"Today is exceptionally historic because we are delivering A08-135 from the same Hangar 278 where Deeper Maintenance work on the first F-111 began 35 years ago," said John Duddy, vice president and managing director, Boeing Defence Australia. "We take pause to honor and recognize every RAAF serviceperson and Boeing employee who has contributed toward maintaining this platform. Because of you, the F-111 today remains the fastest and longest-ranging combat aircraft in the Asia-Pacific region."

The Deeper Maintenance program began in 1974 with the RAAF and transitioned to Boeing in 2001 for a total 500,000-plus work hours. The RAAF will retire the F-111 at the end of 2010 to make way for 24 replacement Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets.

"The maintenance systems introduced with the F-111 aircraft have been a mainstay of defense and industry's high-tech support capabilities for well over 35 years," said Air Commodore Roy McPhail, Director General of Aerospace Combat Systems, RAAF. "Today's completion of the F-111 Deeper Maintenance program will ensure the F-111 fleet remains fully capable until the replacement F/A-18F Super Hornets come on line."

Boeing is contracted to perform light maintenance activities until the F-111 fleet's withdrawal from service.

"Although this is the end of Boeing's F-111 Deeper Maintenance activities, fortunately, it's not the end of a great partnership," said Group Capt. Peter Lloyd, Officer Commanding – 82 Wing, RAAF. "Boeing's technical and engineering expertise will remain fundamental to 82 Wing's ability to generate F-111 air combat power."

Deeper Maintenance was performed on F-111s after 525 hours of flight time. It included activities such as removal of wings, engines, the undercarriage and other major components for servicing and/or replacement as required.

Boeing Defence Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company and a business unit of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, is a leading Australian aerospace enterprise. With a world-class team of nearly 2,000 employees at 13 locations throughout Australia and two international sites, Boeing Defence Australia supports some of the largest and most complex defense projects in Australia.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32 billion business with 70,000 employees worldwide.

— WebWireID107013 —

The five men featured in the video were all held at Guantánamo for years without any meaningful opportunity to challenge their detention. They were denied their due process rights, which might have established the lack of evidence against them much earlier and spared them years of torture, abuse and imprisonment. The men were eventually released, and as they explain in the video, are now attempting to put their lives back together.

"I experienced sadness in a state that I have never had, cruelty in a depth that I'd never seen in my life," Omar Deghayes tells the camera. He had graduated from law school in England and was studying the legal system in Afghanistan when he was captured and sent to Guantánamo for nearly six years. "You will not leave a similar person anymore. You will leave as broken, physically broken, psychologically broken."

Ruhal Ahmed and Shafiq Rasul grew up together in England. They went to Pakistan for a friend's wedding and took a short trip to neighboring Afghanistan where they were captured. It would be two and a half years before they could go home.

"Guantánamo Bay was hell for us," Shafiq says. But Ruhal says their friendship helped them survive the brutal experience: "Anything that happened to me I could relate to somebody that was very close to me. Being friends from a young age – who else would you want in that kind of situation?"

Back home in England, Shafiq and Ruhal say the American leaders who allowed the injustices of Guantánamo should be held accountable. But they do not hold a grudge against the American people.

"The drinks we drink, Coca Cola – it's American. We still drink it," Ruhal says. "We still go to the movies. So we don't hate Americans as American people."

Omar says he feels the same way, but he wants Americans to know exactly what happened at Guantánamo: "I want the people themselves, the people in America, the good people – which I met many of – to realize what ugly things were done to others in their names."

— WebWireID106961 —

ROCKVILLE, Md.- The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] a seven-year, $145 million contract to support its Environmental Response Team with technical and analytical expertise during environmental emergencies in the U.S. and U.S. territories.

Under the Scientific, Engineering, Response & Analytical Services (SERAS) Program, Lockheed Martin will provide the EPA's Environmental Response Team with 24-hour support during environmental emergencies, quickly assessing the situation, making suggestions for containment and assisting with remediation activities. Such emergencies could include national and international incidents involving releases of oil and hazardous materials and uncontrolled hazardous waste sites.

Lockheed Martin has supported the EPA in its emergency response mission through a predecessor program, the Response Engineering and Analytical Contract (REAC), which the company was awarded in 1999 and again in 2004.

'When an emergency happens, quick response is built on a foundation of teamwork and trust, especially during trying conditions,' said Lynn Singleton, director of Environmental Services in the Corporation's Information Systems and Global Services business area. "Lockheed Martin is extremely proud to have been selected to continue as the EPA's teammate in working to safeguard our environment."

As the Environmental Response Team's main support contractor, Lockheed Martin supplies a highly-skilled staff of chemists, biologists, engineers, geologists, environmental scientists and support personnel. This staff will perform field work, onsite monitoring and analysis, and field or laboratory analytical support. Supporting Lockheed Martin's team are Syracuse Research Corporation, Cherokee CRC, LLC, Dycon Government Solutions, Inc., and The ACI Group.

Lockheed Martin has supported the EPA's mission since 1974, providing evaluations of environmental conditions throughout the U.S. and ensuring that the agency's IT infrastructure is maintained, protected and capable of supporting its full range of environmental missions. Recently, the Corporation was selected to support the Information Technology Solutions – EPA II program (ITS-EPA II). Under this blanket purchase agreement, Lockheed Martin can provide IT and services across the EPA to enable secure information exchange, environmental data analysis, and scientific investigation.

In addition to supporting the EPA, Lockheed Martin is working with its customers to address the nation's challenges in the areas of energy efficiency, management, next-generation alternative energy generation and climate monitoring. The Corporation provides a full range of energy solutions to the government and regulated industry, including the Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, state and regional energy organizations, utilities and businesses.

— WebWireID106710 —

iomart Hosting secured the three year partnership deal to augment the top tier hosting services that Servecentric, the Irish data centre managed services company, is already providing to the same customer in Dublin.

iomart Hosting, the managed hosting arm of AIM listed iomart Group plc, has been contracted to provide Servecentric with a DR solution from its fully resilient Tier 3 data centre in the City of London.

Servecentric chose www.iomarthosting.com as its UK mainland partner based on its technical infrastructure, flexibility and existing blue chip clients and because it was able to deliver the exacting criteria required by a global company including meeting the highest levels of capacity, resilience and security.

Angus MacSween, CEO, iomart Hosting said:' We expect this partnership to be the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship with Servecentric. Providing resilient mainland back-up in partnership with Servecentric shows that we have a lot to offer to the American market. Our collective resources will serve to attract many more international hosting deals to the UK and Ireland.'

Helga Muir, sales and marketing manager for Servecentric, said: 'Servecentric has experienced a surge in multinational corporations choosing to move their European IT infrastructure into our facility in recent months. To provide additional support to these customers, we wanted a UK based data centre partnership that could provide the highest quality technical infrastructure, experienced technicians and company ethos similar to their own. iomart Hosting has proven its credentials in all these areas and we look forward to partnering on reciprocal business going forward.'

About iomart Hosting

iomart Hosting is one of the UK's leading providers of hosting services. From a single server through to private cloud networks, iomart specialises in the delivery and management of mission-critical hosting services, enabling customers to reduce the costs, complexity and risks associated with maintaining their own web and online applications.

By physically owning and managing its own network infrastructure, including five state-of-the-art data centres in the UK, it offers world-beating levels of service to its customers.
For more information visit www.iomarthosting.com

About Servecentric
Servecentric is a wholly owned, private funded, Irish organisation. It was established in August 2002 and has its headquarters in Blanchardstown Corporate Park in Dublin. It is currently Ireland's leading managed services and data centre operator and provides high-quality, scaleable solutions from single cabinet collocation services to full-scale provision of managed services. www.servecentric.com

— WebWireID106497 —

(One of Them: A First Responder's Story by Steven M. Centore; ISBN: 0-9801274-0-8; $16.95; 208 pages; 5½' x 8½'; softcover; Worldwide Association of Disabled Veterans, Inc.)

— WebWireID106475 —

Paul J. Yesbeck and Scott Ashley, both with the Broward County Sheriff's Office, and Anthony T. Dawkins of the Winter Garden Police Department, have been nominated by Andrew Jackson University for their superior academic performance as well as their dedication in achieving their degrees.

Yesbeck, married with children and a corporal in the sheriff's department, decided to earn a college degree for personal and professional reasons, and enrolled in Andrew Jackson University's popular criminal justice program. Within a year he completed an Associate of Science in Criminal Justice degree and, despite job and family obligations, graduated with a 3.80 grade point average.

Also married with three children, Scott Ashley is a busy man. In addition to his full time job as a sheriff's deputy, he teaches at the police academy and operates a children's karate program. Scott enrolled in the university's criminal justice program in August 2007 and earned an Associate of Science in Criminal Justice with a 3.86 grade point average. Scott said Andrew Jackson University's online degree program enabled him to achieve his lifelong goal of attaining a college degree.

Anthony Dawkins, married with two young children, needed a flexible college degree program because of his demanding work schedule as an officer with the Winter Garden Police Department. When he learned of Andrew Jackson University's flexible programs and emphasis the school put on making things as convenient as possible for serving law enforcement officers, he enrolled in their master's program. Graduating in only two years with a Master of Science in Criminal Justice and a 3.89 grade point average, Dawkins says he is not done with school and is considering enrolling in a doctoral program.

'Those serving in full time law enforcement positions sometimes think they can't balance family, the job, and college courses,' said Schmoke. 'But when we see individuals like Dawkins, Ashley and Yesbeck, all with families and children, earn degrees in an online, but very vigorous academic program, it encourages others to follow in their footsteps.'

Andrew Jackson University www.aju.edu, ranked the number one online college program by Online Degree Reviews, offers eleven degree programs including A.S., B.S., and M.S. degrees in criminal justice, plus a master's degree in public administration and an MBA. The university is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement as an accredited institution.

'The Outstanding Graduate and runners-up are determined by university staff votes,' said Registrar Bell Woods, 'and a nomination is quite an honor in itself. These officers should be very proud, as should their families and departments.'

— WebWireID106334 —

MORRIS TOWNSHIP, N.J. - Honeywell (NYSE: HON) today announced third quarter 2009 sales of $7.7 billion, in line with expectations, versus $9.3 billion in the third quarter last year. Earnings were $0.80 per share compared to $0.97 per share in the third quarter of 2008. Third quarter 2009 EPS included the positive impact of lower than expected tax expense in the quarter of approximately $0.04, which the company expects to be offset on a full-year basis by a higher income tax rate in the fourth quarter of 2009. Cash flow from operations was $1,148 million versus $769 million last year, and free cash flow (cash flow from operations less capital expenditures) was $1,022 million versus $556 million in the third quarter of 2008.

'Honeywell is positioning its businesses for long-term growth by continuing to invest in new products and services, geographic expansion, and key process initiatives,' said Honeywell Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dave Cote. 'We executed well in the third quarter with sales on track and better than expected earnings and free cash flow performance. We're particularly pleased with our free cash flow performance year-to-date, which reflects our strong operating disciplines and working capital controls. These results reflect the impact of the growth investments and productivity actions we have taken in the midst of tough market conditions.'

'Our employees have responded remarkably in support of both our growth initiatives and productivity actions,' continued Cote. 'Their contributions have enabled us to meet our performance objectives despite ongoing volume headwinds. By preserving our industrial base and continuing to build a robust pipeline of differentiated technologies and new products for the global marketplace, we're confident Honeywell will emerge from this period a much stronger company, ready to grow and build on our great positions in good industries.'

Honeywell forecasts 2009 sales of approximately $31 billion, earnings per share of $2.85 and free cash flow of $3 billion.

Segment Highlights

Aerospace

• Sales were down 16% compared with the third quarter of 2008, resulting from lower volumes in Commercial Aerospace, partially offset by higher sales of original equipment for military platforms, logistics services and advanced aircraft modifications, and upgrades.
• Segment profit was down 12%, primarily due to volume declines, however segment margin increased 80 bps to 17.4% driven by cost savings initiatives and benefits from prior repositioning actions.
• Honeywell SmartPath™ Precision Landing System received FAA System Design Approval, making it the first ground-based augmentation system (GBAS) to receive this distinction. SmartPath provides differential Global Positioning System (GPS) corrections to replace or supplement older landing system technology such as Instrument Landing System (ILS), enabling more precision, more flight path flexibility, and more airport throughput.
• Honeywell signed a $77 million contract with AWAS, one of the world's leading aircraft leasing companies, to provide safety and navigational avionics and its fuel-efficient Auxiliary Power Unit (APU). The advanced avionics include IntuVue™, Honeywell's 3-D weather radar that allows pilots to better see and avoid weather, wind shear and turbulence, ensuring a safer and more comfortable ride for passengers, as well as cost savings for the airlines.
• Honeywell won a $185 million contract with the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defense to provide T55-L-714A engines and spares to retrofit their fleet of Chinook helicopters. The T55-L-714A engine increases power by 17%, increases maintenance intervals and reduces fuel consumption by nearly 5%.

Automation and Control Solutions

• Sales were down 14%, compared with the third quarter of 2008, resulting from slower economic growth and the unfavorable impact of foreign exchange, partially offset by continued growth in emerging regions, new product introductions, and the net favorable impact from acquisitions and divestitures.
• Segment profit was flat due to lower sales, while segment margin increased 180 bps to 13.5% driven by cost savings initiatives and benefits from prior repositioning actions.
• Building Solutions completed one of the largest solar projects for the Army at Fort Dix, N.J., part of an energy savings performance contract (ESPC) valued at $17.6 million. The ESPC will decrease energy consumption at the post by almost 10% annually.
• Building Solutions signed a $33.6 million, 20-year energy efficiency and facility renewal program with the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA). The program will help MPHA improve its infrastructure and reduce energy consumption, saving more than $3.7 million in utility costs per year. The program, which will impact more than 40 high-rise buildings and 700 single-family residences across the city, is one of the largest projects of its kind.
• Process Solutions was selected to automate Flambeau River Biofuels, the largest green diesel plant in the United States. Honeywell will provide the Park Falls, Wisconsin plant with a fully-integrated system to help produce 18 million gallons of green diesel annually from wood waste and forest residue.
• Honeywell Life Safety received a $3.5 million order from Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, a U.S. Department of Energy facility, for respiratory protection products.

Transportation Systems

• Sales were down 24% compared with the third quarter of 2008 due to lower volumes primarily driven by lower sales to global automotive OE customers and the negative impact of foreign exchange, partially offset by new platform launches with automotive OE customers and share gains in the automotive aftermarket retail channel.
• Segment profit was down 39% and segment margin decreased 170 bps to 7.1% due to lower sales volumes partially offset by cost savings initiatives and benefits from prior restructuring actions.
• Turbo Technologies was awarded contracts estimated at more than $370 million in revenue over the life of these programs. The contracts, which include critical platform wins with key customers in Europe, Asia, and the U.S. on both gasoline and diesel passenger and commercial vehicle applications, are expected to begin in 2011. Independent analysts expect turbo penetration to grow from 24% of all light vehicles today to around 70% by 2020, and predict rapid turbo adoption in the U.S. reaching close to 25% of the total light vehicle sales in the next five years.
• Honeywell launched its gasoline turbocharging technology on BMW's new ActiveHybrid engine intended for its 7-series and X6 vehicles. This 4.4L, V8 engine combines a hybrid transmission with an advanced gasoline turbocharged engine to deliver 407 hp and provide best-in-class fuel consumption and emissions in this vehicle category.

Specialty Materials

• Sales were down 23% compared with the third quarter of 2008, resulting from lower volumes and the unfavorable impact of pass through raw material price declines at our Resins and Chemicals business, partially offset by higher petrochemical catalyst sales and traction on green initiatives at UOP.
• Segment profit was down 2%, primarily due to volume declines, however segment margin increased 330 bps to 15.2% due to the positive impact of lower material costs and cost savings initiatives.
• UOP announced that its green jet fuel process technology will be used to produce nearly 600,000 gallons of green jet fuel, made from sustainable, non-food feedstocks including animal fats, algae, and camelina, for the U.S. Navy and Air Force. This is part of a joint program for the U.S. Defense Energy Support Center for alternative fuels testing and certification.
• Electronic Materials announced the launch of SOLARC, a new anti-reflective coating that improves the efficiency and power output of photovoltaic panels. This new product uses materials originally developed for semiconductor manufacturing to improve the light transmittance through the glass that covers photovoltaic panels.

Honeywell will discuss its results during its investor conference call today starting at 8:00 a.m. EDT. To participate, please dial (719) 457-2683 a few minutes before the 8:00 a.m. start. Please mention to the operator that you are dialing in for Honeywell's investor conference call. The live webcast of the investor call will be available through the 'Investor Relations' section of the company's Website (http://www.honeywell.com/investor). Investors can access a replay of the webcast starting at 11:00 a.m. EDT, October 23, until midnight EDT, October 30, by dialing (719) 457-0820. The access code is 4845565.

Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes, and industry; automotive products; turbochargers; and specialty materials. Based in Morris Township, N.J., Honeywell's shares are traded on the New York, London, and Chicago Stock Exchanges. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywellnow.com.

This release contains certain statements that may be deemed 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that we or our management intends, expects, projects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Such statements are based upon certain assumptions and assessments made by our management in light of their experience and their perception of historical trends, current economic and industry conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate. The forward-looking statements included in this release are also subject to a number of material risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to economic, competitive, governmental, and technological factors affecting our operations, markets, products, services and prices. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results, developments and business decisions may differ from those envisaged by such forward-looking statements.

— WebWireID106330 —

Primus Epic® Based Cockpits Can Be Upgraded Overnight

NBAA, ORLANDO, Fla. -- Honeywell (NYSE: HON) announced today that it has obtained Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification for new avionics functionality for current production Gulfstream aircraft.

The new capabilities include:

• Enhanced features for the industry-best Synthetic Vision–Primary Flight Display (SV-PFD), based on Honeywell's award-winning SmartView™ synthetic vision system,
• Future Air Navigation System (FANS 1/A),
• Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC), and
• Wide Area Augmentation System-Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance (WAAS-LPV).

With the additional features, current production Gulfstream G350, G450, G500 and G550 aircraft will be able to operate to Required Navigation Performance - Special Aircraft and Aircrew Authorization Required (RNP SAAAR) values of 0.1 nm separation (RNP 0.1).

The enhanced SV-PFD brings several new features to the best synthetic vision system in class, including the use of range rings, allowing the flight crew to naturally gauge the distance of terrain and obstacles from the aircraft, and high resolution runway detailing that allows the crew to clearly identify visually the runway they are taking off from, further reducing the risk of a runway incursion.

'These new avionics capabilities are designed to accommodate the planned features of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NGATS) and Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) functionality, and are easily accommodated in PlaneView cockpits based on our Primus Epic technology because of the expandability and growth we built into the system,' said Rob Wilson, President, Business & General Aviation, Honeywell Aerospace. 'Honeywell's flight management systems will improve operating costs and air traffic management capabilities on business aviation aircraft, saving time and reducing emissions.'

The addition of WAAS-LPV approach capability will give these aircraft access to more than 1,300 WAAS approaches in the United States. The certification of the new production Gulfstream G350, G450, G500 and G550 aircraft to RNP SAAAR 0.1 capability will mark the first time any aircraft has ever achieved both the standard of RNP 0.1 capability and WAAS/LPV, and will enable the aircraft all major approach types worldwide including low RNP and WAAS/LPV approaches.

'The expandability of PlaneView cockpits, based on our Primus Epic architecture, is the true promise of avionics flexibility and growth we pledged to the industry when we began developing the first fully integrated cockpit in aviation history,' Wilson said. 'With a software upload, these aircraft will be Next Gen compliant, giving Gulfstream operators the functionality they need today and the knowledge that their PlaneView cockpits can be further expanded to meet future flight requirements.'

RNP is a key component of the FAA's next-generation performance-based navigation system. It utilizes global positioning and inertial reference system navigation, allowing aircraft to fly predetermined paths loaded in their flight management computers. Honeywell is also offering its Go Direct Services, which assists operators in attaining RNP SAAAR operational approval. 'RNP will save Gulfstream operators both time and fuel costs during airport operations and this functionality will improve aircraft capability in the evolving air space operations,' said Chad Cundiff, Vice President, Crew Interface Systems, Honeywell Aerospace. 'Honeywell's Go Direct Services is the leading service for operational approval of Gulfstream operators. It offers operators a complete suite of services to help them gain operational approval for RNP SAAAR in a timely manner including the ability to perform RNP SAAAR database validation, thereby offering operators a turn-key solution for the implementation of RNP SAAAR.'

RNP SAAAR procedures help aircraft access airports at weather minima lower than many other types of approaches and fly more precise approaches and departures, increasing operational efficiency and reducing operating costs, noise and emissions. WAAS provides vertical guidance during LPV approaches, increasing navigation accuracy and availability. FANS is designed to allow more aircraft to safely and efficiently utilize oceanic airspace using automatic dependent surveillance and data link technology.

The new avionics capabilities for the Gulfstream G350, G450, G500 and G550 aircraft will also include paperless terminal charts and maps, allowing the crew to leave all their paper charts while at home and enjoy an unprecedented redundancy that far exceeds industry standards.

The new avionics functionality is complemented by a significant improvement in the aircraft position accuracy through the introduction of High Integrity GPS – Hybrid (HIGH) Step 1 update to the Honeywell Integrated Reference System (IRS) units. This upgrade allows a more robust aircraft position display by blending the GPS signal with the position measurements coming from the IRS, allowing for a graceful degradation in case of GPS signal loss, a significant improvement when flying GPS-based approaches like RNP or WAAS-LPV.

Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Honeywell's aerospace business is a leading global provider of integrated avionics, engines, systems and service solutions for aircraft manufacturers, airlines, business and general aviation, military, space and airport operations.

Honeywell International (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; automotive products; turbochargers; and specialty materials. Based in Morris Township, N.J., Honeywell's shares are traded on the New York, London, and Chicago Stock Exchanges. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywellnow.com.

This release contains certain statements that may be deemed 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that we or our management intends, expects, projects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Such statements are based upon certain assumptions and assessments made by our management in light of their experience and their perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate. The forward-looking statements included in this release are also subject to a number of material risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to economic, competitive, governmental, and technological factors affecting our operations, markets, products, services and prices. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results, developments and business decisions may differ from those envisaged by such forward-looking statements.

— WebWireID105988 —

ATLANTA – In a letter sent today to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the American Civil Liberties Union urged the DOJ to object to changes to election procedures for the Board of Commissioners in Telfair County, Georgia, because the changes would dilute the minority vote. Because of its history of discrimination against minority voters, Telfair County was required under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act to submit the new procedures to the DOJ for federal review.

The proposed changes would alter the boundaries of two commissioner districts, reducing their minority populations, and implement an at-large election system for the chair of the board. Currently, the chair is elected by the commissioners who represent individual districts.

"Every American citizen has the right to participate equally in the political process," said Laughlin McDonald, Director of the ACLU Voting Rights Project. "Unfortunately, racial discrimination and racially polarized voting have been major problems in Telfair County for years, and at-large elections and reducing the minority populations in districts would have a discriminatory impact on minority voters and dilute their vote."

In its comment letter to the DOJ, the ACLU points out that there is substantial evidence that the Georgia Legislature adopted the new election plans with a racially discriminatory purpose.

Prior to 2004, there had never been two black commissioners sitting simultaneously on the board, but two districts have recently been able to elect black candidates. The board's new election system, however, would reduce the minority population in those districts, making it more difficult for black voters to elect candidates of their choice. In addition, given the prevalence of racial bloc voting in the county, election of the chair of the board at-large would further dilute the black vote reducing the likelihood of a black commissioner ever serving as chair.

"The changes to the board elections would have a retrogressive effect on minority voting strength in Telfair County," said McDonald. 'It's clear that they don't meet the requirements of the Voting Rights Act. The DOJ should object to them."

The ACLU letter outlines the long history of segregation and racial discrimination in Telfair County and the obstacles to voting minorities have faced there. In four cases spanning over two decades, the ACLU has represented black voters in Telfair County challenging discriminatory voting practices, including packing black voters into as few districts as possible to dilute their voting strength and failing to reapportion districts to correct for population inequality as well as other violations.

The ACLU's letter to the DOJ can found at: www.aclu.org/votingrights/minority/41277res20091013.html

More information about the ACLU Voting Rights Project can be found at: www.aclu.org/votingrights/index.html

— WebWireID105779 —

'The ACLU is encouraged by the willingness of congressional leaders to lay out details of immigration reform, but we strongly oppose any reforms that would unnecessarily violate the privacy of Americans,' said Michael Macleod-Ball, Acting Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. 'We urge lawmakers to reject any proposed immigration reform measures that include a biometric national worker ID system or a universal compulsory electronic employment verification system. These systems come at enormous cost to the American public and do little to prevent the hiring of undocumented workers. It is unacceptable to force Americans to be fingerprinted and photographed in order to work.'

The ACLU also calls on members of Congress to reject any legislation that gives state and local authorities a role in enforcing federal civil immigration laws. 287(g) agreements between the federal government and state and local law enforcement have led to racial and ethnic profiling across the country. Such agreements undermine effective law enforcement, creating an environment of fear that discourages immigrant communities from cooperating with the police. Cities and states cannot be allowed to supersede national immigration policy by enacting their own laws targeting immigrant communities.

Immigration reform legislation must also address due process failures embodied in current immigration law. Congress should pass provisions that end prolonged detention of people who pose no risk or danger; restore discretion so immigration judges can consider U.S. citizen children and spouses when rendering deportation decisions; and repeal summary procedures that deny fair immigration hearings.

'Comprehensive immigration reform must ensure American core values of due process and equal protection under the law, affording people the right to go to the federal courts to enforce the law and the Constitution,' said Joanne Lin, ACLU Legislative Counsel. 'The power of courts to review the practices and policies governing implementation of legalization is essential to upholding fundamental rights, enforcing the Constitution, ensuring the rule of law and preventing bureaucratic abuses.'

To see the ACLU's statement on the necessary elements of meaningful immigration reform, see: www.aclu.org/immigrants/gen/40043res20090625.html

— WebWireID105775 —

Secretary Napolitano announced the DHS Veterans Outreach Steering Committee in August to advise the Department on efforts to develop a structured and integrated approach to engaging the nation's veteran community. The Committee is comprised of representatives from across DHS and will meet regularly throughout the year.

During the meeting, Secretary Napolitano outlined her major objectives for these efforts, including increased veteran employment opportunities; enhanced veteran contracting opportunities; and improved communication and collaboration between DHS and the veteran community.

Secretary Napolitano highlighted the Department's active recruitment efforts, which have resulted in a DHS civilian workforce comprised of approximately 25 percent veterans, and outlined a robust strategy to engage veterans in promoting homeland security and emergency preparedness in their communities.

In the meeting, Secretary Napolitano and the Committee also discussed next steps for DHS' ongoing veterans outreach, including expanding existing veterans programs, such as Operation War Fighter, and streamlining the Department's veterans outreach website to enhance openness and transparency.

— WebWireID105663 —

Tony Cordaro, Vice President Sales for deverus said, 'It's gratifying to have our Verocity 2009 software as the number one chosen platform both globally and here in the States. With the addition of CRI Group, we have numerous clients using our system to serve the international market. Every day our platform is growing to solve the complexities of background checks abroad, and CRI Group is another testament to our success. As we like to say, Verocity 2009 knows no borders or barriers when it comes to processing background information.'

Zafar Anjum, Chief Executive Officer for CRI Group, explained that his selection of Verocity 2009 will allow CRI Group to take its international pre-employment and security screening company to the next level. 'The enterprise feel of the platform allows for expansion and growth that would not otherwise be an opportunity.'

Mr. Anjum also holds the credentials of Certified Fraud Examiner, often doing work for several governments. He continued, 'International business crime is on the rise, and there isn't a place on earth CRI Group can't reach. As one of the most respected names in global risk management, CRI Group protects the business interests of organizations worldwide with services that encompass business intelligence and employment screening to security consulting and intellectual property protection.'

ABOUT DEVERUS
deverus helps leaders within the background screening industry work better, faster, smarter by providing quality software and support services. By specializing in the intelligent application of technology, it delivers a wide range of quality background screening business solutions.

ABOUT CRI GROUP
An affiliate of Corporate Research and Investigations (Pvt.) Ltd., CRI Group excels at deterring, detecting, and investigating crimes against businesses with offices in the Middle East and Pakistan. CRI Group is a global supplier of investigative, forensic accounting, business due diligence, and employee background screening services for some of the world's leading business organizations.

— WebWireID105627 —

Atlanta - A new crew survivability concept that would build military vehicles around a protected personnel compartment and use a sacrificial 'blast wedge' to absorb energy from improvised explosive devices could improve safety for the occupants of future light armored patrol vehicles.

Researchers from the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) have designed and tested the concept, dubbed ULTRA II, for the U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR). The crew-protection concept builds on an earlier GTRI development for the ONR that evaluated new concepts for light armored vehicles. A blast test conducted with the ULTRA II full-sized crew compartment test article at the Aberdeen Test Center showed that the new concept could protect the vehicle crew from improvised explosions.

'Instead of up-armoring a standard vehicle or modifying an existing drive train, we built a bubble of force protection first and then addressed vehicle mobility,' explained Vince Camp, a GTRI senior research engineer and the project's principal investigator. 'The idea was to emphasize warfighter protection first by starting with design of an improved crew compartment, as opposed to starting with an existing vehicle and trying to add armor.'

The ULTRA II crew compartment was designed to house six persons: a driver and commander facing forward, and two pairs of crew members behind them, each pair facing opposite sides of the vehicle. By putting their backs toward the center of the crew compartment, the concept moves the crew away from the outside walls to reduce the likelihood of injury from side blasts, provides better visibility for the crew to monitor their surroundings, allows blast-resistant seats to be frame-mounted—and facilitates faster egress from the vehicle.

The crew compartment envisioned by GTRI uses a 'space frame' constructed of tubular steel—similar to civilian off-road racing vehicles. An armored steel 'skin' provides added structure and moderate ballistic and blast protection. Additional armor is bolted onto the frame in a modular way, allowing varying levels of protection that could be easily modified in the field and changed as new high-performance armor concepts are developed.

An integral part of the protection is provided by a sacrificial 'blast wedge' bolted onto the bottom of the vehicle. Constructed of welded steel armor, the wedge both deflects energy away from the vehicle and absorbs energy from a blast, performing a function similar to 'crumple zones' in modern civilian vehicles.

The design and fabrication of the test article was conducted by personnel in the Aerospace, Transportation and Advanced Systems Laboratory of GTRI. Tests using a heavily-instrumented test article with instrumented dummies simulating the crew showed that the wedge deflected or absorbed nearly 70 percent of the energy from an explosion beneath it. Damage from the blast was primarily confined to the sacrificial blast wedge and there was no structural damage and no blast penetration to the crew compartment.

'Energy used up in crushing and tearing the metal in the blast wedge is energy that wouldn't go into injuring the crew,' said Kevin Massey, a GTRI senior research engineer who was part of the project team. 'Data from the instrumented dummies shows that had this test been conducted with real warfighters in a real vehicle, we wouldn't have seen any spinal injuries, head trauma, neck trauma or leg injuries.'

Because the wedge is removable, it could be replaced if damaged. Making the blast wedge removable also allows for an overall reduction of the vehicle's height for shipping, an important issue for rapid deployment.

The research team, which also included Burt Jennings, Cal Jameson, Jake Leverett and Mark Entrekin, combined non-linear dynamic blast simulations and neural networks to study how blast forces would affect the vehicle. Conventional finite element analysis also provided valuable design feedback in development of the ULTRA II test article.

There were many tradeoffs to consider in designing the new concept, including vehicle height and resistance to blast forces that may come from many different angles.

'To survive the blast, you want to get as high off the ground as possible,' Massey noted. 'But the higher you are off the ground, the more likely you are to roll over. This is an example of the tradeoffs that have to be balanced.'

In addition to crew protection, the researchers also designed a translating door that would provide a large side opening similar to that of existing civilian minivans. Such a door system would provide improved ingress/egress for the crew and could remain open when the vehicle is moving.

GTRI has presented data from the test to the Office of Naval Research, and hopes to pursue additional refinements to the blast wedge and overall vehicle concept. Among the goals would be to improve energy absorption from the blast wedge, and to evaluate whether the crew compartment should separate from the drive train in certain types of blasts.

'We think that the concept of a space-frame design is a very viable one, and we want to take the lessons we've learned so far to improve on it,' Massey added. 'We'd also like to see if the concept of the energy-absorbing wedge can be applied to existing vehicles that are already out there. The bottom line is saving people's lives and protecting them from injury.'

The Georgia Institute of Technology is one of the nation's premier research universities. Ranked seventh among U.S. News & World Report's top public universities, Georgia Tech's more than 19,000 students are enrolled in its Colleges of Architecture, Computing, Engineering, Liberal Arts, Management and Sciences. Tech is among the nation's top producers of women and African-American engineers. The Institute offers research opportunities to both undergraduate and graduate students and is home to more than 100 interdisciplinary units plus the Georgia Tech Research Institute.

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While Maney's article mentions startups Knewton and StraighterLine, although neither is an accredited institution, it somehow missed Andrew Jackson University, the organization with what is perhaps the best deal in higher education today. With accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and eleven degree programs, all offered online, this university has eliminated or greatly reduced tuition in its unique sponsored programs. In most cases, these programs reduce the cost of the university's online courses to less than fifty dollars per credit hour, a great bargain in the eyes of students, particularly working adults seeking degrees.

Ranked the No. 1 online degree granting university by Online Degree Reviews, Andrew Jackson University has opened its sponsored tuition programs to all U.S. based applicants and those serving in the Armed Forces.

Andrew Jackson University president Don Kassner said the school took a close look at its cost structure and, rather than spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on marketing and advertising like most universities, decided to cut the cost of delivering education to the bone. 'We are not a high-fidelity university, as Kevin Maney describes the Harvards of the world, but a low-cost, high-convenience market disrupter,' Kassner said. 'No football teams or beer-soaked frat parties at AJU. Just rigorous online degree programs for those who want the sheepskin but don't want to pay for the sheepherder's luxury ranch and private plane,' Kassner commented. 'We're even thinking about offering a 'smorgasbord' program where a student pays a flat monthly fee for all the courses they can handle,' he added.

Author Maney refers to degrees from schools that don't have a high-fidelity brand, but offer programs that are far less expensive, as good-enough degrees. 'Good-enough degrees are certainly worthwhile pursuing for those in law enforcement, the military, most municipal and all Federal agencies,' said Joseph Schmoke of University Consultants LLC, who is a director of Andrew Jackson University. 'The police sergeant who needs a degree from an accredited university in order to be promoted to lieutenant is not interested in overspending for that degree, or being inconvenienced by required classroom attendance,' Schmoke stated. He closed by saying, 'Watch this university. It may very well disrupt the century-old university business model, especially its expensive pricing structure and inconvenient, sometimes nonsensical, requirements.'

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Keith Schmoke, Andrew Jackson University's law enforcement liaison, has received requests from across the country and around the world for Pashtu, Hindi, Tagalog, and Creole translations, among others. 'When word got around that we had free witness translation cards available in seven languages the card requests flooded in,' said Schmoke, who with the university's director of admissions Tammy Kassner, has been fielding the requests.

Schmoke had some success contacting consulates and embassies for help with the Tagalog (Filipino), Armenian and Pashtu translations. 'Despite the natural disasters occurring in the Philippines, Brinerdine G. Alejandrino with the Thomas Jefferson Information Center at the Embassy of the United States of America in Manila e-mailed me the Tagalog translation, and even apologized for taking too long to do it,' Schmoke stated. It seems that the embassy had to wait for the power to come back on after being hit by a typhoon.

Other translation help came from the resident agent in charge of the Sioux City FBI office, who asked his wife, a native Albanian and professional translator, to provide the Albanian translation. This cooperation and assistance has resulted in witness translation cards in eleven languages now available through Andrew Jackson University.

When asked how the university became involved with providing the popular witness translation cards, Schmoke said a school executive read where perpetrators were apprehended minutes after a crime was committed because responding officers used the original English-Spanish version to quickly obtain a description of the criminals from witnesses who only spoke Spanish. Since the university has degree programs in criminal justice, the executive thought offering the cards to law enforcement departments would be a way to help make their prospective students' jobs a little easier.

An accredited, wholly online institution ranked No. 1 nationally for online degree programs by Online Degree Reviews, Andrew Jackson University and its Jeffrey D. Rubenstein College of Criminal Justice and Public Safety http://www.aju.edu/jrc/jrc_index.asp cater to students who are already employed in law enforcement. Tammy Kassner said these 'CJ' students like the 24/7 availability of online courses and the fact that degrees earned at her university are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. This recognition makes the degrees acceptable by the vast majority of state and local, as well as all Federal law enforcement and military agencies.

Currently available translations include Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese, Russian, German, Arabic, Tagalog, Armenian, Pashtu and Albanian. 'Our offer still stands,' said Schmoke, 'and to repeat, the translation cards are free. Just send an e-mail to me at kschmoke@aju.edu and we will send you a PDF of the requested card or cards. You can then duplicate them as needed. We know they'll help.'

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WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) inspector general today issued a report stating that the agency's process for clearing the names of travelers who have been mistakenly placed on government watch lists provides little or no relief for most travelers and is plagued by delays and inadequate and insecure information technology. The report further concludes that some aspects of the program, the Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (TRIP), lack oversight, and that in some cases the program's redress procedures lack necessary due process protections.

The following can be attributed to Christopher Calabrese, legislative counsel for the ACLU:

"The inspector general's report reveals that DHS is promising travelers that their watch list problems are solved, while privately admitting that airlines don't use the so-called 'clear' lists that would allow innocent travelers onto their flights. According to the report, DHS officials frequently write to tell travelers their underlying data problems have been solved without being able to ensure that is true. Because of outmoded information technology systems, the method for clearing the names of people who pose no threat to national security from watch lists is plagued by delays, and DHS can't even monitor how many cases it resolves.

"Also disturbing is that fact that, in some cases, DHS has completely turned its back on any possibility of resolving disputes over the list in a neutral fashion. Under the current system, the same agents who put someone on a watch list are the final arbitrators of whether to take them off."

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This program milestone is part of the contract awarded to Sagem by French Atomic Energy Commission CEA (Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique) in late 2003, giving it responsibility for the design, production and integration of the SAHA sections in the Megajoule Laser.

The SAHA sections themselves comprise vary large mechanical structures and high-precision optical mechanisms manufactured and tested by Sagem. They ensure the precise alignment of the laser beams throughout their optical path and contain them within a clean environment. They will be installed in four large halls equipped with a total of 22 laser trains (176 beams), to provide the power needed for experiments.

To meet the ambitious objectives of the Megajoule Laser program, Sagem contributes its proven expertise in opto-mechanics, high-performance optics, vacuum techniques and manufacturing under ultra-clean conditions.

Sagem had already demonstrated its expertise through the production of the Laser Integration Line (LIL), used to validate the design and performance of a full-scale laser train for the Megajoule Laser.

* The Megajoule Laser program is conducted by the Military Applications Division of the CEA. It is part of the French 'Simulation' program, launched following the ratification by France in 1998 of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), to enable the CEA to guarantee the long-term reliability and safety of French nuclear weapons without having to carry out nuclear tests. The first experiments are scheduled for 2014, and will continue for about 30 years. Situated at the CEA's Barp site near Bordeaux, the Megajoule Laser is the only research facility of its kind of Europe, and is the French equivalent of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the United States. For more information see: www-lmj.cea.fr

*** Sagem is a high-tech company in the SAFRAN Group. It is a world or European leader in solutions and services in optronics, avionics, electronics and critical software for the civilian and military markets. Sagem is the European No. 1 and worldwide No.3 in INSs for aeronautic, naval and land applications. It is also the worldwide No.1 in helicopter flight controls and the European No.1 in optronic and tactical UAV systems. Present across the globe via the SAFRAN Group's international network, Sagem and its subsidiaries employ 6000 people in Europe, South East Asia and North America. For more information: www.sagem-ds.com

Sagem is the commercial name of the company Sagem Défense Sécurité.

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