JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas, March 17 -- The U.S. Air Force issued the following news: Seven Airmen made history as the first "Accelerated Path to Wings" program graduated and they transitioned from students to Air Force pilots during a ceremony March 12. Nicknamed the "XPW" program, the course is part of Air Education and Training Command's current pilot training transformation efforts and consists of students completing an undergraduate pilot training curriculum that only utilizes  more

FORT BRAGG, North Carolina, March 20 -- The U.S. Army Forces Command issued the following news: Brave Rifles from the 3rd Cavalry Regiment were formally recognized recently by the City of Harker Heights for providing water buffalo support during the winter storm that hit Texas in February. The City of Harker Heights presented Troopers from Blacksmith Troop, Regimental Support Squadron, 3rd CR, with an award on March 9 during a city council meeting. The Certificate of Appreciation read, "To Bla  more

DALLAS, Texas, March 20 -- The Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Prerak Shah, issued the following news release on March 19, 2021: Fourteen defendants convicted in the Forest Park Medical Center bribery scam have been sentenced to a combined 74+ years in federal prison and ordered to pay a total of $82.9 million in restitution, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Prerak Shah. Seven defendants - Wilton McPherson "Mac" Burt, Jackson Jacob, Dou  more

LAREDO, Texas, March 20 -- The Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, Jennifer B. Lowery, issued the following news release on March 19, 2021: A 44-year-old Bryan resident has been charged with one count of wire fraud, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery. Keith Anton Johnson is set to make his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sam Sheldon at 2 p.m. The indictment, returned March 10, alleges Johnson fraudulently received $123,500 in Payroll   more

DALLAS, Texas, March 20 -- The Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Prerak Shah, issued the following news release on March 19, 2021: The CEO of a local hospice agency has pleaded guilty to defrauding Medicare and Medicaid, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Prerak Shah. Bradley J. Harris, the 39-year-old former head of Novus and Optimum Health Services, pleaded guilty on Friday to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and healthcare fraud. "  more

HOUSTON, Texas, March 20 -- The Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, Jennifer B. Lowery, issued the following news release on March 18, 2021: A doctor of osteopathic medicine from Bellaire has paid to resolve allegations he falsely certified patients for home health services and received improper payments, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery. Truc Le, 51, is a primary care physician in southwest Houston. In 2016, authorities began an investigation into a home  more

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, March 16 -- The Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Raj Parekh, issued the following news release on March 15, 2021: A Vienna man was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy that involved multiple swatting attacks targeting journalists, a Virginia university, a historic Virginia church, an Islamic Center in Arlington, Texas, and a former U.S. Cabinet member. "Swatting attacks are serious crimes that disrupt the operations  more

ABINGDON, Virginia, March 17 -- The Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, Daniel P. Bubar, issued the following news release on March 16, 2021: Brett Becker, the owner of Accelerated Genetix, LLC, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Abingdon to six months home confinement for introducing unapproved new drugs into interstate commerce, Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar announced today. Becker, 32, currently of Concord, Michigan, and Accelerated Gene  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas, March 19 -- The U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command issued the following news: With a rise in suicides across the service, the Air Force Installation Contracting Center is helping leaders fast-track a pilot program at Air Mobility Command to help save lives. The virtual reality suicide training being tested at Scott AFB, Illinois, and Travis AFB, California, offers a new, more effective way to train Airmen on suicide prevention, said Kaitlyn Woodruff, th  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas, March 19 -- The U.S. Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center issued the following news: With a rise in suicides across the service, the Air Force Installation Contracting Center is helping leaders fast-track a pilot program at Air Mobility Command to help save lives. The virtual reality suicide training being tested at Scott AFB, Illinois, and Travis AFB, California, offers a new, more effective way to train Airmen on suicide prevention, said K  more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- The U.S. Air Force issued the following news: Air Force leaders officially released the service's Rated Diversity Improvement Strategy March 17, marking the force's ongoing commitment to attract, recruit, develop and retain a diverse rated corps. Acting Secretary of the Air Force John P. Roth, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr. and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Joanne S. Bass signed the newly released RDI Strategy, co-sponsored by Air Education  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas, March 16 -- The U.S. Air Force Air Education and Training Command issued the following news: More than 1,300 students will get an opportunity to develop and hone their skills under the Department of the Air Force's flagship summer hire program. The 2021 Summer Hire Employment Program provides students in high school, college, trade school, vocational school, and other qualifying educational programs with opportunities to work in federal departments and a  more

SHEPPARD AFB, Texas, March 17 -- The U.S. Air Force's 82nd Training Wing issued the following news: Ten master sergeants assigned to Sheppard units were part of the almost 1,200 Airmen selected for promotion during the 21E8 promotion cycle. Another inbound Airman is also on the list. More than 17,100 master sergeants were eligible for promotion this cycle. The selection rate was 6.97 percent, and the average score was 400.77. The average time n grade was 4.25 years and time in serve was 18.37   more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas, March 19 -- The U.S. Air Force issued the following news: The Air Force's Personnel Center launched a new website giving Exceptional Family Member Program families direct access to decision-making information and resources. Airmen, Guardians, and their families may now access EFMP information without using a Common Access Card at the Department of the Air Force Family Vector website: https://daffamilyvector.us.af.mil. Users should log on using Google Chr  more

DALLAS, Texas, March 19 -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Southwest Regional Information Office issued the following report on March 18, 2021, entitled "County Employment and Wages in Texas - Third Quarter 2020": Employment fell in the 27 largest counties in Texas from September 2019 to September 2020, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2019.) Regional Commissioner   more

DALLAS, Texas, March 19 -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Southwest Regional Information Office issued the following report on March 18, 2021, entitled "Employer Costs for Employee Compensation for the Regions - December 2020": Private industry employer costs for employee compensation among the four regions of the country ranged from $32.34 per hour in the South to $40.62 in the Northeast during December 2020, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. In t  more

WASHINGTON, March 19 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency issued the following news on March 18, 2021: DARPA today announced the Structured Array Hardware for Automatically Realized Applications (SAHARA) program, which aims to expand access to domestic manufacturing capabilities to tackle challenges hampering the secure development of custom chips for defense systems. Working in partnership with Intel and academic researchers from University of Florida,  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas, March 19 -- The U.S. Air Force issued the following news: More than 1,300 students will get an opportunity to develop and hone their skills under the Department of the Air Force's flagship summer-hire program. The 2021 Summer Hire Employment Program provides students in high school, college, trade school, vocational school and other qualifying educational programs with opportunities to work in federal departments and agencies and to explore federal caree  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas, March 16 -- The U.S. Air Force Personnel Center issued the following news: Department of the Air Force officials have selected 1,194 (includes supplemental promotion allocation) master sergeants for promotion to senior master sergeant out of 17,107 eligible for a selection rate of 6.97 percent in the 21E8 promotion cycle, which includes supplemental promotion opportunities. The average overall score for those selected was 400.77. Selectees' average time   more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas, March 17 -- The U.S. Air Force issued the following news: Department of the Air Force officials have selected 1,194 master sergeants (including supplemental promotion allocation) for promotion to senior master sergeant out of 17,107 eligible for a selection rate of 6.97% in the 21E8 promotion cycle, which includes supplemental promotion opportunities. The average overall score for those selected was 400.77. Selectees' average time in grade was 4.25 years  more

DALLAS, Texas, March 20 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced the selection of Limitless Vistas Inc. (LVI) to receive $200,000 in grant funding for environmental job training in the Greater New Orleans area in Louisiana. EPA is committed to advancing job training and workforce development. The initiative will help advance economic opportunities and address environmental justice (EJ) issues in u  more

DALLAS, Texas, March 19 -- The Army and Air Force Exchange Service issued the following news release: The holidays may be long over, but for the winners of the MILITARY STAR(R) Your Holiday Bill Is on Us sweepstakes, the best holiday gift came after the new year. The MILITARY STAR credit card program paid more than $40,000 in credit balances for the winners. Five grand-prize winners had their entire bills paid in full (or received a credit for the grand-prize minimum of $2,500), while 10 secon  more

FREEPORT, Texas, March 18 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Galveston District issued the following news release: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Galveston District and the Velasco Drainage District signed a Project Partnership Agreement (PPA) March 16, 2021, to construct the Freeport and Vicinity Coastal Storm Risk Management Project (CSRM) element of the Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay Authorized Project. The Southwestern Division established the $5.2B CSRM program, funded by the Con  more

GOODFELLOW AFB, Texas, March 16 -- The U.S. Air Force Goodfellow Air Force Base (17th Training Wing) issued the following news: Goodfellow celebrated those who were selected for the rank of senior master sergeant in the 2021 E-8 selection cycle here, March 15. This year, there were only 1,194 individuals selected out of 17,107 eligible. This makes the selection rate for senior master sergeant less than 7%. As a senior master sergeant, the selectees will utilize their learned leadership and ma  more

GOODFELLOW AFB, Texas, March 19 -- The U.S. Air Force Goodfellow Air Force Base (17th Training Wing) issued the following news: Senior Airman Tristen Fortenberry is a system administrator assigned to the 17th Training Support Squadron. He joined the Air Force in September of 2017 for cyber systems operations (3D0X2). His hobbies include sports, gaming and eating. He is currently learning about personal finance and saving heavily for retirement. Congratulations SrA Fortenberry on achieving the   more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following news release on March 17, 2021: The Federal Communications Commission today fined Texas-based telemarketers $225 million--the largest fine in FCC history--for transmitting approximately 1 billion robocalls, many of them illegally spoofed, to sell short-term, limited-duration health insurance plans. The robocalls falsely claimed to offer health insurance plans from well-known health insurance companies such as Blu  more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- The Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau issued the following news release on March 17, 2021: The Federal Communications Commission today fined Texas-based telemarketers $225 million--the largest fine in FCC history--for transmitting approximately 1 billion robocalls, many of them illegally spoofed, to sell short-term, limitedduration health insurance plans. The robocalls falsely claimed to offer health insurance plans from well-known health insurance c  more

MCALLEN, Texas, March 18 -- The Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, Jennifer B. Lowery, issued the following news release on March 17, 2021: A 48-year-old man residing in Lyford has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bankruptcy fraud, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery. Kenneth B. Ponce is the CEO of Hidalgo County Emergency Services Foundation doing business as Hidalgo County EMS, South Texas Air Med and South Texas EMS (collectively referred to as Hida  more

WASHINGTON, March 19 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on March 17, 2021: A federal grand jury in San Antonio, Texas, returned an indictment charging the former owner of several companies in the construction industry for his role in a long-running scheme to defraud the United States. According to court documents, Michael Angelo Padron was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and to defraud the United States and eight counts of wire fraud.   more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH AFB, Texas, March 18 -- The U.S. Air Force Air Education and Training Command issued the following news: As we continue our commitment to valuing force generators in the First Command, our next force generator who will take over AETC's Instagram is Senior Master Sgt. Jessica Johnson, military training leader from Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. Military training leaders instill the Air Force core values during their time in technical training. Johnson, has  more

LAUGHLIN AFB, Texas, March 18 -- The U.S. Air Force Laughlin Air Force Base (47th Flying Training Wing) issued the following news: It's March and Air Force members are donning bulletproof mustaches exponentially. Their newly acquired face armor is more visible than Liberty Mutual commercials. If you've spent more than two weeks in the military, you know that growing a furry lip ornament is one way to commemorate the iconic Brig. Gen. Robin Olds. Albeit this tradition is a fun way to build cama  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas, March 18 -- The U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command issued the following news: The dedicated Soldiers and Army civilians of the Mission and Installation Contracting Command continue to provide outstanding acquisition support to our mission partners while also helping the nation make incredible strides against the coronavirus pandemic. As we are in the second quarter of fiscal 2021, we are focused on taking care of our people, s  more

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, March 16 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory issued the following news: NETL's Energy Markets Analysis Team (EMAT) conducts analyses to help utilities prepare for changing conditions and recover rapidly from disruptions. The recent near-collapse of the electrical grid in Texas, which occurred during an unusually severe winter storm, validates the importance of EMAT's work and the value of the recommendations it issues. The February  more

TEMPLE, Texas, March 16 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service Texas office issued the following news release: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is investing $28 million in six new Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP) projects and four ongoing ones, which enable conservation partners and producers to work together to return critical wetland functions to agricultural landscapes. NRCS will invest $970,000 in the first year of   more

EL PASO, Texas, March 17 -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued the following news release on March 16, 2021: Construction is a high hazard industry that comprises various activities that can expose workers to serious injuries. Depending on the job, construction workers may face falls, trench and scaffold collapses, slips, trips and other dangers. To help prevent these and other construction-related hazards, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupat  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas, March 18 -- The U.S. Air Force Reserve Command issued the following news: Reserve Citizen Airmen in the 433rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron here trained for the first time aboard a KC-46A Pegasus March 8-10, to learn and practice their aeromedical skills on the new aircraft. The training mission was a collaboration with the 931st Air Refueling Wing, aeromedical evacuation personnel and KC-46A technical specialists from other locations, and the Alamo Wi  more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following statement on March 17, 2021, by Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel: * * * Re: Amendments to Part 4 of the Commission's Rules Concerning Disruptions to Communications, PS Docket No. 15-80, Second Report and Order (March 17, 2021) They say everything is bigger in Texas, and so it goes for winter storms, too. Last month, Winter Storm Uri hammered the United States, leading to severe weather in 25 states affecti  more

WASHINGTON, March 19 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following statement (PS Docket No. 15-80) on March 18, 2021, by Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel: * * * Re: Amendments to Part 4 of the Commission's Rules Concerning Disruptions to Communications, PS Docket No. 15-80, Second Report and Order (March 17, 2021) They say everything is bigger in Texas, and so it goes for winter storms, too. Last month, Winter Storm Uri hammered the United States, leading to severe weathe  more

YUMA, Arizona, March 16 -- The U.S. Army Reserve Command issued the following news: Although more and more Americans are receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, there are a number of military medical professionals are still being mobilized to augmenting hospitals across the nation that continue to have a high number of COVID-19 patients. Maj. Catherine A. Celeski, an Army Reserve critical care nurse from San Antonio, Texas, is completing an 87-day mobilization with the Urban Augmentation Medical Task   more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, March 18 -- The U.S. Army Medicine issued the following news: Although more and more Americans are receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, there are a number of military medical professionals are still being mobilized to augmenting hospitals across the nation that continue to have a high number of COVID-19 patients. Maj. Catherine A. Celeski, an Army Reserve critical care nurse from San Antonio, Texas, is completing an 87-day mobilization with the Urban Augmentation Medical Task Fo  more

SHEPPARD AFB, Texas, March 16 -- The U.S. Air Force's 82nd Training Wing issued the following news: Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in a March 4, 2021, Defense Department memorandum outlined his priorities to continue protecting the nation from foreign and domestic threats while emphasizing the importance of international partners and allies as force multipliers. "We cannot meet our responsibilities alone, nor should we try. Rather, we will consult with our allies and partners and, when appr  more

WASHINGTON, March 19 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation's Surface Transportation Board issued the following decision (Docket No. AB 33) entitled "Union Pacific Railroad - Abandonment Exemption - In Harris County, Texas": On August 21, 2020, Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) filed a verified notice of exemption under 49 C.F.R. part 1152 subpart F--Exempt Abandonments to abandon rail service over an approximately 1.24-mile portion of the Houston Navigation Lead, from milepost 0.98 to mile  more

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany, March 18 -- The U.S. Air Forces in Europe issued the following news: Two U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit aircraft from the 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, and two U.S. B-1B Lancers from the 7th Bomb Wing, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, flew a Bomber Task Force mission off the coast of Iceland, March 16, 2021. The bombers conducted long-range integration in the high north and refined the skills necessary to fly effective night operations in a new environm  more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, March 20 -- The U.S. Army Medicine issued the following news: The U.S. Army surpassed 500,000 COVID-19 vaccines administered at medical treatment facilities today. As of March 18, 506,960 vaccinations have been administered at approximately 80 Army medical facilities to service members, veterans, Army civilians and dependents. "I am incredibly proud of the hard work of our medical professionals in reaching this milestone," said John E. Whitley, Secretary of the Army. "These  more

WASHINGTON, March 19 -- The U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration issued the following news release on March 18, 2021: U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that the Department's Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1 million CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to the city of Pleasanton, Texas, to renovate a former downtown elementary school for use as a business center that will support economic development growth in downtown Pleasan  more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- The U.S. Department of Labor issued the following news release on March 17, 2021: The U.S. Department of Labor today announced funding of $1,561,667 for a National Dislocated Worker Grant for Adaptive Construction Solutions Inc. to support employment and training services to eligible transitioning military service members in Texas communities harmed significantly by the pandemic. Administered by the department's Employment and Training Administration, the grant will sup  more

DALLAS, Texas, March 17 -- The Army and Air Force Exchange Service issued the following news release: The military community knows the Army & Air Force Exchange Service is the place to save--and win. Service members, Veterans, retirees and military family members won more than $1.1 million in military-exclusive prizes through Exchange sweepstakes in 2020. "This blew us away," said Emily Jennings, a civilian public affairs specialist with the U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden who won a $10,000 shopp  more