Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Movement Corridor study presses on

by Airman 1st Class Jack Sanders
3rd Wing Public Affairs

4/29/2010 - ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska (AFNS) -- Wildlife biologists and conservation agents from here along with researchers from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game are continuing a wildlife research effort in Anchorage, Alaska.

In 2005 researchers initiated a joint installation study to document brown bear populations, habitat, food selection and movement patterns on military land in the Anchorage area.

Research showed a large number of brown bears were traveling, sleeping and feeding near Anchorage homes, parks and along greenbelts, or large undeveloped sections of land. Several well used brown bear movement corridors were also identified on military land.

Being aware of the position and importance of wildlife corridors allows planners to avoid cutting off important migration corridors or blocking retreat of animals from residential areas when stressed.

In 2009, another JB Elmendorf-Richardson study was initiated to determine whether these corridors were important to wildlife other than bears. Since project initiation, some 18 moose, two wolves and 11 black bears were added to the sample.

Animals were captured and fitted with various collars containing Global Positioning System units. The collar design allows researchers to remotely upload the location data. The GPS units are set to transmit a signal every 30 to 90 minutes and provide researchers movement patterns and evidence of preferred movement corridors.

As data is uploaded from research animals, biologists plot a bright yellow dot for every animal wearing a GPS collar and their location on a map.

"If you look at just moose movements (on the map) they're using the same zone (as the bears)," said Herman Griese, a wildlife biologist with the 3rd Civil Engineer Squadron.

"We learned a great deal about brown bears as they negotiated between forested areas, around fences, along greenbelts and between cantonment areas," Mr. Griese. "Now, the movement corridor study will tell us what habitat moose, black bear, wolves and even wolverine or two need to squeeze out a living as our neighbors" Mr. Griese said.

Early findings confirmed a primary movement corridor splits the two cantonment areas connecting the undeveloped northern side of base with the Ship Creek riparian system. Another important corridor connects northern and southern areas of Fort Richardson.

The study is scheduled to continue and finish its segment on the black bears this year before moving onto other animals.

Mr. Griese said that he hopes to keep the program going to collect as much information as possible on all the species.

"Commanders need to know what the potential repercussions are of having aggressive animals on their installation, where they're coming from (where they're going) and what the potential risks are to military members," Mr. Griese said. "The knowledge that we gain only strengthens our wildlife program."

Delivering Value for Leaders

Editor’s Note: Richard Botkin is a former USMC Major.

By Richard Botkin

March 24, 2010 - Andrew Harvey and Raymond Foster have crafted an exceptionally outstanding learning resource--it is far more than a 'book' if the reader accesses all that is available through their generous and dynamic leadership website--for leaders of every experience level. "Leadership Texas Hold'em Style" is a great read for the young leader starting out with its wealth of ideas and thought-provoking real-world situations. For the very same reason the book has as much or more significance for seasoned folks in positions of responsibility who simply need to continue to improve their level of expertise and excellence.

As I read the book and was underlining idea after idea, I was struck by how critical the information contained in it is for young people. I immediately thought of my oldest son who is set to graduate from college and how valuable the knowledge included herein is. Clearly he will receive a copy from his dad--his own copy since I will continue to refer to the gems identified as I go back to it again and again. Similarly I can think of any number of friends operating at all levels of business who would benefit by the dozens of ideas and practical issues covered.

"Leadership Texas Hold'em Style" is, as mentioned above, the kind of resource, very much like the Bible, something to return to again and again. Be prepared to read it through once highlighting as you go. Then go back and drill down into those portions most germain to your own situation. Check out the incredibly dynamic supplemental website the authors have created and continue to update. This 'book' truly is a superior investment for everyone who is interested in improving his or her impact/positive contribution to any organization--be it family or business or governmental. Harvey and Foster deliver incredible value. Well done!

Dog Fighting

Dog Fighting Conspiracy Charged


March 22, 2010 - A. Courtney Cox, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on March 18, 2010, a federal grand jury sitting in East St. Louis returned an indictment charging JUDIOUS KIZEART, age 41, of Springfield, Illinois; BRENT CASH, age 31, of Eldon, Missouri; DARRYL MADISON, age 28, of St. Louis, Missouri; THADIUS PAGE, age 33, of Fairview Heights, Illinois; TERRILL CLARK, age 33, of Lithonia, Georgia; MICHAEL WILLIAMS, age 29, of Red Bud, Illinois; and GARY PAYNE, age 48, of St. Louis, Missouri, with one count of Conspiracy to Commit Unlawful Activities of Dog Fighting. The violation allegedly took place between November 18, 2008 and, at least, April 18, 2009 in St. Clair County, Illinois.

If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and three years of supervised release to follow any term of imprisonment.

An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Headed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General, this dog fighting investigation is the latest in a series of major animal fighting investigations conducted throughout the country since the passage of the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act, signed into law in May 2007, which makes it a felony to participate in the blood sport. Participating in the investigation were the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Humane Society of Missouri, the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Hudson and Mike Thompson.

Leadership: Texas Hold ‘em Style

“one that should be read, re-read and intellectually digested.”

A few weeks ago, Charles Ashbacher, a Top 50 Reviewer on Amazon.com posted a review of Leadership Texas Hold ‘em Style. According to Amazon.com, a “Top 50 Reviewer” identifies Ashbacher as having “helped his fellow customers make informed purchase decisions on Amazon.com with his consistently helpful, high-quality reviews.” Charles Ashbacher has reviewed over 4,800 books and received nearly 14,000 votes from readers with an 88% ranking as finding his reviews helpful.

He said, in part, about Leadership: Texas Hold ‘em Style, “This is without question one of the best books on effective leadership ever written and it is profound and entertaining as one of the most unusual yet best possible analogies is used.” And, “Many books on leadership tend to be correct in their content but dull in their delivery. In this case the content is superb and the delivery is even beyond that, the comparisons between poker and quality leadership are apt, educational and make this book one that should be read, re-read and intellectually digested.”

What is a Hero?

What is a Hero? This collection of short stories indirectly asks the question - what is a hero? Each of the 13 authors wrote about a specific person whom the author identified as an American Hero. Each author had a different take - some heroes were thrust into danger; others were comedic, yet heroic; still others were role models because of their heroic nature. While all different, there is a common thread: heroism.

American Heroes Radio 100th Anniversary Show Update

American Heroes Radio will broadcast its 100th show, tonight, February 26, 2010, at 1700 hours Pacific. Guest for the Anniversary Show will include:

Former USMC Major Richard Botkin; Private Investigator Jimmie Mesis; former San Francisco Police Department Detective Linda Flanders, former Deputy Sheriff Brian Kinnard; former marine and Howard County Police Department police officer James H. Lilley; Vietnam Veteran Arthur Wiknik; former St. Louis County Police Department law enforcement official Ken Dye; the son of Colonel James R. Haun, a World War II fighter pilot; attorney and former police officer Sean Rogers; Senior Sergeant Martin Katz, Broward County Sheriff’s Office (ret.); Special Agent Bob Hamer, Federal Bureau of Investigation (ret.); Vietnam Veteran and former New York Police Department police officer Joe Sanchez; Vietnam Veteran and retired New York Police Department Detective Alan Sheppard; Retire New York State Correction Officer Al Bermudez Pereira; retired Sergeant Gregory Allen Doyle, Upland Police Department; Lieutenant Art Adkins Gainesville Police Department; Dr. Andrew J. Harvey, retired police captain, educator and author; Detective Don Howell, Huntington Beach Police Department (ret.); and, Captain Frank Root, Arizona Department of Public Safety (ret.).

Listen Live
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lawenforcement/2010/02/27/100th-anniversary-show

Plagued by Plague: New Research Shows Widespread Risk to Wildlife

February 24, 2010 - The effects of plague on wildlife may have been underestimated in the past, according to research published today in a special issue of Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases. Plague, a flea-borne bacterial disease introduced to North America in the late 1800s, spreads rapidly across a landscape, causing devastating effects to wildlife and posing risks to people. Conservation and recovery efforts for imperiled species such as the black-footed ferret and Utah prairie dog are greatly hampered by the effects of plague. Eruptions of the fatal disease have wiped out prairie dog colonies, as well as dependent ferret populations, in many locations over the years.

The newly published work demonstrates that plague continues to affect the black-footed ferret, one of the most critically endangered mammals in North America, as well as several species of prairie dogs, including the federally threatened Utah prairie dog—even when the disease does not erupt into epidemic form.

“The impacts of plague on mammal populations remain unknown for all but a few species, but the impact on those species we have studied raises alarms as well as important questions about how plague might be affecting conservation efforts in general,” said Dean Biggins, a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey and co-author of two papers in the special issue.

Biggins’ and his colleague’s research indicates that plague may be maintained in the wild within colonies of prairie dogs, the primary food of black-footed ferrets, without causing the large-scale, rapid die-off of prairie dogs that is commonly observed. The mechanisms of the bacterium’s low-level presence and survival, as well as the absence of a large-scale die-off of prairie dogs, remain under investigation.

“The overall difficulty of detecting plague in the absence of a large-scale die-off serves as a warning for those dedicated to wildlife conservation and human health,” Biggins said. “Hazards from plague may exist even where there have never been epidemics that caused widespread and readily detectable levels of mortality among local rodents such as prairie dogs,” he explained.

Two years ago, for example, a National Park Service employee in Arizona died of plague contracted from an infected cougar that he had found dead, even though a plague epidemic had not been observed in resident prairie dog populations.

The papers are part of a collection presented at an international symposium on the ecology of plague and its effects on wildlife, held in Fort Collins, Colo., in November 2008. The symposium was co-sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Colorado State University, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The special issue covers how plague persists in the wild, the role of rodents and other host species in disease transmission, diagnostic techniques, factors that affect the occurrence and spread of plague, effects to wildlife populations, and disease management and control. For a limited time, the journal will be available online at no charge