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March 8, 2013

News for Reservists

Top Story

Army suicide rate will decrease soon, general predicts
The general in charge of the Army's suicide-prevention efforts said this week that the service is about to see a turnaround in its suicide rates, which have been rising. "I think there is better awareness, there is more energy. I am optimistic that the trends are going to turn around," Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III said. Fourteen Reserve and National Guard members committed suicide in January. Stars and Stripes/The Associated Press (3/7)

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In the Pentagon

Study: U.S. military networks are vulnerable to cyberattack
A task force was able to hack into the Pentagon's computer networks with "relative ease" during a recent war-game exercise, according to a study released by the Pentagon's Defense Science Board. The task force used hacking programs that are widely available on the Internet, the study said. The Christian Science Monitor (3/6)

Navy suspends drug patrols near South American coast
The Navy announced this week that it is suspending the deployments of two frigates that were scheduled to conduct drug patrols off the South American coast and in the Caribbean. The suspended deployments are part of a joint operation that intercepted 160 tons of cocaine last year. The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk) (3/6)

On the Hill

Senate version of House funding bill may feature changes
Senate Democrats plan to add three appropriations bills to legislation passed by the House that seeks to avert a government shutdown. The add-ons would give President Barack Obama more flexibility in managing sequestration cuts and would give agencies the ability to shift funds between programs. The Hill/On the Money blog (3/7)

Service Section News

U.S. Navy goes global and local to conserve energy
When the U.S. Navy decided to reduce its energy costs and become more environmentally friendly, it developed the Navy Shore Geospatial Energy Program. The system uses GIS software to track energy consumption on a global scale and at individual facilities. "Geospatial capabilities are changing the way that we all do business," said Sandrine Schultz, energy program manager at Naval Facilities Engineering Command. "We turned data into decisions." SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership (3/6)

Reserve Strength

Pentagon sees operations and maintenance budget shortfall ahead
The Pentagon expects to face a $35 billion shortfall in funds for operations and maintenance if sequestration remains in effect through the end of the current fiscal year. Costs related to the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan will be higher than originally planned, Pentagon officials say. Defense News (3/5)

Reserve Life

Lawmaker wants to guarantee funding for VA programs
The House Veterans Affairs Committee is pushing for legislation that would protect funding for veterans programs from budget cuts, says Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., the committee's chairman. Stars and Stripes (3/7)

SmartQuote

Hope never abandons you, you abandon it."

--George Weinberg,
American psychologist, writer and activist

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