Veterans ID Card

If you served in the military, you can obtain a Veterans ID Card from the VA. Submit a copy of your DD-214 and they provide you with this ID. An advantage here is that it is government issued ID without all the personal information (such as address) that is found on a driver's license.

Prior to the establishment of the Veterans ID Card, there weren’t many easy options for military veterans to prove their service. The military only issues ID cards for current service members, retirees, and certain veterans with a 100% disability rating.

Many veterans who were not eligible for the above ID cards had a difficult time proving their military service, and often carried a DD Form 214, which contains personal information that should be kept secure (such as the veteran’s SSN, birthday, etc.). Best practices for avoiding identity theft recommend leaving your SSN and other personally identifying information in a locked and secure place to avoid potential loss.

Veterans ID Card for Identification Use & Proof of Service Only. The new ID cards will only be valid for proving military service. The new cards cannot be used for benefits through the VA, to access military installations, or to receive other military or veterans benefits. These ID Cards will include a photo of the veteran, their name, and a non-Social Security identification number.

It takes a few months to get the card (this is the VA) but if you want a secondary ID, or want to be able to prove military service, then the Veterans ID Card may be an option.
You can apply for a Veterans ID Card here.
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If you are someone in an occupation that 'checks IDs', please note that while the Veterans Identification Card does not provide VA benefits, it is official government issued ID for the purpose of identification.



 

 

 

 

Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way

 

Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.



 

Government Agencies Monitoring Your Cell-Phone and Social Media

According to Forbes (September 19, 2018) ICE has acquired the services of GrayShift - the iPhone hacking company. And it’s spent more than any other government department on GrayShift tech, with a single order of $384,000. Other branches of the government, from the Drug Enforcement Administration to the Food and Drug Administration, have splashed between $15,000 and $30,000 on different models of the GrayKey, which requires physical access to an Apple device before it can break through the passcode.

But ICE is a different kind of customer altogether. Given recent controversy around President Trump's hard-line policies and the separation of infant children from their parents, human rights activists are concerned about the potential invasion of privacy of immigrants.

“It’s very concerning to learn that the government continues to bulk up on spying tools —which can violate privacy rights and chill free speech—for use in immigration enforcement and border entry surveillance,” a spokesperson from the Electronic Frontier Foundation said.

“These tools can sweep up information about legal U.S. immigrants and innocent Americans, and give ICE access to personal information with little oversight or transparency. ICE should be getting a warrant before using these technologies to search electronic devices, including at the U.S. border.”

This August, Cellebrite scored a significant $558,000 contract, while Palantir scored another $10 million as part of a multiyear deal with ICE stretching back to 2011 worth more than $50 million. Giant Oak, a specialist in tracking social media, had a profitable summer with two deals worth nearly $1 million each. Both were record deals for the company with any federal government department and were for “social media data analytics.” Over the last year, ICE has also spent $4.5 million on “intercept software” and “telecommunications analysis” tech from Pen-Link, a Nebraska-based contractor.

Alongside Israel’s Cellebrite, ICE has looked to a variety of foreign-made hacking tech to aid investigations. In August, it spent $41,000 on “computer support equipment” from Oxygen Forensics, a company founded by Russians that specializes in extracting WhatsApp data, among other artifacts, from iPhones and Androids. Canadian rival Magnet Forensics sold more “computer support equipment” to ICE in August for $371,000. That was more than double the value of its previous biggest deal between Magnet and the immigration department.
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Does the government have a valid use for these tools? Yes, of course, in legitimate criminal investigations, with properly issued warrants. But mass surveillance, the gathering of information about large groups of people, without warrants authorizing that specific collection is a concern.

 

 

Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way Paperback

 

Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.

Police Chief in Eastern Washington Says His Officers Won't Enforce New Gun Laws

The police chief in Republic, Washington said on social media that he won't allow his department to enforce the regulations passed by voters under Initiative 1639, saying the new gun laws violate the 2nd amendment.

Initiative 1639 passed with a statewide approval of nearly 60 percent of the vote. In Ferry County, where Republic is located, 73 percent of voters said no to the measure, which was 2,542 votes against.

On a Facebook page called "Republic Police WA", Chief Loren Culp wrote "The second amendment says the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. As long as I am Chief of Police, no Republic Police Officer will infringe on citizens right to Keep and Bear Arms, PERIOD!" (KXLY, November 15, 2018)

According to the Spokesman Review (November 15, 2018) Republic, Washington, considers becoming a ‘sanctuary city’ to protect gun rights. The Republic, Washington, City Council is mulling legislation to protect itself from state and national laws that limit Second Amendment gun rights, including the recently passed Initiative 1639.

Republic Mayor Elbert Koontz said on Monday the Republic City Council will begin discussing the idea of becoming a “sanctuary city.” The move has widespread support within the city, he said.

“Everybody in Republic seems to like it and has decided that it seems like a great thing,” Koontz said.

The idea was sparked by a message Republic police Chief Loren Culp posted last week to the Republic Police Department’s Facebook page.
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Chief Culp's statement that he and his department will protect the rights of American citizens and the residents of Republic and not enforce laws that violate the Constitutions of  both the United States and Washington State is truly inspiring.

"People simply will not respect a law that is not respectable."

 

 

 

Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way

 

Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.

DSHS to Pay $900,000 to Settle Abuse Claims at Western State Hospital

The state Department of Social and Health Services has agreed to pay $900,000 to the estate of a 74-year-old woman who allegedly was neglected and abused as a patient at Western State Hospital.

The lawsuit, which was officially settled Friday in U.S. District Court in Tacoma, gives this account of Struthers’ time at Western State:

She broke her arm, her hip, suffered a head injury and had various bruises and cuts from falls and assaults by other patients.

The hospital didn’t diagnose and treat her congestive heart failure until her family “objected to the lack of care and medical attention she had been receiving.”

She also had an abnormal mammogram and subsequent biopsy and mastectomy, after which she experienced “untimely medical attention, lack of wound care and lack of assistance with personal hygiene.”

Additionally, Western State put her in restraints, and “failed to treat Ms. Struthers with basic human dignity and denied her assistance with simple daily hygiene.”

She was also “given inappropriate medications” and “sustained drug overdoses,” the lawsuit says. (The Olympian, November 13, 2018)
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According to a CBS News report "Washington state psych hospital is "like going into hell" on July 6, 2018 "Dr. Joseph Wainer wrote an editorial in a local newspaper and statement for a court claiming "a systemic culture of retaliation, discrimination and bullying." He was put under investigation and told to leave the hospital. Dr. Jay Jawad said he objected to a management decision to discharge his patients and faced investigation and loss of his clinical responsibilities. Wainer and Jawad were later told that the investigations were closed with no findings. They have sued the hospital and the health department claiming retaliation." 

"Dr. Michael Quayle sued the hospital claiming he faced a hostile work environment after reporting expired and improperly stored meat. A jury awarded him about $550,000 in December 2016."
Nursing supervisor Paul Vilja filed a complaint last December after a man who was found not guilty by reason of insanity in the deaths of multiple people was moved from a secure ward into one with limited security.

"I said you are endangering my patients and he's a risk for escape," Vilja told the AP.
The health department agreed with Vilja's concerns, but he was moved to the medical records department within a week. He couldn't work with patients for six months but was recently told he can move back to the ward. Vilja has filed a whistleblower complaint.
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Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way

Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.

WA Inmate Awarded $549K After Pain Medication for MS Denied

A federal jury has awarded $549,000 to a Washington state inmate with multiple sclerosis who was repeatedly denied non-addictive nerve-pain medication by prison staff.

The Seattle Times reports the jury in Tacoma last week found that three prison medical staffers showed "deliberate indifference" to Etienne Choquette's pain and medical needs when they refused to allow him medication that was prescribed to him by a neurologist.

Choquette was awarded $149,000 in compensatory damages for violation of his Eighth Amendment rights and $400,000 in punitive damages. (Tacoma News Tribune, November 8, 2018)
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Although WA DOC has not publicly commented on this ruling; it is difficult to understand why prison medical staff would deny prescribed medication to an inmate.

It seems however that disregard for the health and welfare of inmates may be common in other facilities as well, as we saw in these reports:

Army Veteran Mocked and Left to Die By Clackamas County Sheriff’s Deputies

Inmates Denied Medical Attention After Being Pepper Sprayed in Prison

 

Locking Down Signal: A Guide for Journalists

Martin Shelton (November 9, 2018) has written an interesting article on making your use of Signal Private Messenger more secure.

I strongly encourage you to encrypt all of your communications. Signal is a great tool to protect your telephone calls and text messages.

 

 

Soldier Dies in Training Accident at NTC

Spc. Nicholas Jividen, 21, died at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin on the afternoon of November 6, 2018 in an unspecified training accident. The incident is currently under investigation. Jividen was assigned to Headquarters and Support Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group as a signals intelligence analyst.

Jividen was the second soldier to die in a training accident on the West Coast last week. Another soldier, 23-year-old Spc. Drew Watters, based out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington, was killed Nov. 4 in a training accident on post, Army officials said last week.Watters served with the 2nd Infantry Division’s 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team. (Army Times, November 13, 2018)

RIP Spc. Jividen.  Our prayers for the family and friends of our fallen Soldiers.

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American Soldiers Charged with War Crimes in Afghanistan?

The International Criminal Court (ICC) continues to pursue actions against U.S. citizens, including veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, stating that they will  proceed with possible charges of war crimes committed by American soldiers.

National Security Adviser John Bolton declared, “The United States will use any means necessary to protect our citizens and those of our allies from unjust prosecution by this illegitimate court.”

The court is based in the Hague, Netherlands.  Founded in 2002, the United States and Russia (among other nations) refused to ratify the treaty or join the legal body.  President George W. Bush was firmly against the establishment of the court.  President Obama tried to cooperate with the ICC but was largely thwarted by bipartisan opposition in Congress.

Since Afghanistan became a party to the ICC in 2003, the court now claims jurisdiction over potential criminal acts committed in a member state, even if allegedly committed by individuals whose country of origin (for example, the United States) is not a signatory to the Rome Treaty that established the international judiciary.
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The claims that war crimes charges may be brought against American Soldiers for their actions in Afghanistan is not new. In November 2016, the New York Times reported that "The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said Monday that she had a “reasonable basis to believe” that American soldiers committed war crimes in Afghanistan, including torture."

While the United States does not recognize the ICC; as of October 2017, 123 states (countries) are parties to the Statute of the Court, including all the countries of South America, nearly all of Europe, most of Oceania and roughly half of Africa. A person (including American Soldiers) charged with war crimes by the ICC, could be denied visas for foreign travel by countries that recognize the ICC, or even arrested by a country that is a party to the Statute of the Court, when traveling abroad.

 

 

 

A.C.A.B. Another Portland Protest

“A.C.A.B.,” shouted a protest leader on a bullhorn in front of Portland city hall on Election Day. “All cops are bastards!” responded the crowd of about 60 demonstrators. A coalition of far-left activist groups were demanding the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but they also used the occasion to rail against Oregon’s Measure 105, on the ballot that day, which would repeal the state’s “sanctuary state” measure prohibiting local authorities from enforcing immigration laws. Other targets included law enforcement in general, Donald Trump, and “fascism.”

The crowd was made up of members from Occupy ICE PDX, the Queer Liberation Front, Antifa, and other leftist movements. Occupy ICE was previously involved in leading a five-week siege outside the local ICE office. Police disbanded the gathering after 38 days, but the cleanup cost the city nearly $25,000. Portland mayor Ted Wheeler, attracted national attention for his refusal to order police to help the federal officers trapped inside by the protesters’ barricades.

After about an hour outside city hall, the protesters began a march through the streets of downtown. The groups involved in organizing the event did not have a permit, and they rebuffed police attempts for dialogue. For the most part, though, demonstrators remained on sidewalks, in contrast with past episodes, when they have occupied the streets and blocked traffic. Holding signs such as “Smash fascism,” “Cops beat their wives,” and “Deport the racists."

Some businesses rushed to lock their front doors; protesters have targeted commercial entities for vandalism and destruction in recent incidents. After the 2016 election, Antifa rioting in Portland caused damage estimated at more than $1 million. No protest groups were held accountable. (City Journal (November 12, 2018))
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OK, so you don't like government policy? You want to make your voice heard, to stand up for your beliefs and support efforts for change in your community? Excellent, you have an absolute right to do that, and I support your efforts to exercise your 1st Amendment Rights - BUT, what you can't do is block streets, threaten other residents of the community, and cause a million dollars in property damage while advocating for a better community and a more responsible government.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

You can't declare war on the police and advocate for the death of police officers who protect our communities. The police officer on the street is seldom your enemy. If you don't like police policy, advocate for change, pass an initiative and change the law. But, do so peaceably and legally.

You have rights, and you can and should exercise everyone of them. But when exercising your rights, remember that you cannot infringe on the rights of another.

Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way

 

Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.



Police Around the Country Are Acquiring More and More Surveillance Technologies

The East Bay Times (October 5, 2018) reports that “Police around the country are acquiring more and more surveillance technologies each year, especially license plate readers and similar mass surveillance technologies. This growth is occurring even when there isn’t a commensurate rise in crime or other public safety threat that needs to be addressed.”

“Law enforcement needs to explain to the public exactly what specific goal they are seeking to achieve with these technologies,” said Matt Cagle, a technology attorney with the Northern California chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.

“Public safety in the digital era requires transparency and oversight,” Cagle added. “And the sort of ‘just trust us’ approach to conducting surveillance of communities is not something that residents buy these days.”
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Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way Paperback

 

Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.

Police Kill Security Guard Who Just Stopped Mass Shooting

Fox 32 News Chicago (November 12, 2018) is reporting that a security guard told a group of "drunk men" to leave a Robbins bar around 4 a.m. An armed suspect later came back inside the bar and opened fire.  One the guards -- Jemel Roberson, 26 -- apprehended the suspect outside, witnesses said. Roberson then requested help from Midlothian Police.

A witness reported that Roberson was holding the suspect on the ground;  had his knee on him the whole time, just waiting on the police to get there.  when the police arrived one of two responding officers fatally shot the security guard, Jemel Roberson. ‘They basically saw a black man with a gun’, so they killed him, said the Washington Post.
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So, did the police just see a black man with a gun and open fire? No, we seriously doubt that is the case, but there is certainly more to this incident than is being reported in the news.

Do we give the responding police officers a pass on this one? Should there be a trial? Would it make a difference if a non-police officer had shot Mr. Roberson believing him to be the active shooter from the bar? Should an armed citizen who kills an innocent person get a pass if there was no malice in their actions?

Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way

 

 



What Is Brady Material?

Brady material law is a technical term for a specific type of prosecutorial misconduct. It is derived from the United States Supreme Court case Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963). In that case, the Supreme Court held the prosecution must turn over any evidence favorable to the defendant. Thus, Brady material is evidence discovered – but suppressed – by the prosecution that would have helped the defendant in some way, by proving his or her innocence, impeaching the credibility of a witness, or reducing his or her sentence.

When a prosecutor withholds favorable evidence from the defense, Brady material is implicated, and a defendant’s rights to due process under the U.S. Constitution are violated. The prosecution’s job is not merely to “win” by getting a conviction, but to seek justice. Defendants are entitled to all evidence that would help their case.

Now in most cases this is not an issue, however on rare occasion corrupt police officials may instruct officers to do or avoid doing a certain thing to "avoid creating Brady material." Or, information that would serve to support a claim of innocence just won't make it into the investigation file ('I see to have lost that folder!')

If you are a police officer be very concerned if a supervisor expresses concern over creating Brady material. Remember, Brady material is something that would help the accused prove his or her innocence. Why would any police official be concerned about someone proving that they are innocent of the charges brought against them? As with the prosecutor, police officials should seek justice, not just seek a conviction.

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Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way

 

Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.

 

 

Do Background Checks Keep Guns Away from Dangerous People?

 

 

Do background checks keep dangerous people from gaining access to firearms? Are these checks preventing criminals and mentally unstable individuals from buying a firearm and doing harm to themselves or harming someone else?

 

According to the FBI, in the past 20 years (from November 1998 when the National Instant Check System (NICS) was established, until October 31, 2018) there have been 299,697,888 checks run for on people wanting to purchase a firearm from a licensed (FFL) dealer. 

 

 

During the last 20 years the NICS has denied the sale of 1,577,913 firearms to individuals who attempted to purchase them through a licensed dealer.

 

Thus we find that the NICS has denied about 1/2 of 1-percent (0.52%) of the total checks that have been submitted between 1998 and 2018.

 

A small number of denials (4.77%) were successfully appealed and the sale of the firearm was eventually permitted.

 

With only 0.52% of firearms purchases denied by NICS over a 20 year period, it would seem that most criminals are not getting their guns by purchasing them from their local FFL dealer.

 

But, didn't background checks stop 1,577,913 new gun crimes over the last 20 years? Well, No! While that number of sales were denied, for the various reasons shown above, not everyone of these guns had they been sold would have been used in a crime. For example, the Brennan Center for Justice wrote in December 2016 that approximately 40% of the nationwide prison population (576,000 people) is behind bars with little public safety rationale. If we accept this as a good estimate, then 40% of the background check denials for criminal convictions would have created no new gun crime if it had been approved. Do we assume that the 25,485 sales denied because the person attempting the purchase was an "Illegal/Unlawful Alien" would all be used in a crime had the sale been approved?

 

A very small percentage of sales (0.52%) have been denied by the NICS over the past 20 years. Of those denials, some number would result in no new gun crime if the sale was approved, and some small number would of course be used to commit a crime. The question we are left with is whether the massive NICS bureaucracy and the repeated checks into the lives of honest Americans and infringement of their rights are worth whatever value we gain from background checks on gun sales. 

 

 

 

 



Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way

Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.

University of Washington Public Posting of Sexual Assault and Harassment Claims

According to the Tacoma News Tribune (November 10, 2018) the University of Washington student-run website called “Make Them Scared” allows for the public posting of the names of individuals who have committed [are alleged to have committed] sexual assault or harassment.

But websites like this cross a dangerous line. Online shaming platforms are a cheap substitute for fair, thorough criminal proceedings.

Initially, the naming of names was done anonymously, so victims would feel more comfortable coming forward. After some backlash, all accusers now give the website moderators some form of identifying information. But all that’s made public is the name of the alleged assailant and as much description of the incident as the accuser wants to share.

There’s no question the list gives women a way to fight back, but any shortcut to justice should make us all scared. Hiding behind the cover of anonymity minus hard evidence and due process erodes the rule of law and is an invitation to libel.
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It is easy to make false claims against someone, especially when those claims can be posted anonymously (or semi-anonymously). It is just as easy for an investigation to be structured to point to or cover-up for whatever person the investigator opposes or supports. An assistant chief of police once joked, "just get the victim to say she enjoyed it, just for a minute, and there goes her case".

Of course, not every claim of sexual assault or harassment has merit or is supported by evidence, as we recently saw in the claims against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. “Following the separate and extensive investigations by both the [Senate] Committee and the FBI, there was no evidence to substantiate any of the claims of sexual assault made against Justice Kavanaugh.”

The government posts the names of dangerous sex offenders in the community, but on sex offender registry lists, everyone has been convicted of a crime in a court of law. Are sites like the UW Make Them Scared site a way to warn others in the community, or are such site too great a risk of false accusations and revenge? The website has had more than 75,000 views and a little over 300 submissions, according to the site’s moderators. (Many of those were "troll submissions" after the site was posted on Reddit and 4chan threads Friday, Oct. 4, and experienced a large spike in exposure.)

UW administration spokesperson Victor Balta said, “We do not know who is behind the site, and it is in no way affiliated with the UW. We continue to encourage individuals to file a report directly to the university if they experienced sexual harassment or assault.”

 

 

 

 

Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way

 

Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.



Afghan Citizen Living in University Place, WA Threatens Suicide Bombing

Sayed Hashimi, an Afghan citizen livinging in University Place, WA, was charged with a hate crime after prosecutors said he targeted two men working at a 7-Eleven, assaulting them and threatening to kill them because they are from India.

When University Place police arrived, officers said Hashimi continued to threaten the men before asking the officers to shoot him so he could receive the blessings of Allah.

Charges state Hashimi then threatened the men in the Afghan language, saying, “This time, I punch you in the head. Next time, I’m putting a bullet in your head,” and, “I’m going back to Afghanistan to learn to be a suicide bomber.”  (KIRO 7 News, November 10, 2018)
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