rays, called ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs). Until now, all ULXs were thought to be black holes. The new data from NuSTAR show at least one ULX, about 12 million light-years away in the galaxy Messier 82 (M82), is actually a pulsar.

"The pulsar appears to be eating the equivalent of a black hole diet," said Harrison. "This result will help us understand how black holes gorge and grow so quickly, which is an important event in the formation of galaxies and structures in the universe."

ULXs are generally thought to be black holes feeding off companion stars -- a process called accretion. They also are suspected to be the long-sought after "medium-size" black holes – missing links between smaller, stellar-size black holes and the gargantuan ones that dominate the hearts of most galaxies. But research into the true nature of ULXs continues toward more definitive answers.

NuSTAR did not initially set out to study the two ULXs in M82. Astronomers had been observing a recent supernova in the galaxy when they serendipitously noticed pulses of bright X-rays coming from the ULX known as M82 X-2. Black holes do not pulse, but pulsars do.

Pulsars belong to a class of stars called neutron stars. Like black holes, neutron stars are the burnt-out cores of exploded stars, but puny in mass by comparison. Pulsars send out beams of radiation ranging from radio waves to ultra-high-energy gamma rays. As the star spins, these beams intercept Earth like lighthouse beacons, producing a pulsed signal.

"We took it for granted that the powerful ULXs must be massive black holes," said lead study author Matteo Bachetti, of the University of Toulouse in France. "When we first saw the pulsations in the data, we thought they must be from another source."

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and Swift satellite also have monitored M82 to study the same supernova, and confirmed the intense X-rays of M82 X-2 were coming from a pulsar.

"Having a diverse array of telescopes in space means that they can help each other out," said Paul Hertz, director of NASA's astrophysics division in Washington. "When one telescope makes a discovery, others with complementary capabilities can be called in to investigate it at different wavelengths."

The key to NuSTAR's discovery was its sensitivity to high-energy X-rays, as well as its ability to precisely measure the timing of the signals, which allowed astronomers to measure a pulse rate of 1.37 seconds. They also measured its energy output at the equivalent of 10 million suns, or 10 times more than that observed from other X-ray pulsars. This is a big punch for something about the mass of our sun and the size of Pasadena.

How is this puny, dead star radiating so fiercely? Astronomers are not sure, but they say it is likely due to a lavish feast of the cosmic kind. As is the case with black holes, the gravity of a neutron star can pull matter off companion stars. As the matter is dragged onto the neutron star, it heats up and glows with X-rays. If the pulsar is indeed feeding off surrounding matter, it is doing so at such an extreme rate to have theorists scratching their heads.

Astronomers are planning follow-up observations with NASA's NuSTAR, Swift and Chandra spacecraft to find an explanation for the pulsar’s bizarre behavior. The NuSTAR team also will look at more ULXs, meaning they could turn up more pulsars. At this point, it is not clear whether M82 X-2 is an oddball or if more ULXs beat with the pulse of dead stars. NuSTAR, a relatively small telescope, has thrown a big loop into the mystery of black holes.

“In the news recently, we have seen that another source of unusually bright X-rays in the M82 galaxy seems to be a medium-sized black hole," said astronomer Jeanette Gladstone of the University of Alberta, Canada, who is not affiliated with the study. "Now, we find that the second source of bright X-rays in M82 isn’t a black hole at all. This is going to challenge theorists and pave the way for a new understanding of the diversity of these fascinating objects."

Face of Defense: Troops Support Breast Cancer Awareness

By Air Force Tech. Sgt. Heather R. Redman
Joint Task Force-Bravo

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras, Oct. 10, 2014 - For the second year in a row, members assigned to Joint Task Force-Bravo here donned pink attire to participate in the air base's "Think Pink 5K" run.

U.S. Army Sgt. India Smith, assigned to the 1-228th Aviation Regiment, writes the name of the person she ran in support of on a poster during the "Think Pink 5K" on Soto Cano Air Base in Honduras, Oct. 9, 2014. The fun run was planned and coordinated by the Morale, Welfare and Recreation Center to help increase breast cancer awareness. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Heather R. Redman  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

The Morale, Welfare and Recreation Center-sponsored event was planned to increase breast cancer awareness.

The American Cancer Society estimates about 40,000 women will die from breast cancer in the United States in 2014. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, exceeded only by lung cancer.

Raising awareness of breast cancer

"It's important to raise awareness of breast cancer because it is a deadly disease that affects a lot of women," said Army Capt. Cindy Leonardi, assigned to the Medical Element here.

To make the event a success, members of the MWR office worked with the JTF-Bravo Medical Element to ensure all runners were safe and had a good time.

"Breast cancer awareness is a great cause that everyone should support," said Army Sgt. India Smith, assigned to the 1-228th Aviation Regiment. "It's important to raise awareness because it is a disease that not everyone can survive."

'Pretty in Pink'

With the theme, "Pretty in Pink," members of Joint Task Force-Bravo showed up dressed and ready to run the 5-kilometer course while showing their support in the fight against breast cancer.

Throughout the morning, runners crossed the finish line in all types of pink outfits. Even the military working dogs dressed to support breast cancer awareness.

"I'm just happy to be part of something that is bigger than myself," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Richard Shepard, assigned to the 612th Air Base Squadron.

The event is part of the Soto Cano Fun Run series, with events scheduled one to two times a month.

 

ANDREWS DEPARTURE

10/10/2014 07:37 AM CDT

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel waves goodbye as he departs Joint Base Andrews, Md., to travel to South America to attend the 11th Conference of the Defense Ministers of the Americas, Oct. 9, 2014.

COLOMBIA ARRIVAL

10/10/2014 07:44 AM CDT

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, center, speaks with U.S. Ambassador to Colombia Kevin Whitaker, left, and Colombian Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon Bueno as he arrives at El Dorado International Airport in Bogota, Colombia, Oct. 9, 2014. Hagel will attend the 11th Conference of the Defense Ministers of the Americas during his South American trip.