Ebola Remains National Security Issue, Official Says

By Amaani Lyle
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24, 2014 - Pentagon officials stressed to Congress today that the Ebola virus epidemic is a national security issue requiring multi-agency coordinated measures to protect troops responding to the outbreak in West Africa.

Michael Lumpkin, assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, and Marine Maj. Gen. James Lariviere, Africa political and military affairs deputy director, described U.S. and local efforts to control the virus as about 3,000 troops are set to deploy to the region by year's end.

"Absent our government's coordinated response in West Africa, the virus's increasing spread raises the risk of more cases here in the United States," Lumpkin said.

Ebola response increasing

Though international response is increasing across the region due, in part, to U.S. government efforts, Lumpkin acknowledged the difficulties presented by limited transportation and an overstressed health infrastructure outside of Liberia's capital of Monrovia, a region pummeled with some 200 inches of rain each year.

"I traveled to the region thinking we faced a healthcare crisis with a logistics challenge; in reality what I found was that we face a logistics crisis focused on a healthcare challenge," he said.

Still, Lumpkin underscored that speed and scaled response matter. "Incremental responses will be outpaced by a rapidly growing epidemic," he noted.

In mid-September, President Barack Obama ordered the Defense Department to undertake military operations in West Africa in direct support of United States Agency for International Development, Lumpkin reported.

Lumpkin said Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel accordingly directed that U.S. military forces undertake a two-fold mission: support USAID in the overall U.S. government efforts and respond to State Department requests for security or evacuation assistance if required.

Defense provides unique capabilities

While direct patient care of Ebola-exposed patients in West Africa is not part of the DoD's mission, Lumpkin explained that Hagel approved unique military capabilities in command and control, logistics support, engineering support, and training.

In the last six weeks, the department has undertaken a number of synchronized activities in support of these lines of effort -- to include dubbing the operation United Assistance -- which has involved establishing an intermediate staging base in Dakar, Senegal; providing strategic and tactical airlift; and constructing a 25-bed hospital in Monrovia.

Lumpkin also discussed the construction of up to 17 Ebola treatment units in Liberia and training of local and third country healthcare support personnel, enabling them to serve as first responders in Ebola treatment units throughout the region.

Additionally, Lariviere said the DoD is working with U.S. Transportation Command to develop and test an isolation pod for C-17 Globemaster III aircraft that could carry up to 15 symptomatic individuals at a time.

"In all these circumstances, the protection of our personnel and the prevention of any additional transmission of the disease remain paramount planning factors," Lumpkin said. "There is no higher operational priority than protecting our Department of Defense personnel."

Security Decisions Should Continue to Deter North Korea, Official Says

By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24, 2014 - Decisions made at the security and military talks between the United States and South Korea should continue to deter North Korea, Army Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti said today.

Scaparrotti, the Combined Forces Command chief in Seoul, also told Pentagon reporters that North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un is in control of the rogue state.

Last year marked the 60th anniversary of the U.S.-Republic of Korea treaty, and the mission remains the same as it was in 1953 -- to deter aggression, and if deterrence fails, defend South Korea. "We deter North Korean aggression by ensuring our forces are ready to fight tonight," Scaparrotti said. "Therefore, our focus is on readiness and sustaining and strengthening the alliance."

North tests alliance

The North has tested this alliance with acts and provocations, but the United Nations remains committed. The security pact has made South Korea one of the most prosperous nations on Earth. The nation is a stark contrast to the North, where the population doesn't have enough food to eat.

Instead of investing in his people, the general said, Kim Jong Un pours money into developing a nuclear arsenal and uses violence and threats to advance his interests.

"In recent years, North Korea has focused on development of asymmetric capabilities," Scaparrotti said. "These capabilities include several hundred ballistic missiles, one of the world's largest chemical weapons stockpiles, a biological weapons research program, and the world's largest special operations force, as well as an active cyber-warfare capability."

North Korea continues work on nuclear weapons and continues testing missile technology. "We are concerned that such events could start a cycle of action and counteraction, leading to an unintended, uncontrolled escalation," the general warned. "This underscores the need for the alliance to work together, to be vigilant and to be ready to act."

Meetings set conditions

Scaparrotti spoke following the Security Consultative Meeting and Military Consultative Meeting held in Washington. Those meetings "have set the conditions for the alliance to transform and improve in the years to come," he said.

The general said he is encouraged by the signing of the memorandum of understanding on wartime operational control. U.S. and South Korean officials decided to make shifting operational control to South Korea conditions-based rather than based on a set timeline. Shift in OPCON had been scheduled for next year.

"The bilateral decision to shift to a conditions-based OPCON transition will ensure our combined defense posture remains strong and seamless while the Republic of Korea develops or acquires the critical military capabilities necessary to assume the lead in the combined defense of South Korea," Scaparrotti said.

The decision means a U.S. general will continue to command Combined Forces Command in Seoul and the United States will retain its wartime leadership role until the alliance agrees conditions are conducive for a stable OPCON transition. "The United States and the Republic of Korea agreed to temporarily maintain war-fighting capabilities in Seoul and north of the Han River, which are critical to the defense of the Republic of Korea," the general said.

U.S. unit stays north

One result of this is the U.S. 210th Field Artillery Brigade will remain in the northern area until South Korea fields a comparable capability, Scaparrotti said.

Still, the vast majority of the U.S. force relocation agreements will continue as planned, he said.

3 Ways to Start Considering Gold Investment

3 Ways to Start Considering Gold Investment

The Public Has Been Sold a Very Limited 

Narrative, Says Veteran Financial Strategist

Gold has made headlines in recent years, but it remains arguably the most misunderstood investment resource, says gold financial strategist William A. Storum.

“The conventional narrative is that people ran to gold in the panic of the 2008-09 economic crash, and that the price eventually plummeted by 28 percent from the 2012 close – from $1,675 an ounce to about $1,200 in 2013 – but there was no context or national discussion as to what that really meant,” says Storum, author of “Going for the Gold,” (www.goldandtax.com).

“What most in the media failed to emphasize was the fact that this drop was the first since the year 2000. Such a long-lasting bull run should not have been overlooked, and despite the 2013 setback, gold remains a valuable investment.”

The reasons to own gold have not changed, he says. Many, however, simply don’t know that there are many ways in which to invest in gold – not just owning the metal. Storum reviews those options.

•  Along with coins and bars, a well-established way to invest in gold is to invest in the shares of a company that mines gold. As long as the price of gold increases, gold-mining firms are likely to show higher profits, which will increase their share prices. Gold producers are also valued on their production volume. Higher profits can generate ample dividends to investors, but lower gold prices or other circumstances, such as unrest in a host country, for example, can result in losses. So, investing in mining stocks and funds is, in many respects, like any other stock market investment. Many gold mining stocks are publicly traded, and several mutual funds hold a diverse collection of these stocks. Stocks and funds rate high for convenience and profit potential, but investors are exposed to market swings.

•  Of course, don’t forget about actual gold … which comes in the form of coins and bars. This is the most direct investment, readily at hand and free from fraud, which many folks prefer due to market volatility. However, you’ll need to minimize dealer markups and find a practical mode of storage. Bullion is a good form to start with; it’s a term referring to a gold item that’s valued solely by its weight and purity. Generally, you’ll pay a premium of nearly 2 to 3 percent when you buy and take a discount of the same magnitude when you sell. If premiums and discounts are much higher when buying and selling, you’re probably being ripped off. As gold has been shown to be a good long-term investment, these premiums and discounts will likely be marginal costs.

•  Among the new forms of gold exchange-traded funds, bullion ETFs (exchange-traded funds) have become the most popular. They offer a direct pay on the price of gold, but they don’t provide direct access to gold you can touch and trade. Funds holding a variety of mining stocks are known as open-ended mutual funds, whereby investors buy shares from a fund company and sell shares back to the same company. ETFs have emerged in recent years to rival mutual funds. Bullion ETFs are among those with the highest visibility and, for investors, bullion ETFs provide a practical way to profit from gold price increases without worrying about dealer markups, storage, insurance and other concerns. The advent of bullion ETFs permits institutional investors to buy gold and include it in their asset allocation. 

“These are just some of the ways you can invest in gold,” Storum says. “It’s important to note that there are different types of tax implications for these investments. For example, whereas gold stocks are taxed like regular stocks, bullion ETFs are taxed as collectibles with different rates and rules.”

About William A. Storum

William A. Storum, JD, is a member of the California Bar Association (inactive) and a licensee (inactive) of the California Board of Accountancy. He has extensive experience in individual, corporate, real estate and partnership taxation and has represented clients in tax audits and other tax matters with the IRS. As an investor, Storum came to understand the need to own gold in order to preserve wealth from our government’s reach. He wrote “Going for the Gold,” (www.goldandtax.com), in an effort to clarify widespread confusion about investment in and taxation on gold. Storum graduated cum laude from the University of Santa Clara with a bachelor’s degree in accounting with a minor in economics, and from the University of Santa Clara School of Law, cum laude.

DoD Working to Be a Model Employer for the Disabled

By Nick Simeone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24, 2014 - Walk through the Pentagon and you're bound to come across highly skilled military or civilian employees with disabilities -- including the Defense Department's director of disability programs, who has been legally blind since age 16.

"After graduating from college and university, I sought a job like most other people and I found that I could get interviews but I would never get hired or called back, possibly because I was blind," Randy Cooper told DoD News in an interview to mark National Disability Employment Awareness Month. President Barack Obama set aside October as a time to recognize the significant contributions American workers with disabilities make every day.

"It's an opportunity for us to be aware of the issues and stereotypes and fears we have about people with disabilities," Cooper said, as well as to understand how the department can better recruit, train and advance those with disabilities.

DoD seeks to hire people with disabilities

To that end, Cooper is leading a whole-of-DoD effort to hire more people with disabilities, including troops wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"In fact, the president has directed us through executive order to try and increase the number of people with targeted disabilities by up to two percent," he said. "These are people who have significant barriers to entering the work place."

On Oct. 30, the department will host the 2014 Defense Disability Awards Ceremony. Twenty civilian employees, as well as the service components, will be recognized for their accomplishments in ensuring a barrier-free work environment.

One resource the department taps for hiring the disabled is a partnership with the Department of Labor called the Workforce Recruitment Program, a referral program for disabled students and recent graduates. "This past year, we had over 250 participants in the program," Cooper said. "Some of them became permanent DoD employees, which helped us meet our DoD diversity inclusion objectives."

Overall, he said, the Defense Department seeks to become a model employer for the disabled.

"One of our goals is to eliminate the technological, architectural and programmatic barriers that prevent individuals with significant disabilities from entering the workplace," Cooper said, and to that end the department has even established a comprehensive disability program management course for all components.

"There's a great deal still today in the workplace -- myths, stereotypes and fears -- about hiring someone with a significant disability," Cooper said, noting that's one reason he took the job as the department's point man for disability programs.

"It just became a logical part of who I am to advocate for people with disabilities in the context of civil rights or equal opportunity," he said.

Face of Defense: Two Generations of Dark Horse Marines, 60 Years Apart

By Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Joseph Digirolamo 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit USS PELELIU, Oct. 24, 2014 - Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Benjamin J. Ferry joined the Corps because of his grandfather. Lance Cpl. Benjamin Ferry and his grandfather, Richard T. Ferry, have each served with the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines -- more than 60 years apart. U.S. Marine Corps photo illustration  "My grandpa always said I could go in any branch, and die in any branch, but if I joined the Army he would shoot metomorrow," said Ferry, a 23-year-old from Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. "I always wanted to be a Marine, so that's the way I chose to go." Richard Ferry, Benjamin's grandfather, is a Marine combat veteran who served with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment in the Korean War, fighting in Inchon and at the Chosin Reservoir. "I encouraged [Ben] to join the reserves and stay in college so he would have a good shot for a commission," said Richard. "Like me, he didn't pay any attention!" Benjamin, who was working toward a criminal justice degree after high school, temporarily set his books aside to enlist in 2013. "Infantry was the only option," said Benjamin, an automatic rifleman currently deployed with Battalion Landing Team 3/5, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. "I wanted to be a trigger puller." A family's service history His 83-year old grandfather, a Boston native, had different reasons for joining the Marines, but it would ultimately set a path for Benjamin to follow. In April 1949, Richard was spending time with a high school classmate who was the son of Boston Red Sox chief scout Neal Mahoney. Neal would often take his son, Neal Jr., and Richard on scouting trips during the summer break. One day at Fenway Park, Richard and Neal Jr. met Ted Williams, the famous Major League Baseball player who served as a Marine Corps pilot in World War II. Neal Jr. was a pitcher in high school at the time, and Williams challenged him to throw some pitches from the mound. "Neal took the mound and Ted belted a few balls out of the park and teased the hell out of Neal," said Richard. "Afterwards, he asked what we were doing in town. Neal admitted that we had caught the ride with his father because we wanted to go to the Federal Building to join the Naval Reserve, [mainly] so we could get an ID card and alter the date of birth [so] we could drink." The legal drinking age of Massachusetts was then, and still is, 21. "Of course Ted thought that was funny but he asked, 'what are you, a couple of [wussies]? If you want to drink and be men, why don't you join the Marine Corps like I did?'" So, Richard and Neal Jr. took Ted's advice and joined the Marine Corps' Inactive Reserve. Later that year, Richard received a telegram ordering him to boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. A year later he was with 3/5 fighting in the Korean War. He was wounded twice at Chosin Reservoir, first on November 27, 1950, and again on December 2, 1950. His second wound required an air evacuation from the small village of Hagaru-Ri, and after a series of flights, he eventually ended at the Chelsea Naval Hospital in Boston. He would later receive two Purple Heart medals for his wounds. Richard later earned a commission and served in several challenging billets. His notable assignments include training officer for the 2nd Recruit Training Battalion at Parris Island, South Carolina; combat cargo officer on the attack transport ship USS Renville; instructor at The Basic School in Quantico, Virginia; and a staff officer for Gen. David M. Shoup, the 22nd Commandant of the Marine Corps. He resigned as a captain in 1964 after 15 years of service. More than 60 years after earning the eagle, globe, and anchor, Richard returned to Parris Island. This time it was to see his grandson, Benjamin, march across the depot's Parade Deck as a new Marine. Benjamin's drill instructors learned about his grandfather's story and they did not hesitate to introduce themselves after the graduation ceremony. "Instead of the recruits getting to take pictures with their drill instructors," said Benjamin, "the drill instructors all asked to get pictures with him." After boot camp, Benjamin attended the School of Infantry, East. While there he shared more stories about his grandfather with his Marine buddies. Like the one about the Tootsie Roll Marines. "The brevity for mortars in the Chosin Reservoir was 'tootsies'," said Benjamin. "[My grandfather told me that] some supply person dropped off tootsie rolls instead of mortar rounds." Although they did not receive the requested mortar rounds, it turns out the Tootsie Rolls were exactly what the Marines needed. The blistering subzero temperatures froze a lot of the food rations. "They kept [the Tootsie Rolls] on the inside of their parkas so they would soften up to chew on them while they marched out of the Chosin," said Benjamin. Another story was about the time his grandfather got into trouble just before the Korean War and had to report to his commanding officer. That commander was none other than Col. Lewis "Chesty" Puller. While the encounter was short and to the point, it left an impression on Richard to steer clear of trouble in the future. "[My] gunny overheard me telling some of the Marines that story," said Benjamin. "He asked to have [my grandfather] be the guest speaker at my graduation." A few months later, his grandfather did just that. "Dark Horse" unit cohesion The already strong bond between the two men became stronger when Benjamin received orders to 3/5. Now they can both say they are a "Dark Horse" Marine. "I wanted to stay in the Carolinas because I was an East-coast boy, but I said if there was anywhere else I wanted to go, it was 3/5," said Benjamin. "It was exciting for my grandfather when he found out. I don't think he stopped smiling for a couple of days." "He was the only one in the group that went to 3/5," said Richard. "It was only a coincidence, but I loved it!" The Marines of BLT 3/5 know Benjamin has big shoes to fill, but it is the passion of his grandfather that pushes him to be a model Marine. "It's known around the platoon that his grandfather was a part of 3/5," said Staff Sgt. Omar Martinez, platoon sergeant for 3rd Platoon, India Company, BLT 3/5. "[Benjamin] is extremely disciplined and eager to learn. He's working his way to be a team leader and I'm confident he can fill in those shoes without question." While Benjamin serves with BLT 3/5 on deployment, Richard is also traveling the world for his work. More impressive is that he is an avid runner and still competes in races of varying length across the globe, from 5Ks to half marathons. He recently signed up to compete in the Athens Marathon. Notably, he was the oldest competitor to finish the 2014 Marine Corps 17.75K race. During the event, he wore a Dark Horse 3/5 shirt that read "Get Some" in honor of his old unit and grandson. He crossed the finish line waving a banner that read "The Chosin Few". "The 17.75k meant the most to him; he had some unfinished business," said Benjamin. Benjamin hopes to run a marathon with his grandfather when he completes his tour with the 31st MEU, with both donning 3/5 t-shirts. "He has always said 'never stop: it's going to be tough ... but keep pushing, don't ever stop,'" said Benjamin. "I can't really argue with that because he was at the frozen Chosin." Benjamin is currently deployed with India Company, BLT 3/5, 31st MEU, aboard the USS Peleliu, in support of the annual fall patrol of the Asia-Pacific region.

READ

(originally written in 2012)

by Michael Douglas Carlin

 I admit that I am a nut. Somehow, I have come to believe in world peace.

Now as we enter the holiday season I am more convinced that peace is just around the corner. I have written before that, because I ride a motorcycle on the streets of Los Angeles, I see how the lines are drafted that allow me to ride in relative safety through dense traffic to get from starting point to ending point.

In 2007, I wrote A Prescription for Peace, that details the philosophy of a group of Knights, who give their time and resources to help those in need. This philosophy is what I believe will lead to world peace. Not everyone has received the book well. About two years ago, I received a telephone call from a relative asking me to remove the book from Amazon. He said that I was embarrassing him with his peers in the U.S. Army. He has served for over seven years now and seen two tours of combat duty in Iraq when it was at its worst. I have tremendous respect for him, and I probed deeper to know the source of his embarrassment.

He was promoted to Psychological Operations, and the word "peace" causes many in the military to roll their eyes. Having a relative who writes about world peace is simply something that is not understood in his group. I didn't take offense at the request but started asking questions. "Isn't it your job in Psychological Operations to market a kinder, gentler version of Islam to the Middle East?"

He didn't take that well. "We are warriors, not peacemakers, was his reply. I backed up a bit."

"Isn't Psychological Operations a branch of the military that attempts to influence without using bullets?" He agreed. "Aren't you using marketing methods to achieve that influence?" He agreed. "Isn't a kinder gentler version of Islam simply a matter of achieving the right message and getting it out in the Middle East?"

"Well, yes." He got it. I asked him what that message was, and he said he really didn't know. But I knew he was thinking about it.

About three months ago, he sent me a paper that he did for a marketing class in college. It was about marketing the right message in Afghanistan. There was a void in Afghanistan, because we had not found the right message. Our success there could turn on a dime with the right message, but we have, so far, been unable to discover what that message should be. But, one thing we know is that victory is simply a successful marketing campaign away.

About three weeks ago, he called to tell me that he had discovered the message. I listened with great curiosity. "Read the Koran." From the moment the words escaped his lips, I knew that he had discovered the marketing campaign that would change the world and bring peace to the Middle East. I thought about the Dark Ages of Christianity and the similarity to Islam. Of the six hundred million Muslims in the world, how many have "Read the Koran"? How many of the "would be" suicide bombers have "Read the Koran"?

Just as the Gutenberg Bible transformed Christianity into a democratic society, the Koran will allow people all over the world to become educated and read for themselves. "Read the Koran" isn't just the message for the Middle East; it is a message for the world. By all of us reading the Koran, we can gain an understanding of different cultures of different people. We can better understand our religions. We can receive an education that will provide us with the skills to cope better with what has become a complex global society. We will find a message of peace.

Literacy is one of the building blocks of democracy. Literacy is imperative if democracy is going to survive and thrive in the Middle East. Education improves lives. "Read the Koran" is education. Laws have meaning only if people can read and write. "Read the Koran" leads to law-abiding societies. "Read the Koran" is the message that many don't want the world to hear. "Read the Koran" is our path to peace. "Read the Bible" has led us to democracy. Read the classics leads us to discussions that elevate all of us. To touch every life on the planet, the message can be shortened to read. Reading has made such a difference in my life. Joining a faith-based movement and reading scripture led me to become educated in philosophy, and that transformed me. Reading is one of the keys to peace.

Reading is the foundation that makes all things possible in any peaceful society.

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© 2014 Michael Douglas Carlin. All Rights Reserved.

Ebola Virus Facts

Ebola Virus Facts

The current Ebola outbreak has infected more than 6,500 people and has killed about 3,000.

______________________________________________________

FROM THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

• Ebola virus disease or EVD is a severe, often fatal illness in humans.

• Ebola is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads through human-to-human transmission.

• The average EVD case fatality rate is around 50%. In past outbreaks the fatality rate has varied from 25% to 90%.

______________________________________________________

STOPPING EBOLA

How can we stop this?

1. Find and isolate the patients and safely bury the dead.

2. Find and isolate anyone the patients have contacted until they are not a threat.

3. Practice extreme hygiene awareness admonishing everybody in the community to wash hands often with soap and water and keep from touching eyes, nose or mouth with hands.

4. Health Care workers must practice maximum biological containment conditions including: gloves, protective equipment, and extreme best hygiene practices.

ANYONE WHO HAS CONTACT WITH THE INFECTED MUST BE MONITORED FOR 21 DAYS

Ebola doesn't kill everybody who contracts it. Those that survive create antibodies and have a degree of immunity from the virus for about ten years.

TREATMENT

An IV drip of fluids to prevent dehydration and antibiotics can improve the survival rate. PLEASE NOTE: THERE IS NO KNOWN CURE FOR EBOLA

THE EARLY SYMPTOMS

The incubation period, meaning the time from infection with the virus to the onset of symptoms is 2 to 21 days. Humans are not infections until they develop symptoms. First symptons are the sudden onset of fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rash, symptoms of impaired kidney and liver functions, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding.

Ebola symptoms look a lot like the flu. Some who contract the disease hemorrhage blood but this symptom isn't present in all who are infected. When bleeding does happen it is a later stage symptom.

DIAGNOSIS

It is difficult to distinguish EVD from other infectious diseases such as malaria, typhoid fever and meningitis. Capture and testing of bodily fluids are necessary to make a positive diagnosis. PLEASE NOTE: Collection of bodily fluids are an extreme biohazard risk. Laboratory testing on non-inactivated samples should only be conducted under maximum biological containment conditions.

TRANSMISSION

Ebola is transmitted through bodily fluids of someone who is ill with Ebola or has died from the disease. It is not an airborne disease that floats long distances. If someone sweats, sneezes, coughs, or vomits close to your face you can become infected. Direct contact with blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people and with surfaces and materials (ie. bedding or clothing) contaminated with these fluids.

Men who have recovered from the disease can still transmit the virus through their semen for up to 7 weeks.