Washington, DC – FBI Assistant Director John Miller today responded to the release of the Office of the Inspector General’s (OIG) report entitled “The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Control over Weapons and Laptops Follow-up Audit.”

“It is notable that the Inspector General has concluded the FBI has made significant progress in decreasing the rate of loss for weapons and laptops. The OIG determined that when compared with figures from 2002, there has been a 349% reduction in the average number of weapons lost or stolen in a given month and a 312% reduction in the loss or theft of laptop computers.

“Still, we differ with the OIG’s conclusions in some areas. In a detailed response to the OIG, we outlined objections to certain conclusions and negative inferences made in the report, specifically with respect to lost weapons attributed to the audit period, which we believe pre-dated the audit. Nonetheless, we acknowledge more needs to be done to ensure the proper handling of the loss and theft of weapons and laptops, and the information maintained on them. We appreciate the work done by the OIG and agree with the majority of their recommendations. We have or will be implementing those recommendations.

“While the Inspector General acknowledged that the loss of certain resources is inevitable in an organization the size of the FBI, we nevertheless stand committed to increasing institutional and personal accountability to further increase the progress we have made in minimizing the loss of firearms and information technology components.”

NOTE FROM ME
I would point out with respect to the laptops, that information does not need to be classified to be dangerous. Even otherwise benign information if it were to fall into the wrong hands could pose an unacceptable degree of risk. If the FBI is in fact taking steps to reduce the loss/theft of both firearms, and information I applaud these efforts.

Robert

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6, 2007 - Cooperation among government agencies
is crucial for success in the war on terrorism, the top U.S.
general told members of Congress today.

Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
asked members of the Senate Armed Services Committee to look at
ways to help the military work more closely with other U.S.
government agencies.

The general said "impediments" are standing in the way of smooth
operations among U.S. government agencies.

Pace has often said the military cannot win the war on terror
alone.

The war on terror requires contributions from civilian employees
of many other Cabinet departments, including Education, Justice,
Treasury and Commerce. "We need as a nation to be able to
harness all of the elements of our national power as we move forward
for the next decades in fighting terrorism," Pace said in 2004.

Pace recommended a year ago that Congress look at the
interagency process. "We need to find similar ways to encourage
interagency expertise," he said. "Rewarding interagency work experience,
education and training will facilitate better synergy between
departments," he said in February 2006. "Likewise, we need and
should reward individuals and agencies that rapidly deploy and
sustain civilian expertise in tandem with our military. Shared
deliberate and crisis planning capacity among our interagency partners
will also improve our nation's readiness for contingencies."

Congress needs to particularly look at the way the military and
the State Department work together and with allies, Pace said
today. "We need to look at how we have authorized our military and
State Department to work with our partners," he said.

The general said interagency partners need to find "impediments
to effective and efficient assistance and work with the Congress
to overcome them."

Pace, testifying along with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates on
the president's defense budget request, also told the senators
that the U.S. government needs to look at "the expeditionary
capabilities of other parts of our government," besides those of the
U.S. military.

Pace held up the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986 as an example of
legislation that has had a lasting positive impact on making the
government work better. "We should take a good hard look at our
interagency effectiveness and take a look at, for example, the
empowerment that the Goldwater-Nichols Act gave us in jointness
in the military," he said.

The act forced the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps to
work together. "(We need to) see which if any of those kind of
ideas would help us (be) more effective and efficient in the way we
operate in the interagency here in D.C. and across the planet,"
he said.

This will be needed because the world is a complex place with
many potential problem areas, the general said. "As you look out
across the globe for the next 12 months or so, it's hard to see
where the demand (for U.S. military assets) is going to
diminish," he said.

Pace made a figurative trip around the world naming potential
flashpoints. "Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon,
Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Colombia, Venezuela, Philippines,
Indonesia, Malaysia, North Korea, and back around to Pakistan, and I'm
sure I missed a few. But there are multiple challenges out there
for our armed forces," he said.

The number of potential trouble spots solidifies the need for
more troops, the general said. Such worldwide demands also
solidify the need for more mid-grade NCOs and officers, "because those
are the ones we depend on heavily to help train and equip our
partners."

Pace used the opportunity of his congressional testimony to
thank the troops and their families. "They are just magnificent," he
said. "We owe them a great debt of gratitude, and I'm proud to
represent them in front of you this morning."

Pace also thanked employers of reserve-component personnel. He
said reservists "are key members of our team, and we recognize
that they are also key parts of business teams." He said DoD
appreciates employers' patience and support as their employees
perform their duties for the nation.

Arlington, Va. January 31, 2007 The Cyber Security Industry Alliance (CSIA) today called upon the federal government to significantly bolster its efforts to ensure the security of sensitive information, improve the security and resiliency of the critical information infrastructure and increase federal information assurance in 2007. CSIA's latest annual report, the 2007 Agenda for U.S. Government Action, identifies specific actions for Congress and the Administration to focus on improving information security for citizens, industry and governments globally. As part of the Agenda, CSIA also issued its Federal Progress Report for 2006 on the government's limited advancements in these same areas.

"While the government has taken some positive steps forward to improve the state of information security, action has been decidedly mixed," said Liz Gasster, acting executive director and general counsel of CSIA. "CSIA commends the government for moving forward on several key initiatives including the Senate's ratification of the Council of Europe's Convention on Cyber Crime and the appointment of an Assistant Secretary for Cyber Security and Telecommunications. However, we are discouraged by Congress' inability to pass a comprehensive federal law to protect sensitive personal information, even in the face of more than 100 million Americans having their data records exposed. In 2007, CSIA will work even harder to urge swift action from Congress to pass this much-needed legislation."

Review of the State of Information Security in the U.S. in 2006
One year ago, CSIA called on the Administration and Congress to enhance the nation's information security and reliability for consumers, industry and the government by acting on 13 critical recommendations to protect the nation against cyber threats. Today, CSIA issues a Federal Progress Report to grade the government on its follow-through on its 2006 recommendations. Rather than grade each specific initiative, as done in years past, CSIA offers a composite grade for each area to provide a more holistic view of how the government is performing:

Security of Sensitive Information: Congress ratified the Council of Europe Convention on Cyber Crime but failed to pass a comprehensive law to protect sensitive personal information. Grade: D

Security & Resiliency of Critical Information Infrastructure: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appointed an Assistant Secretary for Cyber Security and Telecommunications and implemented programs such as LOGIIC and Cyber Storm, but hasn't offered a clear agenda on the Department's top cyber security R&D priorities or established a survivable emergency coordination network to handle a large-scale cyber security disaster. Grade: D

Federal Information Assurance: Government continues to offer a mixed bag of successes and failures, with progress within OMB and implementation of HSPD-12, but much improvement is needed in the areas of using the power of procurement, resolving systemic telework issues, and releasing information on the cost of cyber attacks. Grade: D

A Government Call to Action for 2007
In its 2007 Agenda for U.S. Government Action, CSIA calls on the Administration and Congress to implement the following recommendations to help improve the privacy, reliability and integrity of information:

Security of Sensitive Information: Pass a comprehensive federal law to secure sensitive personal information and notify consumers in case of a breach. This data security legislation should apply equally to all government and private sector entities that collect, maintain or sell significant numbers of records containing sensitive personal information, and require organizations to establish reasonable security measures to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive personal information, in order to minimize the likelihood of a breach.

Security & Resiliency of Critical Information Infrastructure: DHS should quickly establish cyber security and telecommunications priorities that address situational awareness, emergency communications and recovery and reconstitution and ensure that appropriate funding is in place to support these programs. In the event of a major information infrastructure attack or disruption, an integrated, dedicated system should be implemented that can monitor the entire information infrastructure.

Federal Information Assurance: Congress and the Administration should work together to strengthen the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). To effectively establish and maintain a comprehensive information security program, the power of federal CIOs should be strengthened so that they can better enforce authority concerning budgets and personnel resources. Federal agencies should increase their assessments and testing of information security controls, and acquisition regulations should be revised to ensure that all federal contractors comply with FISMA requirements. In addition, all agencies establish a common requirement to notify citizens in case of a breach of sensitive personal information.

To obtain a full copy of CSIA's Federal Progress Report for 2006 and 2007 Agenda for U.S. Government Action, please visit: https://www.csialliance.org/resources/pdfs/CSIA_06Report_07Agenda_US_Govt.pdf

About the Cyber Security Industry Alliance

The Cyber Security Industry Alliance is the only advocacy group dedicated exclusively to ensuring the privacy, reliability and integrity of information systems through public policy, technology, education and awareness. Led by CEOs from the world's top security providers, CSIA believes a comprehensive approach to information system security is vital to the stability of the global economy. Visit our web site at www.csialliance.org.

Members of the CSIA include Application Security, Inc.; CA, Inc. (NYSE: CA); BSI Management Systems; Citrix Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CTXS); Crossroads Systems, Inc. (OTCBB Pink Sheets: CRDS.PK); Entrust, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENTU); F-Secure Corporation (HEX: FSC1V); Fortinet, Inc.; IBM Internet Security Systems Inc. (NYSE: IBM); iPass Inc. (NASDAQ: IPAS); McAfee, Inc. (NYSE: MFE); Mirage Networks; MXI Security; PGP Corporation; Qualys, Inc.; RSA, The Security Division of EMC (NYSE: EMC); Secure Computing Corporation (NASDAQ: SCUR); Surety, Inc.; SurfControl Plc (LSE: SRF); Symantec Corporation (NASDAQ: SYMC); TechGuard Security, LLC; and Vontu, Inc.

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31, 2007 - The Commission on the National Guard
and Reserves heard testimony here today from three top leaders
concerning how best to empower the Guard through its top
leadership position.

Congress directed formation of the independent commission,
charged with recommending any needed changes in law and policy to
ensure that the nation's Guard and reserve forces are organized,
trained, equipped, compensated, and supported to best meet
national security requirements.

Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey and Army Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum
gave the commission their views on the way forward for the top
National Guard position, which Blum currently occupies, as well
as on the Guard's organization and funding.

Blum told the commissioners that while there has been some
adaptation by the Defense Department, the Department of Homeland
Security and other agencies in acknowledging the more significant
role the National Guard plays in national security, that role
needs to be formalized and written into the National Guard's
charter.

"DoD and DHS are adapting, although not formally. It's ad hoc
and hit-and-miss," Blum said. He also said the National Guard's
top officer should have a formal relationship with the chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the secretary of defense.

Pace agreed with Blum that the National Guard Bureau chief's
relationship with the chairman and secretary of defense should be
formalized, but said the Guard chief should be an advisor,
reporting to the chairman, as opposed to being a member of the Joint
Chiefs. Pace said most of DoD's top staff and combatant
commanders reach out to Blum in an informal manner because they value his
expertise and input.

"The truth is that all of those folks know that Steve Blum knows
a lot of stuff, so we have informally reached out," he said.

Rewriting of the Guard's charter to include a relationship to
the secretary of defense through the chairman, Pace said, would
allow for formal lines of communication between the Guard and
combatant commanders.

"I would encourage that in whatever is rewritten in the charter
that we recognize the unique capabilities of the chief of the
National Guard Bureau," Pace said.

Among the questions the commission is considering is whether the
Guard would be better served with a four-star general in charge.
Blum, who wears three stars, said it comes down to "scope and
responsibility of the job."

His role is increasing in responsibility, he said, and he noted
that he manages a force that in terms of budget and personnel is
larger than the United States Marine Corps.

Pace said that based on the Guard Bureau chief's current job
description, a three-star billet is sufficient, but that the
commission should review the position to see if additional current and
future obligations are comparable to a four-star general's
responsibilities.

And if the position of advisor to the chairman is added, he
said, then additional resources also should be allocated.

"If we are going to add those kinds of tasks to his ruck sack,
then we also resource him," Pace said. "I don't know how much in
office staff and resources he will need, but if we want to make
him available to all of those decision-makers, then we should
resource him and not take it out of his pocket."

Pace conceded that the Defense Department did not go a good
enough job in the past of resourcing the Guard, but that DoD
officials have taken those lessons learned and are applying them to
current practices. He said systems now are in place that will
systemically ensure that officials are appropriately looking at
resourcing units.

"We need to do this right. I am comfortable that we recognize
what we've done wrong in the past, and we have systems in place,"
Pace said.

Pace said seating the Guard chief with the Joint Chiefs would
create a rift in joint cooperation.

"If you make this individual a member of the Joint Chiefs, you
create two armies and two air forces," the general said. "You
will do major damage to the synergy that we've gotten. We are
there, and should not take a step back. I would recommend in the
strongest terms I know how, 'Do not do that.'"

In his opening statement to the commission, Harvey cited
progress in joint cooperation since the Goldwater-Nichols Defense
Reorganization Act became law in 1986. The law streamlined the
military chain of command and required the services to work more
closely together. He said proposed legislation aimed at, among other
things, making the Guard Bureau chief a member of the Joint
Chiefs is unnecessary, but that he understands the motivation behind
it.

"(The legislation) would confuse command and control
relationships and lines of authority that the department has formed over
the past 20 years since Goldwater-Nichols was enacted," Harvey
said. "I believe that the legislation stems from decades of neglect
of the needs of our reserve forces. This partially resulted from
a strategy that was based on using the reserve components as a
strategic reserve.

"However, just as our strategy has dramatically changed, so has
the department's entire approach to organizing, training and
equipping our reserve forces. ... Quite frankly, the proposed
solution is intended to solve a problem that does not exist," Harvey
said.

The commission is due to submit its recommendations to Congress
on March 1.

American Forces Press Service

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla., Jan. 31, 2007 - The Continental
U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region is stepping
up its air patrols in the Miami-Dade area to increase security
during Super Bowl XLI activities.

Spectators will see the Air Force Demonstration Squadron, the
Thunderbirds, fly over Dolphin Stadium Feb. 4 during pregame
events and other Air Force fighter jets in the local area during the
game.

The patrols are a smart, efficient way to protect American lives
and resources in the region, said Maj. Gen. Henry C. Morrow, the
commander of both 1st Air Force and Continental U.S. North
American Aerospace Defense Command Region.

"NORAD protects a variety of national assets across the nation
on any given day," Morrow said. "In this instance we are
increasing our sorties in the Miami-Dade area as part of our continuing
resolve to protect our homeland and citizens during these major
events."

In preparation for Super Bowl XLI, NORAD fighters will make low
approaches at several local airports Feb. 2, including Boca
Raton, Pompano Beach Airpark, Fort Lauderdale Executive, Opa Locka,
and Kendall-Tamiami Executive.

Air patrols are carefully planned and closely controlled to
ensure public safety while demonstrating NORAD's rapid response
capability. NORAD has conducted air patrols throughout the U.S. and
Canada since the start of Operation Noble Eagle -- the command's
response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The flights
will have minimal impact on aircraft in the area and are not in
response to any specific threat.

"We want citizens to know that we remain dedicated to protecting
their freedoms as we project our determination to preserve peace
and our way of life," Morrow said.