Chinese Cyberespionage Group Identified
Morning Coffee is a robust blend of links to news around the internet concerning the Naval Air Station Patuxent River economic community. The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the Leader’s owners or staff.
Security researchers identified a dangerous Chinese cyberespionage group that targets not only US and Western government agencies but also dissidents inside and outside China, reports The Washington Post. Axiom, labelled the most sophisticated known Chinese hacker unit, gathers intelligence with an approach that combines commercial cyberespionage, foreign intelligence and counterintelligence, and the monitoring of dissidents. News of the state-sponsored hacker group comes a week before Secretary of State John F. Kerry and two weeks before President Obama are due to arrive in Beijing for a series of high-level talks, including cybersecurity.
Veterans are awaiting the implementation of the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 that enables those who qualify to receive treatment from civilian doctors, reports WAVY. The program, which is scheduled to take effect Nov. 5, includes $10 billion in funding to allow qualified veterans to seek private doctors. The program applies to veterans who have been waiting more than 30 days to see a doctor, or who live at least 40 miles from the nearest VA medical facility.
Federal employee unions are urging the Senate to reverse planned cuts to the per diems of DoD civilians on long-term travel, according to Government Executive. The lower reimbursement rates, which take effect on Nov. 1, are “misguided and unfair,” according to a recent letter 13 unions sent to several senators including Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski, (D-Md.).
DefSec Chuck Hagel is considering a 21-day “quarantine-like” policy for all troops returning from West Africa, according to The Hill. The proposal was recommended to Mr. Hagel by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Socktober coordinators are collecting new socks during October and are donating them to homeless shelters to help keep the inhabitants warm, according to NAVAIR News. Sock donations are being accepted at Building 449 first floor, Building 2272, or at The Three Oaks Center outside Gate 2. All donations will benefit The Three Oaks Center.
A recent decision to swap two scheduled aircraft carrier deployments revealed that the aging fleet of warships is over-worked and under-maintained, leading to a growing backlog that threatens the Navy’s ability to respond to future threats, reports PilotOnline. Of the warships placed in shipyards for repairs and upgrades last year, fewer than half rejoined the fleet on time and on budget. CNO Admiral Jonathan Greenert said that delayed maintenance has a cascading effect across the fleet, leading to extended deployments, rescheduled or canceled departures, and uncertainty for sailors and their families.
US military-funded technology is now approved for rapidly screening for Ebola in American hospitals, according to Defense One. BioFire announced over the weekend that they had received emergency use authorization from the FDA for hospital workers to use their FilmArray machine to identify Ebola. It’s the same machine that the military is using to fight the disease in Africa.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced that the US government helped facilitate the sale of $34.2 billion worth of defense equipment to allies during fiscal 2014, according to DefenseNews. Sales were led by a few blockbuster deals that helped some of the largest US defense firms continue to post strong numbers despite defense spending reductions by the Pentagon.
Military exchange stores around the world pulled fitness supplements from shelves earlier this month after concerns they contained a potentially dangerous and untested stimulant called DMBA, reports Stars and Stripes.
Britain reached an agreement to order four more F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jets, according to Yahoo News. The formal contract, part of a plan to purchase 14 of the stealth fighters over the next five years, will be placed within the coming weeks. The aircraft are due to be delivered from mid-2016.
