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genie bar Where were you at 9.36 a.m. on December 26, 2004? That has become one of the definitive questions such as “where were you on November 22 1963 when John F. Kennedy was shot?”. It is a moment that we will all remember, as long as we live. Indeed, the Indian Ocean tsunami is the most catastrophic event in living memory for many of us. And we are on the cusp of marking 20 years since that fateful day, which saw the deaths of nearly 240,000 people across 14 countries in Asia and Africa. But at that exact time, no one in Sri Lanka (and I believe most other countries) knew what was about to happen. The very word tsunami was unknown to 99 percent of the population. I, for one, knew what it meant but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would see the devastating effects of a tsunami in Sri Lanka itself. It was a harrowing day that simply has no parallel, even for a country such as Sri Lanka which had suffered immensely due to a protracted terrorist conflict. Triggered by a 9.3 undersea quake that literally shook the Earth, the tsunami swept through coastal towns in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) reducing them virtually to cinders. Worst affected Indonesia was the worst affected country (128,000 deaths) and Sri Lanka was the second in line, with nearly 40,000 deaths island-wide. Just what is a tsunami? Tsunami is a Japanese word comprising the words “tsu” (meaning harbour) and “nami” (meaning wave). It is not surprising that this word has originated in Japan, considering the frequency of tsunamis there. A tsunami is a series of enormous waves created by an underwater disturbance usually associated with earthquakes occurring below or near the ocean. Volcanic eruptions (like the one in Indonesia caused by the “Son of Krakatoa”), submarine landslides, and coastal rock falls can also generate a tsunami, as can a large asteroid impacting the ocean (as depicted in movies such as Deep Impact). Tsunamis originate from a vertical movement of the sea floor with the consequent displacement of water mass. Tsunami waves often look like walls of water and can attack the shoreline and be dangerous for hours, with waves coming every 5 to 60 minutes. The first wave may not be the largest, and often it is the 2nd, 3rd, 4th waves that are the biggest. Tsunamis are rare events, but they can be extremely deadly. In the past 100 years, 58 tsunamis have claimed more than 260,000 lives, or an average of 4,600 per disaster, surpassing any other natural hazard. The highest number of deaths in that period was in the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 26, 2004. Hence the name Boxing Day Tsunami. The word – as well as the phenomenon – was etched deeply in the collective conscience of a nation on that tragic day. Ever since, the mere mention of the word is enough to instill fear in our minds. There have been several tsunamis in other parts of the world since then, most noticeably Japan (March 11, 2011), but nothing could come close to the sheer scale of death and destruction caused by the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 26, 2004. Asia has received a state-of-the-art tsunami warning system with active and passive safety features while emergency services have been geared to inform and evacuate coastal dwellers as fast as possible. With almost everyone having a cellular phone, sending a warning text has become a very effective approach. Yet, we have still not reached perfection in this regard. Two decades after the Indian Ocean tsunami struck, the Asia-Pacific region remains highly disaster prone and critical gaps remain in early warning, especially in reaching the most vulnerable people and remote communities. There have been warnings that 20 years after the Boxing Day tsunami, a degree of complacency has set in to the detection and early warning process, which should not be the case. Just three weeks after the Boxing Day Tsunami, the international community came together in Kobe, in Japan’s Hyogo region. Governments around the world adopted the 10-year Hyogo Framework for Action, the first comprehensive global agreement on disaster risk reduction. They also created the Indian Ocean Tsunami warning and Mitigation System which boasts scores of seismographic and sea-level monitoring stations and disseminates alerts to national tsunami information centres. Rapid urbanisation and growing tourism in tsunami-prone regions are putting ever-more people in harm’s way. That makes the reduction of risk a key factor if the world is to achieve substantial reductions in disaster mortality – a primary goal of the Sendai Framework, the 15-year international agreement adopted in March 2015 to succeed the Hyogo Framework. In retrospect, there is enough awareness about tsunamis now. People generally know what to do and how to behave in an impending tsunami situation without even being told. What has not been really tested is our state of readiness, including the functionality of the tsunami alert system. Several drills Although several drills have been held from time to time, we do not know how the systems will behave collectively in a real-life tsunami crisis. For example, will a tsunami alert text message be delivered to 21 million phones in a matter of minutes? Sending a text to 20 million phones may not be as simple as it sounds – any quake could bring down power and communications lines, thus affecting mobile coverage. Another worrying factor is that critical components of the expensive early warning system may not be working properly due to natural damage and even vandalism. The third factor, which is common to most developing countries, is the lack of a maintenance budget for systems such as these. Sri Lankan authorities must urgently assess the operational capability and readiness of the early warning system. Any Budgetary constraints must be immediately addressed regardless of the costs involved. But earthquakes and seaquakes are fast events and sometimes coastal dwellers may have just 15 minutes’ warning to reach higher ground. In fact, UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission met in February 2009 in Apia, Samoa, to help raise public awareness that, in the worst-case scenario, villagers would get just 15 minutes of warning before a tsunami struck. That was “our number one point made: You have only 15 minutes. Remember that number,” said a UNESCO spokesperson. Intensify research The Indian Ocean countries and Japan must thus intensify research on earthquakes and tsunamis and collaborate more closely with well-known bodies such as the US Geological Survey (USGS). We must also be wary of Climate Change which can cause low-lying cities to go underwater. There will be a greater threat of landslide tsunamis as some melting glacial mountains can topple into the sea, generating massive tsunamis. With a wave run-up of nearly 200 metres, the tsunami that ripped through an Alaskan fjord in 2015 was one of the largest ever documented. But with no-one killed, it almost went unnoticed. It was triggered by a massive rockfall caused by melting of the Tyndall Glacier, which experts say has given them the clearest picture to date of a landslide generated tsunami. Accurate earthquake prediction remains the Holy Grail of scientists. Forecasting an earthquake’s approximate date assumes earthquakes follow some kind of pattern — that faults release pressure in a predictable way. It is difficult to find a rhythm to earthquakes, even though the last major tsunami in Asia prior to 2004 had occurred probably in 1300-1400 AD. Indeed, a big undersea quake can happen tomorrow or in another 1,000 years. Unlike us, animals seem to be having a “sixth sense” that can give them an indication of an impending disaster, well before any of our advanced gadgets. In fact, no animals perished in the 2004 tsunami except those who were tied or caged. Humans have lost this sense in the course of evolution, so we have to rely on technology instead. There is the possibility of using Artificial Intelligence (AI), somewhat akin to the animals’ sixth sense, to predict earthquakes at least a few minutes in advance. We hope these efforts succeed, because that would mean more lives can be saved. Tsunamis are unpredictable, but armed with more knowledge and better warning systems, we will be able to minimise any loss of life and property if and when a major tsunami strikes. The good news is that there are 75 high-tech DART (Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis) bouys in oceans around the world, covering every coastline. In 2004, just one sea level station was monitoring the Indian Ocean. Today, there are some 1,400 stations delivering real-time sea-surface height data in that ocean basin, which aid in forecasts not just for tsunamis, but also for cyclone-related storm surges. Faster supercomputers are aiding in speeding up warning systems, in hopes of adding a few more precious minutes for people to get to safety. Seismic analyses that took five to six minutes in 2004 now take just a minute or so. Sea level assessments that in 2004 might have taken hours have dropped to about an hour or less — thanks not just to hundreds more stations measuring sea level, but also to the speed of data transmission. In 2004, most sea level stations transmitted data once an hour and sampled sea-surface heights every six minutes. Now it takes a fraction of the time to track swift changes in sea level, with stations measuring sea-surface heights every minute and uploading those data every five minutes. Technology aside, are we prepared for another such event? It is very difficult to get shattered lives back on track – what do you say to a little girl who had lost her entire family to the raging waves? To parents who lost all their children? A personal tragedy on that scale is hard to fathom and bear at any age. We have to be one with them as we remember all those who perished that morning as a ferocious sea engulfed the land. The tsunami also shattered the myth that Sri Lanka and surrounding countries were “safe” from earthquakes or undersea quakes. Now that we know the power and fury of the ocean, the damage it could do, subliminally we will always fear and respect it. On the other hand, the ocean is central to our lives as islanders. It is a resource we cannot do without. It is an equation that we will have to live with for the rest of our lives. We may obliterate all physical traces of the tsunami, but it is not so easy to heal the mental scars of thousands of people who had lost everything they cherished – their loved ones, their belongings and their houses. While tsunami affected people can be provided with jobs and houses, there will always be those who cannot come to terms with their loss. There must be a mechanism to deal with this kind of psychological emergency. The response to a tsunami should be multifaceted and swift. But let’s hope that we never have to face a tsunami again.

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Kosovo arrests blast suspects, Serbia denies involvementNEW YORK — Notre Dame versus Army at Yankee Stadium. At one time it was the biggest game there was in college football. One of them was ranked No. 1 in four straight meetings from 1943-46, culminating with a 0-0 tie in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup that was dubbed the “Game of the Century.” Their meeting Saturday night isn’t at that level. But with the No. 6 Fighting Irish (9-1) in prime position for a spot in the College Football Playoff and the 18th-ranked Black Knights (9-0) one of only three unbeaten teams in FBS, it’s one of the most significant games on the last full weekend of November. “It’s an amazing opportunity to play a great program that has a lot of history and is a Top 25 program,” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said. “It’s going to be a great challenge on Saturday night.” Notre Dame has won eight straight and has been romping over opponents, just as it did in 2016 in the most recent meeting of what eventually became a one-sided series against Army. The Black Knights haven’t won since 1958, the last matchup in which both were ranked. “You walk around this building and look at all the photos of Army playing Notre Dame in the Polo Grounds and Yankee Stadium, and there’s a great history to this game,” Army coach Jeff Monken said. “And the history belongs to Notre Dame. They’ve won most of them. So it will take a great effort, but our guys are excited about the challenge and the opportunity and I hope we’ll play well.” This meeting was scheduled to honor the 100th anniversary of Notre Dame’s 1924 victory in New York at the Polo Grounds, when Grantland Rice famously wrote: “Outlined against a blue-gray October sky, the Four Horsemen rode again.” Army has won 13 straight, tops in the nation, has won every game this season by double digits and didn’t even trail in one until its 14-3 victory over North Texas two weeks ago. But the Black Knights haven’t played anyone like the Irish, who are No. 6 in the current playoff rankings. Notre Dame has allowed 14 or fewer points in five straight games, is near the top of numerous defensive categories and allows just 11.4 points per game. Win Saturday and at Southern California next week in their final game of the regular season and the Irish could be in position to host a playoff game. “I think the coolest thing is we’re in November now, getting to late November, and you’re in control of your destiny. That’s something that I haven’t been able to experience,” said quarterback Riley Leonard, a transfer from Duke. “And every day you kind of wake up and you’re like wow, this is cool. You have that motivation and that extra urge to go above and beyond, go the extra mile, because everything we want is right in front of us and we’re in control of our destiny.” The playoff may be out of reach for Army, currently No. 19. But the Black Knights need to keep their ranking as high as possible, as it could come into play as a tiebreaker with No. 20 Tulane to determine which hosts the American Athletic Conference championship game on Dec. 6. Notre Dame is 39-8-4 against Army, including 15-5-3 at Yankee Stadium. That includes a 2010 victory in what was the first football game at the current stadium, which opened a year earlier. Notre Dame routed Navy 51-14 last month. Like Army, the Midshipmen control the ball with their rushing attack and rarely commit turnovers, but the Irish recovered five fumbles and had an interception. “I met with the defensive staff and the first thing we said is the biggest mistake we can make is think this is Navy 2.0,” Freeman said. “It’s not.” Notre Dame serves as the host team for the game Saturday, even though it’s not far from Army’s home at West Point, New York. The Black Knights took a trip to Yankee Stadium this summer. “I think it’s a really cool moment,” linebacker Brett Gerena said. “I was new in my awareness with our history at Yankee Stadium and the Polo Grounds. I’m just really excited to relive that history and be a part of the legacy.” Army quarterback Bryson Daily and running back Kanye Udoh have combined for 1,918 rushing yards this season, the seventh-highest total by a duo in academy history. Udoh (856 yards) is on pace to join Daily (1,062 yards) as a 1,000-yard rusher with five games left. Army has had two players rush for more 1,000 yards in a season only twice (1984, 2012).

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Unused railroad tracks, background, veer from the main line, foreground, into the woods at Danville Junction in Auburn. The unused tracks could become part of a proposed rail-to-trail project connecting Lewiston and Auburn, Brunswick and Portland with a 72-mile corridor for biking and walking. Auburn officials appear to support turning the rail bed into a trail. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal file AUBURN — City officials are expected to take up a resolution next week in support of using the inactive St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad between Auburn and Portland as part of a proposed 72-mile Casco Bay Trail. During a council workshop earlier this month, city councilors and Mayor Jeff Harmon appeared on board with a proposal to turn the line into an “interim trail,” meaning the tracks and ties would be removed and turned into a multiuse trail, while the corridor would remain available for possible future rail use. However, rail advocates sitting on the Portland to Auburn Rail Use Advisory Council have argued for a “rail with trail” approach, where a trail would be built alongside the tracks in order to preserve both uses. When reached Wednesday, Harmon said “no one has shown me a viable case” for maintaining the section of rail in question for either freight or passenger rail. He said building a trail next to the rail line is estimated to cost $100 million, while building a trail on the rail bed would be roughly half that. The Casco Bay Trail is a proposed 72-mile off-road trail loop connecting Portland, Lewiston-Auburn, Brunswick and Freeport. A major part of the loop is a section of the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad known as the Berlin subdivision, which runs between Danville Junction in Auburn and the future site of the Roux Institute in Portland. Harmon added that if passenger rail was eyed for the line, the current tracks designed for slow-moving freight would have to be replaced either way. From a commuter standpoint, he said, “we’re better off with buses.” If 30 to 40 years from now, there’s a viable rail option, the rail line can be flipped back, he argues. “I’m not opposed to rail where it makes sense,” he said. “Right now, this asset is sitting there unused. We’re way better off getting a recreational asset out of this.” However, rail advocates argue that even though reverting back to a rail use could be done, it would likely be unpopular among users of the trail, not to mention the political implications of spending millions to lay down new rail line on top of the millions of dollars worth of trail work. Bruce Sleeper of TrainRiders Northeast said the “rail with trail” option may cost more, but could be done incrementally, and would preserve the potential economic benefit from rail use in the future. Peter Cole of Maine Rail Group also supports the rail with trail option. He told Auburn officials that Maine will be growing in population over the next several decades and the car-centric transportation system “is spreading ourselves out instead of taking advantage of a transit system.” He said operating trains uses the least amount of energy of any transit system. If approved, the resolution is only a symbolic support of the proposal, which Harmon said will be taken up by the Maine Legislature. Even if the legislature supports the plan, he said, it would still need to appropriate funding for engineering, and then eventually construction. Sue-Ellen Boardwell of Casco Bay Trail Alliance urged Auburn to support the resolution in favor of the trail, stating that it will “open Auburn to the possibilities of becoming a trail town,” with the associated economic benefit. In 2023, the Portland to Auburn Rail Use Advisory Council voted on three potential options, with “interim trail” receiving seven votes, “rail with trail” receiving five votes, and “rail use only” receiving one vote. At the time, the Maine Rail Transit Coalition said the vote to tear out the tracks for a recreational trail “will go down in infamy.” However, the Casco Bay Trail Alliance called it “a very important development in the progress toward an off-road trail connecting Portland, Lewiston and Brunswick.” There is another rail line connecting Auburn to Portland that is still in use for freight trains, which has also been eyed for possible passenger service in the future. A Casco Bay Trail Alliance map shows the proposed 72-mile trail loop. The section between Portland and Auburn is the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad, while the section in green would have to be made through connections to other railroads through Auburn into Lewiston. Casco Bay Trail Alliance We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use . More information is found on our FAQs . You can modify your screen name here . Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve. Please sign into your Sun Journal account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe . Questions? Please see our FAQs . Your commenting screen name has been updated. Send questions/comments to the editors. « PreviousNoneTehran's regional doctrine: weathering storms and hardships

FACT FOCUS: Vermont ruling does not say schools can vaccinate children without parental consentWASHINGTON — The House on Wednesday passed a $895 billion measure that authorizes a 1% increase in defense spending this fiscal year and would give a double-digit pay raise to about half of the enlisted service members in the military. The bill is traditionally strongly bipartisan, but some Democratic lawmakers opposed the inclusion of a ban on transgender medical treatments for children of military members if such treatment could result in sterilization. It passed by a vote of 281-140 and next moves to the Senate, where lawmakers sought a bigger boost in defense spending than the current measure allows. Lawmakers are touting the bill's 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% increase for others as key to improving the quality of life for those serving in the U.S. military. Those serving as junior enlisted personnel are in pay grades that generally track with their first enlistment term. People are also reading... Lawmakers said service member pay failed to remain competitive with the private sector, forcing many military families to rely on food banks and government assistance programs to put food on the table. The bill also provides significant new resources for child care and housing. "No service member should have to live in squalid conditions and no military family should have to rely on food stamps to feed their children, but that's exactly what many of our service members are experiencing, especially the junior enlisted," said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. "This bill goes a long way to fixing that." The bill sets key Pentagon policy that lawmakers will attempt to fund through a follow-up appropriations bill. The overall spending tracks the numbers established in a 2023 agreement that then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., reached with President Joe Biden to increase the nation's borrowing authority and avoid a federal default in exchange for spending restraints. Many senators had wanted to increase defense spending some $25 billion above what was called for in that agreement, but those efforts failed. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who is expected to serve as the next chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the overall spending level was a "tremendous loss for our national defense," though he agreed with many provisions within the bill. "We need to make a generational investment to deter the Axis of Aggressors. I will not cease work with my congressional colleagues, the Trump administration, and others until we achieve it," Wicker said. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., speaks with reporters Nov. 21 on Capitol Hill in Washington. Mark Schiefelbein, Associated Press House Republicans don't want to go above the McCarthy-Biden agreement for defense spending and are looking to go way below it for many non-defense programs. They are also focused on cultural issues. The bill prohibits funding for teaching critical race theory in the military and prohibits TRICARE health plans from covering gender dysphoria treatment for children under 18 if that treatment could result in sterilization. Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state, the ranking Democratic member of the House Armed Services Committee, said minors dealing with gender dysphoria is a "very real problem." He said the treatments available, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, have proven effective at helping young people dealing with suicidal thoughts, anxiety and depression. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts "These treatments changed their lives and in many cases saved their lives," Smith said. "And in this bill, we decided we're going to bar service members' children from having access to that." Smith said the number of minors in service member families receiving transgender medical care extends into the thousands. He could have supported a study asking medical experts to determine whether such treatments are too often used, but a ban on health insurance coverage went too far. He said Speaker Mike Johnson's office insisted on the ban and said the provision "taints an otherwise excellent piece of legislation." Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, called the ban a step in the right direction, saying, "I think these questions need to be pulled out of the debate of defense, so we can get back to the business of defending the United States of America without having to deal with social engineering debates." Smith said he agrees with Roy that lawmakers should be focused on the military and not on cultural conflicts, "and yet, here it is in this bill." Branden Marty, a Navy veteran who served for 13 years, said the loss of health coverage for transgender medical treatments could prompt some with valuable experience to leave the military, affecting national security because "we already struggle from a recruiting and retention standpoint." He also said the bill could regularly force service members into difficult choices financially. "It will be tough for a lot of them because of out-of-pocket expenses, especially enlisted members who we know already struggle with food insecurity," said Marty, the father of a transgender teenager. "They don't get paid very much, so they're going to be making a lot of choices on a day-to-day, tactical level." House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., responds to reporters Dec. 6 during his weekly news conference at the Capitol in Washington. J. Scott Applewhite, Associated Press Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, said his team did not tell Democrats how to vote on the bill. "There's a lot of positive things in the National Defense Authorization Act that were negotiated in a bipartisan way, and there are some troubling provisions in a few areas as well," Jeffries said. Overall, 81 Democrats voted for the bill and 124 against it. On the Republican side, 200 voted for the bill and 16 against it. "It's disappointing to see 124 of my Democrat colleagues vote against our brave men and women in uniform over policies that have nothing to do with their intended mission," Johnson, R-La., said. The defense policy bill also looks to strengthen deterrence against China. It calls for investing $15.6 billion to build military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region. The Biden administration requested about $10 billion. On Israel, the bill, among other things, includes an expansion of U.S. joint military exercises with Israel and a prohibition on the Pentagon citing casualty data from Hamas. The defense policy bill is one of the final measures that lawmakers view as a must-pass before making way for a new Congress in January. U.S. Troops Face Mounting Threats from Predatory Debt Collectors U.S. Troops Face Mounting Threats from Predatory Debt Collectors Rising threats from debt collectors against members of the U.S. armed forces are undermining national security, according to data from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a federal watchdog that protects consumer rights. To manage the impact of financial stress on individual performance, the Defense Department dedicates precious resources to improving financial literacy, so service members know the dangers of notorious no-credit-check loans. “The financial well-being of service members and their families is one of the Department’s top priorities,” said Andrew Cohen, the director of financial readiness in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon. But debt collectors are gaining ground. Last quarter, debt collection complaints by U.S. military service members increased 24% , and attempts to collect on “debts not owed” surged 40%. Complaints by service members against debt collectors for deceptive practices ballooned from 1,360 in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 1,833 in the first quarter of 2024. “There’s a connection between the financial readiness and the readiness of a service member to perform their duty,” said Jim Rice, Assistant Director, Office of Servicemember Affairs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Laws exist to protect the mission readiness of U.S. troops from being compromised by threats and intimidation, but debt collectors appear to be violating them at an alarming pace. “If they’re threatening to call your commander or get your security clearance revoked, that’s illegal,” says Deborah Olvera, financial readiness manager at Wounded Warriors Project, and a military spouse who’s been harassed herself by a collection agency that tried to extort money from her for a debt she didn’t owe. But after she requested the name of the original creditor, she never heard from them again. “The financial well-being of service members and their families is one of the Department’s top priorities.” —Andrew Cohen, Director of Financial Readiness at the Pentagon Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, it’s illegal for debt collectors to threaten to contact your boss or have you arrested because it violates your financial privacy. The FDCPA also prohibits debt collectors from making false, deceptive, or misleading representations in connection with the collection of a debt, even for borrowers with bad credit scores. But according to the data, debt collectors are increasingly ignoring those rules. “Debt collection continues to be one of the top consumer complaint categories,” said a spokesperson at the Federal Trade Commission. The commission released a report earlier this year revealing that consumers were scammed $10 billion in 2023, a new benchmark for fraud losses. In his book Debt: The First 5,000 Years, David Graeber argues that debt often creates a relationship that can feel more oppressive than systems of hierarchy, like slavery or caste systems because it starts by presuming equality between the debtor and the creditor. When the debtor falls into arrears, that equality is then destroyed. This sense of betrayal and the subsequent imbalance of power leads to widespread resentment toward lenders. Jon Bilous Most Menacing Loan Messengers Photo Credit: Olena Yakobchuk / Shutterstock The debt collector reportedly harassing military service members most was Resurgent Capital Services, a subsidiary of collection giant Sherman Financial Group. The company tacks on accrued interest and junk fees and tries to collect on debts purchased for pennies on the dollar from cable companies, hospitals, and credit card companies, among others. Sherman Financial Group is run by billionaire Benjamin Navarro, who has a reported net worth of $1.5 billion, according to Forbes. Sherman Financial also owns subprime lender Credit One Bank and LVNV Funding, which outsource collections to Resurgent Capital. According to CFPB data, the second worst offender is CL Holdings, the parent company of debt-buyer Jefferson Capital Systems. The company has also been named in numerous complaints to the Better Business Bureau for alleged violations of the FDCPA, such as failing to properly validate debts or update credit reports with accurate information. Under the leadership of CEO David Burton, Jefferson Capital Systems is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CompuCredit Corporation, which markets subprime credit cards under the names Aspire, Majestic, and others. The third most referenced debt collector is publicly traded Portfolio Recovery Associates [NASDAQ: PRAA], which was forced to pay $27 million in penalties for making false representations about debts, initiating lawsuits without proper documentation, and other violations. Portfolio Recovery Associates is run by CEO Vikram Atal. Fourth place for alleged worst offender goes to Encore Capital Group [NASDAQ ECPG], which was required to pay $42 million in consumer refunds and a $10 million penalty for violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Encore collects under its subsidiary Midland Credit Management Group. These debt collectors all operate under a veritable shell game of company and brand names, almost none of which are disclosed on their websites, sending consumers on a wild goose chase to try and figure out how they’re related to each other. But despite their attempts to hide their tracks behind a smoke screen of subsidiaries, a leopard can’t change its spots, and the CFPB complaint database makes it harder for them to try. Olena Yakobchuk Loan Harassment Hotspots Photo Credit: Bumble Dee / Shutterstock Although widely considered a consumer-friendly state, complaints spiked most in California, which saw a 188% increase in complaints filed from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. California is home to 157,367 military personnel, making it the most populous state for active-duty service members. The second-largest increase in debt collection complaints was in Texas, which saw a 66% jump from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. The U.S. Department of Defense reports 111,005 service members stationed in the Lone Star State, which is the third-most populous state for active-duty military. The rising trends do not correlate to the number of military personnel by state. Complaints against debt collectors in Virginia, the second most populous state with 126,145 active duty personnel, decreased by 29% in the same quarter-over-quarter period. And complaints filed quarter-over-quarter in North Carolina, the fifth most populous state with 91,077 military personnel, decreased by 3% in the same period. The third largest percentage increase in debt collection complaints was from service members stationed in Maryland, where alleged harassment reports jumped 112% from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. Maryland ranks number 12 with just 28,059 active duty service members. Fourth place goes to Ohio – the 28th most populous active-duty state – where complaints doubled, followed by Arizona – the 15th most populous military state – where complaints were up 70% in the same quarter-over-quarter period. Bumble Dee Billionaire Bets on Bad Credit Photo Credit: PeopleImages.com - Yuri A / Shutterstock In 2007, Congress passed the Military Lending Act to cap the cost of credit to a 36% annual percentage rate, inclusive of junk fees and late charges, for active duty military service members. That rate is still considerably higher than average credit card rates, which range from 8% for borrowers with excellent credit scores to as high as 36% for borrowers with bad credit. But lenders still get hauled into court for violating the MLA. Don Hankey, the billionaire subprime auto lender who funded Donald Trump’s $175 million appeal bond , is among those violators. His company, Westlake Financial, which markets high-interest car loans for bad credit, has been sued twice by the Department of Justice for harassing military service members. In 2017, the DoJ alleged Hankey’s Westlake Financial illegally repossessed at least 70 vehicles owned by military service members. Westlake Financial paid $700,000 to settle the charges. In 2022, Westlake Financial paid $250,000 for allegedly cheating U.S. troops out of interest rates they were legally entitled to. Westlake Financial continues to receive complaints from military service members alleging abusive debt collection practices on its no-credit-check loans. A steady year-over-year increase in the number of complaints filed against Westlake Financial continued from 2020 to 2023. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau data shows a 13% increase in the number of complaints against the company from 2020 to 2021, a 28% increase from 2021 to 2022, and a torrential 119% surge from 2022 to 2023. The numbers suggest systemic complaint-handling processes and inadequate customer service resources. PeopleImages.com - Yuri A Lenders Try to Shutter CFPB Photo Credit: Cynthia Shirk / Shutterstock On May 16, 2024, a deceptively named predatory lending industry front group dubbed the Community Financial Services Association of America (CFSA) lost a legal attempt to defund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. In an effort to deprive Americans of essential consumer protections, the lobby group argued that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s funding structure was unconstitutional. But the Supreme Court denied its claim. In a 7-2 ruling, the Court held that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s funding structure is indeed constitutional. That means the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau cannot be defunded, but it does not mean the agency cannot be defanged. The New York Times suggested that Hankey’s incentive to finance Trump’s $175 million bond could have been a reciprocity pledge to neuter the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau if Trump wins the upcoming U.S. presidential election. If Trump wins a second term, he could replace Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director Rohit Chopra, an American consumer advocate, with a predatory lending advocate. In 2020, the Trump Administration secured a Supreme Court ruling that made it easier for the president to fire the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The ruling struck down previous restrictions on when a president can fire the bureau’s director. Like other federal agencies, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has also been confronted for overstepping its bounds, pushing too far, and acting unfairly against entities it regulates. Cynthia Shirk Holidays, Interest Rates Not to Blame Photo Credit: Lux Blue / Shutterstock Seasonality and rising interest rates do not explain the increase in debt collection complaints from service members. The surge in complaints is not tied to predictable seasonal fluctuations or changes in interest rates. The increase in debt collection complaints by service members may point to underlying systemic issues, such as aggressive and predatory debt collection practices that exploit the unique financial vulnerabilities of service members, who face frequent relocations and deployments. Debt Complaints by Service Members From Q1 2021 to Q4 2022 Up 4% From Q4 2022 to Q1 2023 Up 6% From Q4 2023 to Q1 2024 Up 24% The 24% spike in debt collection complaints exhibits no correlation to fluctuations in interest rates. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates From 3.08% in Q4 2021 to 3.82% in Q1 2022 From 6.66% in Q4 2022 to 6.37% in Q1 2023 From 7.30% in Q1 2023 to 6.75% in Q4 2024 Pandemic stimulus checks were also not a factor. COVID-19 relief benefit checks went through three major rounds during the pandemic. The final round of Economic Impact Payments went out in March 2021 . To better understand the rising trend of debt collection complaints, we calculated the increase in the total number of complaints and the percentage increase quarter-over-quarter. For example, New Jersey has the second largest percentage increase in complaints quarter-over-quarter, but the total number of complaints increased by just 16. Shutterstock Methodology The data for this study was sourced from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) complaint database. The dataset specifically targeted complaints filed by U.S. military service members, identified using the tag “Servicemember” within Q4 2023 and Q1 2024. Readers can find the detailed research methodology underlying this news story in the accompanying section here . For complete results, see U.S. Troops Face Mounting Threats from Predatory Debt Collectors on BadCredit.org . Jon Bilous Veteran homelessness is on the rise despite government efforts—here's how it happens Veteran homelessness is on the rise despite government efforts—here's how it happens Homelessness reached record levels in 2023, as rents and home prices continued to rise in most of the U.S. One group was particularly impacted: people who have served in the U.S. military. "This time last year, we knew the nation was facing a deadly public health crisis," Jeff Olivet, executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, said in a statement about the 2023 numbers. He said the latest homelessness estimates from the Department of Housing and Urban Development "confirms the depth of the crisis." At least 35,000 veterans were experiencing homelessness in 2023, according to HUD. While that's about half of what it was in 2009—when the organization began collecting data—things have plateaued in recent years despite active efforts to get that number to zero. Although they make up just 6.6% of the total homeless population, veterans are more likely to be at risk of homelessness than Americans overall. Of every 10,000 Americans, 20 were experiencing homelessness. Of veterans living in the United States, that number jumps to 22, HUD data shows. Complicated by bureaucracy, family dynamics, and prejudice, the path from serving in the military to homelessness is a long one. According to a 2022 study by Yale School of Medicine researchers, homelessness typically occurs within four years of leaving the military, as veterans must contend with the harsh reality of finding a job in a world where employers struggle to see how skills on the battlefield transfer to a corporate environment. These days, veterans also deal with historically high rent and home prices, which causes many to rely on family generosity while figuring out a game plan. Stacker examined academic studies, analyzed government data, and spoke with members of the Biden administration, experts, and former members of the armed forces to see the struggles members of the military face when leaving the armed forces. Photo illustration by Michael Flocker // Stacker // Canva Veterans struggle to find a path forward The Department of Veterans Affairs offers transition assistance to the roughly 250,000 service members who leave each year. However, those programs can be burdensome and complex to navigate, especially for those who don't have a plan for post-military life. Only a small portion of veterans have jobs lined up when they leave, according to 2019 Pew Research. Many also choose to live with relatives until they get on their feet, which can be longer than anticipated. Some former service members are unsure what kind of career they'd like to pursue and may have to get further education or training, Carl Castro, director of the Military and Veteran Programs at the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work at the University of Southern California, told Stacker. "It takes years for that kind of transition," Castro said. Many have trouble finding a job after leaving the service, even if they are qualified. Some employers carry misconceptions about those who have served. A 2020 analysis from the journal Human Resource Management Review found that some veterans face hiring discrimination due to negative stereotypes that lead hiring managers to write them off as a poor culture fit. Underemployment, or working low-wage jobs below their skill level, is also an issue. While the unemployment rate for veterans was 3% in March 2024, a study released by Penn State at the end of 2023 found three years after leaving the service, 61% of veterans said they were underemployed because of perceived skill mismatches . This phenomenon can have long-term economic effects, and eventually, that frustration can boil over, strain relationships, and potentially lead to housing instability. Working, especially a low-wage job, is not protection against homelessness. A 2021 study from the University of Chicago found half of people living in homeless shelters and 2 in 5 unsheltered people were employed, full or part-time. Stacker Vets with mental health issues most at risk for homelessness For veterans, housing costs certainly play a role, but those who leave the military also face systemic barriers. "It's worrying there are people that continue to fall through the cracks," said Jeanette Yih Harvie, a research associate at Syracuse University's D'Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families. Just under a quarter of adults experiencing homelessness have a severe mental illness , according to 2022 HUD survey data. They are also likely to have chronic illnesses but are unable to maintain preventative care, which only exacerbates these problems. Veterans facing homelessness are more likely to have experienced trauma , either before or after joining the military, according to Yale researchers who analyzed the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study. Childhood trauma was among the most significant commonalities among vets who become homeless. Substance use disorder is also widespread and can indicate an undiagnosed mental illness . Racial and ethnic disparities are at play, too. A 2023 study in the Journal of Psychiatric Research showed that Hispanic and Black veterans were more likely to screen positive for PTSD, and Hispanic veterans were more likely to report having suicidal ideation. Overall, access to mental health care has improved in the last decade or so. In December 2023, the VA announced it would open nine additional counseling centers. However, the stigma of getting help remains, especially after years of being conditioned to be self-reliant and pull oneself up by their bootstraps. That help, in the form of public policy, is slowly working to catch up to the need. In 2023, the Biden administration invested millions into research programs and studies on suicide prevention by the VA office in addition to a proposed $16 billion to improve quality and lower-cost mental health care services for veterans. And, in February of this year, HUD and the VA announced they would give up to $14 million in vouchers to public housing agencies for veterans experiencing homelessness. The program would also offer case management and other services. Still, with a culture that pushes people to keep going, it can be challenging for servicemembers to take advantage of these opportunities, Harvie said. "When you've been doing that for the last 15 or 20 years, it's difficult to stop and say, 'I'm the person that needs help.'" Story editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Stacker Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox!