By Army 1st Sgt. Lek Mateo

Special to American Forces Press Service

July 28, 2008 - Residents of the Rio Grande Valley are still feeling the effects of Hurricane Dolly after the second Atlantic hurricane of the 2008 season tore through south Texas on July 23 with damaging wind and torrential rain. Remnants of the Category 2 hurricane could still be felt as severe flooding in some coastal cities displaced several hundred families whose homes were destroyed or made inaccessible.

Several thousand people were without electricity at the height of the storm due to downed power lines, but utility companies from all over the state worked tirelessly to restore service.

More than 800 members of the Texas Military Forces, which comprise the Texas Air National Guard, Army National Guard and Texas State Guard, joined forces with local, state and federal emergency responders in a massive relief operation to help the communities recover.

The military effort, under command of the Standing Joint Interagency Task Force, assisted the state's Texas Task Force 1 with search and rescue, food, water and ice distribution, and shelter management.

They established and manned 15 food, water and ice distribution sites and helped to man and administer seven shelter sites run by the Red Cross and other emergency agencies.

The Texas military Forces had mobile distribution teams working in conjunction with Red Cross, Salvation Army, Department of Public Safety and other agencies. The distribution sites will be manned around the clock until the local authorities determine they are no longer needed.

Air Force Col. John Nichols of the Texas Air National Guard's 149th Fighter Wing in San Antonio, task force commander, said he is proud to lead all three components of the Texas military Forces involved with this mission.

"This is truly Texans helping Texans, and we are ready for this kind of contingency operation," he said.

U.S. Rep. Solomon P. Ortiz, who represents the district affected by the storm, visited one of the distribution sites to see the relief effort first-hand. He commended the countless volunteers, especially the servicemen and women, who came to assist the people of south Texas.

"I want to thank all the military members who were activated and removed from their jobs and their family to come and help," he said. "This shows their dedication and their loyalty to the state and the community, and we appreciate that."

Army Sgt. 1st Class Eliberto Cavazos of the Texas State Guard and a resident of Raymondville, Texas, rode the storm out at the local high school with several members of his unit. The retired city employee said it was great to be able to work together as a team with his counterparts in the Army and Air National Guard and together show the community in which he lives in that the Texas military Forces can do the job at hand.

"We've received a lot of thanks for coming here and helping from the people in my neighborhood, and that they are truly very grateful. That makes me very proud to be able to serve in uniform," Cavazos stated.

Sharon Stanton, who had been out of power for three days, waited patiently for hours in her car until she reached the front of the line, where several Guardsmen and civilian volunteers quickly loaded her car with precious water and ice. The La Feria, Texas, resident said she knew relief was on the way when she started seeing convoys of large, green National Guard Humvees and trucks arriving in her town hours after Dolly struck.

"The National Guard pretty much has got it together, and they know what they're doing, and that assures me that things are going to get better," she said.

Army Pfc. Michael Morales of the Texas Army National Guard's 449th Aviation Support Battalion based in San Antonio has been in the service for about a year, and this was his first hurricane-relief mission. The private and several civilian volunteers worked at a feverish pace in the oppressive heat and humidity, loading tons of water, food and ice into what seems like endless lines of cars at a distribution site in Harlingen, Texas.

He acknowledged that the work was arduous and back-breaking, but said it was nothing compared to the suffering that residents were going through, days after the hurricane had made landfall. Receiving a simple "thank you" and a smile from those seeking help made the task worthwhile and rewarding, he said.

"It feels good knowing that I can help distribute food and water to those that need it most and hopefully make their lives a little better," he said.

(Army 1st Sgt. Lek Mateo of the Texas National Guard serves in the Texas military Forces Public Affairs Office.)

American Forces Press Service

July 28, 2008 - Coalition forces today captured two wanted men and detained 28 additional suspected terrorists while targeting al-Qaida operations in central and northern Iraq, military officials said. Coalition forces detained two wanted men and five additional suspects during an operation in Abu Ghraib, about 25 kilometers west of Baghdad. One of the men reportedly is an al-Qaida in Iraq leader who oversees attacks. The other wanted man allegedly makes and emplaces roadside bombs.

Using information obtained from a June 24 operation, coalition forces in Mosul targeted a man believed to oversee al-Qaida financial operations in Ninevah province. They detained one suspect, and seven additional suspects were detained in another operation targeting an al-Qaida in Iraq senior leader.

Tips from local residents helped coalition forces envelop a village southwest of Mosul that reportedly is a hideout for al-Qaida facilitators and smugglers coming in from Syria. Fifteen suspects were detained.

During yesterday's operations:

-- Coalition forces captured two suspected leaders of Iranian-backed "special groups" and another suspect during separate operations in Baghdad's Rusafa district. Coalition forces first captured one suspected special groups leaders operating in the Sadr City area. He is linked to attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces, as well as to kidnappings and smuggling of weapons from Iran to Iraq. In a separate operation in the Rusafa district, coalition forces captured the leader of a Karkh-area special groups ring and another suspect. The detained leader is linked to the provision of weapons, money and logistical support to subordinates. He also is believed to have supplied fighters to support criminal operations.

-- Fifty-eight suspected al-Qaida members were detained and four were killed during a coalition search operation in Ninewah province.

-- U.S. soldiers detained a special groups operative and discovered a weapons cache in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad. The detainee is linked to rocket and roadside-bomb attacks against coalition forces. Later, the soldiers discovered two nitrous oxide tanks, a fire extinguisher filled with homemade explosives, ammunition, two pressure plates used in roadside bombs and a smoke grenade in Baghdad's Doura community. An explosives ordnance disposal team disposed of the explosive materials.

Meanwhile, Iraqi security forces detained a suspected al-Qaida terrorist and discovered a weapons cache in separate operations in northern Iraq July 25.

The Muqdadiyah special weapons and tactics team detained a suspected al-Qaida member in Babylon, northeast of Baghdad, in an operation to disrupt terrorist activity in Muqdadiyah. The suspect allegedly is a facilitator for a cell involved in roadside-bomb emplacements, sectarian violence and weapons smuggling.

Also, Iraqi National Police operating northwest of Baghdad discovered a weapons cache consisting of about a metric ton of nitric acid, 150 pounds of explosive materials, mortar rounds, projectiles, tank rounds and rockets. An explosive ordnance disposal unit disposed of the cache.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

July 29, 2008, (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books.  James H. Lilley, the Police-Writer.com Author of the Year (2008), has had his book, The Eyes of the Hunter, adopted by Johns Hopkins University.  James H. Lilley is a former Marine and Police Sergeant with the Howard County Police Department (Maryland). He worked in the Uniformed Patrol Division, Criminal Investigations Division, Forensic Services (CSI) and Drug Enforcement Division. His Street Drug Unit was featured in the book "Undercover" by Hans Halberstadt and published by Simon and Schuster. Some of his awards include The Medal of Valor, Four Bronze Stars, Four Unit Citations and the Governor's Citation. He is also an 8th Degree Black Belt in Shorin Ryu Karate.  James Lilley is the author of seven books: A Question of Honor; The Eyes of the Hunter; The Far Side of the Bridge; Just Retribution; A Miracle for Tony Clements; Death Knocks Twice, and, A Tony Clements Christmas Miracle. According to Sheldon Greenberg, Ph.D. (Associate Dean, School of Education, Johns Hopkins University), “The Eyes of the Hunter will be used as a text for the Communications course in the Master of Science in Intelligence Analysis degree program at Johns Hopkins University.”  Dr. Sheldon continued that Lilley’s book will help the students “focus on creativity and critical thinking, research, understanding the audience, and formulating meaningful written documents.” The course The Eyes of the Hunter will be used in is “Communications: Fact, Opinion, Significance, and Consequence.”  According to the course description, “Within the intelligence community, findings are of little value unless they are communicated well.  Dissemination of findings is essential to the success of any analysis or research.  Students learn to deliver written, oral, and visual presentations for maximum effect by considering factors such as intended outcome, timing, structure, and method.  Working individually and in small groups, students address issues such as lack of time to plan and prepare, unfamiliarity with the customer (end user of analytical documents), disruption and change, and coping with the unexpected. Students receive ongoing feedback on their communication style and effectiveness.   The ability to justify and present an analytical conclusion in clear, succinct prose is essential to supplying policy makers with information they need to formulate decisions.  Students consider traditional and innovative methods of intelligence writing and briefing, focusing on the difference between fact and opinion. Students prepare written reports and presentations on a variety of topics and, in doing so, construct narratives, establish project credibility, convey recommendations, and reinforce key messages.” Police-Writers.com now hosts 1029 police officers (representing 431 police departments) and their  2189 criminal justice books in 33 categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden

American Forces Press Service

July 28, 2008 - The latest GI Bill considerably improves the opportunity for today's servicemembers to obtain their education, a senior Defense Department official said. President Bush signed the Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2008 on June 30. The new law mirrors the tenets of the original GI Bill, which gave returning World War Two veterans the opportunity to go to any school they wanted while receiving a living stipend, Bob Clark, the Pentagon's assistant director of accessions policy, said.

"The original GI Bill was said to be one of the most significant social impacts of the 20th century," Clark said. "We believe the new bill is going to have a similar impact."

The ew GI Bill is applies to individuals who served on active duty on or after Sept. 11, 2001, and offers education benefits worth an average of $80,000 – double the value of those in the previous program. It covers the full costs of tuition and books, which are paid directly to the school, and it provides a variable stipend for living expenses. It's also transferable to family members of career servicemembers.

Its only restriction is that payment amounts are limited to the most expensive in-state cost to attend a college or university in the state where veterans attend school, he said.

The variable stipend is based on the Defense Department's basic allowance for housing for an E-5, which averages about $1,200 a month, and $1,000 a year will be paid directly to the servicemember for books and supplies, he added.

Enrollment into the Post-9/11 GI Bill is free. Eligibility for the Montgomery GI Bill is based on service commitment and requires active-duty servicemembers to pay a $1,200 fee over the initial year of their enlistment.

The new bill requires that an individual serve at least 90 days on active duty after Sept. 10, 2001, and if discharged, be separated on honorable terms. Servicemembers discharged due to a service-connected disability are eligible if they served 30 continuous days on active duty. Servicemembers must serve 36 aggregated months to qualify for the full amount of benefits.

Servicemembers are entitled to benefits of the new bill for up to 36 months and have up to 15 years from their last 30 days of continuous service to use their entitlements. But as successful as Defense Department officials anticipate the new bill to be, Clark suggested that new recruits still enroll in the Montgomery GI Bill.

The Montgomery GI Bill gives benefits for higher education as well as vocational training, apprenticeship programs and on-the-job training, he explained. The Post-9/11 GI Bill focuses solely on higher education and can only be used at institutions that offer at least an associate's degree, he said.

"We recommend that all new recruits think hard before turning down the Montgomery GI Bill, because they will limit their opportunities for additional education without it," he added.

Servicemembers also are "highly encouraged" to use the Defense Department's tuition assistance program while on active duty, because the Post-9/11 GI Bill's full entitlements, such as the living stipend and book allowance, will not be available, Clark said.

"If you use the Post-9/11 GI Bill while on active duty, it will merely cover tuition or the difference of what tuition assistance will pay," he explained. "Another downside to that is each month you use [the new bill], you lose a month of your 36 months of eligibility."

So, if servicemembers serve on active duty on or after Aug. 1, 2009, and meet the minimum time-in-service requirement, they will be eligible for the new GI Bill while also maintaining benefits from the Montgomery GI Bill, he said.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill also brings good news for officers and for servicemembers who enlisted under the loan repayment program. Since eligibility for the Post-9/11 GI Bill is based on time already served, more servicemembers will be able to take advantage of its benefits, Clark added. Officers commissioned through one of the service academies or through ROTC and enlisted servicemembers participating in the loan repayment program don't qualify for the Montgomery GI Bill, he said.

Those servicemembers will be able to qualify if they finish their initial obligatory service. Commissioned officers must complete their initial five-year commitment if they attended a service academy or their four-year agreement if they were commissioned through college ROTC. Servicemembers whose college loans were paid off by the Defense Department as a re-enlistment incentive must finish their initial commitment – whether it is three, four or five years – before they can apply, Clark said.

"Any amount of time an individual served after their obligated service counts for qualifying service under the new GI Bill," he said.

Another facet unique to the Post-9/11 GI Bill is that it's transferable to family members. The feature gives the defense and service secretaries the authority to offer career servicemembers the opportunity to transfer unused benefits to their family. Though Defense Department officials still are working with the services to hash out eligibility requirements, there are four prerequisites that are subject to adjustment or change, Clark said.

Currently transferability requirements are:

-- Qualifying service to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill;

-- Active duty service in the armed forces on or after Aug. 1, 2009;

-- At least six years of service in the armed forces;

-- Agreement to serve four more years in the armed forces.

"We're really excited about transferability," Clark said. "That was one of the things about education and the GI Bill that's come up the most often from the field and fleet."

Individuals who may not qualify to transfer unused benefits because they leave the service before the new bill's effective date most likely still will qualify for the bill. As long as the separated servicemembers meet the minimum qualifying time served, they can contact their local Veterans Affairs office and apply for the program. While payments are not retroactive, eligibility is, Clark said.

"This new bill will allow our veterans to chase their dreams," Clark said. "It will allow them to go back and experience college like they deserve, much like their grandfathers did in World War Two."

More information about the Post-9/11 GI Bill is available at local Veterans Affairs Office and at www.gibill.va.gov.

By Kristen Noel

Special to American Forces Press Service

July 27, 2008 - A training exercise in the country of Georgia is helping partner nations overcome language and cultural barriers to work together more effectively in combat situations, a U.S. official said.  Exercise Immediate Response 2008, taking place outside the city of Tblisi, Georgia, has united forces from several nations to participate in small arms, combat lifesaver, and situational training exercises. Countries involved include the United States, Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and Armenia.

"The overall purpose of the operation is to build cooperation in the region and teach everyone involved how to work better with their coalition partners," U.S. Army Maj. Matthew Smith, commander of 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, told online journalists and bloggers July 24 via teleconference from the country of Georgia.

The 121st Infantry Regiment, which belongs to the Army National Guard, has been involved with the exercise since July 14 and will return home to Atlanta, Ga., on August 2. The experience is preparing them to deploy to Afghanistan next year, Smith said.

"We're basically focused on getting us ready to go to Afghanistan," he said. "So, we're focused at the fire-team level and just trying to get the...foundation built, if you will, for upcoming stuff that will take place over the next year."

Smith explained that the training is mainly preparation for small-arms combat operations and some civic engagement. "We use contemporary operating environment scenarios, where they might encounter improvised explosives (or) conduct some sort of civic engagement with a mayor or other leader," he said.

Counterparts from different nations work together during the exercises, which Smith said is strengthening the relationships among coalition partners and proving to be valuable practice working through language barriers.

"It's been great watching these teams develop," Smith said. "After just a couple days, they're up and running, looking like they've been training together for several years (and) learning from each other both tactically (and) culturally."

For example, he said Georgian and U.S. soldiers are teamed in combat training for engaging targets and basic medical skills for sustaining life until medics arrive.

"One of the most amazing things that I have seen to date is just watching the soldiers figure out how to communicate, regardless of the presence of an interpreter," he said.

Smith said the language barrier is actually adding value to the training experience for his battalion, rather than deterring from it. "It also exposes some of our own challenges in dealing with another force besides English-speaking forces, which our battalion will likely have to do downrange," he said.

"The other aspect of it is that Georgians, when they're operating as part of the coalition in Iraq, they'll be dealing with American soldiers on a daily basis," Smith added. "So, I think just across the board, it will help strengthen both parties for future operations."

"I think no matter where we as U.S. forces go in the world, we're going to have to learn to work better with other forces, who may not share our language or culture," Smith said. "And this has been great preparation for that – great preparation for the battalion's mission to Afghanistan next year."

(Kristen Noel works for the New Media branch of the Defense Media Agency.)

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

July 27, 2008 - The security situation in Iraq's northern provinces has improved, but Iraqi and coalition troops will continue to pursue al-Qaida in Iraq and other criminal groups, the U.S. commander in the region said during a briefing in Baghdad today. Army Maj. Gen. Mark P. Hertling, the commander of Multinational Division – North, told reporters that the number of security incidents in his area of operations has dropped from more than 2,600 in June 2007 to 650 in June 2008. The numbers for July 2008 continue to show a reduction.

Hertling said Iraqi commanders will launch a major offensive against al-Qaida and criminal gangs in Diyala province next month. U.S. forces will launch a concurrent offensive – Operation Iron Pursuit – against al-Qaida in Iraq terrorists who are seeking sanctuary in the desert.

The success of the surge in Baghdad forced al-Qaida in Iraq to move out of the city mostly to the northern provinces of Diyala, Ninewah and Salah ad Din. These areas became the main battlefield as coalition, and increasingly, Iraqi forces hunted down the terrorists and killed or captured them. The cities are now "reasonably secure," Hertling said, and the Iraqi and coalition forces can shift focus to hunting down al-Qaida and its allies outside the cities.

Other indicators also point to progress, Hertling said. The number of roadside bombs declined by 50 percent since February 2008 from 950 to 430.

"That's not to say we still don't have threats," the general said. Suicide vest attacks and car bombs remain a problem in Diyala and the city of Mosul. On July 24, a woman wearing a suicide vest killed eight Iraqis and wounded 30 others in Baquba. Last month another suicide bomber killed Iraqi police and recruits in the city.

The number of Iraqis killed by terrorists wearing suicide vests has been about 250. Car bombs killed a further 1,500.

"These are random, violent acts conducted by these violent terrorists and that's why we are not only continuing to go after those who do these things, but the networks that support them," he said.

Iraqi and coalition forces are continuing Operation Mother of Two Springs in Ninewah and Mosul.

"We are beginning ... Operations Omens of Prosperity ... in Diyala province to begin in early August," he said. While the Iraqi Army will lead the operations, coalition forces will continue to partner with Iraqi forces.

Coalition forces will go after the support zones for al-Qaida in Iraq. "Our message in conducting that operation is we have secured the key cities of the north and we have seen al-Qaida continue to be pushed into the support zones – the areas of the desert – and we will continue to relentlessly pursue them into those areas," Hertling said.

In addition to their own operation, U.S. forces will partner with Iraqi soldiers and police units to provide them enablers: fire support, intelligence, artillery, some logistics, engineers and some aviation, Hertling said.

security is better in the north because of the increased number of Iraqi police and Iraqi Army units, Hertling said. Still the security forces are undermanned and can use more capabilities.

The Iraqi Ground Forces Command has moved a headquarters to the area outside Baquba.

"They will be bringing together in early August the elements of four Iraq Army divisions, some additional Iraqi National Police and they will be linked very closely with police forces in Diyala itself," Hertling said. The Iraqi command is working closely with local Sons of Iraq groups.

This improved security has allowed a greater economic development in the four northern provinces. The markets are open, the roads are being paved and electric lines going up and being repaired. Oil exports are at an all-time high, Hertling said. "This allows for greater political interaction between the government of Iraq and the provinces as they ready for the up-coming vote," he said.

Al-Qaida is not giving up easily, the general said. There are intimidation tactics going on throughout the northern provinces, but especially in Mosul – Iraq's second-largest city. The terrorists have been targeting Iraqi security force, the police and Iraqi intellectuals.

"There are still attacks in Mosul, but they have been greatly reduced," Hertling said. Again, the markets are open, but more needs to be done to improve the employment situation in the region. "The combination of the Iraqi security plan has significantly reduced the attacks and the flow of insurgents into the city," he said. "What needs to happen now is the Iraqi government and the provincial governments is continuing to improve the economic conditions of the city."

And insurgents are increasingly allying with the Iraqi government. "More than 2,100 former insurgents in our area that have turned themselves in and said, 'I don't want to fight anymore, I'm tired of running, I want to be part of the political process,'" Hertling said. "More of that will happen as people see the increasing strength of the Iraqi government."

The upcoming operations will cover an area the size of New Jersey, the general said. "It's hot out there and dusty," he said. "The temperature the last time I was in Baquba was 127 degrees."

Hertling said much remains to be done in the region. "There will be continued operations as long as the Iraqi people are threatened," he said.

By Navy Seaman William Selby

Special to American Forces Press Service

July 25, 2008 - An Iraqi organization tasked with consolidating and coordinating that country's counterterrorism effort is now capable of conducting unilateral missions, a U.S. military official said yesterday. "[The Iraqi National Counterterrorism Force's] primary mission is to synchronize and focus all elements of Iraqi national power to defeat terrorism here in Iraq," U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Simeon Trombitas, director of the Iraqi National Counterterrorism Force Transition Team, told online journalist and bloggers.

The Iraqi unit was formed in 2003 and has since been trained by U.S. Special Forces soldiers, Trombitas said.

While U.S. forces still train with the specialized Iraqi force and conduct missions with the Iraqis, they're now capable of running their own missions with limited U.S. help, he said.

"They're comfortable, at this point in time, doing unilateral operations, even without some of our enablers," Trombitas explained. "I think that they're well on the road to conducting the majority of their operations."

Trombitas attributed the Iraqis' capability to the high level of training they receive from U.S. Special Forces soldiers.

"They are trained to a high level," Trombitas said. "Our Special Forces have a high level of confidence in them. They never hesitate to run a mission with each other, and I think that speaks highly of their capability and our guys' trust in them."

The Iraqi counterterrorism force's demanding selection process is similar to that of U.S. Army Special Forces, he said.

"Those things that we expect of our Rangers and Special Forces are the type of things we train [the Iraqis] in," Trombitas said.

The Iraqi National Counterterrorism Force headquarters is located in Baghdad, but the organization's leaders are planning to expand capabilities by moving to four other locations throughout the country. The cities include Mosul, Basra, Asad, and Diyala.

"These capabilities will allow us to plan, execute, synchronize air assault operations on multiple objectives, and give us the ability to infiltrate, ex-filtrate, and have casualty evacuation," Trombitas said.

Right now, there are four operational battalions, a training battalion, and a support battalion.  Trombitas stressed that, while there are no plans for any more battalions, there is a possibility that leaders will split the headquarters due to the size of the battalions.

As a result of the long presence U.S. forces have had in Iraq, Trombitas said he can envision working with Iraqi National Counterterrorism Force troops in the future on other operations.

"Right now there is a battalion of Salvadorians in combat here in Iraq, ... and they're here due to our long presence in working with them," he said. "I foresee that in the future of Iraq."

He also lauded the U.S. forces who had a hand in training the Iraqi units. "Our Special Forces are the best in the world, and I think they've exemplified that," Trombitas said. "I'm just awful proud of our effort and theirs in conducting counterterrorism operations."

(Navy Seaman William Selby works for the New Media directorate of the Defense Media Activity)

Food industry bitten by its lobbying success

“The industry pressured the Bush administration years ago to limit the paperwork companies would have to keep to help U.S. health investigators quickly trace produce that sickens consumers, according to interviews and government reports reviewed by The Associated Press. The White House also killed a plan to require the industry to maintain electronic tracking records that could be reviewed easily during a crisis to search for an outbreak's source. Companies complained the proposals were too burdensome and costly, and warned they could disrupt the availability of consumers' favorite foods. The apparent but unintended consequences of the lobbying success: a paper record-keeping system that has slowed investigators, with estimated business losses of $250 million.” (Google News; 25July08; Associated Press, Larry Margasak) http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iVHt-zqI9SBYX7gUbzPTug-Ns3ewD924VCTG0

'It could save a lot of lives': 200 'victims' participate in bioterrorism drill [Lake County, IL]

“Lake County [Illinois] has just been infested with an anthrax outbreak. First responders, emergency crews and health officials are waiting to distribute medicines to thousands of infected residents before it is too late. That was the scenario the Lake County Health Department and emergency agencies were faced with Thursday during a bioterrorism drill at St. Peter's United Church of Christ in Lake Zurich.” (Lake CountyNews-Sun; 25July08; Kendrick Marshall) http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/1074115,5_1_WA25_HAZARDDRIL_S1.article

Hospitals put to the test during natural disaster drill [Fayetteville, AR]

“Employees at nine hospitals in Northwest Arkansas tested their responses to a large-scale natural disaster in a drill on Wednesday. Organized by Northwest Regional Hospital Bioterrorism Preparedness Committee, the exercise presented difficulties that would result from four or five tornados hitting the area. The committee is part of a statewide effort coordinated by the Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services and the Arkansas Hospital Association[.] The scenarios were fed to hospitals in Benton, Boone, Carroll and Washington counties from inside the Washington County Emergency Operations Center in Fayetteville.” (NWA News; 24July08; Adam Wallworth) http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/232184/

One Very Scary Jalapeño [Editorial]

“Federal health officials have finally found a jalapeño tainted with the rare form of salmonella that has poisoned more than 1,200 people in this country since April. The contaminated pepper was grown in Mexico and repacked by a small Texas distributor. The company has pulled its supplies from the marketplace, and the Food and Drug Administration is advising people to eat only jalapeños and serranos that have been safely cooked. This does not mean it’s over. Finding one bad pepper cannot close the lid on the largest outbreak of food-borne illness in America in a decade.”

(New York Times; 24July08)

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/opinion/24thu3.html

Newport [Indiana] Chemical Depot nearly finished in VX disposal

“During the cold war this rural corner of west central Indiana produced thousands of tons of the toxic nerve agent VX for the government. Since 2005 the same area has been dismantling the VX due to an international treaty. […] ‘We have destroyed over 98 percent so we are down to our last approximately two percent,’ Brubaker said. In the next couple of weeks that, two percent of VX will be neutralized and on it's way out of this area.” (WTHITV; 23July08)

http://www.wthitv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8724538&nav=menu593_2

DNC [Democratic National Convention] security info released

“Contrary to rumors, there will be no weapons that shoot slime, nor will there be ‘pain ray’ guns that immobilize targets at this year’s Democratic National Convention, according to a security budget proposal released by the city of Denver yesterday.  The city agreed to release some general DNC security information in return for the American civil Liberties Union (ACLU) postponing its lawsuit against them until after the DNC, said Mark Silverstein, legal director for ACLU’s Colorado chapter. […] Although the city did comply with some of ACLU’s requests, it did not disclose the total amount spent on electronic restraints or chemical weapons, which the non-profit requested.” (Denver Daily News; 24July08; Gene Davis)

http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/article.php?aID=1311

Sarin leak sealed at Richmond [Kentucky] depot

“Workers at Blue Grass Army Depot have sealed the container that was leaking sarin nerve agent, the Army said Friday. The leak was discovered on July 11 during routine daily monitoring of the storage igloo and is ‘under continuous observation to evaluate the effectiveness of the seals,’ said Richard Sloan, spokesman for Blue Grass Chemical Activity, the chemical weapons operation at the depot.” (Herald-Leader; 25July08; Greg

Kocher)

http://www.kentucky.com/181/story/471237.html

Reprieve’s fight for Binyam Mohamed

“Lawyers acting for Binyam Mohamed, a British resident incarcerated in Guantánamo Bay, have urged the Government to disclose evidence which, they say, would demonstrate he was tortured. […] Mohamed was also accused of plotting to buy uranium in Asia, bring it to the US and build a ‘dirty bomb’ in league with Jose Padilla, a US citizen. Mohammed signed a confession but told his lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith, he had never met Padilla, or anyone in al-Qa’ida.” (The Muslim News; 25July08; Zainab

Hemani)

http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/paper/index.php?article=3632

UAD [United Action for Democracy] Chides FG [Federal Government of Nigeria] Over UK security Deal

“The United Action for Democracy (UAD) has accused the Federal Government of compromising Nigeria's sovereignty and internal security in her bid to overcome the lingering militant crisis in the Niger Delta region of the country. […] They further asserted that the implication of the latest deal was what they called ‘imperialist Britain’, similar to the recent failed attempt by America to position its African Command in Nigeria, and that it further showed the mad obsession of the failing regime to commit untold violence against the people of the Niger Delta, plunder the natural endowments, expose the region to the risk of biological and chemical warfare and diseases, and subject the environment to greater destruction.”

(Leadership Nigeria; 25July08)

http://www.leadershipnigeria.com/product_info.php?products_id=31777&osCsid=e872f086f957a289c000693b776414cb

Mega-truck designed for disasters relegated to mundane police work

“In 2005, Uncle Sam bought El Paso County a quartermillion-dollar armored vehicle designed to handle everything from weapons of mass destruction to natural disasters. Since then, it's been used 52 times for ordinary police work: arresting potentially violent suspects or fugitives, protecting dignitaries, handling civil disturbances and dealing with people barricaded in a home or business with hostages. It cost $246,675, with an additional $17,477 spent on such after-market enhancements as ballistic shields, roof-mounted remote-control spotlights, radiation detection equipment, an explosive gas detection system and an intercom system.” (The Gazette; 23July08; Pam Zubeck) http://www.gazette.com/articles/disasters_38536___article.html/police_designed.html

CNS ChemBio-WMD Terrorism News is prepared by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in order to bring timely and focused information to researchers and policymakers interested in the fields of chemical, biological, and radiological weapons nonproliferation and WMD terrorism.

By Army Sgt. Jason Dangel

Special to American Forces Press Service

July 25, 2008 - As the sun begins to set beyond the Baghdad horizon, the sound of laughter and conversation emanates from the corrugated steel sleeping trailers of Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division's Company C, 3rd Battalion, 4th Aviation Regiment, Combat Aviation Brigade. Behind the chatter, an alarm clock sounds, alerting Army Sgt. David Brocato it is time to get ready for the night's mission. It's 6:30 p.m.

The 28-year-old crew chief knows that proper preparation is a must before any operation as he begins mentally preparing himself for the long night ahead.

"The reason I came into the military and into this job goes back to when I initially joined the Army," the Kentwood, La., native explained, embarking on his quarter-mile trip to his company's flight line. "If I was going to do something in the military, I was going to do something that I really enjoyed. For me, helicopters were the only choice."

As a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew chief, Brocato's responsibilities seem almost endless, especially working for 3rd Battalion, 4th Aviation Regiment, which has a three-fold mission for Multinational Division Baghdad.

The battalion is responsible for air assault missions, formal aviation mission requests and routine personnel air transport -- called the Iron Horse Express -- throughout the Multinational Division Baghdad area of operations.

With more than 1,000 flight hours under his belt, the senior crewman's responsibilities range from in-flight instruction to performing critical fixes on the aircraft during missions.

Also considered the "eyes of the aircraft," he is required to help the pilots maneuver the helicopter in and out of tight areas and to watch for threats from the sky. Most missions last about six hours.

At about 8 p.m., with the expectation of an air assault operation tentatively scheduled three hours later, Brocato's tone became more serious as he looked over the night's flight schedule. He checked and rechecked both mission number and helicopter number before quickly moving to another office containing maintenance logs and beginning the hour-long process of ensuring his aircraft was mechanically sound.

"Any kind of maintenance or mechanical issues are all logged into a computer system, and it's my responsibility to ensure all the scheduled maintenance has been completed before we even go out to look at its condition," he said. "Aircraft maintenance is very meticulous because of the risk factor involved with flying. If a mechanical problem occurs in the air, it puts the whole crew at risk for injury and even death. Essentially, it is the crew chief's responsibility to ensure this doesn't happen." <