CHINFO NEWS CLIPSFriday, October 10, 2008

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TOP STORIES:TOP STORIES:1. NATO To Send Ships As Somali Pirates Ease Demands (ASSOCIATED PRESS 09 OCT 08) ... Salud Duhul

MOGADISHU, Somalia — NATO joined a growing international force to protect vessels off Somalia's perilous coast Thursday, sending military ships to the treacherous waters where pirates are negotiating the release of an arms-laden tanker.

2. Somali Pirates Free 15 Filipino Seamen, Hold 67 (ASSOCIATED PRESS 09 OCT 08) ... Hrvoje Hranjski

MANILA, Philippines — Pirates in Somalia released 15 Filipino seamen and four other crewmen of a chemical tanker hijacked nearly two months ago, but were still holding 67 other Filipino sailors, officials said Thursday.

3. The Somali Pirates: Tanks, But No Tanks (TIME 09 OCT 08) ... Nick Wadhams

The Somali pirates who hijacked a Ukrainian ship with 33 battle tanks aboard have lowered their ransom demand and say they are eager to negotiate, raising hope that the two-week standoff over the MV Faina will be resolved in a few days. If they're true to their word and the ship is released, the pirates will disappear back into the stew of Somalia and wait for their next opportunity.

4. Justices Mull Environmental Law, Job Discrimination (PBS ONLINE NEWSHOUR 08 OCT 08) TRANSCRIPT (EXCERPT)

The Supreme Court appeared divided over judges' authority to limit the U.S. Navy's use of sonar to protect whales and weighed a workplace harrassment case Wednesday. Marcia Coyle of the National Law Journal recaps the day in the courtroom.

5. Whales Plaintiffs May Face Long Odds In High Court, Prof Says (AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION JOURNAL 09 OCT 08) ... Debra Cassens Weiss

A Georgetown law professor says environmental plaintiffs have not fared well in the U.S. Supreme Court when citing the National Environmental Policy Act, and plaintiffs who claim Navy sonar harms whales may be no different.

6. Korean Shipyards Demonstrating Significant Production Rates, Official Says (DEFENSE DAILY 10 OCT 08) ... Geoff Fein

South Korean shipyards are achieving significant production rates, upward of a ship per week, and there are no signs the facilities are planning to slow down, according to Navy Secretary Donald Winter, who recently returned visiting them.

CURRENT OPERATIONS:CURRENT OPERATIONS:7. US Marines And Navy Invade Sydney (AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS 10 OCT 08)

More than 3,000 US marines and naval personnel have invaded Sydney, but they are as meek as lambs when out of uniform, their commanding officers say.

8. GW Participates In S. Korean Naval Review (ASSOCIATED PRESS 09 OCT 08)

BUSAN, South Korea — South Korea held its first naval fleet review in a decade Tuesday, putting state-of-the-art destroyers on display in a show of force amid heightened tension on the divided peninsula over North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.

9. Navy Hosts Security Forum (KOREA HERALD 09 OCT 08) ... Kim Ji-Hyun

Naval officials from over 20 nations from the western Asia-Pacific region yesterday gathered in Busan to discuss methods to combat security threats such as piracy and terrorism, the Navy said.

10. Report On USS George Washington Fire Posted Online (STARS AND STRIPES 09 OCT 08)

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — The USS George Washington’s chief engineer spotted 300 gallons of flammable oil illegally stored below the aircraft carrier’s deck plates and ordered it moved.

11. U.S. Navy Doctors Care For Patients In Baní (LISTIN DIARIO (DOMINICAN REPUBLIC) 07 OCT 08) ... Joseph Dicén

Las Calderas, Baní .- The U.S. Navy medical team is treating dozens of patients with various health ailments daily at the Calderas Naval Base. The team has been carrying out the "Continuing Promise 2008" operation since last Saturday, which is a humanitarian tour visiting other countries in the area.

GLOBAL MARITIME ENVIRONMENT:GLOBAL MARITIME ENVIRONMENT:12. U.S. Navy's Keating Wants Japan's Continued Naval Support (TOKYO JIJI PRESS 09 OCT 08)

Tokyo -- Visiting U.S. Navy Admiral Timothy Keating on Thursday urged Japan to continue its naval operations in the Indian Ocean in support of the U.S.-led antiterrorism war in Afghanistan.

13. US Pacific Commander Calls On Japan To Do More (NHK 09 OCT 08)

The top US military commander in the Pacific has called on Japan to contribute more to the fight against terrorism than the refueling of US-led coalition vessels in the Indian Ocean.

14. NKorea Navy Warns Of Possible Sea Clash With SKorea (AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE 09 OCT 08)

SEOUL — North Korea's naval command on Thursday accused South Korean ships of violating its territorial waters in the Yellow Sea and warned that escalating tensions could lead to a clash.

15. Russian Navy Patrols Mediterranean Sea (MOSCOW NEWS WEEKLY 10 OCT 08) ... Ilya Kramnik

A squadron comprising the nuclear-powered battle cruiser Peter the Great, the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ship Admiral Chabanenko and two supply ships from the Russian Navy's Northern Fleet recently entered the Mediterranean Sea.

16. Russia Denies Nuclear Weapons On Ships Bound For Venezuela (RIA NOVOSTI 09 OCT 08)

MOSCOW - Russian warships en route to Venezuela to take part in naval exercises are not carrying nuclear weapons, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Thursday.

PERSONNEL:PERSONNEL:17. Local Family Remembers Fallen Naval Officer Navy Calls Father's Death An Accident(WDIV (DETROIT NBC) 09 OCT 08)

CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- A Clinton Township family is mourning the loss of a naval officer.

18. Navy Is Making Sure Sailors Get A Chance To Vote (WVEC (HAMPTON ROADS ABC) 09 OCT 2008) ... Broadcast Clip

The Navy is making sure its sailors get a chance to exercise their right to vote. The 'Navy Voting Assistance Program' provides sailors with the information they need to cast an absentee ballot. They go forward on ships, all over the world, far from home. (RT 1:57) View Clip

19. Sailor Represents The Future Of The Navy (WKOV (JACKSONVILLE RADIO 09 OCT 08) ... Jeff Hess

The 233rd anniversary of the Navy is this weekend. In honor of the Navy Anniversary, our special series about the Navy continues with someone who represents the future of the Navy.

20. Husband Awaits With Infant Son While Wife Returns From Deployment (HANFORD SENTINEL (CALIF.) 09 OCT 08) ... Shawbong Fok

For two months, Jason Dulski, 31, of Lemoore, took care of his 4-month-old son, Austin, alone. During that time, he constantly thought about his wife, Heather Dulski, 22, who spent two months aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln supporting operation Iraqi Freedom.

21. Couple To Stand Trial In Daughter's Death (KNSD (SAN DIEGO NBC) 09 OCT 08)

SAN DIEGO -- A Navy man and his wife accused in the slaying of their 3-year-old will be tried on murder and child abuse charges.

FORCE STRUCTURE/PROGRAMS:FORCE STRUCTURE/PROGRAMS:22. AoA Should Help Navy And Marine Corps Find Best Options For NSFS Gap, Official Says (DEFENSE DAILY 10 OCT 08) ... Geoff Fein

The Navy is optimistic a new Joint Expeditionary Fires Analysis of Alternatives (JEF AoA) will help them and the Marine Corps find a solution that meets the requirement at an affordable price, a top Admiral said.

23. Defense Industry Worries About Cutbacks Financial-Industry Bailout Could Prompt Congress To Trim Costly Pentagon Programs, Executives Say(WALL STREET JOURNAL 10 OCT 08) ... August Cole

Defense –industry executives are starting to worry that the costs of rescuing the financial industry will be taken in part out of the Pentagon's programs, and that could have a big impact on their companies.

BASES / COMMUNITY OUTREACH:BASES / COMMUNITY OUTREACH:24. Navy Promotes Motorcycle Safety (WTKR (CBS NORFOLK) ... Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Press Release

NORFOLK - Representatives from the Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Traffic Safety office will be on hand at Bayside Harley-Davidson Saturday, October 11, following the 8th Annual Rumble Through the Tunnel to promote the Navy's Motorcycle Safety Courses.

25. Carrier Basing Subject Of Friday Meeting With Navy Secretary, Va. Reps (WVEC (HAMPTON ROADS ABC) 09 OCT 08)

NORFOLK – Hampton Roads’ congressional delegation on Friday will tell the Navy secretary how they feel about the possible move of a Norfolk-based aircraft carrier to Mayport, Florida.

26. New Energy Savings Contract Expected To Save Millions (NORFOLK VIRGINIAN-PILOT 10 OCT 08)

A new energy savings performance contract for Oceana Naval Air Station's Dam Neck Annex in Virginia Beach is expected to save about $32 million on energy bills over the course of 17 years, the Navy announced this week.

27. Joint Land Use Study For NSA-PC Kicks Off (WMBB (NBC PANAMA CITY, FLA.) 09 OCT 08) ... Tuquyen Mach

Panama City, Fla: - The U.S. Navy hopes to work better with its neighbors when it comes to development.

28. Worries Aired About Navy Test Range Expansion (PENINSULA DAILY NEWS (PORT ANGELES, WASH.) 09 OCT 08) ... Jeff Chew

QUILCENE -- East Jefferson County residents told Navy officials at a public hearing that they worried that an expanded undersea warfare test range in Hood Canal would result in less recreational and commercial water access.

29. Naval Hospital Sued For Mother's Death (FIRST COAST NEWS.COM (JACKSONVILLE, FLA.) 09 OCT 08) ... Jackelyn Barnard

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- The attorney for the family of Rosario Caoile says his investigation shows doctors at Naval Hospital Jacksonville could have prevented Caoile's death.

30. Seacoast Hospitality Awaits Crew Of The USS N.H. (FOSTER’S DAILY DEMOCRAT (PORTSMOUTH, N.H.) 09 OCT 08) ... Charles McMahon

Whether you're a sailor just stepping off the USS New Hampshire following it's arrival at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, or an interested spectator hoping to catch a glimpse of the Navy's newest fast-attack submarine, there's plenty to do during the weeklong celebration leading up to the boat's commissioning.

NEWS OF INTEREST:NEWS OF INTEREST:31. Secretary Of The Navy To Attend Waterloo Vets Museum Opening (WATERLOO AND CEDAR FALLS COURIER (IOWA) 09 OCT 08)

WATERLOO - Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winters will speak at the opening of The Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum, 503 South Street, Nov. 15.

32. Think You Can Be Top Gun? (NPR.ORG 09 OCT 08) ... Kathleen Masterson

For military pilots, multitasking means more than just talking on the phone and typing at the same time.

33. Service For Lost Submarine USS Grunion Revives Memories (CLEVELAND PLAIN-DEALER 09 OCT O8) ... Brian Albrecht

For 64 years after the USS Grunion disappeared in a sea of mystery during World War II, families of the submarines 70 crewmen waited and wondered.

34. Navy Chefs Get Basic Training In Fine Dining (FIRST COAST NEWS 09 OCT 08)

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- The US Navy is turning 233 years old. And there's going to be a big birthday party this weekend on the First Coast.

OPINION:OPINION:35. Judges Wild On Whales (WASHINGTON TIMES 09 OCT 08) ... James Jay Carafano

It's a dangerous world out there. Iranian mullahs push forward their missile and nuke development programs while musing about a world without Israel ... or America. Russia rattles its saber, invades Georgia, plants its flag in the Arctic and dismisses the United States as a has-been superpower. Islamists wage a "holy war" against "the Great Satan" with firefights in Afghanistan, bombings in the Middle East and plots around the world.

36. A Middle Ground On Use Of Sonar (THE REPUBLICAN (MASS.) 09 OCT 08)

The Supreme Court has a whale of a problem on its hands.

37. Naval Fleet Review (DONG-A ILBO (SOUTH KOREA) 08 OCT 08) ... Yuk Jeong-soo; Editorial

Off the coast of Busan on Tuesday afternoon, the Korean destroyer Kang Gam-chan, carrying President Lee Myung-bak, passed the 18000-ton Dokdo large-deck landing ship with about 2,000 dignitaries on board and sailed at the head of the fleet. As two inspection ships aligned in front of and back of the destroyer, 20 naval and coast guard vessels, which lined up while waiting, sailed past the inspection ships one after another, with Aegis-class destroyer King Sejong the Great at the head of the line. Other destroyers, convoy ships, patrol ships, and submarines followed. The chants of troops giving a salute reverberated through the open sea.

TOP STORIES:TOP STORIES:1. NATO To Send Ships As Somali Pirates Ease Demands (ASSOCIATED PRESS 09 OCT 08) ... Salud Duhul

MOGADISHU, Somalia — NATO joined a growing international force to protect vessels off Somalia's perilous coast Thursday, sending military ships to the treacherous waters where pirates are negotiating the release of an arms-laden tanker.

The pirates softened their ransom demands for the Ukrainian ship hijacked two weeks ago in a brazen high-seas attack. Pirates have seized more than two dozen ships off Somalia's coast this year but the MV Faina has drawn the most international concern because of its dangerous cargo — 33 tanks and other heavy weapons.

"We are open for give-and-take negotiations," pirate spokesman Sugule Ali told The Associated Press via satellite telephone, as a helicopter could be heard buzzing overhead. Six U.S. warships have surrounded the boat, and a Russian frigate is expected within days.

Ali had vowed in earlier interviews never to reduce the ransom fromUS$20 million (euro14.57 million).

Despite his willingness to negotiate, Ali vowed to "cause a lot of problems for the world" if foreign powers use force to end the two-week standoff. If the ransom is paid, he said, the ship will be released.

NATO defense ministers meeting in Hungary agreed that a seven-ship force would be in the region within weeks.

"There will soon be NATO military vessels off the coast of Somalia, hopefully deterring piracy and escorting food shipments," NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said. "That's good news for the people of Somalia and, as it should be, bad news for the pirates."

De Hoop Scheffer said "millions of Somalians risk starvation if" aid is prevented from reaching the country.

NATO said a NATO naval group based in the Mediterranean Sea would sail to the Horn of Africa and stay until at least December.

Momentum has been growing for coordinated international action against the pirate menace after the seizure of the MV Faina. Several European Union countries last week said they would launch an anti-piracy patrol, and Russia

announced it would cooperate with the West on fighting the pirates.

The U.N. Security Council this week called on countries to send naval ships and military aircraft, and U.S. warships are being diverted from counterterrorism duties to respond to the sea bandits.

Somalia's government has given foreign powers the freedom to use force against the pirates.

The U.S. Navy said the 20 crew members aboard the MV Faina were living in fear.

"They want it to end peaceful and quickly," said Lt. Nathan Christensen, a spokesman from the U.S. 5th Fleet in Bahrain. He said the Navy was in regular radio contact with the crew.

But pirate spokesman Ali said the crew was holding up well.

"Their chef still prepares their food for them," he said. "They are healthy and have no worries. But of course their only worry is when they will gain their freedom. Their feeling is typically that of hostages — no more, no less."

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said that authorities in Somalia had been unhelpful.

"Over the past 20 years, criminal groups on the territory of Somalia have taken deep roots, possess big financial resources and are heavily armed and well organized," it said. "The pirates' only aim is to get a ransom and safely move deep onto the territory of Somalia."

Other Somali pirates released 15 Filipino seamen and four other crewmen seized when a Japanese-operated chemical tanker was hijacked nearly two months ago, officials said Thursday. Pirates still hold 67 Filipino sailors on four different ships.

Somalia, a nation of around 8 million people, has not had a functioning government since 1991. A quarter of Somali children die before age 5 and nearly every public institution has collapsed.

Islamic militants with alleged ties to al-Qaida have been battling the government and its Ethiopian allies since the Islamists were driven from the capital in December 2006.

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2. Somali Pirates Free 15 Filipino Seamen, Hold 67(ASSOCIATED PRESS 09 OCT 08) ... Hrvoje Hranjski

MANILA, Philippines — Pirates in Somalia released 15 Filipino seamen and four other crewmen of a chemical tanker hijacked nearly two months ago, but were still holding 67 other Filipino sailors, officials said Thursday.

A spokesman for the Philippines Foreign Affairs Department, Claro Cristobal, said the seamen from the MT Irene, a Japanese-operated vessel, were freed late Wednesday and expected in Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates.

"All crew members are safe and sound despite the ordeal they have undergone," he said.

The Philippines, one of the largest suppliers of crewmen in the international shipping industry, has been hit hard by a

sharp increase in the number of Somali pirate attacks in the Gulf of Aden.

Four ships with 67 Filipino sailors remained in the hands of Somali pirates, including the MV Stella Maris, a Japanese-owned bulk carrier that was seized July 20, Cristobal said.

One Filipino sailor was killed when pirates in speed boats climbed aboard one of two Malaysian tankers last month, which have since been released.

Meanwhile, the 20 crew members aboard a Ukrainian ship hijacked two weeks ago off Somalia's coast and laden with heavy weapons are living in fear of the pirates who seized the vessel, the U.S. Navy said Thursday.

Lt. Nathan Christensen, a spokesman from the U.S. 5th Fleet in Bahrain, said the Navy is in regular contact with the crew of the MV Faina. "They want it to end peaceful and quickly," he said.

Christensen said the Navy has no information on when the standoff will end but added the U.S. will guard the cargo of the vessel and the welfare of the crew until then.

Six U.S. warships are surrounding the Faina, which was hijacked late last month with 21 crew on board. Officials in Moscow say the ship's Russian captain died of a heart condition soon after the hijacking.

A Russian frigate also is headed toward the standoff.

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3. The Somali Pirates: Tanks, But No Tanks(TIME 09 OCT 08) ... Nick Wadhams

The Somali pirates who hijacked a Ukrainian ship with 33 battle tanks aboard have lowered their ransom demand and say they are eager to negotiate, raising hope that the two-week standoff over the MV Faina will be resolved in a few days. If they're true to their word and the ship is released, the pirates will disappear back into the stew of Somalia and wait for their next opportunity.

Once that happens, however, the question will arise: What to do about those tanks? There is mounting evidence from U.S. officials and other experts that the tanks aboard the Faina were not destined for Kenya, as both the Kenyan government and the tank's Ukrainian shippers claim, but for South Sudan, the autonomous oil-rich region of Sudan, which has a fractious relationship with the central government in Khartoum. If the standoff is resolved, will the three American warships encircling the Faina just clear a path and allow it to proceed?

The U.S. Navy says its primary concerns are making sure the crew is safe and that the armaments don't fall into the wrong hands — that is, those of the Islamic insurgents who have made Somalia ungovernable. It may simply be a matter of national priorities. As long as the insurgents don't get any of the weapons, the U.S. Navy will look the other way. "I certainly won't speculate on where they might end up," 5th Fleet spokesman Lieutenant Nathan Christensen says. "We want this to end as peacefully as possible."

Christensen himself told reporters early in the crisis that South Sudan was the destination. Though he later backed off that claim, Western diplomats have told TIME on condition of anonymity that those suspicions are probably true. On Tuesday, the BBC published a document that it said was the Faina's freight manifest. The contract number on the manifest includes the initials MOD/GOSS — the initials for Ministry of Defense/Government of South Sudan.

The Kenyan government contested that interpretation, saying GOSS stood for General Ordinance and Security Supplies — a division of the Kenyan Defense Ministry. But a South Sudanese government adviser, speaking on condition of anonymity on Thursday, rejected that notion. The adviser, a former fighter with the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), told TIME that Kenya had agreed long ago to facilitate such arms deals for South Sudan. "I know they belong to us, to South Sudan," the adviser said in a telephone interview. "There was a deal between the SPLA and the Kenyan government that they facilitate everything. The destination is simple — they were going to South Sudan."

If that's indeed the case, that the tanks are meant for South Sudan, then it's possible the parties involved are violating the terms of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), the historic 2005 deal that ended Sudan's 21-year civil war. According to the CPA, neither North nor South Sudan is

allowed to rearm in the period before a 2011 referendum is held on South Sudanese independence — unless they have express permission from a Joint Defense Board, which is then obligated to inform the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Sudan. A spokesman for the U.N. Mission in Sudan tells TIME that the mission has received no such information about the tanks.

Without definitive proof, there may be no choice but to let the Faina go. The shipping manifest quoted by the BBC is ambiguous at best — and does say that the consignee is Kenya's Ministry of Defense. "After a ship is released, what normally happens is, the ship is taken and debriefed by the warships that are closest to it," says Roger Middleton, the Africa Program consultant at the Chatham House think tank. "I'm pretty sure that whatever happens, they're going to be escorted for the rest of their journey. But the thing is that if these have been bought legally, I don't know that there's a lot anybody can do to keep them from reaching their destination."

The stakes of the negotiations rose significantly on Wednesday, when the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution authorizing governments to use all necessary measures to combat piracy. That would presumably include the use of force. Now the warships guarding the Faina must calculate whether such a raid, which would put the lives of the 20 hostages aboard the ship at risk, is worth a potential catastrophe. "If they attack us, we will defend ourselves and the situation will worsen. We will fight until only a drop of blood is left in our bodies," Sugule Ali, the pirate spokesman, tells TIME from the deck of the Faina. "We believe that humans die once. They have weapons, and we also have weapons."

Because of the scrutiny the ship has been under, Kenya may ultimately have to take responsibility for the tanks and keep them, diplomats say. Proof that the tanks are headed for South Sudan would be a major embarrassment for Kenya, which not only helped broker the CPA but was one of the seven co-sponsors of a U.N. resolution that demanded a binding Global Arms Trade treaty, which would bring more transparency to the worldwide shipping of weapons. In reports to the U.N. over the past several years, Kenya has claimed no imports or exports, even though in 2007 Ukraine said it was shipping 77 battle tanks — exactly the number found aboard the Faina — to Kenya.

One diplomatic source tells TIME that the most likely scenario would be for the tanks to simply turn around and return to Ukraine. "Everybody will be following where the tanks go now that this cargo has the spotlight on it," the source says. "I just have to assume that the cargo will have to go back, and they'll have to act like it never happened. I don't think now it's politically possible for South Sudan to take them." So far, Kenya has not produced what would be the

conclusive document: an end-user certificate, which would show whether it was keeping the tanks for itself or re-exporting them to Sudan. It is legally bound to report to Ukraine if it is turning around and selling the arms.

If the Faina is let go, the only chance of learning what really happened may be in Ukraine. After enduring severe criticism for arming all sides in various African conflicts with

Soviet-era weapons from its stockpiles, Ukraine, experts say, is cleaning up its act and taking a far greater interest in the ultimate destination of its weapons. "The Ukrainians are keen on parliamentary commissions on illegal arms transfers at the moment," says Paul Holtom, a researcher with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute's Arms Transfers Project. "One would hope the Ukrainians would follow up."

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4. Justices Mull Environmental Law, Job Discrimination (PBS ONLINE NEWSHOUR 08 OCT 08) TRANSCRIPT (EXCERPT)

The Supreme Court appeared divided over judges' authority to limit the U.S. Navy's use of sonar to protect whales and weighed a workplace harrassment case Wednesday. Marcia Coyle of the National Law Journal recaps the day in the courtroom.

JIM LEHRER: And now, two arguments before the Supreme Court, and to Judy Woodruff.

JUDY WOODRUFF: On just the third day of their new term, the justices today tackled two of the main issues on their docket this year: environmental law and job discrimination.

Here to walk us through both cases is NewsHour regular Marcia Coyle of the National Law Journal.

Hello, Marcia.MARCIA COYLE, National Law Journal: Hi, Judy.JUDY WOODRUFF: All right, these are two really

interesting cases...MARCIA COYLE: Yes, they are.JUDY WOODRUFF: ... one of them, the United States

Navy against the whales off the coast of California. Let's start by telling us what it is that the Navy and the Bush administration are -- what they argue as they bring this case?

MARCIA COYLE: The Navy is basically challenging a court order here that imposed restrictions on how it conducts very complicated, sophisticated sonar training exercises off the coast of Southern California.

The judge here, in order to protect marine mammals, said that the Navy had to power off the sonar if a marine mammal came within 2,200 yards of the sonar source or power down 75 percent if the Navy detected activity in the water.

The judge's order was the result of a lawsuit filed by an environmental group, the Natural Resources Defense Council, which claimed the Navy had violated federal law by not doing an environmental impact statement before starting the training exercises.

The Navy's argumentJUDY WOODRUFF: So the case here boils down to

what? I mean, you were telling me before, it's not so much about environmental impact as it is what the judge did in issuing this injunction?

MARCIA COYLE: Well, the Navy is basically saying the judge used the wrong standard when it issued his -- when he issued his order for the Navy.

Today, Solicitor General Greg Garre, who represented the Navy in the court, argued that the court here that issued the order ignored evidence that the restrictions imposed by the judge would seriously interfere with the Navy's ability to do

the exercises, which in turn would damage our ability to protect national security.

And he also argued that the court here ignored statements by the president, as well as the nation's chief naval officer, that this was a serious interference with what the Navy was trying to accomplish.

The court -- the justices in their questioning probed the Navy about how 2,200 yards and 75 percent power-down really affected their use of sonar. But they also were very concerned about the Navy's claim that, one, it did its own environmental assessment and that assessment showed there would be no serious injury to marine mammals.

So they asked the solicitor general, What do you mean by that? Justice Alito said, Tell me in practical lay terms, what is non-serious injury to mammals?

And Mr. Garre told the court that no mammals would be killed by the use of sonar, that there may be a temporary impact on breeding and feeding, and if whales heard the sonar, they would probably turn and go in the opposite direction.

The environmental challengeJUDY WOODRUFF: Can you tell how much those

environmental arguments are going to matter?MARCIA COYLE: Well, I think the court is concerned

about the Navy's ability to do what it has to do to protect national security. So that put the onus on the environmental group's counsel, who was up next, Richard Kendall for Natural Resources Defense Council.

And he argued that, well, this judge who issued the order had ample evidence based on prior Navy training exercises that the Navy could do the exercise under the conditions the judge imposed.

And he also disputed the Navy's assessment of injury to marine mammals. He said, for example, there was overwhelming scientific evidence that beaked whales that have been stranded around the world were stranded because of sonar.

JUDY WOODRUFF: So this is a case you were saying the environmental groups and, of course, the military are watching...

MARCIA COYLE: The Navy wants a rule...JUDY WOODRUFF: ... closely?MARCIA COYLE: ... that will prevent future orders like

this. Environmentalists are concerned that the Navy's rule would prevent them from enforcing a major environmental law.

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5. Whales Plaintiffs May Face Long Odds In High Court, Prof Says(AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION JOURNAL 09 OCT 08) ... Debra Cassens Weiss

A Georgetown law professor says environmental plaintiffs have not fared well in the U.S. Supreme Court when citing the National Environmental Policy Act, and plaintiffs who claim Navy sonar harms whales may be no different.

The professor, Lisa Heinzerling, told the New York Times that plaintiffs have lost all 15 cases brought under the act. The court heard the 16th case yesterday, and even liberal Justice Stephen G. Breyer seemed skeptical.

"I don't know anything about this. I'm not a naval officer,” Breyer said. “But if I see an admiral come along with an affidavit" swearing to the necessity of Navy training exercises

using the sonar, Breyer said, he was inclined to believe that assertion.

The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had required the Navy to limit its use of sonar to accommodate the whales. The appeals court had modified a more expansive injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper.

The trial judge’s ruling troubled Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. “Is Judge Cooper an expert on anti-submarine warfare?” he asked.

Also covering yesterday’s oral arguments were the Los Angeles Times, Legal Times and USA Today.

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6. Korean Shipyards Demonstrating Significant Production Rates, Official Says (DEFENSE DAILY 10 OCT 08) ... Geoff Fein

South Korean shipyards are achieving significant production rates, upward of a ship per week, and there are no signs the facilities are planning to slow down, according to Navy Secretary Donald Winter, who recently returned visiting them.

During his visit, Winter said he was fascinated with the work going on at the Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (HHI) shipyard at Busan and the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. Ltd. (DSME) shipyard at Koje Island.

"First of all, in terms of just simply production rates, you've got to look at the these yards and recognize they are defining the industry to a very great extent," he told Defense Daily in a recent interview.

Both HHI and DSME have production rates of well over a ship a week, Winter noted.

"You are talking about some very significant production rates and discussions of exceeding two ships a week," he added.

And it just isn't the production rates that caught Winter's attention. The yards are churning out ships in excess of 100,000 tons, he added.

The two Korean yards were also employing a lot of technology into the ships, Winter noted. "[There is a] tremendous emphasis on fuel efficiency, even to the point of using single screw designs up over 100,000 tons, [and] offsetting that with other mechanisms...bow thrusters and the like."

Winter also pointed out that the ships being built were not bulk cargo ships, but complex vessels--container ships with tremendous capacities, sophisticated oil processing ships, offshore oil industry drilling platforms, cryogenic storage for liquefied natural gas (LNG) purposes.

Top executives from both HHI and DSME commented to Winter that they were targeting their business for those areas where they think they can be competitive, notwithstanding some of the labor cost advantages the Chinese yards have. "Although they do expect the Chinese to start having more labor costs as time goes on," Winter noted.

Although Winter has tried to visit shipyards wherever he has traveled abroad, his motivation for wanting to see the Korean shipyards came after a trip he made to the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC).

It was during this trip he got to see one of the Korean destroyers, "which, quite frankly, looked very good."

One of the things that stood out, during his tour of the shipyards, was the emphasis on quality control at the early production phases.

"It's really remarkable to see modules being put together. It wasn't just the outfitting levels which were good," Winter said.

The yard executives talk about 80 percent outfitting of the modules being a general standard, he added. "That's not exceptional...not unusual...that's the way people are going both in Europe and even in a few yards in the U.S."

But, Winter added, when a person looks at modules being put together in the Korean yards, they fit just about perfectly.

"You got the modules, and all the edges are just nicely fitting up. All they have to do is weld them together. They have automatic welding capabilities and things of that nature," he noted.

"One of the fundamentals of modern process engineering is that the earlier you can design in engineering produce quality, the more leverage it has later on," Winter said. "You don't find that much use of grinders, and trying to even out lines and trying to get things to work together, the way you might in many U.S. or even European yards. I think all of that is kind of remarkable."

One other thing that struck Winter was that the Korean shipyards tend to build multiple ships in huge dry-docks.

“The interesting thing that really got me was you can't really float a ship out unless all the ships are done. You do them all at once, you just don't do one at a time," he said. "They have such good process control over their ships that this was not a problem for them.

The schedule control, the dependability on a schedule, was at level I have never seen anywhere else."

Maybe even more impressive Winter noted, is that the two shipyards are relatively new.

"Both yards were built out of whole cloth in the early 70s. There was nothing there," he said. "[These are not] 200 to 300-year-old shipyards. It isn't like going to Portsmouth, England, which has been around."

HHI broke ground on its shipyard in April 1972 and began building two 260,000 tons of deadweight (DWT) very large crude carriers (VLCC) along with its dry dock. In 1974, HHI had a simultaneous christening ceremony for its first two VLCCs and the dedication of its shipyard, according to the company's website.

DSME broke ground on its shipyard in 1973. In 1979, the yard built its first chemical carrier and, in 1993, DSME built Korea's first submarine.

Winter also noted that both shipyards are doing all technology development in the yards.

"I have seen technology elsewhere that they don't yet have, so it's not that they have the absolute best everywhere," he added.

But they are both modern facilities, no question about it, Winter said.

Both HHI and DSME did use a lot of European shipbuilding experience in addition to the production technologies that are evident, he said. "These are both two huge companies that have just incredible technology breadth and depth."

As he toured the two yards, Winter noted that every place he looked the two companies are putting up new fabrication buildings.

"They are talking about significantly increasing the number of ships that they are building. There is also evidence of increasing technology investment in the ships themselves."

And some of those ships are in excess of 300,000 tons, he added.

"That's the classes they are building up to." These are not agile ships, Winter continued. While they

are not going to do a crashback stop very well, they are not just big open bulk carriers either.

"They are complex ships designed with a huge premium for fuel efficiency. [The executives] talked about some of the diesels they had on board. [They are] very, very conscience of the fuel consumption rates that are being employed...conscience of crew sizing issues," Winter said. "I went on board the new destroyer they are building...it's beautifully put together...again, very meticulous workmanship. It gives you a sense it has been put together with some meticulous degree of care."

The 8,000-ton destroyer is not up to the combat capability of the DDGs, Winter added.

"It doesn't have the radar we have, the ASW suite we have," he said. "[Still] it's a very capable ship...again beautifully put together."

Although Winter was taken by the Korean destroyer, he noted that naval shipbuilding is a small part of the yards' business. "I would say less than 10 percent, maybe less than five. Less than that if you did it on a tonnage basis."

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CURRENT OPERATIONS:CURRENT OPERATIONS:7. US Marines And Navy Invade Sydney(AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS 10 OCT 08)

More than 3,000 US marines and naval personnel have invaded Sydney, but they are as meek as lambs when out of uniform, their commanding officers say.

The USS Peleliu, an amphibious assault ship, and the USS Halsey, a guided missile destroyer, arrived in Sydney Harbour on Friday with sailors coming ashore to see the sights and enjoy much-anticipated Australian hospitality.

Both warships cruised through the heads shortly before 9am (AEDT) under blue skies and accompanied by a procession of NSW police air and water craft.

It was all smiles from crew members aboard the Peleliu as they huddled in groups to practise the local lingo.

"Good day, good day mate," one marine uttered in what sounded like a US south-western twang.

The Halsey has about 30 officers and 340 enlisted personnel on board.

The Peleliu carries 260 officers and 2,500 enlisted men and women, including a detachment of 1,300 marines.

Most will tour Sydney in civilian clothes but their unmistakable military haircut should make them easy to spot.

The Peleliu's commanding officer Marcus Hitchcock doesn't expect any mischief from the crew.

"We have a philosophy of being great warrior diplomats and putting forth our best faces when we come ashore and visit," Captain Hitchcock told Australian media aboard the ship.

Colonel Brian Beaudreault, in charge of the marine detachment, put it a bit more bluntly.

"You'll find that they're lions in time of war and lambs in time of peace. So, hopefully, they'll get along with everybody," Col Beaudreault said.

Groups of 100-plus marines were mustered on the flight deck, which is home to more than 30 attack and transport helicopters and six Harrier attack jets.

Major James Franks told his company of young men - average age 19 - to respect Australian laws, ignore any derogatory comments about the US military and return to their ship on time no matter what temptations arose.

"I want you to think long term," he told them."That one girl, that one group of girls - save it and come

back the next day."In addition to rest and relaxation, Peleliu and Halsey crew

members will volunteer to help community service organisations.

It is estimated that US sailors each spend about $A280 a day during port visits, which equates to $784,000 in daily revenue to the Sydney economy.

The crew are granted liberty ashore in buddy pairs, and all below the rank of sergeant must return to the ship each night by midnight.

Higher-ranking personnel have curfews of 1am or 2am.Anyone breaching regulations could face military

charges, jail time or lesser punishments of extra work details and loss of liberty.

The Peleliu departed its home base at San Diego, California, on May 4 and was deployed in the Persian Gulf for most of the time since, but was not called into combat.

It resembles an aircraft carrier and measures 250 metres in length, while the smaller but deadlier Halsey is 155 metres long.

The Peleliu is named in honour of the US assault and capture of Peleliu Island in Micronesia in 1944.

The Halsey earned its name from the late Fleet Admiral Frederick Halsey Jr.

The ships will depart on Sunday or Monday for Hawaii and then head home to San Diego to complete their six-month tour.

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8. GW Participates In S. Korean Naval Review (ASSOCIATED PRESS 09 OCT 08)

BUSAN, South Korea — South Korea held its first naval fleet review in a decade Tuesday, putting state-of-the-art destroyers on display in a show of force amid heightened tension on the divided peninsula over North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.

The review of some 50 vessels featured about two dozen foreign warships — including the aircraft carrier George Washington — taking part in maneuvers off South Korea’s southeast coast.

The fleet review was organized to mark the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the country’s armed forces.

South Korea “was able to accomplish an economic miracle because our military defended the country,” President Lee Myung-bak said, referring to the country’s rise from the rubble of the 1950-53 Korean War to one of the world’s economic powers. “We have to play a role given to us that befits our international status. We have to cooperate with the international community to tackle joint threats, such as international terrorism and piracy.”

South Korean warships, led by the Aegis-equipped Sejong the Great destroyer, staged a firepower demonstration, as well as anti-terrorism and landing demonstrations after the parade.

Tensions have ramped up on the divided Korean peninsula in recent weeks since North Korea started to restore its nuclear facilities in violation of an international disarmament pact.

China and Russia for the first time sent warships to take part in South Korea’s naval review in an indication of their strengthened ties with Seoul.

China fought alongside North Korea during the Korean War and still remains Pyongyang’s only major ally. But its relations with South Korea have warmed significantly since they opened diplomatic ties in 1992, driven mostly by their economic interests.

Moscow was also a major backer of North Korea before the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991. Seoul established diplomatic ties with Moscow in 1990 and their relations have since improved.

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9. Navy Hosts Security Forum (KOREA HERALD 09 OCT 08) ... Kim Ji-Hyun

Naval officials from over 20 nations from the western Asia-Pacific region yesterday gathered in Busan to discuss methods to combat security threats such as piracy and terrorism, the Navy said.

Some 60 high-ranking navy officers including navy chiefs were dispatched from 23 nations such as the United States, Japan, China and Russia to participate in the 11th Western Pacific Naval Symposium.

"There is a growing need to cooperate on a regional basis in order to cope with rising transnational and untraditional threats, such as piracy and terrorism, which are threatening our regional peace and stability," Korean Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jung Ok-keun said in opening remarks.

Koreans are harboring concerns about naval security in the face of frequent threats they face while at sea.

Eight Koreans aboard a Korean freighter were seized off the coast of Somalia last month, and are still being held captive. They are among an increasing number of Koreans who are threatened by pirates and international terrorists.

The Western Pacific Naval Symposium is a biennial event that first started in 1988 to help improve regional cooperation against naval security threats and to increase mutual trust between the Asia-Pacific nations.

The forum is the only such multilateral table for discussing naval security issues.

Korea began participating in the forum in 1988 and has hosted it once before in 1998.

Members of the symposium are currently working to expand the floor to include more regional participants reaching out to the entire Asia-Pacific. Members have tentative plans to change the name to the Asia Pacific Naval Forum after the expansion.

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10. Report On USS George Washington Fire Posted Online (STARS AND STRIPES 09 OCT 08)

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — The USS George Washington’s chief engineer spotted 300 gallons of flammable oil illegally stored below the aircraft carrier’s deck plates and ordered it moved.

But 90 gallons were stashed in an uptake space instead, later becoming fuel for the May 22 blaze that cost the Navy $70 million and several months of ship repairs.

Those and other details about the fire are now available online on the Pacific Fleet’s Web site. The unclassified report, posted in response to a Freedom of Information Act request

from the San Diego Union-Tribune, cites shortcomings that led to the fire, including an environment where 90 gallons of hazardous material could be "stowed within the ship with little likelihood of discovery."

"This fire was entirely preventable," Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Robert Willard stated in the report, calling

many to task, including senior leadership and those associated with fire prevention, readiness and training and firefighting management.

For the complete report, visit www.cpf.navy.mil/foia_rr.shtml.

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11. U.S. Navy Doctors Care For Patients In Baní (LISTIN DIARIO (DOMINICAN REPUBLIC) 07 OCT 08) ... Joseph Dicén

Las Calderas, Baní .- The U.S. Navy medical team is treating dozens of patients with various health ailments daily at the Calderas Naval Base. The team has been carrying out the "Continuing Promise 2008" operation since last Saturday, which is a humanitarian tour visiting other countries in the area.

Patients are picked up in buses that travel to different rural communities, after an initial announcement is made in different neighborhoods here by the media, authorities and official institutions, including the governor, city council, and other municipal boards, explained an officer in charge.

Between infants, adolescents, and adults, some 450 people had been treated as of yesterday. Patients who came forth with skin disorders, stomachaches, and headaches received necessary medicine and educational materials on health guidelines from the medical team, [LCDR] Kathaleen Sikes, the medical chief of the charity mission, explained to Listín Diario.

Recently the U.S. embassy announced the arrival of the United States Navy ship USS Kearsarge, which is carrying out a humanitarian mission to several Latin American countries, at the port of Don Diego to provide medical care to 6,000 people of all ages for 13 days.

Yesterday, most of the patients came from Escondido, a remote rural town 18 kilometers from Las Calderas, arriving at

the Naval Base in the early hours of the morning and leaving after 3:00 pm. People from Las Salinas, Calderas, Matanzas, Sabana Buey, and other nearby communities were also treated.

Roselys Herrera, a teenager from Las Salinas, who treated for a rash on one of her hands, said she felt very satisfied with the care she received. Meanwhile, Rosaura Mendez from Escondido, who was treated for stomach problems, explained that she came to this operation because she did not have enough money to pay a physician.

Sikes, who heads the team of doctors from the U.S. Navy, told Listin that she is accompanied by 37 doctors, among them dermatologists, nephrologists, general practitioners such as nurses and family health doctors, as well as translators and technical specialists to repair medical equipment to complete the mission.

She said that since she arrived in the country they have received excellent treatment from the Dominican military in logistical support, personal attention, and their stay.

This group of military doctors performing this humanitarian mission on behalf of families banilejas [people from Bani] will spend the first week providing optometry care and giving vaccinations to prevent certain viral problems.

In addition to the other ailments being treated, Kathaleen Sikes explained that a new team of dentists will join them on the 9th.

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GLOBAL MARITIME ENVIRONMENT:GLOBAL MARITIME ENVIRONMENT:12. U.S. Navy's Keating Wants Japan's Continued Naval Support (TOKYO JIJI PRESS 09 OCT 08)

Tokyo -- Visiting U.S. Navy Admiral Timothy Keating on Thursday urged Japan to continue its naval operations in the Indian Ocean in support of the U.S.-led antiterrorism war in Afghanistan.

Keating made the request in talks with Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada.

Hamada, in reply, promised to make efforts to gain the support of the Japanese parliament and public.

Lawmakers are scheduled to start discussions on a bill to extend the refueling mission beyond its expiration in January

next year. In the mission, the Maritime Self-Defense Force is supplying fuel to U.S. and other foreign warships.

Keating also held talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone.

Nakasone called on the United States to ensure the safety of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington, which arrived in Japan last month.

Keating said his country will exercise the utmost caution in operating the nuclear flattop.

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13. US Pacific Commander Calls On Japan To Do More (NHK 09 OCT 08)

The top US military commander in the Pacific has called on Japan to contribute more to the fight against terrorism than the refueling of US-led coalition vessels in the Indian Ocean.

Admiral Timothy Keating was speaking to reporters at the US Embassy in Tokyo on Thursday.

The admiral said he sincerely hopes Japan will continue its mission to refuel US-led coalition vessels engaged in anti-terrorism efforts in Afghanistan.

But he said Japan should play a greater role in beefing up the Afghan operations. He suggested Japan make larger contributions of both financial and personnel support.

NHK (Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai) or Japan Broadcasting Corporation, is Japan's public broadcaster.

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14. NKorea Navy Warns Of Possible Sea Clash With SKorea(AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE 09 OCT 08)

SEOUL — North Korea's naval command on Thursday accused South Korean ships of violating its territorial waters in the Yellow Sea and warned that escalating tensions could lead to a clash.

The warning came two days after the hardline communist country fired short-range missiles in the Yellow Sea, the scene of bloody naval clashes in 1999 and 2002.

"The situation... has become so tense that a naval clash may break out due to such military provocations as the ceaseless infiltration of warships deep into the (North's) territorial waters," the state news agency KCNA quoted a navy command spokesman as saying.

He accused the South's navy of sending more warships into the North's territorial waters since early September in an attempt to legitimize the disputed sea border known as the Northern Limit Line (NLL).

The two Koreas have remained technically at war since their 1950-1953 conflict ended in a fragile armistice, rather than a peace treaty.

North Korea has never recognized the sea border with the South that was drawn up by a US-led UN Command after the war.

The area was the scene of bloody naval skirmishes in 1999 and again in June 2002, when six South Korean sailors were among the dead.

The North's navy "keeps itself fully combat-ready to deal a crushing blow at the provocateurs any time," the spokesman said.

The North fired up to two short-range missiles into the Yellow Sea on Tuesday in what Seoul officials described as "routine military exercises."

It is preparing up to 10 more short-range missiles for a mass test-launch in the same area, South Korean news reports said Thursday.

Chosun Ilbo newspaper said a US satellite had spotted the North readying the missiles for launch from the Chodo island navy base.

The North has carried out such short-range missile tests at sea many times before. Seoul usually describes them as part of customary drills but analysts say they are sometimes timed to make a political point.

Friday is the anniversary of the founding of the North's ruling communist party. Analysts are closely watching the event to see if top leader Kim Jong-Il, who reportedly suffered a stroke in August, will appear.

And a six-nation nuclear disarmament agreement is deadlocked because of a dispute over verification of the North's nuclear program.

The US State Department said Wednesday it could not confirm the test-firing but advised the North against such actions.

"It's not helpful in any way to managing tensions within the region," said spokesman Sean McCormack.

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15. Russian Navy Patrols Mediterranean Sea(MOSCOW NEWS WEEKLY 10 OCT 08) ... Ilya Kramnik

A squadron comprising the nuclear-powered battle cruiser Peter the Great, the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ship Admiral Chabanenko and two supply ships from the Russian Navy's Northern Fleet recently entered the Mediterranean Sea.

The squadron was joined there by the Russian Baltic Fleet's escort ship Neustrashimy (Intrepid) and a Black Sea Fleet tanker Ivan Bubnov.

After exercising in the region, the Northern Fleet squadron will sail to Venezuela. The Neustrashimy will go to Somalia; and the empty Black Sea Fleet tanker will return to her home base in Sevastopol.

For over 200 years, the Mediterranean Sea has played an important part in Russian history. During the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-1774, Admiral Grigory Spiridov (1713-1790) commanded a naval squadron that defeated the Turkish fleet during the battles of Chios Strait and Cesma Bay in July 1770.

The subsequent blockade of the Dardanelles Strait facilitated Russia's eventual victory in the war.

Throughout the early 19th century, the Russian Navy operated in the Mediterranean Sea. However, France and the

United Kingdom defeated Russia in the 1853-1856 Crimean War. Under the 1856 Paris Peace Treaty, Russia was forced to scrap its Black Sea Fleet and could only dispatch Baltic Fleet squadrons to the region.

Russian expeditions had both psychological and practical implications. Famed English writer, poet, soldier, courtier and explorer Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618) used to say that those who owned the sea controlled global commerce, while those controlling global commerce owned the Earth and its riches.

This may be an overstatement which, nonetheless, reflects the real situation. Naval superiority facilitates unimpeded merchant-marine traffic and makes it possible to destroy enemy shipping.

British and U.S. naval superiority was a major factor of the Allied victory in both world wars.

In peacetime, naval superiority provides substantial commercial advantages to individual countries or groups of countries.

Since the late 16th century, the Anglo-Saxon world, namely, the United Kingdom and the United States, have dominated the seven seas.

Although Russia has never aspired for naval superiority, it has always tried to maintain a navy capable of undermining superior enemy forces.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, Russian expeditions to the Mediterranean Sea tried to undermine British and Turkish naval superiority. In case of war, Russian squadrons were to have attacked British shipping, while avoiding superior enemy

forces. If a war broke out with Turkey, they were supposed to support the Black Sea Fleet's operations aimed at blockading and seizing the Bosporus and the Dardanelles Straits.

Although tensions have relaxed since the Cold War, and though the United States has scaled down its naval presence in the Mediterranean, this theater linking Europe, Asia and Africa retains its key importance. Moscow, which is showing its naval flag between Port Said in Egypt and the Strait of Gibraltar more frequently, obviously realizes the region's strategic importance.

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16. Russia Denies Nuclear Weapons On Ships Bound For Venezuela (RIA NOVOSTI 09 OCT 08)

MOSCOW - Russian warships en route to Venezuela to take part in naval exercises are not carrying nuclear weapons, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Thursday.

"There are no tactical nuclear weapons on board these ships," Andrei Nesterenko told a news conference at RIA Novosti.

He said the presence of the nuclear-powered Pyotr Veliky missile cruiser in Latin American and Caribbean waters would not violate the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

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PERSONNEL:PERSONNEL:17. Local Family Remembers Fallen Naval OfficerNavy Calls Father's Death An Accident(WDIV (DETROIT NBC) 09 OCT 08)

CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- A Clinton Township family is mourning the loss of a naval officer.

Robert Robinson, 31, was killed Oct. 4 while on board the USS Eisenhower.

"When I opened the door I just knew what it was. That's what I can't get out of my face," said Sherrene Robinson, referring to the day military officials arrived at her home to inform her about her son's death. "I just keep seeing these two men at the door telling me that."

Robinson's mother said she has had a hard time getting information about the apparent accident.

"I just know that somehow, an aircraft took off and a wing somehow caught my son," Robinson said. "He loved the

military. He liked being on the flight deck and he was very, very proud to serve in the United States Navy."

Robinson said her son was also very proud of his 14-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter.

"He just loved his children," she said. "We were just together at Christmas."

Robinson's mother said last Christmas was the first time the entire family had been together in about 10 years.

She said she will remember her son as a positive role model. "No gangs, no drugs, He was just trying to set a (positive) example."

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18. Navy Is Making Sure Sailors Get A Chance To Vote (WVEC (HAMPTON ROADS ABC) 09 OCT 2008) ... Broadcast Clip

The Navy is making sure its sailors get a chance to exercise their right to vote. The 'Navy Voting Assistance Program' provides sailors with the information they need to

cast an absentee ballot. They go forward on ships, all over the world, far from home. (RT 1:57) View Clip

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19. Sailor Represents The Future Of The Navy(WKOV (JACKSONVILLE RADIO 09 OCT 08) ... Jeff Hess

The 233rd anniversary of the Navy is this weekend. In honor of the Navy Anniversary, our special series about the Navy continues with someone who represents the future of the Navy.

The USS Steven Groves will be in downtown Jacksonville as part of the navy celebration.

Nathaniel Williams Jr. is the Operations Specialist First Class aboard that ship responsible for operations, writing message and sometimes boarding other ships.

He joined the Navy about 10 years ago after his football career didn't pan out.

"I went to UNLV to play football. A country guy in a big city. Things didn't work out. So I wanted to do something positive with my life and I wanted to serve the military so I joined the Navy," Williams said.

He says the Navy appealed to him as a way to finish his education.

“Education and just being able to see the world. So while I have been here I have been able to get my bachelors degree in physical education and it's working out pretty good." Williams said.

He found that his fellow sailors became a family for him. He says his real family is spread out in all over the nation so this was a special experience for him. So instead of moving on after getting his degree, he chose to make the Navy his career.

"I'm applying for officer programs. And if I don't make the officer programs, I am pretty sure I will advance as a chief," Williams describes chiefs as the backbone of the navy.

He says the navy helped him improve his life in ways that probably wouldn't be possible in Alabama. This is especially clear when he goes home and sees people he went to high

school with doing the same things they did when they were in high school.

He says he has seen much of the world and has learned so much from the Navy that he wants to stay on help other young sailors they way the veterans helped him.

"When I first came in and, you know, the guys, the veteran guys, that were in trained me. So now I see that cycle going to where I train other guys. So, it's a huge impact on the youth and just being able to know that you making a difference," Williams said.

He says there is no limit to what he can achieve if he stays with the Navy.

"Sky's the limit. That means I could own this ship at sometime," Williams said.

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20. Husband Awaits With Infant Son While Wife Returns From Deployment(HANFORD SENTINEL (CALIF.) 09 OCT 08) ... Shawbong Fok

For two months, Jason Dulski, 31, of Lemoore, took care of his 4-month-old son, Austin, alone. During that time, he constantly thought about his wife, Heather Dulski, 22, who spent two months aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln supporting operation Iraqi Freedom.

They finally met at Lemoore Naval Air Station Wednesday afternoon. Heather Dulski was one of nearly 1,000 sailors to return to Lemoore this week after deployment to the Middle East.

This was the first time Jason Dulski had been separated from his wife since they were married. The couple met while they were both serving in the U.S. Navy.

Jason Dulski was part of the Navy for more than a decade, as an aviation ordnance. He placed bombs and missiles on airplanes.

"It was a demanding job," he said. "But it's not bad being deployed knowing you're out to make a difference."

Dulski said he joined the Navy because he needed order in his life and wasn't ready for college right after high school. Now, he's out of the military and going to college, studying to become a medical assistant.

His wife felt the same way, too, about joining the Navy, and she is now a parachute rigger, who deals with pilots' flight gear. She makes sure the gear functions properly.

She was deployed abroad this time for two months, living in the cramped quarters of the aircraft carrier.

"It's hard, especially after having a newborn baby," said Heather Dulski, about the two-month experience abroad.

The couple e-mailed and called each other, but not as often as they desired since communication was difficult.

Asked what he felt like after meeting his wife after two months, Jason Dulksi said: "It was amazing. There's emotion going through. I'm so glad she's home. It's going to be good."

Husband, wife and baby plan to spend family time together for the next few days. Both Jason and Heather have birthdays this week, so they are going to "relax at home," Heather said.

Heather Dulski returned Wednesday with fellow squadron personnel from Carrier Air Wing Two staff and Sea Operations detachment. Pilots returned to LNAS on Tuesday from deployment in the Middle East.

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21. Couple To Stand Trial In Daughter's Death(KNSD (SAN DIEGO NBC) 09 OCT 08)

SAN DIEGO -- A Navy man and his wife accused in the slaying of their 3-year-old will be tried on murder and child abuse charges.

Police said on April 27, Christopher Simmons punched his stepdaughter Armani Hansberry in the stomach while her mother, English Simmons, stood nearby and watched.

Paramedics were called to Simmons' Paradise Hills home in a Navy-housing complex. The child later died at the hospital. Prosecutors said the child died as a result of blunt force trauma due to a lacerated liver.

In court Thursday, a homicide detective testified how Christopher Simmons said he reacted when he found out his stepdaughter had wet her bed.

"He asked Armani why she did this to her mother, who was pregnant. He kept saying, 'Why did you do that to your mother.' He said Armani would just stand there. He said she wouldn't cry, she would just stand there," said Det. Brett Burkett. "He said he had no intent to kill her. That it was an accident."

Simmons, who is a Navy chef, faces 25 years to life if convicted of murder.

The toddler's mother faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of felony child abuse.

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FORCE STRUCTURE/PROGRAMS:FORCE STRUCTURE/PROGRAMS:22. AoA Should Help Navy And Marine Corps Find Best Options For NSFS Gap, Official Says (DEFENSE DAILY 10 OCT 08) ... Geoff Fein

The Navy is optimistic a new Joint Expeditionary Fires Analysis of Alternatives (JEF AoA) will help them and the Marine Corps find a solution that meets the requirement at an affordable price, a top Admiral said.

Vice Adm. Barry McCullough, Deputy CNO for Integration of Capabilities and Resources (N8), and Lt. Gen. George Flynn, Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration both signed off on the memo establishing the JEF AoA last month.

McCullough told Defense Daily in a recent interview that he and Flynn would work to see the JEF AoA through to recommend a material solution to the NSFS capability gap.

"There are several alternative paths you can go down," McCullough said.

For example, the Non Line-Of-Sight Launch System (NLOS LS) built by NetFires LLC, a limited liability company established by Lockheed Martin [LMT] and Raytheon [RTN], for the surface warfare mission package for the Littoral Combat Ship is one possibility. McCullough noted that NLOS LS has a GPS targeting capability and has relatively the same net explosive weight as a 5-inch projectile.

"Now, it doesn't go as far as what we were projecting ERGM would go, but it goes significantly farther than what we have in a 5-inch gun," he said. "That's a potential material solution."

Raytheon was under contract to produce a 5-inch projectile for the Extended Range Munition effort. Their ERGM, or Extended Range Guided Munition, was supposed to reach a distance of up to 55 nautical miles and withstand the pressure of 10,000 Gs (Defense Daily, April 26, 2006, Jan. 16, 2007).

The Navy had planned to fire the 5-inch ERGM from BAE Systems' Mk 45 Mod 4 naval gun system. The service had planned to install the Mk 45 Mod 4 on 32 DDGs, beginning with DDG- 81 (Defense Daily, May 24).

But ERGM had a number of challenges, including the inability of Raytheon to demonstrate consistent reliability, culminating in the Navy terminating the effort in March 2008.

ATK [ATK] was also pursuing a similar effort with its Ballistic Trajectory Extended Range Munition (BTERM). However, the company had numerous rocket motor problems and until recently was also unable to demonstrate reliability.

But just last month, ATK successfully fired BTERM, with one of the rounds hitting the target at range (Defense Daily, Oct. 1).

The company used funds it had remaining from prior congressional plus-ups for last month's test.

"That was good to see that worked," McCullough said. Another possibility is downsizing Lockheed Martin's

Long Range Land Attack Projectile (LRLAP), McCullough added.

The 6-inch LRLAP projectile was to be fired from BAE's Advanced Gun System (AGS). Both the gun and projectile were to be used on DDG- 1000.

But with the Navy's plan to truncate the Zumwalt-class combat ship, the future appears uncertain for AGS and LRLAP.

There has been some discussion of installing AGS onto a DDG-51.

McCullough recently told a gathering of Surface Navy Association members that the Navy had looked at that, but such a proposal would require some modification. "The issue is the size of magazine. It goes down a third of what is on DDG-1000," he said last month (Defense Daily, Sept. 22).

McCullough has also been approached about installing AGS on a LPD- 17-class amphibious ship.

"We have not looked at that...I can honestly say we have not looked at that, but that is something I am willing to explore in the future, because we liked the way AGS performed," he said. "The EDM (Engineering Development Model) for AGS has been highly successful."

And LRLAP tests have "gone relatively well overall," McCullough added.

"So we know the capability is there. It's been demonstrated, in limited capacity, with the projectiles, but it had a great success rate for what we did," he noted. "We will continue to look at ways where we can forward fit it or back fit it as we go forward."

McCullough has also looked at the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). "That has potential. I think they just shot an extended range one in excess of 70 kilometers."

In July, the Army established a new 85-kilometer distance record for Lockheed Martin's Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System rocket, which was fired from a HIMARS launcher (Defense Daily, July 8).

Whatever system the Navy and Marine Corps agree to pursue to fill the NSFS gap, McCullough said it comes down to what best serves the requirement at the most affordable cost to the government.

"[It's] what hopefully the AoA will show us and we will take that forward as a program," he said. "There are a lot of alternatives that I think we could adapt relatively easy."

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23. Defense Industry Worries About Cutbacks Financial-Industry Bailout Could Prompt Congress To Trim Costly Pentagon Programs, Executives Say(WALL STREET JOURNAL 10 OCT 08) ... August Cole

Defense –industry executives are starting to worry that the costs of rescuing the financial industry will be taken in part out of the Pentagon's programs, and that could have a big impact on their companies.

As recently as a few weeks ago, the executives were relatively bullish about the long-term prospects for defense spending, regardless of which party wins the White House in November. But as the financial turmoil on Wall Street has spiraled into an international crisis, that optimism is fading.

In a note last week to employees, Boeing Co. Chief Executive Jim McNerney wrote that the world's biggest aerospace company by sales is "well positioned" to weather the financial turbulence because it has a solid credit rating and a big backlog of commercial airplane orders. But addressing how the government's financial-industry bailout might affect Boeing's more than $30-billion-a-year defense business, Mr. McNerney said: "No one really yet knows when or to what extent defense spending could be affected, but it's unrealistic to think there won't be some measure of impact."

Howard Lance, chief executive of Harris Corp., which specializes in defense communications and is expanding into the intelligence market, said in an interview this week that there is a sense in the industry that "everything is going to be subject to reconsideration," particularly big-ticket programs such as fighter jets, tanks and ships.

It could be months before any specific programs come under pressure. The defense budget for fiscal 2009, which started Oct. 1, is set, and Pentagon officials are well into planning the 2010 budget. The Pentagon's regular budget for fiscal 2009, not including special funding for Iraq and Afghanistan, stands at more than $540 billion. That figure, up about 5.5% from fiscal 2008, is at a record level.

In the wake of Congress's emergency action to rescue the nation's financial system, some top leaders have made it clear that they must find ways to pay for it. Rep. John Murtha (D., Pa.), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee, warned that the bailout will only increase the pressure on Pentagon officials to find ways to balance their needs for new programs with paying for ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"No matter who wins the White House, the next president is going to be forced to decrease defense spending in order to respond to neglected domestic priorities," Mr. Murtha said. "Because of this, the Defense Department is going to have to make tough budget decisions involving trade-offs between personnel, procurement and future weapons spending."

Boeing has some big programs on the line: the Army's more-than-$160-billion modernization effort called Future

Combat Systems, the C-17 Globemaster transport plane, a shot at a $40 billion Air Force refueling jet contract, and work on Lockheed Martin Corp.'s F-22 Raptor fighter.

Other sophisticated weapons that will likely be scrutinized for their need are the Navy's $3 billion DDG-1000 Zumwalt-class destroyer, which is being built by Northrop Grumman Corp., General Dynamics Corp. and Raytheon Co. Closer look also may be given to the almost $300 billion F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, a multinational effort to produce thousands of cutting-edge jets. Lockheed is also the lead contractor on that program.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates had already been pressuring the armed services over the F-22 and Future Combat Systems, saying that neither program is relevant to current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The 2009 defense budget postponed until the next administration tough decisions that could lead to shutting down production lines that make the F-22, as well as Boeing's C-17.

Political leaders will have to tread carefully. Cutting defense dollars can be perilous, particularly for Democrats eager to be seen as strong on defense issues and when the reductions come during a downturn, since such jobs are seen as one of the mainstays of the economy.

Even before the bailout, fiscal pressure was growing on the government. The U.S. ran a deficit of $438 billion in fiscal 2008, some $276 billion wider than the prior year, the Congressional Budget Office said this week. Yet some defense executives still believe that a variety of threats to U.S. national security, such as Russia's invasion of neighboring Georgia, would support strong defense spending.

Programs deemed to be technological boondoggles or irrelevant to operations in Iraq or Afghanistan may get postponed or pared back to pay for more pressing military needs. The Aerospace Industries Association, an industry trade group, said that even before the Wall Street financial crisis, plans to increase ground forces by tens of thousands of enlisted personnel were already threatening funding for longer-term programs to modernize or develop new weapons.

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BASES / COMMUNITY OUTREACH:BASES / COMMUNITY OUTREACH:24. Navy Promotes Motorcycle Safety(WTKR (CBS NORFOLK) ... Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Press Release

NORFOLK - Representatives from the Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Traffic Safety office will be on hand at Bayside Harley-Davidson Saturday, October 11, following the 8th Annual Rumble Through the Tunnel to promote the Navy's Motorcycle Safety Courses.

In an effort to increase the awareness level and riding skills of Sailors and DoD civilians, and to curtail the rising

sport bike mishaps, a Military Sport Bike Rider Course was developed strictly for sport bike riders. All sport bike riders are required to take the eight-hour training that the new course entails.

For information on any Fleet Week Hampton Roads event, please contact MCC Stefanie Holzeisen-mullen at 322-2852 or Beth Baker at 322-2853.

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25. Carrier Basing Subject Of Friday Meeting With Navy Secretary, Va. Reps (WVEC (HAMPTON ROADS ABC) 09 OCT 08)

NORFOLK – Hampton Roads’ congressional delegation on Friday will tell the Navy secretary how they feel about the possible move of a Norfolk-based aircraft carrier to Mayport, Florida.

Rep. Randy Forbes (Va-4th D.), Rep. Bobby Scott (D-3rd D.), Rep. Thelma Drake (R-2nd D.) and Rep. Rob Wittman (R-1st D.) will meet with Secretary Donald Winter at Old Dominion University.

In a release from Forbes' office, the four want to know how the Mayport carrier homeporting decision fits into the Navy’s stated priorities in a constrained budget environment.

Mayport, not nuclear-capable, lost its only carrier with the retirement of USS John F. Kennedy. She was decommissioned on March 23, 2007 and put into inactive service after nearly 39 years.

All the carriers at Naval Station Norfolk are nuclear powered, so converting Mayport for that would be costly, detractors say. Reports in 2005 stated that cost would be in the $140 million range.

Supporters of the move cite national security concerns about all East Coast carriers being in one place.

Naval Station Norfolk, the world's largest naval base, has already lost one carrier -- USS George Washington. It's now

homeported in Yokosuka, Japan, replacing the retiring USS Kitty Hawk.

The Navy has said it's considering 13 alternatives for Mayport's future. It could let the base slowly wind down operations or transfer surface ships and an aircraft carrier there.

Winter's public affairs officer says the Secretary can't render a decision about a possible carrier move until a Navy Environmental Impact Study is complete.

If Hampton Roads were to lose a carrier, that could mean an estimated $450 million in personal income and over 8,200 military and civilian jobs gone.

The Navy's finding are due in December.

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26. New Energy Savings Contract Expected To Save Millions(NORFOLK VIRGINIAN-PILOT 10 OCT 08)

A new energy savings performance contract for Oceana Naval Air Station's Dam Neck Annex in Virginia Beach is expected to save about $32 million on energy bills over the course of 17 years, the Navy announced this week.

The new system, funded entirely through operational savings, includes upgrades to 36 buildings on the base with

new geothermal water source heat pumps. The upgrades were completed in September, according to a news release. The heat pumps replace a central steam plant.

Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic manages the energy savings programs at naval stations in the region.

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27. Joint Land Use Study For NSA-PC Kicks Off (WMBB (NBC PANAMA CITY, FLA.) 09 OCT 08) ... Tuquyen Mach

Panama City, Fla: - The U.S. Navy hopes to work better with its neighbors when it comes to development.

The Department of Defense has funded a study for the Naval Support Activity - Panama City to look at potential conflicts for new development.

Today a private consultant met with those who will help create the study.

A policy committee, including Panama City Mayor Scott Clemons, Panama City Beach Mayor Gayle Oberst, Bay County Commissioner Mike Thomas, base Commander Jessica Pfefferkorn and Tom Neubauer from the Bay Defense

Alliance, will oversee the study. A technical committee will consist of planning and other staff.

County staff members say the group will try to work out any issues related to the areas surrounding the base.

“We’ll come up with a plan of land use compatibility regulations to look at how we can better help the mission of the navy installation and also work with the objectives and policies of municipalities involved,” says Ian Crelling from Bay County Planning.

The joint land use study is expected to be completed next summer

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28. Worries Aired About Navy Test Range Expansion(PENINSULA DAILY NEWS (PORT ANGELES, WASH.) 09 OCT 08) ... Jeff Chew

QUILCENE -- East Jefferson County residents told Navy officials at a public hearing that they worried that an expanded undersea warfare test range in Hood Canal would result in less recreational and commercial water access.

"My concern is that this range expansion proposal may limit recreational opportunities on the waters," said Don Coleman, owner of Brinnon-based Pacific Adventures scuba diving who also works at Pleasant Harbor Marina.

Coleman said Navy officials have told him not to enter Quilcene Bay when the range was active.

"I am fully against expansion," he said.Coleman was one of four who commented Tuesday night

before Capt. Stephen E. Iwanowicz, commander of the Keyport Naval Undersea Warfare Center during a public hearing that was part of the procedure for the Navy's environmental impact statements for expansion of its submarine test ranges.

Under the proposal, three test ranges would be expanded, and two of the three ranges would have a slight increase in the number of days per year that they are used by the Navy.

The current ranges, identified on nautical charts, are located on Hood Canal in Dabob Bay and between Toandos Peninsula and Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor; and on the coast of Washington state near Kalaloch; and in the Port Orchard Reach near Keyport.

As proposed:The Dabob Bay Range Complex on Hood Canal --

comprised of the north and south military operating areas near Naval Base Kitsap Bangor and the area in Dabob Bay -- would increase from about 32.7 square nautical miles to 45.7 square nautical miles, and the number of days used per year would remain the same, at 200.

The proposed extension from the southern boundary of the current range to the mouth of the Hamma Hamma River,

and from the northern boundary of the current range to within one nautical mile of the Hood Canal Floating Bridge, would afford a straight run of approximately 27.5 nautical miles for testing.

The Quinault Underwater Tracking Range between Pacific Beach in Grays Harbor County and Kalaloch in West Jefferson County, would increase from about 48 square nautical miles to 1,840 under the preferred alternative to the full size of a current military air space on nautical charts.

The proposed extension is beyond 12 nautical miles from shore.

The average annual number of days of use for offshore activities would increase two days, from 14 to 16 days per year.

The Keyport range site would increase from 1.7 square miles to 3.7 square miles, and the average use would increase by five days, to 60 days per year.

Written comments on the draft statements will be accepted through Oct. 27.

Economic impactLifetime Quilcene resident Herb Beck told Iwanowicz

and other Navy officials at the hearing that he's concerned about the economic impact of expanded ranges limiting boat access into the Dabob and Quilcene bays.

He's not against the range, Beck said. He remembers it opening in 1948 when he was a high school student who was paid up to $250 to collect torpedoes he and his friends found on the shore.

"I would like to see a limit to range activity," Beck said, proposing that the Navy use the range four days a week and leave Friday, Saturday and Sunday to private boaters.

"It's a two-way street."He asked that the environmental impact statement also

include the economic impact on the communities near the test ranges.

The proposal would enable the undersea warfare center "to continue fulfilling its mission of providing test and evaluation services and expertise to support the Navy's evolving manned and unmanned undersea vehicle program," the Navy said.

Since 1914, the Keyport base has provided facilities and capabilities to support testing of torpedoes -- which are unarmed and with no explosives -- other unmanned vehicles, submarine readiness, diver training and similar activities critical to Navy undersea warfare, Iwanowicz said.

Surf zoneThe Quinault coastal proposal includes a 7.8 square

nautical miles of surf zone area at Pacific Beach, a shoreline owned and maintained for recreational use by the Navy.

It would include a surf zone stretch of about a mile of beach south of Kalaloch, inside the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary.

The dramatic increase in size of the coastal test range is because it is already "an established charted area," said Carl Hasselman, a Navy environmental policy representative who was one of several on hand at information stations inside the Quilcene School multipurpose room.

The average annual use of the surf zone area would be about 30 days per year.

The proposal would cover hand-held to torpedo-size unmanned underwater vehicles, the latest in under-water warfare technology.

They include air or surface launches, underwater tracking signals form sensors via radio-linked buoys, unmanned kayaks, even "surf crawlers," unmanned vehicles that can be launched at sea, tumble through the surf to the beach and crawl up onto the shore to relay environmental data back to a ship.

Remote operating vehicles or Navy divers are also used to recover unmanned vehicles lost at sea.

"We have all the infrastructure in place to test vehicles," said Diane Jennings, Naval Undersea Warfare Center public information officer.

Effect on wildlifeShari Unger, project manager for the environmental

impact statement said the draft study found that California sealions and harbor seals could be temporarily affected by testing vehicles they come in contact with.

She said, however, that she expected that to be the extent of wildlife or endangered species interference caused by noise or confrontation.

There would be no impact to seabirds during testing, Unger said.

The Navy is consulting with federal fish and wildlife officials to ensure that marine fish and wildlife impact is minimal, she said.

The proposal includes a third range in the Port Orchard Reach near Keyport.

Preparation of the environmental impact study began in 2003 with four public scoping meetings in Kit-sap, Mason, Jefferson, and Grays Harbor counties.

Each range has diverse characteristics of depth, bottom type, and sea state.

Public access through these extended range areas will remain open, Navy officials said.

There should be little inconvenience, if any, to the public in these areas, they said.

The operation of the range in Dabob Bay remains the same, where lights continue to be posted at key points on the shore line to inform boaters of Navy range activities.

The underwater warfare center works with the Coast Guard in the issuance of notices to mariners to notify boaters of the Navy's testing activities if navigational hazards will be presented.

The draft environmental impact statement for the NAVSEA NUWC Keyport Range Complex is posted at http:/www-keyport.kpt.nuwc.navy.mil.

Written comments will be taken during the public hearings; if mailed, they must be postmarked no later than Oct. 27.

Comments are to be addressed to Kimberly Kler (EIS/OEIS project manager), Naval Facilities Command, 1101 Tautog Circle, Suite 203, Silverdale, WA 98315-1101, or faxed to her at 360-396-0857.

A final environmental impact statement, ready for publishing in the Federal Register, should be completed by September 2009, Navy officials said.

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29. Naval Hospital Sued For Mother's Death(FIRST COAST NEWS.COM (JACKSONVILLE, FLA.) 09 OCT 08) ... Jackelyn Barnard

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- The attorney for the family of Rosario Caoile says his investigation shows doctors at Naval Hospital Jacksonville could have prevented Caoile's death.

Sean Cronin held a news conference on the case because of recent information he uncovered in depositions.

Cronin told reporters that Caoile's treating physician testified her case, "kind of fell through the cracks."

Cronin says the system of checks and balances to protect Caoile broke down on numerous levels.

The 58 year old, mother of two, went to the Naval hospital in December, 2005, by ambulance for a severe headache.

Cronin says doctors did a scan and found her brain was normal and sent her home.

But hours later, another doctor saw the scan and noticed abnormalities and a possible aneurysm. An MRI was scheduled for the next day.

Caoile's ER doctor testified, in his deposition, that he did not know about the possible aneurysm and if he did, he would have skipped an MRI. The doctor said he would have called his patient and told them to dial 911.

When Cronin asked the doctor why he would have told them to call 911, the doctor said, "....because of the potential bad outcome."

Caoile did the MRI the next day, but Cronin says the scan was not read by a radiologist for five days. Cronin says the MRI found an aneurysm in Caoile's brain.

Cronin also says the family was not notified of the findings. Eighteen hours after the scan was read by a radiologist, Caoile died at home.

The family is suing the Naval hospital. A trial is set for May 2009.

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30. Seacoast Hospitality Awaits Crew Of The USS N.H.(FOSTER’S DAILY DEMOCRAT (PORTSMOUTH, N.H.) 09 OCT 08) ... Charles McMahon

Whether you're a sailor just stepping off the USS New Hampshire following it's arrival at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, or an interested spectator hoping to catch a glimpse of the Navy's newest fast-attack submarine, there's plenty to do during the weeklong celebration leading up to the boat's commissioning.

Starting Oct. 17, the Port City will play host to a flurry of events geared at marking the arrival and commissioning of the nuclear powered submarine.

Having been delivered to the Navy eight months ahead of schedule nearly $60 million under budget, the USS New Hampshire is the fifth member of the Virginia Class and only the fourth Navy vessel to bear the Granite State's moniker.

The date of the boat's arrival has not been released by the Navy, but local officials expect to be told 96 hours before its arrival in port.

Since the announcement that the city would play host to the submarine's commissioning, the USS New Hampshire Commissioning Committee has been working with city leaders to plan a calendar of events leading up to and following the Oct. 25 commissioning ceremony.

The weeklong string of events will begin with the kickoff of the first "Scarecrows of the Port Festival."

The crew of the USS New Hampshire, their families and other visitors to Portsmouth will be greeted by a downtown bedecked in autumn colors and harvest season finery.

In addition, a boat parade is planned to coincide with the submarine's arrival in port. It will include Portsmouth's new fire boat, the Sagamore; Tub Boat 2; and the Coast Guard, along with tour boats, the M/V Thomas Laighton and Heritage.

Those interested in getting an up-close view of the submarine can purchase tickets to ride on the tour boats, but since the exact time of its arrival is uncertain, ticket prices and the schedule have yet to be determined.

The kickoff event is scheduled for Oct. 17, 5-7 p.m., with family events in the West End (Islington Street corridor) including street musicians.

The festival will last through Nov. 2 and is intended to showcase Portsmouth to visitors as well as the sub crew and their families

Other activities planned to welcome the crew and their families include opportunities to get out and about the city visiting restaurants and businesses that have provided in-kind donations. Crew members will be offered a variety of activities that include taking aim at a shooting range, playing a bit of golf, catching a comedy show and enjoying some private parties held at local residences.

The list of social opportunities for the crew is growing, according to Renee Riedel, the committee's social chairperson.

On Oct. 24, crew members and their families are invited to a lobster bake, hosted by the N.H. Propeller Club, on Jamaica Island at the shipyard. Later that night a special commander's reception will place at the Wentworth by the Sea.

The VIP reception will feature the boat's officers, contractors that have helped sponsor social events and invited guests.

The following day, on Oct. 25, local and state officials will gather along with U.S. Navy officials for the commissioning ceremony to be held at the shipyard at 10 a.m. Tickets to the live event are distributed by invitation only.

Those unable to get into the event have the opportunity to view it simultaneously via a 9-by-12 foot "jumbotron" at Prescott Park. The public is invited to attend this viewing at no charge.

The Portsmouth Rotary will also hold a lunch that can accommodate 2,000 guests under a tent in Strawbery Banke at a cost of $15 a ticket.

As it turns out, the celebration will be a homecoming for some of USS New Hampshire crew members.

Of the 130 officers and crew, four are Granite Staters: Lt. Donnie Carmichael of Grantham, Machinist's Mate First Class James Gile of Portsmouth, Electronics Technician First Class Tom Chase of Farmington and Electronics Technician, Seaman Ryan Bourrie of Concord.

Third graders from Dover's Garrison Elementary School will also be on hand. The boat was named the USS New Hampshire after a letter-writing campaign by the third graders to their congressmen, the New Hampshire governor, and Secretary of the Navy.

For more information on the USS New Hampshire and its commissioning events, visit www.ussnewhampshire.org; To help by donating click on "Support Our Submarine." For details regarding sponsorships, call Mike Daigle at 778-8985 or e-mail mdaigledatarisk.com.

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NEWS OF INTEREST:NEWS OF INTEREST:31. Secretary Of The Navy To Attend Waterloo Vets Museum Opening (WATERLOO AND CEDAR FALLS COURIER (IOWA) 09 OCT 08)

WATERLOO - Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winters will speak at the opening of The Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum, 503 South Street, Nov. 15.

A grand opening ceremony that date will be kicked off by a parade through downtown Waterloo starting at 10 a.m. Following the parade Secretary Winters will speak outside the museum entrance.

After the ribbon cutting the doors will be open to the public.

Some events during the day will include Civil War Day, live military reenactments and Vietnam, Iraq and World War II veterans will share their experiences.

The addition, an expansion of the Grout Museum, is named for the five Sullivan brothers of Waterloo who lost their lives during World War II while serving together on the USS Juneau on Nov. 13, 1942.

It is designed to be a museum and research archive of Iowans’ role in U.S. wars since the Civil War. It will contain historic and interactive exhibits from various eras.

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32. Think You Can Be Top Gun?(NPR.ORG 09 OCT 08) ... Kathleen Masterson

For military pilots, multitasking means more than just talking on the phone and typing at the same time.

They must be able to operate million-dollar machinery and keep it targeted on an enemy aircraft while monitoring screens and making tactical decisions about objects on the ground. Every split-second decision has an outcome, and the stakes are high.

"It involves a lot of executive mental processing, cognitive control, allocation of the mind and body's resources for doing these various tasks," said David Meyer, a mathematical psychologist and cognitive scientist at the University of Michigan.

"It's like a computer operating system allocates resources for different programs more or less simultaneously."

The Navy asked Meyer to assess how well operators could handle these tasks and whether changes in equipment could improve their performance.

Meyer and his colleague David Kieras, a professor in the electrical engineering and computer science department, teamed up to build models that measure and predict just what kind of multitasking the human mind and body can handle.

In one test, Meyer and Kieras built a computational model that tested the ability of participants—including some trained pilots— to simultaneously do two visual-manual tasks. Participants had to monitor and manually respond to two screens.

On the left were the tactical decisions: participants had to classify tiny blips representing potentially dangerous objects as 'hostile' or 'neutral.' On the right-hand screen participants had to keep the crosshairs cursor on an airplane target icon as it moved through space.

Researchers measured both the speed and accuracy with which participants completed these tasks.

The simulations help pinpoint moments when operators are vulnerable to making bad decisions. When test subjects were forced to add a second task on top of one they were already doing, researchers found that their responses in the new task might be slow or inaccurate.

And some of the participants were more adept at balancing the bombardment of mental and physical tasks than others, the researchers found.

The Navy has used data from some of these tests to design equipment that is more conducive to multitasking.

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33. Service For Lost Submarine USS Grunion Revives Memories(CLEVELAND PLAIN-DEALER 09 OCT O8) ... Brian Albrecht

For 64 years after the USS Grunion disappeared in a sea of mystery during World War II, families of the submarines 70 crewmen waited and wondered.

But never forgot. Two years ago, the answer to the Grunions fate was

revealed with discovery of a battered and broken sub lying 3,000 feet below the Bering Sea near the Aleutian Islands, southwest of the Alaskan Peninsula.

On Saturday in Cleveland, a memorial will be held as more than 200 relatives of the lost crew gather here from across the country for services at the Grunions sister sub, the USS Cod.

The memorial will be special for Betty Krueger, 86, of Cleveland, whose son is named for her brother, missing Grunion crew member Ralph Youngman. She hopes it wont

be too emotional. The loss hit hard enough the first time around, she said.

For June Alexander, 88, of Amherst, whose late husbands cousin Frank Alexander was on the Grunion, the service brings back memories of a time when loss was all too common as with her brother, an Army infantryman killed in Italy during the war.

Stanley Sullivan, 81, formerly of Akron and now living in California, hopes the day dedicated to remembering his lost brother, Paul, will bring a sense of finality and a reassurance that he has not grieved alone. As he said, It helps to understand that other people had a loss, too.

One thing Grunion families dont share is the knowledge of exactly how the sub met its end.

The Grunion was on its first war patrol in the Aleutians as part of the American counter-offensive to the Japanese invasion of Kiska and Attu Islands in 1942.

The sub sank two patrol boats and survived an attack by a Japanese destroyer, but reported intense enemy anti-submarine activity near Kiska harbor in its last radio transmission on July 30.

The Grunion remained missing for 60 years until the three sons of the subs skipper, Lt. Commander Mannert Abele, discovered a Japanese researchers account on the Internet about an encounter between an armed Japanese cargo ship and the Grunion near Kiska.

The Abele brothers used that information to pinpoint a likely site with side-scanning sonar in 2006. They returned a year later to take photos and videos.

The memories have endured just as long as the wrecked sub.

June Alexander said Signalman Third Class Frank Alexander, 27, of Elyria was a darling man, easygoing and fun.

When the vessel was discovered, I couldnt believe it. Miracles do happen, I guess, she said. In a way, it probably puts people at peace.

Fireman Second Class Ralph Youngman, 22, a graduate of John Marshall High School in Cleveland, was very happy-

go-lucky, recalled his sister, Betty Krueger, who will be attending the memorial with her namesake son.

He was my buddy, she added. He let me tag along wherever he went. We used to do a lot together, like ice skating.

Stanley Sullivan said his brother, Paul, 27, a 1933 graduate of Akrons Garfield High School, joined the Navy and became a Pharmacists Mate First Class, after unsuccessfully trying to become an undertaker in Cleveland.

Linda Sullivan, who lives with her father, Stanley, in Castro Valley, Calif., said he always talked about the older brother who cared for him when he was stricken with polio early in life; who played with him, read to him and sang his favorite song, You Are My Sunshine.

I dont think, in his heart, he ever got over it, she said. There were other Ohioans lost on the Grunion, including

Merritt Graham, of Circleville; Louis Doell, of Cincinnati; Richard Carroll, of Springfield; and George Caldwell, of Columbus.

Their names, along with the rest of the crew, will be read aloud during the memorial by Mary Bentz, of Bethesda, Md., who had an uncle on the sub.

In one sense this roll call will be hard for Bentz, after spending the past two years with other sub ladies tracking down surviving relatives and photos for each Grunion crewman.

When I read their names, I see their faces, she said. And having talked with their families, I know they suffered just like we did.

Like her Italian grandmother who never got over the loss. Bentz recalled, When she was dying, she would say in broken English, The fish ate my son.

But as hard as reading the roll may be, Bentz hoped that it would in an African tribal tradition sort of way finally begin the healing.

When you speak their names, their spirits are released, she said.

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34. Navy Chefs Get Basic Training In Fine Dining (FIRST COAST NEWS 09 OCT 08)

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- The US Navy is turning 233 years old. And there's going to be a big birthday party this weekend on the First Coast.

The USS Stephen W. Groves from Naval Station Mayport will be docking in front of the Hyatt Regency downtown for the celebration.

And the ship's crew is putting on a VIP dinner Saturday night for more than 150 people.

The three men in charge of all the meals served on the ship are used to cranking out food for hundreds at a time.

But Thursday they went through basic training in fine dining.

"What we do on the ship is industrial, it's breakfast, lunch, dinner, traditional type meals, here it's cuisine," says Groves Culinary Specialist Timothy Reynolds.

Saturday's reception will be served on the deck of the USS Stephen W. Groves when it's docked in downtown Jacksonville.

So to get some menu ideas and new techniques, Reynolds turned to the experts, the chefs at the Ritz-Carlton and its five diamond restaurant, "Salt."

"What you can do with the same ingredients from a presentation, texture perspective is obviously something they don't have the ability to do on the ship or have learned in the past. So that's where these guys come in, show them a couple tricks," says Ritz-Carlton Executive Chef Thomas Tolxdorf.

"We learned a lot from the chef. It's a great experience to learn different techniques," says Groves Culinary Specialist Marvincent Williams.

And with the Ritz's help Saturday's menu will be infused with a little more style.

"The concept of a lot of the items, that we can take something simple and make it extraordinary, that's the main thing," says Reynolds.

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OPINION:OPINION:35. Judges Wild On Whales(WASHINGTON TIMES 09 OCT 08) ... James Jay Carafano

It's a dangerous world out there. Iranian mullahs push forward their missile and nuke development programs while musing about a world without Israel ... or America. Russia rattles its saber, invades Georgia, plants its flag in the Arctic and dismisses the United States as a has-been superpower. Islamists wage a "holy war" against "the Great Satan" with firefights in Afghanistan, bombings in the Middle East and plots around the world.

Perilous times, indeed. And while America is at war, environmental extremists are on a mission, too. Just not necessarily on our side. Increasingly, environmental organizations have opted to advance their agendas with a single-mindedness that borders on blindness. Zealous dedication to The Cause has led them to wage legal battles even when victory means compromising national security to achieve little more than symbolic advances in environmental protection. Alarmingly, they have found common cause with a judiciary that has lost a sense of proportionality.

Case in point: The Navy has a whale of a problem. It uses sonar to detect underwater dangers and to navigate its own submarines. But sonar may adversely affect the navigational ability of whales and other sea creatures. In five different cases, environmental groups have sued the Navy to restrict testing low- and medium-range sonar frequency arrays.

The Navy tried to address the issue long before any suits were filed. Working with the National Marine Fisheries Service, it developed 29 operational procedures to protect sonar-sensitive creatures. For example, when naval ships detect sea mammals within 200 yards during training exercises, they shut down the sonar immediately. Scientific experiments by the Navy determined that a 200-yard buffer minimizes the risk of whales becoming disoriented by military sonar.

But instead of deferring to the service's scientifically based buffer zone, a U.S. District judge decided the Navy must turned off its sonar at a range of 2,200 yards. The new buffer zone — more than a 1.25-mile radius — appears based on nothing but the whim of the court. The Navy called the restrictions "crippling."

As a result of this decision, the commander of the USS Ronald Reagan Strike Group recently had to slash sonar training. Meanwhile, China continues to build its super-quiet diesel submarines that are harder and harder to find — even with sonar up and running.

A gray whale dives in the waters off the Palos Verdes Peninsula in California. Environmentalists argue that mid-frequency Navy sonar can disrupt whale feeding patterns, but scientists don't fully understand how whales are hurt by sonar.

The Navy is not the only service losing "lawfare" battles to the enviros. Earlier this year, a U.S. District Judge ruled the Pentagon violated the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) by failing to evaluate how a new air base, the Futenma Replacement Facility, might affect the Japanese dugong.

Since NHPA is intended to apply to historical property, not animals, the court's decision is as strange as the unusual mammal it purports to protect.

More than odd, the ruling undermines security. A joint statement by U.S. and Japanese officials "reaffirmed that completion of the Futenma Replacement Facility... by the target date of 2014, is the key to... the overall realignment plan for Okinawa," including relocation of a Marine Expeditionary Unit to Guam. The actions of an activist judge have now all but ensured this vital process will not be complete by the deadline.

Worse, the dugong decision may create a new opening for environmental activists to target other U.S. bases around the world, relabeling arcane animals as historic relics that must take precedence under the NHPA.

Judges gone wild is a symptom of a bigger problem. In the end, the greatest threat to American security may be constituent politics that puts narrow self-interest above the common good.

"Lawfare" advocates a constituent concern regardless of the cost. As long as stakeholders advance their agenda, nothing else matters. This problem can get out of control when judges cultivate a culture of litigation and creative interpretation of law.

The activists can rightly argue they are just doing their job, lobbying for their thing. Government, however, is supposed to be about more than just the sum of constituent politics.

Lawmakers have an obligation to give us laws that will keep us all free, safe and prosperous. Courts are obliged to protect us from those who would violate or abuse the law.

But when activists hijack the judiciary and advance one goal at the expense of another, justice is perverted. And when government's fundamental obligation to "provide for the common defense" falls victim to perverse court rulings, the nation's future is at risk.

James Jay Carafano, a senior research fellow for national security at The Heritage Foundation (heritage.org), is the author of the books "G.I. Ingenuity" and "Private Sector, Public Wars."

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36. A Middle Ground On Use Of Sonar(THE REPUBLICAN (MASS.) 09 OCT 08)

The Supreme Court has a whale of a problem on its hands.

Earlier this year, a federal judge in California blocked the U.S. Navy from using sonar in training exercises off the coast

because of possible negative effects on whales. A federal court of appeals upheld that ruling, but the Navy has been allowed to continue its training until the Supreme Court weighs in on the matter.

There is every reason to believe that no one alive knows with any degree of certainty the full effect of sonar on whales and other marine mammals. But that didn't stop U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper from issuing an injunction with a great deal of specificity.

She barred the Navy from using sonar within 12 nautical miles of the coast. She ordered the Navy to shut off sonar within 2,200 yards of a marine mammal.

Here's our biggest problem with this: One lone federal judge should not be allowed to effectively shut down an entire Navy operation.

The Navy uses sonar to look for enemy submarines. It has other uses, but that is the matter at hand here.

Do whales supercede military operations? That would seem to be the view of the judge. But that would appear to most folks as an extreme position.

We do not advocate the opposite extreme: allowing the Navy to do as it pleases without a care in the world for the whales, but no one is really arguing for that.

The only sensible course is a middle ground that would allow the Navy to perform its exercises while providing some protections for whales and other marine mammals. It makes no sense to save the whales - when they might not even be in such a precarious position - at the expense of the Navy's efforts to keep the people safe.

If our Navy is forced to let down its guard against enemy submarines, someone eventually will seek to exploit that opening.

Don't believe that? Feel free to whistle a merry tune on your way to the whale watch. The rest of us will hope that the high court finds a way for sonar and whales to coexist.

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37. Naval Fleet Review (DONG-A ILBO (SOUTH KOREA) 08 OCT 08) ... Yuk Jeong-soo; Editorial

Off the coast of Busan on Tuesday afternoon, the Korean destroyer Kang Gam-chan, carrying President Lee Myung-bak, passed the 18000-ton Dokdo large-deck landing ship with about 2,000 dignitaries on board and sailed at the head of the fleet. As two inspection ships aligned in front of and back of the destroyer, 20 naval and coast guard vessels, which lined up while waiting, sailed past the inspection ships one after another, with Aegis-class destroyer King Sejong the Great at the head of the line. Other destroyers, convoy ships, patrol ships, and submarines followed. The chants of troops giving a salute reverberated through the open sea.

At the same time, naval airplanes, helicopters and combat aircraft performed air show and paratroopers of the Underwater Demolition Team showcased their sea mission. The inspection ships reviewed 20 warships from 12 countries around the world. The participating countries, except for China, Russia, and Japan, fought in the Korean War. The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, India, and Thailand sent their warships. Also included was the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, which was dispatched from Japan’s Yokosuka Naval Base, home to the U.S. Navy`s 7th Fleet, and three Aegis destroyers. This international fleet review culminated in naval gun and helicopter shootings and an amphibious landing.

The naval fleet review that held to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Korea’s Armed Forces showed off Korean navy’s prowess and reminded the importance of traditional military alliances and military diplomacy. Korea’s Aegis destroyers and landing ships along with the U.S. naval fleet is the barometer of the combat capability of the Korean and U.S forces in the event of emergencies. Following the Korea-U.S. joint military drill in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province on Sept. 26, which showcased air and ground combat capabilities of the two countries, the naval review boasted the military power of the combined forces. The fleet review has also paved the way for military exchanges between neighboring powerhouses such as China, Russia, and Japan.

Naval power symbolizes national strength. The power of Britain that once called the empire on which the sun never sets stemmed from naval power. And the same is true for the United States, the only superpower on the planet. Korea, who depends on exports for economic driving engine and imports almost all of its oil, must secure sea routes because its three sides are surrounded by the sea. Suppressing North Korea’s military aggression is not the only goal of the Korean Navy. In this context, the plan to set up Jeju naval base must be pushed ahead to build more capable navy forces.

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