Face of Defense: Marine Marksman Tests Skills in Australia

By Marine Corps Sgt. Jonathan Wright

31st Marine Expeditionary Unit
PUCKAPUNYAL MILITARY AREA, Australia, Aug. 22, 2014 - It's not a cliché: every Marine is a rifleman, regardless if they are an infantryman or an administrative clerk. Annual requirements dictate qualifying on a known-distance rifle range and the occasional field exercise, but the minimum expectations don't inspire Marines to excellence. What, then, if a Marine has a burning passion and the drive to master the fundamentals of marksmanship?

Marine Corps 1st Lt. Andrew H. Walker engages targets with the Beretta M9 pistol during the Australian Army Skill at Arms Meeting, May 3, 2014. The AASAM is an annual weapons based competition where armed forces from around the globe compete against one another. Walker is the assistant logistics officer for Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and a native of Raleigh, N.C. Walker was selected to join the Marine Corps shooting team for the AASAM as a result of his high placement during the 2014 Marine Corps Competition-in-Arms Program Western Division Matches and several years of civilian competitive shooting. Courtesy photo (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

"My family didn't have any guns, and aside from both of my grandfathers [who served], we weren't a military family," said Marine Corps 1st Lt. Andrew H. Walker, the assistant logistics officer for Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.
"It wasn't until I was in college that I began hunting and fishing with some of the friends and fell in love with shooting," Walker said.
Marksmanship instructors claim that some of the most accurate Marines are those who didn't shoot growing up because they avoid developing bad habits or improper shooting postures. Such is the case with Walker, when, seven years after college, he represented the Marine Corps in shooting matches during the Australian Army Skill at Arms Meeting at the Puckapunyal Military Area, Victoria, Australia, in the early weeks of May, 2014.
The AASAM is an international combat shooting competition between approximately 20 nations from the Asia-Pacific and North American militaries, including the U.S., Brunei, New Caledonia, Canada, Japan, Papua New Guinea and Tonga.
The competition consisted of a variety of combat shooting scenarios, from a traditional known-distance range to a modified biathlon where shooters run three kilometers with gear, rifles, and water jugs prior to shooting at targets from unknown distances.
"It was a very competitive and exciting event -- I loved the experience," said Walker, a native of Raleigh, North Carolina.
"The competition itself was very fast-paced, where we were on the range from 7 a.m. to about 6 p.m. every day," he said. "But once the weapons were turned into the armory and we could sit back with [shooters from other nations], the best part of the experience came. [It was great] interacting with all the other military personnel who are as passionate about shooting as much as I am."
Walker discovered his passion for shooting during hunting trips in North Carolina alongside college friends. He quickly loved every type of firearm he shot, whether it was rifles, shotguns or handguns. That wasn't enough, though. He wanted to test his skills against the best in shooting competitions.
"I was at the Marine Corps Logistics Officer Course in 2010 when I participated in my first pistol competition," Walker said. "It was some of the most fun I'd ever had and I knew I had to do more."
From there, Walker participated in any shooting competition he could find, including civilian matches, which is a trend that continued at his current assignment with the 3/5, based in California. He has since competed in more than 25 events, excelling in pistol shoots and three-gun matches, in which the shooter uses rifles, pistols and shotguns.
"Our command encourages Marines to participate in recreational activities. There are plenty of opportunities to take advantage of as a Marine regardless of [your] MOS," said Marine Corps 1st Lt. Bryant C. Yee, logistics officer for BLT 3/5, 31st MEU. "Being able to take advantage of these unique experiences is, I think, a big difference in whether the individual enjoyed his or her time in the Marine Corps, which was the thought process behind the command's decision to let Lt. Walker compete on the Marine Corps shooting team."
Walker's inclusion on the shooting team came after he competed in the Marine Corps' Competition-in-Arms Program Western Division Matches in early 2014 where he placed in the top fifth of all competitors. It was his proficiency in the matches as well as his accomplishments in civilian events that led the coaches of the shooting team to offer him a spot for the AASAM.
"The Marine team consisted of 10 shooters, mainly comprised of Marine Corps shooting team members with additional members drawn from around the Corps based on shooting experience," Walker said. "I was temporarily assigned to Weapons Training Battalion, Marine Corps Training Command in Quantico, Virginia, and trained with the shooting team for three weeks before we headed to Australia for the competition."
While in Australia, Walker and the team competed in individual shooting matches, squad competitions, sniper rifle shooting and other challenges. To Walker's disappointment, the only medal he received was a third place team medal in the Indoor Simulated Marksmanship Trainer division. The ISMT is a life-sized indoor computer system used for marksmanship training.
"Unfortunately, I didn't shoot as well as I could have, but the Marines consistently placed within the top third of every competition," Walker said. "But the real benefit of the competition was spending time with the shooters from the other militaries, joking around and learning more about shooting and each other rather than if we just shot and went our separate ways."
The end of the competition signaled a break for Walker from competitive shooting for a time due to operational commitments with BLT 3/5. Once the battalion rotates back to California at the end of a six-month tour, he will begin practicing for matches again to achieve his goal of competing in professional three-gun and United States Practical Shooting Association [pistol specialty] matches.
"The Marine Corps has given me so many opportunities to refine my shooting, and even gave me the chance to go to a different country to represent the American military," Walker said. "I'm looking forward to what else I may be able to accomplish, both with the Marine Corps and in civilian competitions."
Walker and the Marines of BLT 3/5 are currently assigned to the 31st MEU as the ground combat element and are conducting pre-deployment preparations in support of the regularly scheduled Fall Patrol of the Asia-Pacific region.

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NASA Mission Provides Its First Look at Martian Upper Atmosphere

Three views of an escaping atmosphere, obtained by MAVEN’s Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph. By observing all of the products of water and carbon dioxide breakdown, MAVEN's remote sensing team can characterize the processes that drive atmospheric loss on Mars.

Image Credit: 

University of Colorado/NASA

NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft has provided scientists their first look at a storm of energetic solar particles at Mars, produced unprecedented ultraviolet images of the tenuous oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon coronas surrounding the Red Planet, and yielded a comprehensive map of highly-variable ozone in the atmosphere underlying the coronas.

The spacecraft, which entered Mars' orbit Sept. 21, now is lowering its orbit and testing its instruments. MAVEN was launched to Mars in November 2013, to help solve the mystery of how the Red Planet lost most of its atmosphere.

"All the instruments are showing data quality that is better than anticipated at this early stage of the mission," said Bruce Jakosky, MAVEN Principal Investigator at the University of Colorado, Boulder. "All instruments have now been turned on -- although not yet fully checked out -- and are functioning nominally. It's turning out to be an easy and straightforward spacecraft to fly, at least so far. It really looks as if we're headed for an exciting science mission."

Solar energetic particles (SEPs) are streams of high-speed particles blasted from the sun during explosive solar activity like flares or coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Around Earth, SEP storms can damage the sensitive electronics on satellites. At Mars, they are thought to be one possible mechanism for driving atmospheric loss.

A solar flare on Sept. 26 produced a CME that was observed by NASA satellites on both sides of the sun. Computer models of the CME propagation predicted the disturbance and the accompanying SEPs would reach Mars on Sept. 29. MAVEN's Solar Energetic Particle instrument was able to observe the onset of the event that day.

"After traveling through interplanetary space, these energetic particles of mostly protons deposit their energy in the upper atmosphere of Mars," said SEP instrument lead Davin Larson of the Space Sciences Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley. "A SEP event like this typically occurs every couple weeks. Once all the instruments are turned on, we expect to also be able to track the response of the upper atmosphere to them."

The hydrogen and oxygen coronas of Mars are the tenuous outer fringe of the planet's upper atmosphere, where the edge of the atmosphere meets space. In this region, atoms that were once a part of carbon dioxide or water molecules near the surface can escape to space. These molecules control the climate, so following them allows us to understand the history of Mars over the last four billion years and to track the change from a warm and wet climate to the cold, dry climate we see today. MAVEN observed the edges of the Martian atmosphere using the Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph (IUVS), which is sensitive to the sunlight reflected by these atoms.

"With these observations, MAVEN's IUVS has obtained the most complete picture of the extended Martian upper atmosphere ever made," said MAVEN Remote Sensing Team member Mike Chaffin of the University of Colorado, Boulder. "By measuring the extended upper atmosphere of the planet, MAVEN directly probes how these atoms escape to space. The observations support our current understanding that the upper atmosphere of Mars, when compared to Venus and Earth, is only tenuously bound by the Red Planet's weak gravity."

IUVS also created a map of the atmospheric ozone on Mars by detecting the absorption of ultraviolet sunlight by the molecule.

"With these maps we have the kind of complete and simultaneous coverage of Mars that is usually only possible for Earth," said MAVEN Remote Sensing Team member Justin Deighan of the University of Colorado, Boulder. "On Earth, ozone destruction by refrigerator CFCs is the cause of the polar ozone hole. On Mars, ozone is just as easily destroyed by the byproducts of water vapor breakdown by ultraviolet sunlight. Tracking the ozone lets us track the photochemical processes taking place in the Martian atmosphere. We'll be exploring this in more complete detail during MAVEN's primary science mission."

There will be about two weeks of additional instrument calibration and testing before MAVEN starts its primary science mission. This includes an end-to-end test to transmit data between NASA's Curiosity rover on the surface of Mars and Earth using the MAVEN mission's Electra telecommunications relay. The mission aims to start full science gathering in early to mid-November.

MAVEN's principal investigator is based at the University of Colorado's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics. The university provided two science instruments and leads science operations, as well as education and public outreach, for the mission. The University of California at Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory also provided four science instruments for the mission. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland manages the MAVEN project and provided two science instruments for the mission. Lockheed Martin built the spacecraft and is responsible for mission operations. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California provides navigation and Deep Space Network support, as well as the Electra telecommunications relay hardware and operations.

ROPE SLIDE

10/14/2014 02:01 PM CDT

Army Sgt. 1st Class David Smith, right, navigates an obstacle course during the Best Warrior Competition on Fort Lee, Va., Oct. 9, 2014.

Small-business Contracting on the Rise, Official Says

By Claudette Roulo
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2014 - For the first time, the Pentagon has exceeded departmental goals for small-business contracting, a senior Defense Department official said last week.

Small businesses made up 23 percent of the Defense Department's prime contracts in fiscal year 2014, receiving about $53 billion in work, said Andre Gudger, director of the office of small business programs, in a DoD News interview.

"This year, the Department of Defense not only exceeded its goal, but it also is on course to exceed the federalwide goal. ... That's significant -- that's historical, in fact," he said.

The department also exceeded its goal of 3 percent for contracts with small businesses owned by service-disabled veterans -- about $9 billion in contract value -- Gudger said. "There's no one better than that group of people to know what we need and how fast we need it, and help us to reduce the barriers in acquiring it," he said.

Prime contracts are contracts in which the department contracts directly with the business, as opposed to subcontracting, where a second company is hired by a defense contractor to accomplish some part of the work.

Critical to battlefield dominance

This is an important accomplishment, Gudger said, because small businesses are critical to dominance on the battlefield.

"The department is very interested in technology innovation capability," he said, "and traditionally, small business is the hub for innovation in technology." This led DoD to focus on small businesses as mission enablers, Gudger explained, and the office of small business programs serves as the principal advisor to the secretary of defense in all matters of small business.

"Small companies are typically very agile and nimble," he said. "They are very responsive to new and emerging threats, new and emerging technologies and new and emerging capabilities, so being more agile and nimble, they can bring and deliver products to the market faster."

Perhaps even more critical in a tight fiscal environment is that small businesses drive competition and, in turn, drive affordability, Gudger said.

"If you go back to Better Buying Power 1.0, small business was specifically called out there, and it carried forward into Better Buying Power 2.0, and now we have Better Buying Power 3.0, and small business is continuing to be a focus, because there is a value proposition there," he said.

The defense contracting community has accepted the challenge, Gudger added.

"In light of the perfect storm -- a sequester, a continuing resolution, a shutdown, a furlough, a workforce reduction -- it made it very difficult in a time of budget uncertainty to achieve small business goals. ... And so, you have to do things on purpose," he said. "You have to plan."

Improving relationship between government and business

As the first director of the small business office to come from the private sector, Gudger said that the decision to bring in someone with his background was driven by President Barack Obama's focus on improving the relationship between government and business. The president has referred to small business as "the engine of job creation."

In sharp contrast to when he first arrived at the small business office -- when, Gudger said, it seemed much of the department felt that small business contracting goals were basically another box to check, the Defense Department and the entire federal government now actively seeks to contract with more small businesses, and more businesses in general.

Through an interagency collaboration program Gudger described as "fantastic," the government reached out to small businesses to generate awareness of shifting investment priorities, and they responded.

Looking for modern, capable products

For example, in times of budget uncertainty, the department looks to services for efficiencies, and looks for more modern, capable products to invest in, Gudger said. "We wanted small businesses to really be aware where the Department of Defense was going to make investments," he added.

The small business office oversees $100 billion in spending, for products ranging from boots and clothing to supersonic aircraft, Gudger said, adding that small businesses play a role in every one of those contracts.

"There's a myth that small businesses don't build planes or ships or nuclear equipment," he said. "Our Virginia-class sub -- a nuclear sub -- is 70 percent built by or developed by small businesses at the prime contract level."

This arrangement led to the development of interoperable systems, Gudger said, which drove down costs while helping the Navy modernize and maintain its dominance in undersea warfare.

"Small businesses at the prime contract level can lead to a phenomenal outcome and lead to a capability that's the finest in the world," he added.

THE SECRET of the HOLY GRAIL

by Michael Douglas Carlin

Dear Knights and Prospective Knights,

You are part of the making of history. The Knights of Malta have a legacy of rendering aid on the field of battle, and that tradition continues today with every Knight that declares a life of service to help the plight of the less fortunate. The oath as it is written in this book, Rise a Knight, when exercised by Knights, leaves humanity and the planet better off.

But there is a more profound principle at work here—a secret that will change the world and bring about an unprecedented era of world peace.

Dan Brown touched on this in his book and subsequent movie, The Da Vinci Code, but slightly missed the mark. He correctly postulated that the Holy Grail is the vagina or female form. He also glossed over the true motivation behind the Inquisition—the oppression of women. Smart men knew that the only way to control humanity and leave power in the hands of the few was to oppress women. Peace and prosperity comes from women being empowered and equal.

Our new order is one voice to empower women, as all who take the oath agree not to discriminate against any human for any reason. Imagine a playing field level for all of humanity. Moving in this direction brings us closer to Thomas Jefferson's postulation where he declared, "We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men (humans) are created equal."

It wasn't true when he wrote it. It isn't true now…but it ought to be. We are part of the historic event ushering in an era during which it will become true. All humans will be created equal, and opportunity will leave no one behind.

We are also part of an era of responsibility, in which every human takes an oath to "first do no harm," and all of us police each other from harming our environment.

Plants, animals, and humans will all benefit from the coming era of peace and prosperity.

Each and every time you Knight someone (men and women) and get them to take the oath, we incrementally move toward more peace and prosperity. We move toward a better world than has ever existed.

This movement is the Holy Grail. It is the "Stone Cut Without Hands" that rolls forth until it consumes the entire world. It is what men and women have dreamed of for thousands of years, and it is within our reach.

I invite you all to share this message with everyone you know and to ask them to take the oath, kneeling as a mortal and rising to a life of service wearing the mantle of Knighthood.

Where men have oppressed and exploited women in the past, I invite you to embrace a new, unprecedented era of empowerment and equality for all of humanity that will lead to greater harmony between flora and fauna and the greatest peace and prosperity the world has ever known.

--

© 2014 Michael Douglas Carlin. All Rights Reserved.

"The Geography of Hope": President Obama Designates the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument

October 10, 2014 at 05:37 PM EDT

"We are blessed to have the most beautiful landscapes in the world.  We have a responsibility to be good stewards of them for future generations."

-- President Obama, October 10, 2014

It is our moral obligation to protect America's most beautiful lands for the next generation. Today, President Obama officially ensured that the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument will join a vast landscape of natural treasures, as part of what writer Wallace Stegner once called "the geography of hope."

Speaking in the Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas, California, the President said: 

It’s not just the natural beauty of the San Gabriels that makes it invaluable. Within these hills lies millennia of history, including the ancient rock art of Native peoples -- the first Americans. And just as this region teaches us about our past, it has always offered us a window into the future. It was here at the Mount Wilson Observatory that Edwin P. Hubble showed the universe to be ever-expanding, and it's where astronomers still explore the mysteries of space. I can think of no better way to honor our past and protect our future than by preserving the San Gabriel Mountains.

Here are three of the many reasons these mountains are worthy of protection:

The President has now designated 13 national monuments under the 1906 Antiquities Act, first exercised by President Theodore Roosevelt. 

As he stated in his State of the Union, the President will continue to look for opportunities to preserve federal lands and waters, especially where communities are speaking up. That's what makes national monuments -- or our "natural classrooms" -- so important:

The notion of a national monument is interesting because it reminds us that America belongs to all of us -- not just some of us. My commitment to conservation isn’t about locking away our natural treasures; it’s about working with communities to open up our glorious heritage to everybody -- young and old, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American -- to make sure everybody can experience these incredible gifts.

President Barack Obama walks onstage at Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas, Calif., where he announced the creation of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, Oct. 10, 2014.

Treatment Facility Construction Continues in Liberia

By Amaani Lyle
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2014 - About 100 additional U.S. Army personnel arrived in Liberia over the weekend as part of ongoing efforts to stanch the deadly Ebola virus, Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren said in a briefing here today.

The soldiers dispatched to the West African region bring the total there to about 565, with several thousand projected to go this fall.

"This 100 were part of the advance party from the 101st [Airborne] Division," Warren said of the unit, based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

The main tent structure assembly is complete for the 25-bed hospital, Warren said, and building of supporting facilities will continue, with completion projected next week. Tent assembly for the first Ebola treatment unit began Oct. 4 and additional site preparation is necessary before vertical construction can begin, he added, with completion expected by the end of the month.

Construction for the second Ebola treatment unit, he said, is expected to begin in the next few days, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 1. Preliminary assessment is underway on the third Ebola treatment unit, the colonel added.

"This will be built using an existing structure instead of tents," he said, adding that an established start or completion date for this unit is still pending.

Additionally, the colonel said, three mobile testing laboratories, complete as of Oct. 3, are up and running and have processed 88 samples.

DODGERS NAME ANDREW FRIEDMAN PRESIDENT, BASEBALL OPERATIONS

Ned Colletti remains with organization as Senior Advisor to President and CEO Stan Kasten

 

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today announced the hiring of Andrew Friedman to the newly created position of President, Baseball Operations. The club also announced that Ned Colletti will remain with the Dodger organization as a Senior Advisor to the President and CEO Stan Kasten.

 

Friedman will be available to the media at a news conference tomorrow at Dodger Stadium, with details to be announced later today.

 

Friedman, 37, previously served as the Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations of the Tampa Bay Rays, where, despite overseeing one of the league’s lowest payrolls, he led the Rays to four postseason appearances, including two division titles (2008, 2010), in nine seasons from 2006-14. Under Friedman, the Rays posted the franchise’s first winning season and won the American League pennant in 2008, when he was named Sporting News’ Executive of the Year. After finishing below .500 in each of its first 10 years of existence, the Rays finished above the .500 mark in six consecutive seasons under Friedman from 2008-13.

 

“Andrew Friedman is one of the youngest and brightest minds in the game today and we are very fortunate to have him join our organization,” said Dodger President & CEO Stan Kasten. “The success he has had over the past nine years in molding the Tampa Bay Rays team has been incredible.”

 

Friedman joined the Rays in 2004 and spent two years serving as director of baseball development. His previous experience includes two years as an analyst with New York City-based investment firm Bear, Stearns & Co., Inc. and three years as an associate for the private equity firm MidMark Capital.

 

Friedman received a baseball scholarship to Tulane University, where he graduated with a bachelor of science in management with a concentration in finance. He played outfield for the Green Wave before injuring his shoulder. Andrew and his wife, Robin, reside in St. Petersburg with their two sons, Ethan Jack and Zachary Evan.

 

In nine seasons under Colletti, the Dodgers reached the postseason five times, with division titles in 2008, 2009, 2013 and 2014 and a Wild Card berth in 2006 (tied for division title), and posted the National League’s third-best record from 2006-2014 (783-674, .537), behind only St. Louis (789-668, .542) and Atlanta (785-673, .537).

 

“Ned Colletti has played a major role in the success of the Los Angeles Dodgers over the last nine years and I’m thrilled that we are able to retain him as a special advisor to me,” said Kasten. “Ned’s knowledge and experience in the game covering 33 years will be a great asset to the club as we continue to add and build our player development system.”

           

The Los Angeles Dodgers franchise, with six World Series championships and 21 National League pennants since its beginnings in Brooklyn in 1890, is committed to a tradition of pride and excellence.  The Dodgers are dedicated to supporting a culture of winning baseball, providing a first-class, fan-friendly experience at Dodger Stadium, and building a strong partnership with the community. With the highest cumulative fan attendance in Major League Baseball history, and a record of breaking barriers, the Dodgers are one of the most cherished sports franchises in the world.

Visit the Dodgers online at www.dodgers.com, follow them on Twitter @Dodgers and like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Dodgers.

For media information, visitwww.dodgerspressbox.com.  

MARINES SHARING

10/14/2014 01:55 PM CDT

U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Patrick Ford, left, and U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Wilfredo Rios hand out meals to local Afghan children during a security patrol in Nad Ali district in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Oct. 7, 2014. Ford is a platoon commander, and Rios is a section leader assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment.

DoD, Homeland Security Work Together to Protect U.S

By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2014 - Cooperation between the Army and the Department of Homeland Security must get closer to combat the threats to America, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said here today.

Speaking at the Association of the U.S. Army's annual conference, Johnson said there is "an overarching public mood that is anxious," and that all branches of government must work together to assuage fears and put in place real defenses.

The Army and Homeland Security have "intersecting missions," Johnson said.

"More and more," he said, "these missions need to align."

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the Ebola epidemic and other threats are making the American public anxious, the secretary said.

"I've been preaching to other public officials and the media in these times that we owe the public responsible dialogue," he added. "We owe the public responsible messaging -- the facts, not speculation and rumor that will feed the flame of anxiety and fear."

Third-largest federal agency

Johnson's department stood up in response to the 9/11 attacks. It is the third-largest federal agency, with 240,000 employees in 22 different components, with a budget in excess of $60 billion. DHS is responsible for securing the nation's borders, airports, cyberspace and critical infrastructure. It also is responsible for recovery operations in case of a natural disaster or an attack.

It's a diverse set of organizations, Johnson said, but there is fresh energy as the department seeks to create unity of effort among all aspects of the agency.

With all the changes happening in the world, "counterterrorism needs to remain the cornerstone of our department's mission," Johnson said.

Terrorism, a threat that has evolved since DHS was founded in 2002, remains a danger to the United States, the secretary said.

"Core al-Qaida looks very different than it did in 2001. Many leaders of core al-Qaida are captured or killed," Johnson said. "But we see the rise of al-Qaida affiliates, al-Qaida adherents -- and groups that al-Qaida has even denounced. ISIL is obviously the most prominent terrorist organization on the world stage right now, and we're taking the fight to ISIL."

Foreign fighters cause concern

Johnson said DHS officials are worried about the problem that foreign fighters pose. These are people who volunteer to fight for ISIL in Syria and Iraq and could return to their countries of origin, posing a security risk. Homeland Security takes these extremists seriously, the secretary said, and is looking for ways to identify potential terrorists.

"Another phenomenon we're seeing among terrorist organizations is a very adept use of social media," Johnson said, noting that their literature and propaganda are Western-tone. "You look at some of it and it is about as slick as I've ever seen in advertising [and] promotion," he added.

The groups use social media to recruit and inspire people in their home countries to launch attacks, Johnson said, noting that these so-called "lone wolf" attackers are among the most difficult to detect and to defend against.

"They have the capacity to live within our communities, assemble the parts for a device of mass violence, and it is the threat I worry most about," he said.

DoD and Homeland Security must work together, Johnson said, and they do. Johnson has regular meetings with the commander of U.S. Northern Command. His agency works hand-in-glove with the National Guard. The Army Corps of Engineers has a vital role to play in helping his department protect Americans, he said.

"Together, we have to meet a broad spectrum of challenges in the future," Johnson said.

Physician Advises: Skip the Grains But Not the Treats

Physician Advises: Skip the Grains But Not 

the Treats This Holiday Season

Cardiologist, Best-Selling Author Shares

 2 Grain-Free Recipes

At a time when we most want to look and feel our best, we seem to do everything possible to ensure we don’t, says cardiologist Dr. William Davis.

“The weather starts to change and we reach for the pumpkin-spice cookies, cider doughnuts and beer, which launches us into processed carbohydrates season,” says Dr. Davis, author of “Wheat Belly Total Health,” (www.wheatbellyblog.com), the latest in his bestselling “Wheat Belly” series.

“They make us tired and sluggish when we especially need energy as we prepare for all the fun stuff and preparation that lead up to Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hannukah, and they cause us to gain weight, which we immediately pledge to shed come New Year’s.”  

People have been taught that the refined, processed carbohydrates in foods like white rice, white bread and traditionally baked goods are “bad carbs.” We’re told we’ll be healthier, happier and slimmer if we get stick to the “good carbs” in fruits, nuts and whole grains.

Not true, Dr. Davis says – at least in the case of grains.

“Grasses and grains like wheat are a great food source for goats, cows and the like,” he says. “But humans have a different digestive process and different nutritional needs. Grasses are not only responsible for unwanted weight gain, but also more serious conditions, including Crohn’s disease and other autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. We just weren’t meant to eat them.”

That doesn’t mean you have to do without your favorite treats during the holidays. Just make them a different way.

He offers these recipes:

•  Pumpkin Spice Muffins (makes 12): 
 2 cups ground almonds
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup ground golden flaxseed
 Sweetener such as Truvia or stevia extract equivalent to 3/4 cup sucrose
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
Dash of fine sea salt
1 can (15 ounces) unsweetened pumpkin puree
1/2 cup sour cream or canned coconut milk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup walnut oil
melted coconut oil or extra-light olive oil.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin. Stir together the almond meal, walnuts, flaxseed, sweetener, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Stir together the pumpkin, sour cream or coconut milk, eggs, and oil in another large bowl. Stir the pumpkin mixture into the almond meal mixture and mix thoroughly. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling them about half full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in a muffin comes out dry, about 45 minutes. Cool the muffins in the pans 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

•  Wheat-free Cauliflower Mushroom Dressing:
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 pound loose ground pork sausage
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 head cauliflower
1 green pepper, chopped
4-ounce can/jar roasted red peppers
8 ounces Portabella mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons ground golden flaxseed
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground sage
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1 teaspoon ground tarragon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bring approximately 12 ounces water to a boil in sauce pan. Toss in porcini mushrooms and turn heat down to maintain below boiling. Stir every couple of minutes for 20 minutes. In deep sauce pan, sauté sausage in 1 tablespoon olive oil, along with celery and onions, until sausage is cooked. Drain excess oil. Place saucepan back on low heat. Break cauliflower into small florets and add to sausage mix. Toss in drained porcini mushrooms along with approximately 4 ounces of the porcini broth, remainder of olive oil, green pepper, roasted red peppers, Portabella mushrooms and flaxseed. Add onion powder, sage, thyme, tarragon, salt and black pepper and stir. Transfer to baking dish and place in oven. Bake for 45 minutes.

About Dr. William Davis

William Davis, MD is a cardiologist and author of several books that have sold more than 2 million copies, including the No.1 New York Times bestseller “Wheat Belly.” He has appeared on major national media including the Dr. Oz Show, CBS This Morning, National Public Radio, and Live! with Kelly.. Davis has built a substantial online presence on his Wheat Belly Blog, (www.wheatbellyblog.com), with more than 300,000 visits per month. He is a graduate of the St. Louis University School of Medicine, with training in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease at the Ohio State University Hospitals. A Case Western Reserve University Hospitals, he served as Director of the Cardiovascular Fellowship and Assistant Professor of Medicine.  

KPCC and Marketplace present “How I Learned The Business of Creativity”

A Conversation Hosted by Kai Ryssdal with Special Guests: Star of NBC’sParks and Recreation Amy Poehler, SpaceX President & COO Gwynne Shotwell, Legendary TV Producer Norman Lear and more

Los Angeles (October 14, 2014)— To celebrate its 25th year of bringing economics to life, American Public Media’s Marketplace is wrapping up its national live show tour in its home town of Los Angeles with an evening of creativity, commerce, and conversation. Join KPCC and Marketplace at UCLA’s Royce Hallon Saturday, November 8, for “How I Learned The Business of Creativity,” a special one-night-only event. Kai will be joined by special guests Amy Poehler, Norman Lear, Gwynne Shotwell and others to explore the business of creativity and innovation through great conversation, fascinating stories, and fresh perspectives. It’s just the way Marketplace looks at the numbers each day for millions of listeners across the country, but on November 8, they’ll do it in person in Los Angeles. EVENT DETAILS What: KPCC and Marketplace present “How I Learned The Business of Creativity” with special guests Amy Poehler, Gwynne Shotwell and Norman Lear  When: Saturday, November 8, 8 p.m. Where: UCLA's Royce Hall, 340 Royce Drive, Los Angeles Tickets: $38.50, $48.50, $65.50 available atkpcc.org/events. ABOUT THE GUESTS Amy Poehler is one of Hollywood’s most versatile and sought after talents. She currently stars on the Emmy-nominated Parks and Recreation as “Leslie Knope,” a role for which she has received much critical acclaim, including a 2014 Golden Globe win and five consecutive Emmy nominations. Poehler can also be seen as the host and producer of her award-winning online series “Smart Girls at the Party” and will appear in a number of upcoming film projects, includingThe Nest alongside Tina Fey. Poehler spent seven seasons on Saturday Night Live and is a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. Poehler recently authored her first book, Yes Please, a collection of personal stories and advice that will be released through HarperCollins’ It Books this month. She currently splits her time between New York and Los Angeles.       As President and COO of SpaceX, Gwynne Shotwell is responsible for day-to-day operations and for managing all customer and strategic relations to support company growth. She joined SpaceX in 2002 as Vice President of Business Development and built the Falcon vehicle family manifest to nearly 50 launches, representing nearly $5 billion in revenue. Prior to joining SpaceX, Shotwell spent more than 10 years at the Aerospace Corporation where she held positions in Space Systems Engineering & Technology as well as Project Management. Shotwell was subsequently recruited to be Director of Microcosm’s Space Systems Division, where she served on the executive committee and directed corporate business development. She participates in a variety of STEM (Science,Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)-related programs, including the Frank J. Redd Student Scholarship Competition. Under her leadership the committee raised more than $350,000 in scholarships in 6 years. Shotwell received, with honors, a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in mechanical engineering and applied mathematics from Northwestern University.         Norman Lear is the television producer of such groundbreaking sitcoms as All in the Family, Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, Good Times, and Maude. He has received four Emmy awards, a Peabody, and the National Medal of Arts. As an advocate, Lear founded People for the American Way and supports First Amendment rights and other progressive causes. Lear's memoir Even This I Get To Experience will be published by Penguin Press this month.          About KPCC/Southern California Public Radio Southern California Public Radio (SCPR) is a member-supported public radio network that operates 89.3 KPCC-FM in Los Angeles and Orange County, 89.1 KUOR-FM in the Inland Empire, 90.3 KVLA in the Coachella Valley, 89.9 FM in Santa Barbara, and 89.5 KJAI in Ventura. Reaching more than 700,000 listeners every week, SCPR is the most listened-to public radio news service of any kind in Southern California. About Marketplace Marketplace® is produced and distributed by American Public Media™ (APM), one of the largest producers and distributors of public radio programming in the world with a portfolio reaching 18 million listeners via more than 900 radio stations nationwide each week. Produced in association with the University of Southern California, Marketplace® programs (Marketplace, Marketplace Weekend, Marketplace Morning Report and Marketplace Tech Report) are currently broadcast by more than 500 public radio stations nationwide and heard by more than 10 million weekly listeners and Marketplace, the weekday evening program, is the largest business news program, on radio or TV, in the country. Marketplace programs are noted for their timely, relevant and accessible coverage of business, economic and personal finance focusing on the latest business news both nationally and internationally, the global economy and wider events linked to the financial markets. For more information on Marketplace visit marketplace.org. For more information on American Public Media, visitamericanpublicmedia.org. Source: Data are copyright Nielsen Audio, Nationwide DMA data, Persons 12+, Spring ‘14 and F13/S14 average.

NASA Sees Hurricane Gonzalo Head Toward Bermuda

Tropical Storm Gonzalo intensified into a hurricane late on Monday, Oct. 14 and is expected to become a major hurricane as it moves toward Bermuda. NASA's Aqua satellite saw powerful thunderstorms within the center of the storm that were dropping heavy rainfall.

At 5 pm EDT, on Oct. 13 Gonzalo had become a hurricane. At that time, the center of the storm was just 20 miles southeast of St. Martin. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted that maximum sustained winds had increased to near 75 mph (120 kph) and additional strengthening was forecast. Gonzalo continued moving through the northern Leeward Islands overnight.

On Oct. 13 at 7:11 UTC (3:11 a.m. EDT) the AIRS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured infrared data on Gonzalo that showed powerful thunderstorms around the center of circulation. Cloud top temperatures were colder than -63F/-52C.

On Oct. 14, a tropical storm warning remained in effect for the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, St. Martin and St. Barthelemy.

On Oct. 14 at 5 a.m. EDT the eye of Hurricane Gonzalo was located near latitude 19.6 north and longitude 64.4 west. That's about 90 miles (145 km) north-northeast of St. Thomas. Gonzalo was moving toward the northwest near 13 mph (20 kph) and a turn toward the north-northwest is forecast by late Wednesday. On the forecast track the center of Gonzalo will move over the open Atlantic north of Puerto Rico today.  Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 110 mph (175 kph) and additional strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours. NHC said that Gonzalo is expected to become a major hurricane today.

The current forecast track from the National Hurricane Center takes Gonzalo over the island of Bermuda as a hurricane on Friday/Saturday.

CURVE BOUTIQUE COMES TO MALIBU COUNTRY MART FROM BEVERLY HILLS

High-end Women’s Store Offers Designer Fashions

 

MALIBU, Calif., (October 14) – The Malibu Country Mart, Southern California’s premier lifestyle center, continues to expand its extensive retail collection this fall with theintroduction of CURVE, a woman’s go-to-boutique offering well-known designers from Phillip Lim to Alexander Wang and more.

 

CURVE boutique, now open, brings a collection of luxury pieces to Malibu Country Mart and provides shoppers with a personalized experience, with trained stylists who hand-select styles from numerous designers, to help clients curate their closets. Emphasizing style over trends, CURVE carries brands including Jean Paul Gaultier, Proenza Schouler, Emanuel Ungaro, Rodarte, and CURVE founder Nevena Borissova’s own signature line sold exclusively at CURVE stores.

The Malibu location marks CURVE’s fifth store, and similar to its other locations in New York, San Francisco, Miami and Los Angeles, its interior features an industrial aesthetic with concrete floors, marble countertops and oversized mirrors. Track lighting and exposed beams create more of an art-gallery feel with muted colors to make its signature designer pieces stand out. The store is located at 3835 Cross Creek Road, Suite 17. Hours are Sunday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The store phone number is 310-456-9944.

 

“CURVE is a wonderful addition to the Malibu Country Mart’s collection of fashion-forward stores,” said Michael Koss, General Partner of the Malibu Country Mart. “The store’s stylish statement pieces and outstanding service further add to the Mart’s fantastic shopping selection for our guests.”

Having started as a standalone store on Robertson Boulevard, CURVE was first founded by Nevena Borissova, who opened the Los Angeles store in 1997 at just 22 years old. With a discerning eye for detail and what would be popular each season, Nevena began to discover and promote new fashion talent and became known for being a buyer that was always “ahead of the curve.” Today, with an extremely loyal clientele and a devout following of costume designers, stylists, editors, celebrities and fashionable women worldwide, CURVE remains one of the original pillars of cutting-edge style in retail.

For more information, please visitwww.shopcurve.com or call 310-456-9944.

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For additional information:www.MalibuCountryMart.com

 

About the Malibu Country Mart

The Malibu County Mart encompasses six acres of prime real estate in the heart of Malibu. The 67 unique tenants comprised of high-end retail, dining, and service offerings are housed in an eclectic mix of architectural styles including Mediterranean, modern and rustic influences. The structures are complimented by world-class gardens, unique sculptures, outdoor dining and picnic areas, and the popular children’s playground. The Malibu County Mart is leading the trend in Malibu in eco-friendly practices, from three electric car charging stations to a chemical-free sandbox in the children’s playground. www.malibucountrymart.com

Naval Base Earns Armed Forces Recreation Gold Medal

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2014 - One of four nominated Defense Department installations was recognized today as the 2014 Armed Forces Recreation Gold Medal Award recipient during a ceremony in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The morale, welfare and recreation center at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia, was recognized for its excellence during the opening session of the annual meeting of the National Recreation and Park Association Congress.

The NRPA is a national not-for-profit organization, according to its website, committed to the advancement of public parks, recreation and conservation.

The Armed Forces Recreation Gold Medal Award, founded in 1965 and given by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration in partnership with NRPA, recognizes the contributions of military recreation providers and their work.

Excellence in parks and recreation

According to a release from the NRPA, the program honors communities throughout the United States that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition.

Three other installations were nominated alongside Kings Bay for the gold medal this year: Fort Carson, Colorado; Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California; and Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.

U.S., Partners Continue Airstrikes Against ISIL

From a U.S. Central Command News Release

TAMPA, Fla., Oct. 14, 2014 - U.S. and partner-nation military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria yesterday and today, using bomber and fighter aircraft to conduct 22 airstrikes, U.S. Central Command officials reported.

Separately, Centcom officials said, U.S. military forces used attack aircraft yesterday to conduct an airstrike against ISIL in Iraq.

In Syria, 21 airstrikes near Kobani destroyed two ISIL staging locations and damaged another, destroyed one ISIL building and damaged two others, damaged three ISIL compounds, destroyed one ISIL truck, destroyed one ISIL armed vehicle and one other ISIL vehicle, officials said.

As part of these strikes, an additional seven ISIL staging areas, two ISIL mortar positions, three ISIL occupied buildings and an ISIL artillery storage facility were struck. A strike near Dayr az Zawr struck a modular oil refinery. Initial indications are that these strikes were successful, officials said.

These airstrikes are designed to interdict ISIL reinforcements and resupply and prevent ISIL from massing combat power on the Kurdish held portions of Kobani, officials explained.

Saudi Arabia also participated

To conduct these strikes, U.S. forces used fighter and bomber aircraft deployed to the Centcom area of operations. In addition, officials said, fighter aircraft from Saudi Arabia participated in these airstrikes.

Centcom continues to closely monitor the situation in Kobani, officials said, and indications are that airstrikes have slowed ISIL advances. But the security situation on the ground there remains fluid, they added, with ISIL attempting to gain territory and Kurdish militia continuing to hold out.

In Iraq, one strike southwest of Kirkuk destroyed an ISIL armed vehicle and another ISIL vehicle.

All aircraft departed the strike areas safely, Centcom officials said.