Millimeter-wave stealth radio for special operations forces

For Special Operations Forces, an important attribute of any future radio will be the ability to conceal transmissions from the enemy while transmitting large amounts of data for situational awareness and communications. These requirements will mean that military wireless systems designers will need to consider operating frequencies in the mm-wave bands: The high data rates that are achievable at these frequencies and the propagation characteristics at this wavelength will provide many benefits for the implementation of 'stealth radio'. This article discusses some of the recent advances in RF front-end technology, alongside physical layer transmission schemes that could be employed for millimeter-wave soldier-mounted radio. The operation of a hypothetical millimeter-wave soldier-to-soldier communications system that makes use of smart antenna technology is also described.

Group Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy with Former Child Soldiers and other War-affected Boys in the DR Congo: A Randomised Controlled Trial.

Background: The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been home to the world’s deadliest con?ict since World War II and is reported to have the largest number of child soldiers in the world. Despite evidence of the debilitating impact of war, no group-based mental health or psychosocial intervention has been evaluated in a randomised controlled trial for psychologically distressed former child soldiers.

Method: A randomised controlled trial involving 50 boys, aged 13–17, including former child soldiers (n = 39) and other war-affected boys (n = 11). They were randomly assigned to an intervention group, or wait-list control group. The intervention group received a 15-session, group-based, culturally adapted Trauma-Focused Cognitive–Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT) intervention. Assessment interviews were completed at baseline, postintervention and 3-month follow-up (intervention group).

Results: Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) demonstrated that, in comparison to the wait-list control group, the TF-CBT intervention group had highly signi?cant reductions in posttraumatic stress symptoms, overall psychosocial distress, depression or anxiety-like symptoms, conduct problems and a signi?cant increase in prosocial behaviour (p < .001 for all). Effect sizes were higher when former child soldier scores were separated for sub-analysis. Three-month follow-up of the intervention group found that treatment gains were maintained.

Conclusions: A culturally modi?ed, group-based TF-CBT intervention was effective in reducing posttraumatic stress and psychosocial distress in former child soldiers and other war-affected boys.

Release:A Theatre of Witness Documentary

‘RELEASE’ a documentary by Declan Keeney

Everyone has a past; but should they be defined by it? The legacy of the conflict in Northern Ireland weighs heavily on many of those who experienced it. The pain and loss is as relevant today as it was 30 years ago. The act of remembering itself can be a difficult and dangerous journey. The documentary film 'Release' shot and directed by Declan Keeney explores the life stories of six remarkable men, told in their own words and in their own way through an original Theatre of Witness production of the same name that toured Northern Ireland and the Border Counties in 2012. The film explores themes of forgiveness, remembering and the pain of living with our ever-present past.
With great courage and conviction, a former RUC detective, a former Prison Governor, a former British soldier, two ex-prisoners and a community activist who survived a car bomb as a child come together across the sectarian divide to create a group of men working for peace. Their journey is at times heart breaking, extraordinary, breathtakingly brave but ultimately transformational. It is a story of survival, but most importantly it is their story and in their own words.

Off-Duty Resilience: Re-orienting Tourism, Leisure and Recreation in the US Army BOSS program

Understanding how US imperial strategy is sustained by tourism and militarism requires an account of how American soldiers learn to understand themselves in relation to a variety of marginalized others. This paper explores how the US Army’s ‘Ready and Resilient’ (R2) campaign constructs soldier / other relations by mobilizing off-duty time through the ‘Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers’ (BOSS) program. BOSS’s first two platforms of ‘Well-Being’ and ‘Community Service’ feed into the R2 agenda by producing highly-skilled leaders (who govern a disengaged rank and file) and benevolent humanitarians (who provide charity for abject civilians). When these dispositions are transposed into BOSS’s third platform of ‘Recreation and Leisure’, soldiers turn away from the goals of leadership and humanitarianism to reveal the privileged narcissism underscoring the R2 agenda. This self-focus is intensified by familiar power relations in the tourism industry as soldiers pursue self-improvement by commodifying, distancing and effacing local tourist workers. Using the BOSS program as a case study, this paper critically interrogates how the US Army is assimilating off-duty practices of tourism, leisure and recreation into the wider program of resilience training.

Desenvolvimento de um quadro situacional para a cibersegurança em Portugal

Hoje em dia, as ameaças são cada vez mais frequentes e sofisticadas, do que alguma vez registado. Todo o tipo de empresas/organizações e informação estão sujeitas a estas ameaças. Estes ataques são cada vez mais recorrentes, deixando para trás um rasto de várias quebras de segurança. Existem uma serie de ciberataques que já deixaram a sua marca na historia. Uma das mais notórias, foi o caso da Estónia em 2007, por um grupo pro-kremlin de Transnístria em que vários servidores governamentais, fornecedores de serviço, servidores da banca, entre outros foram alvo de uma serie de ataques, na sua maioria de DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service1),e botnets2. O seu método era tao complicado que o governo da Estónia achava que estavam a ser apoiados pelo governo russo. Isto resultou na paragem de um país ate que o problema fosse normalizado. Considerado um ato de hacktivismo3 pelo que representava algo muito importante para a população russa, um ícone, “the Bronze Soldier of Tallinn”, um elaborado cemitério da altura soviética que o governo da Estónia queria recolocar. Hoje em dia, não só enfrentamos adversários mais sofisticados, como a informação que valorizam é cada vez mais alargada. Estes grupos conseguem fazer coisas inimagináveis com os bits4 mais aparentemente inócuos de informações recolhidas. Como tal, é preciso tomar medidas para garantir a segurança dos cidadãos quando navegam no ciberespaço, no qual as fronteiras são desconhecidas, onde a regulação é insuficiente e a segurança é ainda muito precoce. No plano nacional pode-se afirmar que Portugal possui as capacidades necessárias à proteção do seu ciberespaço. Com a criação do Centro Nacional de Cibersegurança (CNCS), Portugal atingiu um dos objetivos principais da sua estratégia nacional de cibersegurança, em assegurar um ciberespaço livre e seguro e em implementar as medidas e instrumentos necessários à antecipação, deteção, reação e recuperação de situações que, face à iminência ou ocorrência de incidentes ou ciberataques, ponham em causa o funcionamento dos organismos do estado, das infraestruturas críticas e dos interesses nacionais. Partindo de uma analise à estrutura organizacional da cibersegurança em Portugal este trabalho pretende dar um contributo para o que se considera ser uma necessidade, o desenvolvimento de um quadro situacional para a cibersegurança com o objetivo de melhorar o nível de awareness nacional contribuindo assim para o desenvolvimento do modelo de maturidade do CNCS relativamente á prevenção e deteção de incidentes no ciberespaço nacional. Neste sentido foram formulados um conjunto de estudos com o objetivo de dar a entender ao leitor toda a estrutura de um centro de cibersegurança na qual se destaca a proposta de desenvolvimento de um quadro situacional para a cibersegurança em Portugal.

The Welland Canals Foundation, Honourable William Hamilton Merritt and the St. Catharines Historical Society and Museum, 1971-1990, n.d.

‘The Father of Canadian Transportation’ is a term commonly associated with William Hamilton Merritt. Although he is most known for being one of the driving forces behind the building of the first Welland Canal, he was many things throughout his life; a soldier, merchant, promoter, entrepreneur and politician to name a few. Born on July 3, 1793 at Bedford, Westchester County, N.Y. to Thomas Merritt and Mary Hamilton, Merritt’s family relocated to Canada shortly after in 1796. The move came after Merritt’s father petitioned John Graves Simcoe for land in Upper Canada after serving under him in the Queen’s Rangers during the American Revolution. The family quickly settled into their life at Twelve Mile Creek in St. Catharines. Merritt’s father became sheriff of Lincoln County in 1803 while Merritt began his education in mathematics and surveying. After some brief travel and further education Merritt returned to Lincoln County, in 1809 to help farm his father’s land and open a general store. While a farmer and merchant, Merritt turned his attention to military endeavours. A short time after being commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Lincoln militia, the War of 1812 broke out. Fulfilling his duty, Merritt fought in the Battle of Queenston Heights in October of 1812, and numerous small battles until the Battle of Lundy’s Lane in July 1814. It was here that Merritt was captured and held in Cheshire, Massachusetts until the war ended. Arriving back in the St. Catharines area upon his release, Merritt returned to being a merchant, as well as becoming a surveyor and mill owner. Some historians hypothesize that the need to draw water to his mill was how the idea of the Welland Canals was born. Beginning with a plan to connect the Welland River with the Twelve mile creek quickly developed into a connection between the Lakes Erie and Ontario. Its main purpose was to improve the St. Lawrence transportation system and provide a convenient way to transport goods without having to go through the Niagara Falls portage. The plan was set in motion in 1818, but most living in Queenston and Niagara were not happy with it as it would drive business away from them. Along with the opposition came financial and political restraints. Despite these factors Merritt pushed on and the Welland Canal Company was chartered by the Upper Canadian Assembly on January 19, 1824. The first sod was turned on November 30, 1824 almost a year after the initial chartering. Many difficulties arose during the building of the canal including financial, physical, and geographic restrictions. Despite the difficulties two schooners passed through the canal on November 30, 1829. Throughout the next four years continual work was done on the canal as it expended and was modified to better accommodate large ships. After his canal was underway Merritt took a more active role in the political arena, where he served in various positions throughout Upper Canada. In 1851, Merritt withdrew from the Executive Council for numerous reasons, one of which being that pubic interest had diverted from the canals to railways. Merritt tried his hand at other public works outside transportation and trade. He looked into building a lunatic asylum, worked on behalf of War of 1812 veterans, aided in building Brock’s monument, established schools, aided refugee slaves from the U.S. and tried to establish a National Archives among many other feats. He was described by some as having “policy too liberal – conceptions too vast – views too comprehensive to be comprehensible by all”, but he still made a great difference in the society in which he lived. After his great contributions, Merritt died aboard a ship in the Cornwall canal on July 5, 1862. Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=38719 retrieved October 2006 Today numerous groups carry on the legacy of Merritt and the canals both in the past and present. One such group is the Welland Canals Foundation. They describe themselves as: “. . . a volunteer organization which strives to promote the importance of the present and past Welland Canals, and to preserve their history and heritage. The Foundation began in 1980 and carries on events like William Hamilton Merritt Day. The group has strongly supported the Welland Canals Parkway initiative and numerous other activities”. The Welland Canals Foundation does not work alone. They have help from other local groups such as the St. Catharines Historical Society. The Society’s main objective is to increase knowledge and appreciation of the historical aspects of St. Catharines and vicinity, such as the Welland Canals. http://www.niagara.com/~dmdorey/hssc/dec2000.html - retrieved Oct. 2006 http://www.niagara.com/~dmdorey/hssc/feb2000.html - retrieved Oct. 2006

Independent Chronicle Vol. XLVI No. 2476- August 4, 1814

A semi-weekly paper that was published from 1801 to 1817. It was previously called the Independent chronicle and the universal advertiser, and was later the Independent chronicle and Boston patriot (Semiweekly). Publishers were Abijah Adams and Ebenezer Rhoades. Topics of interest in this issue include: Page 1: Proclamation from James Madison pardoning military deserters if they return to military service; announcement to officers and soldiers in the military offering reward for the return of military deserters; U.S. General W. Scott's account of the battle of Chippewa; U.S. General P. B. Porter's account of the battle of Chippewa; Major J. Hindman's account of the battle of Chippewa; news of British war ships attacking and capturing U.S. cargo ships; Page 2: news of a soldier shot for desertion; military news from Erie, Pennsylvania; New York appropriates money to pay troops and build two encampments; James Madison issues orders for state of Rhode Island to raise a militia of 500 troops; U.S. military news from Bermuda; report of the death of Capt. Parker of the U.S. ship Syren; account of the battle of Chippewa and a list of important officers wounded; report of a raft captured that was taking supplies to the British; report of U.S. General Brown being wounded in battle; list of further details of the battle of Chippewa; report of Indian attack near Champlain; news of prisoner exchange and announcement that exchanged prisoners should return to their regiments; listing of the total number of British forces in the U.S.; report of British shipwrecks; Naval news for the Port of Boston; news of various U.S. war ships; Page 4: Marshal's notice announcing a trial for members of a private American ship accused of supplying the British with provisions;

Letter written by John Bentley, Sept. 26, 1813.

Transcript [original spelling and grammar retained]: Sacketts Harbour 26th Sept. 1813. Dear wife. From this you are informed that I am in health at this Date. When I last wrote to you I some expected to go upon and expedition but to us unknown we sat out and went up the Lake 3 Days Landed at Oswego The British Fleet appeared off, and we returned and saw our fleet upon our return, I think that our Regt. going was only a maneuver to get the Fleet out that our Fleet might come a threat[?] of them We expect to embark immediately into Canada as preparations are making to convey us over to them we are anxious to commence an action with them. Troops are daily coming in to the Harbour to take the Stand in our absence, we shall not be here 3 days before we try their[?] Powder. they are daily defecting[?] to us from Canada very fearful of the consequence of our Resisting[?] of them…our Fleet is now out and has been for 6 or 7 days. The Lake Erie fleet has done great things. I hope ours will be as successful. I think that our Generals are waiting to hear from them as every thing is ready[?] of to embark various opinions reflecting were we shall attack them some say at Kingston others at Montreal and others at Prescot—Mr. William Butler and D[?]…are well and in Spirits, Sergt Daniel White is very hearty for him, M. Samuel C[?] is well and in good health Benjm Thompson is well Charles Bryant is well [?] is well Eben[?] Smith is very much plagued with the Rheumatik Disease[?] he……… his limbs very often for being Crippled[?] he is at the Hospital I often visit it to see the sick Jacob Barnes is at the Hospital but recovering fast been very sick. Luther Gregory is at the Hospital and on the recovery, Sergt. L[?] & Smith are well, Henry ………[?] is well, very healthy have not more die here than 3…[?]to the best of my knowledge. I will make a few remarks upon the place it abounds in Lime Rock more than Thomaston and not every person to my knowledge burn it, and in the whole Town not but one Pump that supplies the Towns People and Soldiers and a ………[?] of such a Lake of water the Lake water is good for drinking but the water near the Shore is exposed to all kind of filth being thrown into it. The officers with whom I have been with have used me kindly and I get quietly by them. The Lieut. Downer who recruits at Thomaston tell me he has thots[?] of Leaving the army if so I must say I am greatly sorry as he was my ……[?] friend although he Left us and went in a northern Company it is a Company……………[?]worthy an officer as he proves to be, I cannot get any higher than a Sergeant or Quarter Master Sergeant which I may have without any friends at Thomaston assisting me. I am a Sergeant and Sergeant Daniel White is expecting[?] to be a Quarter Master Sergeant, and a number of his friends from Thomaston have went to their Major for him in the 9th Regt Major….[?] and he expects to obtain a Commission as I ……[?] expect to be promoted and it died away he will have the Laugh upon me, I wish that My Friend Dawes would[?] put the question to Col. Foot? to write to our Col. E.W. Ripley if he has …[?]in the …[?]taken by him and others of my …[?] friends[?]. I expect to come home this winter without fail. I remain your Loving Husband till Death. John Bentley for Betsey Bentley Thomaston P.S. The next Letter will be ……[?]to Mr. Dawes[?] and shall write as soon as our Fleet arrives or if we are ordered off tomorrow shall write before I leave this Place. I have understood that many letters have been ……[?]to me. I have received only 2 from Mary, one from Mr. Dawes, one from William Thompson and have answered them please to write……[?]to S. Harbour.

William Hamilton Merritt Welland Canal circular, July 12, 1823

William Hamilton Merritt (1793-1862) was a soldier, merchant, and politician who was instrumental in the promotion and development of the Welland Canal. After serving with the Lincoln militia during the War of 1812, Merritt became a merchant in St. Catharines, and purchased some land on Twelve Mile Creek on which he ran a sawmill and constructed a grist mill. He initially envisioned a canal between the Welland River and Twelve Mile Creek, which evolved into a plan to link Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. This would enable goods from western Canada to be conveniently shipped to Montreal and Great Britain through the St. Lawrence, while bypassing the Niagara portage. His plan met with opposition for financial and political reasons, as well as from those along the Niagara portage whose businesses would suffer if the canal were built. Despite this opposition, the Welland Canal Company was chartered by the Upper Canadian assembly in January, 1824. Construction on the canal began later that year, and was completed in 1829.

Letter - E.C. Schmon to Arthur A. Schmon, 7 August 1918

Eleanore Celeste mentions a lecture her sister attended about a man who discovered his friend was a German propagandist. She wants to go to "France as a nurse, or to do canteen work, etc." but has just heard that if she goes and then marries an American soldier, she will be sent home. The letter is labelled number 139.

William Hamilton Merritt Welland Canal circular, July 12, 1823

William Hamilton Merritt (1793-1862) was a soldier, merchant, and politician who was instrumental in the promotion and development of the Welland Canal. After serving with the Lincoln militia during the War of 1812, Merritt became a merchant in St. Catharines, and purchased some land on Twelve Mile Creek on which he ran a sawmill and constructed a grist mill. He initially envisioned a canal between the Welland River and Twelve Mile Creek, which evolved into a plan to link Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. This would enable goods from western Canada to be conveniently shipped to Montreal and Great Britain through the St. Lawrence, while bypassing the Niagara portage. His plan met with opposition for financial and political reasons, as well as from those along the Niagara portage whose businesses would suffer if the canal were built. Despite this opposition, the Welland Canal Company was chartered by the Upper Canadian assembly in January, 1824. Construction on the canal began later that year, and was completed in 1829

Friendship Album

The album includes an illustration of a dog howling, by one of Eliza's friends. There is also a painting of roses. There is a poem signed Denison, that reads:" In truth it is not every book That's suited to the mind; In some forever you may look and no amusement find. But seldom does an album fail To please both grave and gay; It teams with many a merry tale and many a mournful day. Then reader know, whoever thou be Wise, witty, gay or sad; It's like the world in some degree Made up of good and bad". Another poem of eight verses is signed A. McNab. A poem and illustration are included by George Coventry. The illustration shows a man (presumed to be Coventry) looking at a book while others fish and work. Another poem initialed W.A.R. is thought to be by William Anthony Rooth, it is called "To Caroline". Also included in the album is a note from a Major who stayed at Eliza's home Christmas Day 1837. The note thanks Eliza for caring for him while he was ill at her home. A poem by Eliza's brother-in-law, Oliver T. Macklem is also included in the album. An illustration of two birds by Benjamin, Eliza's son, he was ten years old at the time. There is a poem written by L. D. Raymond with an attached newspaper clipping from Welland. The clipping is from L. D. Raymond's 79th birthday and is also a poem, "To the Old Barrister". There is a page of soldier autographs from 1866, those who fought in the Battle of Ridgeway during the Fenian Raid. (http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Ann_Eliza_Hepburne_Rooth%27s_1837_Album)

First Field Artillery Brigade Observer, 1 July 1918

The report mentions that General Pershing presented Distinguished Service Crosses to soldiers in the First Field Artillery Brigade. It also describes a Sergeant and 3 men finding an enemy soldier asleep with a machine gun. They brought him back to the American lines. Also included is a list of destruction that took place over the the last three days.

I.O.D.E. Col. Kerby Chapter Minutes, 1920-1989, n.d.

The Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire was founded by Margaret Polson Murray in 1900 following the outbreak of the second Boer War. The organization gave charitable aid to soldiers and it assisted the dependents of deceased soldiers. The federation of women was formed to promote patriotism, loyalty and service to others. The mayors of Canada’s major cities were urged to call together the prominent women of their communities to join in this endeavor. In 1979, the name I.O.D.E was officially adopted. The organization is federally chartered not-for-profit. The focus is on improving the quality of life for children, youth and the underprivileged through educational, social service and citizenship programs. The Colonel Kerby Chapter of Fort Erie, Ontario began on August 19, 1914 under the direction of Captain the Reverend A.C. Mackintosh. The chapter was named after Colonel James Kerby who was a legislator and a soldier. This chapter worked during two world wars raising large sums of money for war work, the community, health and education. In 1931, this chapter created the Douglas Memorial I.O.D.E. Hospital Fund to assist needy veterans. Other fundraisers included: their Salvage Shop, card parties and the Margaret Graham Memorial which raised funds for the Canadian Institute for the Blind. In June of 1989 the last meeting of the chapter took place.

Amphilochos : étude sur la légende du héros grec et le sanctuaire oraculaire de Mallos

Le héros grec Amphilochos, descendant mythique de la célèbre famille des hérosprophètes Mélampodides, était, comme son père Amphiaraos, un devin reconnu et un soldat aux aptitudes militaires formidables. Après avoir participé à la seconde expédition contre Thèbes et à la guerre de Troie, celui-ci aurait pérégriné dans bon nombre de contrées en fondant plusieurs cités situées entre l’Espagne et la Syrie. Quelque temps après sa mort brutale en combat singulier contre un autre devin nommé Mopsos, Amphilochos fut élevé au rang de divinité oraculaire à Mallos de Cilicie, une cité dont il avait été lui-même le fondateur. À l’époque romaine, Amphilochos avait acquit, en plus d’un statut ontologique supérieur, une très grande réputation dans cette région où il rendait des oracles à des pèlerins qui venaient eux-mêmes le visiter dans son antre. Cette recherche, qui vise d’une part à étudier de façon exhaustive la légende d’Amphilochos, tente surtout de déterminer, malgré un nombre restreint d’indices, les modalités de la révélation oraculaire dans le sanctuaire de Mallos de Cilicie.