News 6 Mashup: May 24, 2021

Here is a News 6 mashup of top stories for the week of May 24, 2021, straight from AWN News 6 Correspondent, Jolene McNutt:

DoD Cyber Security Report

The Department of Defense shared an in-depth report following a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee earlier this month. The experts shared that there is a lot of gray area in knowing whether hackers attacking the U.S. are “foreign governments, cyber criminals, or cyber criminals supported by a foreign government.”

“The line between nation-state and criminal actors is increasingly blurry as nation-states turn to criminal proxies as a tool of state power, then turn a blind eye to the cyber crime perpetrated by the same malicious actors,” said Mieke Eoyang, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for cyber policy.

When a cyber attack occurs against a network in the United States, it is important to know who is responsible so that the proper agency can respond. The DoD said, “When non-state actors are engaging in financially motivated crimes, for instance, it is the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice who are responsible for pursuing those criminals.” However, Cyber Command focuses on “cyber threats against the homeland from adversary nation-states.” Where it gets murky is when there are foreign governments who allow cyber criminals to also work for their governments as hackers. The FBI, DOJ, Cyber Command, and other agencies have developed close relationships to help quickly unravel these complicated attacks.

Congress Considers Setting Up Quick Reaction Force

Congress is considering creating a permanent Quick Reaction Force made up of National Guard members. This force would cost about $200 million and would be used to support Capitol Police and the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, reported Military.com. Many questions remain, including whether the force responsibility would be rotated among states to help shoulder the burden, and whether the president would declare Washington, D.C. a permanent state of emergency so that soldiers would be able to collect federal benefits for serving.

Busch Gardens Offering Free Admission

Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay, Florida, is offering free admission for U.S. military veterans and retired veterans, plus up to three additional free tickets for dependents. This limited time offer is available until June 27, 2021, and can be used at Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay, reported WFLA. Visit Busch Gardens website to reserve tickets. This is a part of their Waves of Honor program to honor military members and veterans for their service. 

This Week in History

As we prepare to remember and honor those military personnel on Memorial Day, who died while serving our country, sometimes it is difficult for me to know how to respond when I hear someone chime “Happy Memorial Day!” or watch my husband cringe while someone thanks him for his service. These well-meaning individuals might be missing the point, so I’m ready to respond with some gentle and kind facts.

Did you know…

• Memorial Day was first observed in the United States following the Civil War when more than 620,000 people in total died from both sides of the conflict. At that time it was called Decoration Day. 
• This tradition goes back thousands of years to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who “held annual days of remembrance for loved ones (including soldiers).” In Athens, “Public funerals for fallen soldiers were held after each battle.” 
• In 1864, the first Memorial Day Ceremony was held at Arlington National Cemetery, where more than 5,000 people were in attendance. The future president, James A. Garfield, gave a speech that lasted more than two hours, in which he has been famously quoted as saying:

“I am oppressed with a sense of the impropriety of uttering words on this occasion. If silence is ever golden, it must be beside the graves of fifteen-thousand men whose lives were more significant than speech, and whose death was a poem the music of which can never be sung.”

For me, Memorial Day holds weight. 

I encourage you to take some time to remember those who died for our freedom, those who showed love by laying down their lives. Before you kick off summer with a barbecue, take a little time to reflect on someone you might know who gave their life for us.

If you don’t know someone personally, then take some time to attend a local ceremony or explore Arlington Cemetery, where you can explore notable graves, monuments, and memorials. Once you’ve paid tribute to the people who have died for our freedom, then have a beer in their honor at your backyard barbecue. I think one of the greatest honors we can offer to those who have given their lives is to live ours fully.