Month: October 2022

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Defense News: USNS Mercy Concludes Pacific Partnership 2022

Source: United States Navy

Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) returns to San Diego, Sept. 30. Mercy participated in the 17th annual Pacific Partnership mission, the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted throughout the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Rosa Paschall)

Pacific Partnership is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

“It has truly been an honor to lead a diverse crew of committed men and women on the Pacific Partnership 2022 team,” said Pacific Partnership 2022 Mission Commander Capt. Hank Kim. “We set out to strengthen ties and create new friendships with our host and partner nations, and we achieved this with resounding success.”

The mission team worked collectively with participating host and partner nations to enhance regional interchangeability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific.

“One of the mission highlights was seeing the multinational knowledge exchange and passion for learning from everyone who was a part of Pacific Partnership,” said Capt. Jeffrey Feinberg, Mercy’s commanding officer. “Every participant brought something new to the table, whether it was a safer way to construct the foundation for a building, a new approach to a patient procedure, or a more efficient means for disaster response. That collaboration is what enhances every nation’s capacity to respond to crisis and provides an enduring impact. That, and the friendships we make, are what will remain long after Mercy returns home.”

Host nations included Vietnam, Palau, the Philippines, and Solomon Islands. Partner nations included Australia, Chile, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom.

Pacific Partnership saw more than 15,000 patients, completed 10 major construction projects, participated in more than 80 host nation outreach events, and conducted humanitarian assistance and disaster relief workshops

in each mission stop during the five-month mission.

For more information on Pacific Partnership and USNS Mercy, please visit https://www.msc.usff.navy.mil/Ships/Mercy/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pacificpartnership

Facebook: www.facebook.com/USNSMERCY

DVIDS: www.dvidshub.net/feature/PacificPartnership

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Security News: Readout of Russian Elites, Proxies, and Oligarchs (REPO) Task Force Deputies Meeting

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo and Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco today convened the Russian Elites, Proxies, and Oligarchs (REPO) Task Force Deputies to accelerate oligarch asset forfeiture efforts in response to Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine.

Participants from Australia, Canada, the European Commission, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States discussed ongoing initiatives to tailor already robust asset forfeiture tools and maximize the impact of our joint work on Russian elites and their cronies for their complicity in Putin’s illegal invasion. Participants noted legislative efforts, including the Administration’s proposals to forfeit oligarch assets on an expedited timeline, to forfeit property used to facilitate sanctions evasion, to expand our ability to enforce foreign forfeiture judgments in U.S. courts, and to include sanctions and export control violations among the crimes that fall within the definition of racketeering. Together, these proposals would expand our ability to forfeit assets, including those of entire criminal enterprises.

As Russia continues to commit flagrant violations of international law, the United States remains committed to using all tools at its disposal to hold Russia accountable and help Ukraine. Together with our partners, the steps we have taken so far have immobilized Russian assets as one of several means to induce Russia to come into compliance with its international law obligations, including the obligation to pay reparations. We also have degraded Russia’s ability to wage its unjust war by limiting Russia’s access to the global financial system and to the technology and other imports they need to maintain its military industrial base and equip its armed forces.

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Security News: U.S. Attorney Announces New Reporting Procedures for Environmental Justice and Public Health Concerns

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Gregory J. Haanstad, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced today the creation of new public reporting procedures for environmental justice and public health concerns.  Members of the public may report any concerns about environmental violations or public health issues in the Eastern District of Wisconsin to the U.S. Attorney’s Office by email at USAWIE.Environment@usdoj.gov or by phone at 414-297-1700 by asking for the Environmental Justice Coordinator.   

U.S. Attorney Haanstad stated: “I encourage anyone in the Eastern District of Wisconsin to report their concerns about public health, safety, or environmental matters to our Office and to our partner agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and OSHA.  With your help, we will continue to engage in the strong enforcement of environmental and public health laws to ensure that all members of our community share a healthy environment in which to live and work.”

The Office’s reporting procedures are part of the Department of Justice’s Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy, which seeks to advance environmental justice through timely and effective remedies for environmental violations and injuries to natural resources in “underserved communities that have been historically marginalized and overburdened, including low-income communities, communities of color, and Tribal and Indigenous communities.”  The Department of Justice enforces the Nation’s civil and criminal environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and hazardous waste laws. The Department also protects natural resources and handle cases relating to tribal rights and resources.  Working with its Department of Justice partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office seeks to secure environmental justice for all communities, to ensure that everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards, and to protect equal access to a healthy environment in which to live, learn, play, and work.

The Office’s reporting procedures are in addition to other methods of reporting environmental concerns to the federal government, such as the online portal maintained by the EPA: https://echo.epa.gov/report-environmental-violations.  Additional points of contact for federal agencies may be found on the Office’s website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwi.

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For further information contact: Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov

(414) 297-1700

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Defense News: Vice Chief of Naval Operations Discusses Quality of Service and Readiness with Norfolk Leadership

Source: United States Navy

During her first visit to the area since becoming VCNO, Franchetti met with Adm. Daryl Caudle, commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Vice Adm. William Houston, commander, Naval Submarine Forces, to discuss Sailor Quality of Service and readiness.

“The Navy is committed to being a self-assessing and self-correcting organization, focused on getting our people what they need to thrive,” said Franchetti. “Our people and our readiness are inextricably linked.”

Quality of Service focuses on a Sailor’s Quality of Life and Quality of Work, with discussion concentrating specifically on maintenance availabilities during VCNO’s visit to the Norfolk area. Understanding and identifying possible issues in manning levels, crew berthing, parking, food service, and transportation during availabilities enables Navy leaders to evaluate problems and ensure units are manned, trained, and equipped for shipyard periods.

“Maintenance is a critical mission. It safeguards readiness and ensures fleet preparedness for combat,” said Franchetti. “We owe it to the nation, Allies, and partners to invest in the Sailors and platforms we have today to make sure we’re ready for the challenges tomorrow.”

Franchetti also met with local commanding officers, executive officers, and command master chiefs to better understand concerns in the Norfolk area and the unique needs of Sailors and their families.

“Step one to combat readiness and improving Quality of Service is to have honest conversations with our leaders about barriers they’re experiencing and how we can solve them,” said Franchetti. “We have to ask the hard questions, take the unvarnished feedback, and find the right accountable person to take action.”

“We are America’s away team, and the hard work that happens here keeps our combat-credible forces forward and guarantees the freedom of the seas.” said Franchetti. “I am incredibly proud of our Sailors and civilians here in Hampton Roads who play a critical role in accelerating the Navy’s warfighting advantage.”

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Security News: Arizona Woman Sentenced to 84 Months Imprisonment

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Memphis, TN – Adalinda Saucedo, 28, formerly of Arizona has been sentenced to 84 months in federal 
prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney, 
announced the sentence today.

According to information presented in court, on January 24, 2022, an agent with the Shelby County 
Sheriff’s Office West Tennessee Drug Task Force, while conducting surveillance along I-40, stopped 
Saucedo’s vehicle for speeding. A subsequent search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 5,869 
grams of fentanyl.

In March 2022, a federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment against Saucedo charging 
possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. On June 27, 2022, the defendant pled guilty.

On September 29, 2022, United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Saucedo to 84 months 
imprisonment to be followed by four years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal 
system.

This case was investigatedby the Shelby County West Tennessee Drug Task Force and the Drug 
Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Special Assistant United States Attorney Sean Hord prosecuted this case on behalf of the 
government. SAUSA Hord was assigned from the 25th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

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blic Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or
reen@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.