May 2020 – Page 2 – Law Enforcement, Military, and Terrorism News

Top Enlisted Advisor to Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Joins Forces with FitOps to Fight Veteran Suicide Amid COVID-19

Comes as mental health check-ins and unemployment increase among veterans FitOps helps veterans find purpose through fitness

The former top enlisted advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has joined forces with the FitOps Foundation to help prevent and end veteran suicide – an epidemic that has become more severe amid COVID-19.

John Wayne Troxell, who for the past four years served as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (SEAC) and senior non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Armed Forces, will lead the FitOps strategic advisors board. FitOps helps veterans find purpose through fitness by training and certifying them as elite personal trainers at its camp in Arkansas.

“Even before COVID-19, too many veterans lost their reason for being, to serve others and struggled to transition to civilian life. Now the need is even greater,” John Wayne Troxell said. “Ending the veteran suicide epidemic is my new mission, and few organizations have had the impact FitOps has had in saving lives.”

In his new role, Troxell will help the foundation with its current efforts as veterans are acutely feeling the effects of the coronavirus. More than 1 million veterans filed for unemployment benefits in April, remote mental health appointments have skyrocketed, and reports warn that many industries that employ veterans could be more vulnerable to layoffs. An average of 20 veterans take their own lives each day, 1.5 times higher than the national average.

Troxell will also work to help FitOps reach service members who plan to separate from the military and equip them with training prior, so that when they hit the ground as a civilian, they are equipped to immediately serve their communities again, this time as personal trainers and coaches.

“We are very fortunate that SEAC Troxell has joined forces with us. As someone who gave 38 years of distinguished service and rose to the very top of the military, for him to make his next mission helping veterans find purpose again through fitness, sends a serious message,” FitOps Founder and veteran Matt Hesse said.

“I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of knowing one’s purpose and using fitness to pursue it. Our mission is clear: We will not rest until we solve the veteran suicide epidemic.”

Before his retirement in December 2019, Troxell advised the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of Defense for four years on all matters involving joint and combined total force integration, utilization, health of the force and joint development for enlisted personnel. Troxell enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1982.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, FitOps has helped its graduates transition to virtual fitness sessions so they can still provide personal training sessions and classes to clients.

The FitOps Foundation was created in 2016 by Hesse and since has graduated hundreds of veterans with a current waitlist of 2,200. At the month-long camps, veterans learn exercise physiology and business skills to become Certified Veteran Fitness Operatives (CVFOs). After graduation, through partnerships across the country, FitOps helps their CVFOs get jobs in the fitness industry at clubs such as Performix House and 24 Hour Fitness. The graduate network extends as far as Alaska and Japan. CVFOs also receive counseling and transition assistance as they continue on their journey to civilian life from military service.

For more information on the FitOps Foundation, please visit www.fitops.org.

Contact: FitOps Communications Alexandra Hesse, ahesse@corrjensen.com /970 376 8155

FitOps PR Newswire (May 2020) Top Enlisted Advisor to Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Joins Forces with FitOps

Death & Vehicle Fire Investigation- Harker Heights

The Harker Heights Police Department has identified the victim of the death investigation as 27-year-old United States Army PFC Brandon Rosecrans, of Fort Hood, Texas.

Preliminary investigation suggests that Mr. Rosecrans died from a gunshot wound and his death is now being investigated as a murder.

“Command Sgt. Maj. Ryan McLane and I would like to express our deepest regrets to the family and loved ones of Pfc. Brandon Rosecrans. The thoughts and prayers of the Soldiers of 215th Brigade Support Battalion and the Greywolf Brigade are with them during this difficult time,” said Col. Kevin Capra, Commander, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team.

Private First Class Rosecrans of Kimberling City, Missouri, first enlisted in the United States Army in May 2018. He received Advanced Individual Training as a Quartermaster and Chemical Equipment Repairer (91J) before being assigned to his first duty station in November 2018 at Fort Hood with the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. Rosencrans is the recipient of the National Defense Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon.

The vehicle fire reported on May 18, 2020 is confirmed to belong to Mr. Rosecrans. The vehicle was a 2016 Jeep Renegade orange in color. The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Harker Heights Fire Marshal.

The murder and arson investigation will run concurrently by the Harker Heights Police and Fire Departments.

The Harker Heights Police Criminal Investigation Division is asking anyone with information about this murder to contact them at 254-953-5400.

Individuals may also provide information to Crime Stoppers at 254-526-TIPS (8477) or go online at www.bellcountycrimestoppers.com.

All information is confidential and anonymous and if your tip leads to the arrest of the person(s) responsible, you could be eligible to receive a reward up to $1,000 in cash.

Harker Heights Police Department (May 2020) UPDATE: Death & Vehicle Fire Investigation- Harker Heights

Operation Lemon Aid Spy Case 43 Years Ago

43 years ago, Operation Lemon Aid Spy Case was one of the FBI’s most important counter-espionage cases of the 1970s.

“Hello, Ed,” the note began. “Please, read this letter very attentively. To-day, as I have already noticed we have a lot of work to do: 1) Receive your material. 2) Make our first payment to you.” (see the full letter below).

“Ed” was actually Art Lindberg—a lieutenant commander in the Navy and a double agent recruited by the Naval Investigative Service and the FBI in the spring of 1977. At the time, we suspected the Soviets were using their U.N. office as a front for espionage—specifically, to spy on U.S. Navy operations in New York and New Jersey.

Lindberg’s modest income, impending retirement, and information access made him a perfect candidate to fool the Soviets into believing he would sell secrets for cash.

It worked.

The letter was one of many communications sent by the Soviets to Lindberg, often in stilted English, after they took the bait in August 1977 until the following spring when we arrested two Soviet officials.

At the outset, FBI Headquarters dubbed the spy case “Operation Lemon-Aid.” The name had no meaning, but as the case developed, it seemed to fit more and more.

Why? Because as we tracked the steady stream of phone calls and letters between Lindberg and the Soviets, we learned quite a bit about Soviet spy craft in the ‘70s.

The Soviets repeatedly passed messages and money to Lindberg in the most ordinary, everyday items: magnetic key holders placed in phone booths, cigarette packs, soda cans, orange juice cartons, even a rubber hose from an appliance.

Most of the pre-arranged “dead drop” sites where the secrets were supposed to be passed (it was actually declassified information) were along the busy New Jersey Turnpike.

We moved in on May 20, 1978 when we felt we had enough information to make the arrests. We decided to set a trap—we gave Lindberg five canisters with actual classified materials so the Soviets would be caught red-handed.

Hiding inside the trunk of Lindberg’s car were two FBI agents, with many other agents waiting at the drop site on a back road. Lindberg approached the site, stopped the car, and picked up a can labeled “Ann Page Bartlett Pears,” as instructed by the Soviets.

He grabbed the can, dropped off the canisters, and drove off. Soon after, we arrested two covert KGB officers—Valdik Enger and Rudolf Chernyayev.

A third Soviet at the scene, Vladimir Zinyakin, had diplomatic immunity and was later expelled from the country.

In the end, it was one of our most important counter-espionage cases of the decade. Enger and Chernyayev were the first Soviet officials to ever stand trial for espionage in the U.S.

Both were convicted and ultimately exchanged for five Soviet dissidents.

The cat-and-mouse game between FBI and KGB agents would continue, but “Operation Lemon-Aid” gave us insights that helped our operations for years to come.

FBI.gov (May 2020) Operation Lemon Aid Spy Case

American Pastor Detained in India Finally Freed

Prosecution Drops Charges and Allows Pastor to Return Home after Seven-Month Detention

On Tuesday, the International Christian Concern (ICC) has reported that Pastor Bryan Nerren, an American pastor detained in India since October 2019, is now free to return home to his family in the United States.

This news brings to an end a seven-month legal ordeal that began with Pastor Nerren being falsely accused of violating India’s Foreign Exchange Management Act.

According to the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), the charges against Pastor Nerren were dropped, and the prosecution withdrew its case on Friday, May 15.

The judge overseeing Pastor Nerren’s case lifted the travel ban that has kept Pastor Nerren in India since October 2019, allowing him to return to the United States and reunite with his family.

On October 5, 2019, Pastor Nerren and two other pastors from Tennessee arrived in India to attend conferences in India and Nepal. The ACLJ reported that Pastor Nerren was targeted and arrested by Indian customs agents after he told them he was a Christian.

When the three pastors arrived in New Delhi, Pastor Nerren was detained by customs agents while proceeding through the domestic security check for a flight to Bagdogra.

According to the ACLJ, Pastor Nerren was carrying funds to cover the expenses of two conferences and the two-week trip for himself and the other pastors.

Customs agents questioned Pastor Nerren about the funds and their usage for about an hour.

According to the ACLJ, customs agents specifically asked Pastor Nerren if he was a Christian and if the funds would be used to support Christian causes.

After fully explaining the usage of the funds, the customs agents told Pastor Nerren that he was free to go. However, when Pastor Nerren arrived in Bagdogra, he was arrested for violating India’s Foreign Exchange Management Act and transported to Siliguri, where he was incarcerated for six days and not allowed any visitors, including visitors from the US Consulate.

Pastor Nerren was able to secure bail after six days in jail. However, the judge overseeing his case retained Pastor Nerren’s passport and ordered a travel ban on the American pastor.

Until the charges against him were dropped last Friday, Pastor Nerren was effectively trapped in Siliguri.

Religious intolerance and instances of persecution have steadily escalated in India since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a political party founded on a Hindu nationalist ideology, took power in 2014.

According to the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI), 147 instances of religiously motivated violence against Christians were documented in 2014.

In 2019, after five years of BJP rule, EFI recorded 366 instances of religiously motivated violence against Christians.

William Stark, ICC’s Regional Manager for South Asia, said, “We here at International Christian Concern are happy to see that the false charges against Pastor Nerren dropped and that he is free to return home to his family. What is most concerning about Pastor Nerren’s case is how customs officials targeted him after he told them he is a Christian. No one should be targeted for any abuse because of their religious identity, especially in India. According to Article 25 of India’s constitution, individuals are free to profess, practice, and propagate their choice of religion. It seems that this constitutional protection was not given to Pastor Nerren. Instead, he was forced to endure seven months of detention in India because he identified himself as a Christian.”

For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org

Persecution.org (May 2020) American Pastor Detained in India Finally Freed

Pensacola NAS Investigation Update

Law enforcement officials discovered contacts between Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani and operatives of al-Qaida after FBI technicians succeeded on their own in breaking into two cellphones that had previously been locked and that the shooter, a Saudi Air Force officer, had tried to destroy before he was killed by law enforcement.

Today, the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced additional findings about the shooting on Dec. 6, 2019 at Naval Air Station Pensacola.

This was a tragic day for our military and our deepest condolences are still with the friends and families of Ensign Joshua Watson, Airman Mohammed Haitham, Airman Cameron Walters, and with the eight others wounded in this terrorist attack.

The new information provided by Director Wray and Attorney General Barr underscores the threats to our nation posed by al-Qa’ida (Al-Qaeda) and its affiliates and highlights the necessity of the security measures we take every day to protect the American people, our interests and our friends – as well as those that defend our nation.

”The Department of Defense is incredibly grateful for the diligent work by the FBI team investigating this horrific attack that took the lives of three American patriots,” said Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark. Esper. ”Based on the FBI findings, and in addition to already executed protective measures, the Department will take further prudent and effective measures to safeguard our people.”

In response to this terrorist attack, the Department of Defense took immediate action, ordering a stop to all International Military Student operational training at U.S. installations and directing a review of all vetting and security procedures.

In January Secretary Esper went to Pensacola and met with Navy leadership and with flight training students and first responders to hear first-hand the accounts of those on the scene.

Within two weeks of the tragedy, the Secretary approved an extensive list of findings and recommendations and directed immediate implementation across all the military Services. These include additional measures for background checks and new physical security procedures, specifically:

New restrictions on IMS possession and use of firearms and ammunition.
New control measures for limiting IMS access to military installations and U.S. government facilities.
New standards for training and education on detecting and reporting insider threats.
Establishment of new vetting procedures that include capabilities for continuous monitoring of IMS while enrolled in U.S.-based training programs.
Acknowledgement of willingness to abide by these standards, committing to full compliance with all U.S. laws on-and off-duty.

We continue to work with the FBI as they uncover more information pertaining to the terrorist, his links with al-Qaida (Al-Qaeda), and the methods he used to conceal this from us. At the same time, we continue to review our procedures to identify any additional vetting and security measures we can adopt.

Despite this tragic event, our military partnerships and the international military student program remain strong and are a vital component of our National Defense.

Security cooperation directly contributes to U.S. national security and foreign policy objectives by helping allies and partners improve their defense capabilities and enhance their ability to participate in missions alongside U.S. forces.

We will continue to work closely with them to counter the threats of international terrorism and protect our freedom.

Defense.gov (May 2020) Naval Air Station Pensacola Investigation Update