DOD Partners With Agencies to Use AI for Disaster, Humanitarian Relief

 Aug. 20, 2020 | BY David Vergun , DOD News

The Defense Department is partnering with other agencies to develop deep-learning artificial intelligence algorithms to provide near-real-time data to improve the decision-making of first responders engaged in natural disasters and humanitarian assistance efforts.

Representatives from DOD and its partners — the Energy Department and Microsoft — along with a White House official, spoke yesterday during a virtual meeting.

Michael J. Kratsios, DOD's chief technology officer, said five consortiums have been launched to accomplish this goal, using the best AI technology talent from industry to respond to humanitarian assistance and to mitigate natural disasters by protecting property and lives, including those of first responders.

Cheryl Ingstad, director of the Energy Department's AI and technology office, said one of the most important aspects of this work is understanding first responders' needs and developing AI in such a way that they can easily understand and use it. She said she's confident the work will save lives and that additional partners may be added to the effort. 

Nand Mulchandani, acting director of the Defense Department's Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, said DOD is working on this collaborative project because the department devotes significant time and manpower to responding to disasters and humanitarian assistance relief operations, and this work can contribute to that effort in a big way.

Research and development, he said, has been progressing for about a year, and it has progressed from being a concept to become something that can be used. "Software has unique and powerful properties," he said. "If you build it well with the right customer focus and architecture, the more you build, the cheaper it gets."

Susie Adams, Microsoft's chief federal technology officer, said the work not only will help first responders in the United States, but also will be shared with global partners.

"AI and machine learning enable solutions never thought possible," she said. "AI is a tool to augment human intelligence, not replace it. It's about getting data to the right people at the right time as quickly as possible so they can make better-informed decisions."

Adams noted that Microsoft has been working on AI for about 25 years and now has 1,000 researchers engaged in AI work.

Chris Liddell, White House deputy chief of staff, said the administration is excited about government and private partners using AI to save lives and fully supports the effort. 

Refueling Operations

 

A KC-135 Stratotanker refuels a Navy P-8 aircraft above the continental U.S., Aug. 18, 2020.

Storm Cleanup

 

Iowa Air National Guardsman Staff Sgt. Jerad Keegan uses a chainsaw to clear away downed trees in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Aug. 18, 2020. Extremely high winds uprooted trees causing widespread structural damage and power outages across southeast Iowa.

Former Army Nurse, 100, Recalls World War II Experiences

 Aug. 21, 2020 | BY Terri Moon Cronk , DOD News

World War II was raging in 1944. American troops were instrumental in the effort to take back France, including the beach landings in Normandy that caught the Germans off guard. American forces took possession of Rome, and a Soviet counterattack pushed Germany back into Poland. 

In the Pacific, Japan had gained more Chinese territory, but the communists' presence limited Japan's success. The Allies fought back by taking Saipan and invading the Philippines.

Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, 24-year-old nurse Regina Benson and three of her nursing school classmates joined the Army Nurse Corps right after graduation to serve their country. They were assigned overseas and remained lifelong friends.

Benson's three brothers were also serving, so for her, joining the Army as a patriotic duty was not unusual.

"She was kind of fearless," her daughter, Phyllis Benson, said in a recent interview.

Benson, of McLean, Virginia, is now 100 years old. She visited the Pentagon recently and was interviewed about her Army Nurse Corps service in Japan, Hawaii and Okinawa, from September 1944 until April 1946.

While in Hawaii, 2nd Lt. Benson met her future husband, Army 1st Lt. William Benson, who was a supply officer and a company commander. He stayed in the Army Reserve, reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel. When Regina left the Army in 1946, she became a civilian surgical nurse, her daughter said.

Benson had some harrowing experiences during her wartime service in the Pacific.

"We were on a ship going across the Pacific, and we hit a bad storm," Benson said. "So, the captain decided we would go down with the ship, and of course, everybody got on their knees and prayed and promised God many things. Then all of a sudden, the ship calmed down, and we went through the eye of the storm and everybody went back to what they were doing."

After the Japanese announced their surrender on Aug. 15, 1945, and formally signed an agreement Sept. 2, American service members were welcomed into the homes of Japanese, Benson said. "We ate dinner with them, talked to them and stayed in some of the Japanese homes," she said, adding that the Americans shared their rations with the Japanese.

She remembers well, the day the Japanese surrendered. "I was delighted, but the Japanese [troops] in the hills didn't know that World War II was over, and they came down [from the hills] shooting at us," she said. She said she jumped for joy when the war was over so she could return home, get married and work as a civilian nurse.

Benson believes "the United States is the greatest country in the world because of its freedoms and because people can carry out their dreams." If she could speak to younger generations today, she said she would tell them "to love their country, and remember the price [service members] paid for your freedom. Remain true to your country. We can pursue our dreams and hopes."

Regina Benson worked 12-hour shifts in Army hospitals in the Pacific; on wards and in operating rooms. She said the most important thing she did during the war was "to give comfort to those troops who were dying."

According to Benson, the most rewarding part of her Army nursing career was to be able to tell the mother of a young service member that their son did not die alone, because she was there with them.

Rapid Response Team Fights Pandemic at the Deckplates

 Aug. 21, 2020 | BY Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Taylor M Dimartino , USS Germantown

Sailors aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown received nasal swab tests to determine whether or not they had contracted COVID-19, and within the week, all test results came back negative.

Much of the ship's success at fighting the pandemic can be attributed to its COVID-19 Rapid Response Team, or CRRT. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Clint Woods leads the team as Germantown's preventive medicine technician.

"I came up with the idea during our last underway period to start a rapid response team on board," Woods said. "We were juggling a lot of evolutions, and our relatively small medical team ensured that all COVID-19 risks were being mitigated. We had to properly sanitize everything."

In March, during the early phases of Navy COVID-19 policy development, Woods realized it would take more than just the ship's medical personnel to prevent COVID-19 from getting aboard the ship, he said .

"It was all about being available to be at more than one place at a time," Woods said. "I needed people I could train and trust to be an asset in the fight against the coronavirus, people willing to push back against the pandemic."

On April 6, Navy Cmdr. Christopher Causee, Germantown's commanding officer, designated 15 sailors, representing each shipboard department, to serve with the CRRT.

Woods said the Germantown's medical department spent more than a month training CRRT members on everything from proper personal protective equipment wear to disinfectant and quarantine procedures. They are also trained to help with COVID-19 testing and are certified under the Health and Insurance Portability and Accountability Act to handle patient records the same way a hospital corpsman might, he added.

"Each CRRT member has stepped up in such a big way," Woods said. "They have no problem dropping whatever they are doing for their regular work and hopping into an evolution to support all of the medical team's efforts. We made sure they were more capable than the average sailor of identifying COVID-19 related risks and carrying out the proper procedures when mitigating those risks."

Fighting COVID-19 on-ship, and keeping Germantown and our embarked crews safe and ready to take on our mission, is important. We are fortunate to have a team trained and ready."

Navy Lt. Kimberley Engols

It is now commonplace to see sailors wiping down surfaces around the ship with disinfectant two to three times each day. In addition to regular flight deck crews, members of the CRRT, equipped with handheld sprayers, now stand ready at the flight line to disinfect incoming supplies delivered by helicopter. Other members stand nearby, disinfectant solution in hand, ready to spray each wrapped pallet as it is brought off the flight deck.

"Our ship was underway when the COVID-19 pandemic started, and we had to come up with a plan to remain free of the virus, keep our crew safe and continue on with our mission," said Navy Lt. Kimberley Engols, the Germantown's dental officer and appointed "COVID officer."

"Our first few planning meetings consisted of gathering the limited available data of the virus and finding ways to adapt protocol to our unique shipboard environment," Engols said. "Working in confined spaces where distancing sailors is challenging, we realized how strict protocol needed to be in order to prevent COVID-19 from entering our ship."

Engols added that Germantown's protocol is adapted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations to meet Navy operational requirements. It is continuously reviewed as new evidence emerges about transmission and disinfection, she said.

While his team's actions have not always been convenient for the Germantown's crew, Woods said, everyone understands the importance of setting a new routine for life aboard a warship during the pandemic.

Woods said the CRRT is responsible for implementing strict social distancing controls while underway by periodically shutting down the gyms and ship's store, limiting the number of personnel eating on the mess decks at any given time and maintaining a 6-foot distance between sailors in the chow line. The team also ensures that masks are worn properly by every member of the crew.

"Everyone on board recognizes how serious the virus has become," Woods said. "Even if these decisions are unpopular, they are necessary, and I have the CRRT members to thank for all of their incredible work enforcing these policies."

Engols said the CRRT has played a vital role in keeping Germantown's crew safe.

"The team continues to adapt to our mission and is ready to muster at any time of day, as needed, in response to any potential threat vectors," Engols said. "Fighting COVID-19 on-ship, and keeping Germantown and our embarked crews safe and ready to take on our mission, is important. We are fortunate to have a team trained and ready."

Woods said he agrees that the CRRT's goal is keeping everyone on the ship healthy.

"We haven't had a single case of COVID-19 on the ship, and I recognize that as evidence of how effective our team has been," Woods said. "If we can keep concern about coronavirus at the back of everyone's mind and allow sailors to focus first on all the hard work they are doing on a daily basis at sea, then I know we are on the right track to beat this virus. My team's ability to adapt and overcome has been phenomenal and has made all the difference in keeping our crew safe from coronavirus."

The Germantown, part of America Expeditionary Strike Group, is operating in the 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners, and serves as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Pathfinder Medical Technician Discovers Safer COVID-19 Swab Technique

 

Aug. 21, 2020 | BY AIR FORCE AIRMAN 1ST CLASS JENNIFER ZIMA

A medical technician at Royal Air Force Croughton, England, discovered a COVID-19 testing technique that needed to be changed, so he elevated the concern and affected testing procedures across the entire Defense Department.

Air Force Tech. Sgt. Steve Zavala, 422nd Medical Squadron medical operations flight chief and Trusted Care champion, along with three other medical technicians, have been testing patients for COVID-19 at the 422nd MDS using the same testing procedure used for the seasonal flu.

''The particular method to collect the COVID-19 swabs is called the nasopharyngeal swab,'' Zavala said. ''The training that we received is dictated down from [the Defense Health Agency]. The DOD Global Respiratory Pathogen Surveillance questionnaire lays out, step by step, how to do a nasopharyngeal swab.''

The questionnaire said that one of the steps when collecting a sample was to have patients blow their nose into a tissue. However, while watching COVID-19 testing on the news, Zavala noticed other medical professionals were not having their patients blow their noses before collecting samples.

''I was pretty confident we were doing something wrong here — something just didn't seem right to me.'' Zavala said. ''I did some research and finally came across a step-by-step guideline according to the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] on what you should do for nasopharyngeal swabs.''

Zavala noticed that the CDC procedures had no recommendation that patients have to blow their noses. He then searched the Air Force Medical Service Knowledge Exchange COVID-19 page and didn't find that recommendation.

''There’s this big push for medical Trusted Care, not only in the Air Force, but across DOD,'' Zavala said. ''We're trying to mirror the reliability that the nuclear industry and commercial aircraft have. ... Medical has been trying to adopt the principles that those industries have, and we call it Trusted Care.''

Trusted Care is not a program, but a type of culture focused on improved communication, he explained.

''It took us three years to get to the point where we're starting to see some of the positives from doing all of the Trusted Care work,'' Zavala said. ''Every department has their own daily huddle. That's the time to bring up any safety concerns — it's all safety driven. Every meeting that we have starts with safety moments and safety stories.

''It's hard for people sometimes,'' he continued. ''They just fix things on the fly — they don't think of things as a safety moment. The way that people learn the best is from stories. It's to get people to look at things in a different way, and maybe it will trigger that story in their mind when they see something else. In a hospital, anyone can find something that can be a huge issue.''

A Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation report is part of Trusted Care. It's a technique used in health care to facilitate communicating recommendations to improve patient care. ''You're recommending an action be taken,'' Zavala said. ''You're not just complaining about something wrong, but you're recommending up to the highest levels.''

Zavala sent a SBAR report to his leadership, explained the situation and asked for clearer guidance on testing procedures to have more accurate results. They sent the SBAR, and the recommendations to discontinue nose-blowing, to the U.S. Air Forces in Europe Trusted Care regional and head laboratories. From there, the report gained Air Force-level attention.

''The form that is DOD-wide is going to be changed to match the CDC,'' Zavala said.

Zavala shared some suggestions from his experience.

''Speak up if you see something that doesn't jibe with what you've been taught,'' he said. ''A big thing in Trusted Care is to exercise a questioning attitude. It's always good to ask people for a crosscheck — 'Hey, does this seem right to you?' It ties into our core value of excellence in all we do. Why are we taking the time to do this, if you feel it’s not the best method?''

(Air Force Airman 1st Class Jennifer Zima is assigned to the 501st Combat Support Wing.)

Space Command Leadership Changes Hands

Aug. 21, 2020 | BY TERRI MOON CRONK , DOD News

For decades, the world has enjoyed the freedom to operate in space, and today, billions of people worldwide rely on space-based capabilities. ''Yet we now find that space has become highly contested, and the gains the United States possesses are threatened,'' Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper said at the U.S. Space Command change-of-command ceremony in Colorado Springs, Colorado. 

Army Gen. James H. Dickinson succeeded Space Force Gen. John W. ''Jay'' Raymond as Spacecom commander, the 11th and newest DOD combatant command. Raymond, the chief of space operations, had also led Spacecom since its inception.

''[As] we continue to push the limits of science and innovation, we recognize that our competitors are seeking new ways to exploit our systems and to undermine our military advantage,'' Esper said. ''We know, for example, that China and Russia are weaponizing space through the development of anti-satellite missiles, directed energy, weapons and more — all designed to hold the United States and allied space systems at risk. They have turned a once peaceful arena into a warfighting domain.''

Space power will be essential in any future conflict. The National Defense Strategy underscores the importance of modernizing our space capabilities to effectively respond to this rapidly changing and complex security environment, the secretary said.

Fortunately, he added, Space Command has been in Raymond's capable hands, and that will continue with Dickinson.\

As Spacecom's top officer, Raymond pushed joint warfighting excellence in the space domain by focusing on the organization, training and equipping of our nation's finest space professionals, Esper said.

Dickinson, prior to becoming Spacecom's deputy commander, commanded the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, Army Forces Strategic Command and the Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense, a seminal experience that has equipped space operations in a joint environment, Esper said.

''Jim Dickinson is a man of enormous character. And in this particular job, he's going to need every ounce of that character, because he's going to have to continually render his best military advice to the secretary of defense and the president in times of crisis in good times and bad times,'' Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said.

''Jim Dickinson's foot will now be on the accelerator, pedaling,'' Raymond said of his Spacecom successor. ''Thank you for serving so closely with me over the past six months, and I couldn't be more excited. There is no one more qualified to serve as commander in chief of space operations.''

''I am truly humbled and deeply honored to assume command of your Space Command … I am thankful to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the secretary of defense, the president of the United States and our congressional leader for the trust and confidence they have placed in me to lead our nation's newest combatant command in its role to protect, defend and advance our nation's interest in space,'' Dickinson said.

Command Senior Enlisted Leader Assignment

 Aug. 21, 2020

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The Office of the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (OSEAC) announced today the following assignment:

Army Command Sgt. Maj. Sheryl D. Lyon, currently assigned as the command senior enlisted leader for the U.S. Army Cyber Command, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, has been selected to assume responsibility as the command senior enlisted leader for the U.S. Cyber Command and National Security Agency, Fort Meade, Maryland.

DOD Announces $17.4 Million in Defense Production Act Title III COVID-19 Actions

 Aug. 21, 2020

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Today, the Department announces four Defense Production Act Title III actions to sustain and strengthen essential domestic industrial base capabilities in molecular diagnostic testing, satellite communications, laser electronics, and aircraft engine repair.  These actions will help to retain critical workforce capabilities throughout the disruption caused by COVID-19. The Department remains closely partnered with FEMA and HHS, providing almost $2.9 billion in life-saving medical services, supplies and equipment to service members and federal agencies in the nation's whole-of-government approach to the pandemic.

DOD & HHS Announce $3.1 Million Defense Production Act Title III Agreement with BioFire Defense, LLC to Expand Domestic Production Capacity for Molecular Diagnostic Testing

As initially released on August 10 and as part of the national response to COVID-19, the Department of Defense (DOD), in coordination with the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), signed an agreement with BioFire Defense, LLC, a subsidiary of bioMérieux, to expand the production of the BioFire® COVID-19 Test for the DOD. Government funding allocated was $3.1 million.

The current COVID-19 pandemic created a global demand for diagnostic tests for the virus, including a requirement to maintain operational readiness and the health of our armed forces.  The investment in BioFire Defense will enable the company to increase manufacturing capacity through expansion of its facility in Salt Lake City, Utah. By installing two new production lines, BioFire Defense will triple its manufacturing capacity of tests starting in September 2020, which are compatible for use with BioFire® FilmArray® instruments that are fielded across the DOD and Department of State.

This effort has been led by the DOD’s Joint Acquisition Task Force (JATF), in coordination with the Department of the Air Force’s Acquisition COVID-19 Task Force (DAF ACT), and funded through the Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III program. This project is part of the interagency effort to ensure timely availability of medical resources essential for national defense.

DOD Announces $3.6 Million Defense Production Act Title III Agreement with AQYR Technologies to Strengthen Domestic Space Industrial Base

As part of the national response to COVID-19, the Department of Defense entered a $3.6 million contract with AQYR Technologies under Title III of the Defense Production Act to sustain and expand critical industrial base capability for the Global Broadcast Service (GBS) Portable Receiver Suite (PRS).

AQYR Technologies is a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) company and is the sole source supplier of the PRS tactical and portable terminals which enable warfighters to receive extremely large intelligence products (streaming video, imagery, geospatial, etc) while reducing the chances of discovery by enemy signals detection systems. Using funds authorized and appropriated under the CARES Act, this DPA Title III investment will sustain and expand critical capabilities and capacity that revolutionizes the way the warfighter operates by allowing them to receive important information broadcasted over satellite communication (SATCOM) channels deployed globally.

This investment will ensure the U.S. Government receives dedicated long-term industrial capacity to meet the needs of the nation while maintaining and protecting a skilled workforce during the disruption caused by COVID-19.

AQYR headquarters in Nashua, New Hampshire will be the principal place of performance.

DOD Announces $7.0 Million Defense Production Act Title III Agreement with Leonardo Electronics US Inc. to Strengthen Domestic Electronics Industrial Base 

As part of the national response to COVID-19, the Department of Defense entered into a $7.0 million agreement with Leonardo Electronics US Inc. to sustain critical industrial base capabilities for Diode Pumped Alkali Laser (DPAL) systems.

Leonardo Electronics US Inc. intends to continue production of laser diode modules for DPALs to sustain production operations and stabilize the supply chain, ensuring that the U.S. Government continues to have access to this critical domestic capability.

Using funds authorized and appropriated under the CARES Act, this DPA Title III investment will offset financial distress brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and enable Leonardo Electronics US Inc. to retain critical core competencies and capabilities required to produce DPALs, as well as support their supply chain, which includes many small businesses, put at risk by COVID-19.

The principal place of performance will be the Leonardo Electronics US Inc. facility in Tucson, Arizona. 

DOD Announces $3.7 Million Defense Production Act Title III Agreement with Aero Turbine to Strengthen Domestic Aircraft Industrial Base 

As part of the national response to COVID-19, the Department of Defense entered into a $3.7 million agreement with Aero Turbine under Title III of the Defense Production Act to sustain critical industrial base capability and capacity for U.S. Air Force J85 engine and parts manufacturing.  

Aero Turbine is a small business that provides turbine engine and accessory overhaul, repair, and testing services for the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and U.S. Army. Using funds authorized and appropriated under the CARES Act, this investment will expand its domestic production capability and capacity for J85 engines and parts to meet vitally important demand in support of the DOD. The investment will positively impact operational readiness by reducing delay times and driving time and cost savings for the U.S. Government. Additionally, Aero Turbine will be able to retain critical workforce capabilities throughout the disruption caused by COVID-19 and to restore some jobs lost due to the pandemic.

Aero Turbine headquarters in Stockton, California will be the principal place of performance.

Website Resources:

• DOD Coronavirus Update    
• DOD Industrial Policy
• Joint Acquisition Task Force 
• Defense Production Act Title III

Night Watch

 

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. James Esquibel scans a road for simulated enemies during an evaluation at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Aug. 12, 2020.

Tent Team

 

Sailors set up a naval enterprise tactical command control tent before an exercise in Okinawa, Japan, Aug. 17, 2020.

Blue Angels

 

The Blue Angels, the Navy’s flight demonstration squadron, fly with the team’s new C-130J Super Hercules over Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., Aug. 17, 2020. The Blue Angels’ previous C-130 “T” model served the team for 17 years and was retired in May 2019.

DOD Announces Winners of the 2020 Commander in Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence

 Aug. 21, 2020

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Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper has announced the 2020 recipients of the Commander in Chief’s Annual Award for Installation Excellence.

The Commander in Chief’s Annual Award for Installation Excellence recognizes the outstanding and innovative efforts of the people who operate and maintain U.S. military installations. The five recipients of this highly competitive presidential award were selected for their exemplary support of Department of Defense missions.

Recipients of the 2020 Commander in Chief’s Annual Award for Installation Excellence are:

U.S. Army Garrison Fort Drum, New York
Senior Commander: Major General Brian J. Mennes, U.S. Army
Garrison Commander:  Colonel Jeffery P. Lucas, U.S. Army

Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia
Commanding Officer: Captain Bradley N. Rosen, U.S. Navy

Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, California
Base Commander: Brigadier General Roger Turner, U.S. Marine Corps

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
Commanding Officer: Colonel Patricia A. Csànk, U.S. Air Force

Defense Distribution Depot, San Joaquin, California
Commanding Officer: Colonel Tiffany. N. Harris, U.S. Marine Corps

Installations compete on how well they achieve the department’s objectives in several areas of installation management, including mission support, energy conservation, quality of life and unit morale, environmental stewardship, real property management, safety, health and security, communications, and public relations.

Excellent installations enable better mission performance and enhance the working and living conditions for military men and women, DOD civilians and their families.  Each of the winning installations succeeded at being the best in achieving excellence in performing installation management within their military service and the Defense Logistics Agency.

Each winning installation will receive a commemorative trophy and flag and a congratulatory letter from the president.

For information about each winning installation’s accomplishments, read these narratives.

For more information about the award program, read this fact sheet.

Former Army Special Forces Officer Charged in Russian Espionage Conspiracy

 Former Green Beret Allegedly Conspired to Provide National Defense Information to Russian Intelligence

A Gainesville, Virginia, man was arrested today for conspiring with Russian intelligence operatives to provide them with United States national defense information.

According to court documents, from December 1996 to January 2011, Peter Rafael Dzibinski Debbins, 45, a former member of the U.S. Army, allegedly conspired with agents of a Russian intelligence service.  During that time, Debbins periodically visited Russia and met with Russian intelligence agents.  In 1997, Debbins was assigned a code name by Russian intelligence agents and signed a statement attesting that he wanted to serve Russia.

“Two espionage arrests in the past week — Ma in Hawaii and now Debbins in Virginia — demonstrate that we must remain vigilant against espionage from our two most malicious adversaries — Russia and China,” said John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security.  “Debbins violated his oath as a U.S. Army officer, betrayed the Special Forces and endangered our country’s national security by revealing classified information to Russian intelligence officers, providing details of his unit, and identifying Special Forces team members for Russian intelligence to try to recruit as a spy.  Our country put its highest trust in this defendant, and he took that trust and weaponized it against the United States.”

“Our military is tasked with the awesome responsibility of protecting our nation from its adversaries, and its service members make incredible sacrifices in service of that duty,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.  “When service members collude to provide classified information to our foreign adversaries, they betray the oaths they swore to their country and their fellow service members.  As this indictment reflects, we will be steadfast and dogged in holding such individuals accountable.”

"The facts alleged in this case are a shocking betrayal by a former Army officer of his fellow soldiers and  his country," said Alan E. Kohler, Jr.,  FBI Assistant Director of the Counterintelligence Division.  "Debbins is accused of giving Russian intelligence officers sensitive information about the units in which he once served and also providing the names of other service members so Russia could try to recruit them.  These actions cannot stand and the FBI will aggressively pursue such cases."

“According to the allegations, Mr. Debbins knowingly provided information to self-proclaimed members of Russia's Intelligence Service, the GRU,” said James A. Dawson, Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. “As a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, the American people and his fellow service men and women should have been able to trust Debbins with secrets and information.  Debbins allegedly fell very short of that and exploited his role in the military and his fellow service members to benefit one of our top adversaries for years. Today’s charges are another example of the dedicated and unrelenting efforts of the FBI and our partners, domestic and international, to aggressively pursue and bring to justice those who violate this sacred trust and place our national security at risk.”

Over the course of the conspiracy, Debbins allegedly provided the Russian intelligence agents with information that he obtained as a member of the U.S. Army, including information about his chemical and Special Forces units.  In 2008, after leaving active duty service, Debbins disclosed to the Russian intelligence agents classified information about his previous activities while deployed with the Special Forces.  Debbins also provided the Russian intelligence agents with the names of, and information about, his former Special Forces team members so that the agents could evaluate whether to approach the team members to see if they would cooperate with the Russian intelligence service.

Debbins is charged with conspiring to provide United States national defense information to agents of a foreign government.  If convicted, Debbins faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James A. Dawson, Acting Assistant Director of FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas W. Traxler and James L. Trump, and Trial Attorney David Aaron of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

Assistant Attorney General Demers and U.S. Attorney Terwilliger greatly appreciate the assistance of the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office, and Army Counterintelligence, along with the United Kingdom's Metropolitan Police and MI5.

An indictment is merely an accusation.  The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.