Allies Must Stay Focused on Russia, Biden Says in Munich

By Jim Garamone

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 2015 – Europe and the United States tried to bring Russia into the community of nations in a constructive manner, but Russian President Vladimir Putin has other ideas, Vice President Joe Biden said yesterday in Munich.

Russia’s actions against Ukraine, its bullying of neighboring nations and its repression of dissent at home worry U.S. and European leaders, and they must remain focused against the threat, Biden said at the annual Munich Security Conference.

“America and Europe are being tested,” the vice president said. “President Putin has to understand that as he has changed, so has our focus.”

Western leaders have moved from resetting relations with Russia to reasserting the fundamental bedrock principles on which European freedom and stability rest, Biden said=: inviolate borders, no spheres of influence and the sovereign right to choose alliances.

‘We Have to be Laser-focused on the Greater Threat’

“To protect these important principles,” he added, “we have to be laser-focused on the greater threats to the project of a Europe whole, free, and at peace.”

The vice president said world powers need to be united in support of Ukraine, and that what happens there will resonate well beyond Ukraine. Russia has gone back on freely achieved agreements, he said, and that should matter to countries around the world.

“Russia needs to understand that as long as it continues its current course, the United States, and, God willing, all of Europe and the international community, will continue to impose costs on their violation of basic international norms,” Biden said.

Russia’s president promised peace and a cease-fire, and instead launched troops and tanks and aircraft, the vice president said. The United States “will continue to provide Ukraine with security assistance, not to encourage war but to allow Ukraine to defend itself,” he added.

“Let me be clear,” Biden said. “We do not believe there is a military solution in Ukraine. But let me be equally clear: we do not believe Russia has the right to do what they are doing. We believe we should attempt an honorable peace. But we also believe the Ukrainian people have a right to defend themselves.”

Urges Russia to Comply With Minsk Agreement

Biden called for Russia to go back to the agreement it signed at Minsk with the Ukrainian government in September. This calls for the full withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, the return of control over the international border to Ukraine and to develop a robust international monitoring mission on the Ukrainian-Russian border.

“It’s fully within the power of Moscow to stop the separatists from pursuing the military solution,” Biden said.

The objective, he said, is to preserve the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

“Let me state as clearly as I can what is not our objective -- it is not the objective of the United States … to collapse or weaken the Russian economy,” he said. “That is not our objective. But President Putin has to make a simple, stark choice: Get out of Ukraine or face continued isolation and growing economic costs at home.”

Geospatial Intelligence Certification Info Available on Navy COOL

By Thom Seith, CID Public Affairs

PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- The Center for Information Dominance (CID) announced the availability of information on Navy Credentialing Opportunities Online (COOL) for the Geospatial Intelligence, GEOINT Professional Certification (GPC) Feb 6.

The GEOINT Professional Certification (GPC) captures the fundamental facts, concepts, and principles that are shared by GEOINT practitioners across the National System for Geospatial-Intelligence (NSG). The Navy COOL website now provides prospective candidates information regarding all aspects of GPC, eligibility, registration, and assessment processes.

"Navy COOL's display of the National System for Geospatial Intelligence (NSG) GEOINT Professional Certification (GPC) Program information provides an additional level of awareness to our Navy's intelligence workforce," said Keith Boring, the program manager for the Navy Credential Program Office. "Certifications continue to show employers the level of knowledge and competency attained by the certification holder, which holds true within the Department of Defense and military services as much as it does in the civilian sector."

The Office of Naval Intelligence, Fleet Intelligence Specialists Team (ONI FIST) executes the Navy's GEOINT certification program. Four proficiency levels (PL), accompany each certification tradecraft functional area. PL-I represents GEOINT Fundamentals and is common to all NSG GEOINT analyst work roles. PL-II certification is specific to each GEOINT tradecraft such as imagery analyst (IA), geospatial analyst (GA), image scientist (IS) or GEOINT collection (GC) and denotes full performance in a work role. PL-III and -IV denote advanced and expert, levels respectively.

The GPC is available to uniformed Navy and civilian personnel who are performing specific work roles associated with GEOINT tradecrafts such as enlisted intelligence specialist, intelligence officer and Department of the Navy civilians in the capacity of imagery analysts and GEOINT collection managers.

"This is an important step forward and reflects upon a great effort to help today's Sailors and civilians accomplish certifications in the geospatial intelligence field and many other disciplines. It is good to see the maturation of this approach to providing the opportunity to gain useful skills and to document them for not only current Navy jobs but for future career development," said Will Gallaway, NGA Support Team - Navy located at CID.

The development of the GPC is part of a larger Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence (USDI) initiative to further professionalize the Defense Intelligence Enterprise Workforce. The GPC ensures that credentialed GEOINT practitioners are certified to have demonstrated proficiency in a common set of competencies. This certification process facilitates professional development and training standards, promotes better synchronization and alignment of individual capabilities with DoD Intelligence Enterprise needs through transportable credentials, and the further professionalization of the workforce.

CID is the Navy's Learning Center that leads, manages and delivers Navy and Joint Force training in information operations, information warfare, information technology, cryptology and intelligence.

With a staff of nearly 1,300 military, civilian and contracted staff members, CID oversees the development and administration of more than 226 courses at four commands, two detachments and 14 learning sites throughout the United States and in Japan. CID provides training for approximately 24,000 members of the U.S. Armed Services and Allied Forces each year.

Fleet Cyber Command Announces 2014 Sea and Shore Sailors of the Year

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW/AW/IDW) David R. Finley Jr., U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. 10th Fleet Public Affairs

FORT MEADE, Md. (NNS) -- U.S. Fleet Cyber Command announced its sea and shore Sailors of the Year (SOY) during a ceremony held at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, Feb. 5.

During the ceremony, Vice Adm. Jan E. Tighe, commander U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. 10th Fleet, announced Cryptologic Technician (Collection) 1st Class (IDW/NAC/AW) Arturo L. Livingston, assigned to Navy Information Operations Command Whidbey Island, as the sea SOY and Navy Counselor 1st Class (IDW/AW) Skye L. Pollard, assigned to Navy Information Operations Command Maryland, as the shore SOY.

"I am very excited to participate in today's ceremony as we celebrate your successes and accomplishments that brought you here," said Tighe. "You are the operating force of the Navy and are the best leaders our domain has to offer."

"I am proud of all of our nominees and I encourage each of you to continue to represent yourself and our community positively," Tighe continued.

The winners were chosen from a group of 10 Sailors representing various commands from throughout Fleet Cyber Command's worldwide operational forces.

"It is truly an honor to be selected as shore Sailor of the Year," said Pollard. "First and foremost, I would like to thank my family. They have been my biggest supporters and I would not be here today without them."

Pollard and Livingston were grateful for the experience and are looking forward to the challenge ahead.

"I am just excited to be a part of the selection process," said Livingston. "My success is more a reflection of the support I have received at NIOC Whidbey Island and throughout my entire Navy career."

Pollard will next compete at the Vice Chief of Naval Operations level competition for Shore SOY on Feb. 18. The winner of that competition goes on to compete for the Chief of Naval Operations Shore Sailor of the Year.

Livingston will compete next at Navy Information Dominance Forces Sea Sailor of the Year competition in Norfolk, Va., March 1-6 March.

During the ceremony, Adm. Tighe also announced Cryptologic Technician (Interpretive) 2nd Class (IDW/SG) Gheorghe L. Cormos, assigned to Navy Information Operations Command Maryland, as the sea Junior SOY and Yeoman 1st Class (IDW/AW) Philip M. Breeze, assigned to Navy Information Operations Command Pensacola, as the shore Junior SOY.

U.S. Fleet Cyber Command reports directly to the Chief of Naval Operations as an Echelon II command and is responsible for Navy Networks, Cryptology, Signals Intelligence, Information Operations, Electronic Warfare, Cyber, and Space. As such, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command serves as the Navy Component Command to U.S. Strategic Command and U.S. Cyber Command, and the Navy's Service Cryptologic Component Commander under the National Security Agency/Central Security Service, exercising operational control of Fleet Cyber Command mission forces through TENTH Fleet (C10F).

C10F is the operational arm of Fleet Cyber Command and executes its mission through a task force structure similar to other warfare commanders.