Month: September 2024

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Defense News: Pacific Partnership 2024-2 Concludes Mission in Yap, Federated States of Micronesia

Source: United States Navy

YAP, Federated States of Micronesia–A multinational team representing five Pacific nations concluded the fourth mission stop of Pacific Partnership 2024-2 (PP24-2) with a closing ceremony at the Yap Living History Museum in Colonia, Yap, Sept. 10.

The 11-day Yap mission stop brought more than 70 participants from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States who came together to increase humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) preparedness in the Indo-Pacific.

“Each year, the Pacific Partnership team collaborates with our allies and partners to strengthen our capacities to respond to humanitarian disasters,” said U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Todd Cimicata, commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific/Task Force 73. “This mission is a testament of our commitment to ensure a safer, more resilient region. Over the past week, we have witnessed outstanding dedication from each and every person involved.”

During the mission stop, the team held more thanv50 medical events, caring for approximately 700 patients; handed out nearly 300 pairs of eyeglasses; performed over 30 tooth extractions; repaired dental chairs, x-ray machines, and sterilizers; and conducted subject matter expert exchanges in a wide variety of disciplines.

In collaboration with the Yap State Disaster Control Office and the U.S. Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance, the Pacific Partnership HA/DR team held workshops on emergency operations and boating safety, which informed members of the community about the state disaster response plan and future climate impacts on the area.

“I thank you for the humanitarian aid accorded to our people to improve our lives, knowledge, skills, health, and well-being in dealing with disasters, repairs, and restoration of our societal construct,” said Yap Gov. Charles Chieng. “Let us march forth from this place and time, in a shared and cooperative venture for peace and stability of this here, our Yap State, region and the world.”

The host nation outreach team organized 25 community engagement events consisting of school visits, cleaning and restoring World War II memorial crash sites, U.S. Navy recruiting events, interfaith dialogue sessions, and concerts from the Pacific Partnership Band, composed of musicians from the U.S. Pacific Fleet Band and the Royal Australian Army Band.

Engineering efforts brought together members from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5, 30th Naval Construction Regiment and Yapese subject matter experts to perform repairs and maintenance on equipment at Yap International Airport.

“Our collective efforts have included medical, engineering, disaster relief and community outreach projects, each one highlighting the importance of partnership,” said U.S. Navy Capt. Daniel Keeler, PP 24-2 mission commander.“The success of these efforts would not have been possible without the cooperation of our Yapese hosts, and the support of the local community. You have welcomed us with open arms, and we are especially grateful.”

Now in its 20th iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the U.S. Navy’s largest annual multinational HA/DR preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific.

For more information about Pacific Partnership visit, www.clwp.navy.mil/Pacific-Partnership.

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Defense News: NSA Bahrain CPO Selectees Host 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony

Source: United States Navy

MANAMA, Bahrain— Chief petty officer selectees from multiple commands on board the installation hosted a 9/11 remembrance ceremony at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain, Sept. 11.

The event opened with the parading of colors, national anthem, and invocation, and continued with the reading of first responder testimonials, a ceremonial flag passing, and a recount of the timeline of events that took place on Sept. 11, 2001.

Rear Adm. Matt Kawas, deputy commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, spoke about how the 9/11 attacks changed the U.S. Navy and the American way of life forever.

“Thank you, first and foremost for being here today and remembering,” said Kawas. “Remembering it’s been 23 years since that fateful day. 23 years since four commercial airlines crashed into the Twin Towers in New York, in a field in Pennsylvania, and into the Pentagon, changing the trajectory of our nation. 23 years since naval ships executing one set of missions were suddenly redirected,” said Kawas. “The world felt like it was moving 100 miles a minute in those first few uncertain weeks, but we are a resilient Naval force. We grew. We adapted. We persevered.”

Kawas thanked NSA Bahrain personnel and partner nations for their commitment to maritime security, regional stability, and the continued strengthening of interoperability and cooperation.
“Exercising vigilance, performing deterrence, and establishing enduring partnerships: these are what prevent another 9/11 from happening,” said Kawas. “Our work here honors those lives lost, both on 9/11 and the 23 years since. You all make a difference, and we continue to make a difference every day right here in 5th Fleet because we have been looking forward, remain looking forward, remain engaged, and most importantly, remain ready.”

Capt. Zachariah Aperauch, commanding officer, NSA Bahrain, explained the strategic significance of the installation in 2001, and how base personnel rose to the occasion to support increased operations in the region.

“This base transformed to the center of gravity in the war on terror; CENTCOM’s [Central Command] main operation base in the AOR [area of responsibility]. They didn’t have everything we have now, but what they had was something far more important; the unbreakable spirit to serve; to protect; to fight back, and to honor their duty,” said Aperauch. “Here, at one of the most strategically vital installations on the planet, we are called to stand the watch in times of uncertainty. Tensions are high, the stakes are great, and, just like on that day before, today may feel like any other day, but we know that tomorrow can change everything.”

Aperauch reflected on the heart and grit of first responders and military personnel in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, and how we should strive to emulate their courage and determination.

“This day isn’t just about remembering what we lost; it’s about remembering what we found,” said Aperauch. “Our sense of duty, our commitment to each other, our unwavering resolve to never forget. So today, let’s recommit ourselves to that same spirit of service and sacrifice. Let us honor the memory of those we lost by ensuring we are always prepared to defend what is right and just. And let us never forget the price of our freedom.”

NSA Bahrain’s mission is to support U.S. and coalition maritime operations throughout the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations by providing security for ships, aircraft and tenants on board NSA Bahrain and assigned detachments. NSA Bahrain provides efficient and effective shore services to sustain the fleet, enable the fighter and support the family with honor, courage and commitment.

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Security News: Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission and Japan Fair Trade Commission commemorate the 25th Anniversary of U.S.-Japan Competition Cooperation Agreement

Source: United States Department of Justice 2

Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Commissioner Reiko Aoki of the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) met yesterday in Washington, D.C., to mark the 25th anniversary of the signing of an agreement between the United States and Japan concerning cooperation on anticompetitive issues. 

“The Japan Fair Trade Commission is one of our closest and most important international partners,” said Assistant Attorney General Kanter. “We are grateful to the JFTC for our long history of sharing best practices, discussing common challenges and working together on competition issues affecting both of our countries. We look forward to continuing our close relationship with the JFTC in the future.”

“I want to thank Commissioner Aoki and the Japan Fair Trade Commission for being here today to commemorate this historic agreement,” said FTC Commissioner Bedoya. “The cooperation between the United States and Japan on competition issues extends back to 1976, long before this agreement was signed, making it the U.S. antitrust agencies’ longest-running bilateral consultation with any foreign competition agency. Our long and productive relationship reflects a mutual commitment to foster and enhance competition cooperation to the benefit of both countries, and the United States is grateful for this continuing relationship.”

“Challenges to competitive markets, domestically and globally, have evolved since the agreement was signed, the first such agreement for JFTC,” said JFTC Commissioner Aoki. “The evolution of technologies and markets is proof of our successful cooperation in maintaining well-functioning markets. I would like to thank Assistant Attorney General Kanter and Commissioner Bedoya for this opportunity to celebrate our success and confirm our commitment for the next quarter century and beyond.”

Under the 1999 competition cooperation agreement, the Justice Department, FTC and JFTC committed to notify each other of enforcement activities that may affect the other’s important interests and render assistance in enforcement activities where possible in order to contribute to the effective enforcement of the competition laws of each country.

Commission Aoki, Assistant Attorney General Kanter and Commissioner Bedoya attend the meeting.

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IRS Information Technology Supervisor Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes from Government Subcontractor Whom He Attempted to Extort

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

A Maryland man pleaded guilty yesterday to accepting cash bribes in exchange for helping acquaintances and their businesses procure and continue work on subcontracts with the IRS.

According to court documents, Satbir Thukral, 62, of Germantown, worked for the IRS as a computer engineer and supervised various information technology contracts. In September 2018, Company 1 began working on a subcontract for the IRS that Thukral supervised. Starting in October 2018, Thukral sought cash payments from Company 1’s owner, Individual 1, constituting a portion of the earnings from Company 1’s work on the IRS subcontract. Between 2018 and 2020, Individual 1 made multiple cash payments to Thukral totaling more than $120,000. In February 2021, when Individual 1 told Thukral that Individual 1 would not pay any more money, Thukral attempted to extort Individual 1 by threatening that Individual 1 would suffer economic consequences if the payments did not continue. In early February 2023, Individual 1 recorded an in-person meeting with Thukral at the direction of law enforcement. During the meeting, Individual 1 told Thukral that the FBI had asked about bank withdrawals that Individual 1 had made to pay Thukral, and Thukral instructed Individual 1 to lie to the FBI about the nature of the cash withdrawals. Later that same day, to assist and induce Individual 1 to lie to the FBI and to further the concealment of the payments, Thukral returned a portion of the proceeds that Thukral had received from Individual 1.

In a separate scheme, in July 2022, Thukral received approximately $2,800 in cash from a manager at a prime contractor with the IRS. The manager made the payment, in part, in return for Thukral’s facilitating the continued employment of two underqualified individuals at two other IRS subcontractors with whom the manager had an affiliation. In addition, at the time of the payment, the manager believed that Thukral, who had been selected to serve on a three-person panel that would have evaluated the technical feasibility of bids of an upcoming IRS contract valued at approximately $200 million, could influence the valuations to the manager’s benefit.

Thukral pleaded guilty to acceptance of bribes by a public official. Thukral faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland, Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Andrew McKay of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) made the announcement.

The FBI and TIGTA are investigating the case.

Trial Attorney Matt Kahn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Wright and Christopher Sarma for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.

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Defense News: USS Shiloh Holds Change of Command

Source: United States Navy

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM — The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh (CG 67) held a change of command ceremony in Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, August 29.

Capt. Bryan E. Geisert relieved Capt. Adam G. Cheatham as the commanding officer aboard Shiloh. Cheatham assumed command of Shiloh in October 2021. His next tour will be at Commander, Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific.

Geisert’s sea duty tours include USS Milius (DDG 69), USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), USS George Washington (CVN 73), and USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108) where he was awarded the Commander, Destroyer Squadron (COMDESRON) 21 Junior Officer Award for Excellence in Tactics. Most recently, he commanded the USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108). His shore duties include J5 planner for the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps and the chief of staff at the Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) in Little Creek, Virginia.

“I am humbled and honored to be the 19th Commanding Officer of USS Shiloh,” said Geiser. “Your professionalism, teamwork, warfighting prowess, your experiences coming together as a team is truly impressive; and I am very fired up to be part of it.”

“It is truly an honor to have served as captain of this amazing warship for the past 34 months,” said Cheatham. “You have spent a tremendous amount of blood and sweat because you executed the extraordinary task of keeping this 32 year-old ship operational, yet you remained strong. That strength is an embodiment of this ship’s namesake. Like the soldiers of the Battle of Shiloh, it is only through the strength and hard work of you, the crew of Shiloh, that this ship has been as successful as it has been.”

Commander, Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific Capt. Joseph Ring also addressed the crew. “Shiloh is manned with some of the very best of America’s maritime streetfighters… Shiloh and her surface warriors, I hope, will be put onto the battlefield first because they will deliver,” he said. “For the last 34 months under Capt. Cheatham’s command, she operated in every body of water conducting various operations with great class, professionalism, and expertise.”

Ring told Cheatham, “You have taken great care of Shiloh and her crew and executed every mission, we are all so grateful for everything you’ve done. Congratulations on a very successful command of a cruiser.”

In 2022, from November to December, Shiloh escorted the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and again from June to August, in 2023. Shiloh also conducted missions in the Philippine Sea, Guam, Sea of Japan, South Pacific Sea in vicinity of Fiji, and in Hawaii Operational Area. These were multinational exercises strengthening relations and ensuring maritime stability and security in the region. In September of 2023, Shiloh successfully conducted a homeport shift to Hawaii, after being stationed in Yokosuka, Japan, for the past 17 years.

Shiloh is homeported in Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Shiloh is assigned to Commander, Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, a combat ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interest of its allies and partners in the region.