TODAY’S TOP 5
1. Soldier suspended in funeral guard photo flap; investigation launched
(Army Times) The Wisconsin National Guard has suspended a soldier from a funeral honors detail over two photos that sparked outrage and shock after the pictures were posted to social media.
2. Soldier guilty in rape, burning of Iraqi girl is found hanged
(Los Angeles Times) It was one of the most disturbing war crimes to emerge from the brutal conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan: U.S. Army Pfc. Steven Dale Green raped and killed a 14-year-old Iraqi girl in 2006 after shooting and killing her parents and younger sister. Then he and his combat buddies from a nearby U.S. Army checkpoint set the girl’s corpse on fire.
3. America Is Committed to Asia
(Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker in the Wall Street Journal) For decades, security and prosperity have flourished throughout the Asia-Pacific region, each reinforcing the other. The astounding growth of trade and industry across the Pacific Rim has transformed nations and lifted millions of people out of poverty, surpassing all expectations while strengthening many crucial relationships.
4. Seven more Afghan detainees under review for release
(The Hill) An additional seven Afghan detainees the U.S. has deemed as dangerous are being reviewed for release, Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s spokesman said on Saturday.
5. Former Marine in Tehran Jail Retains a Top Iranian Lawyer
(New York Times) Amir Hekmati, the former Marine incarcerated in Iran on spying charges, has retained a prominent Iranian lawyer to represent him in a new effort to gain his release after nearly two and a half years in Tehran’s Evin Prison, Mr. Hekmati’s family reported on Tuesday.
EUROPE
U.S. is ‘appalled’ by deadly violence in Ukraine, but no action is announced
(Washington Post) The United States condemned an explosion of street violence in Ukraine that killed at least 15 people Tuesday and said the government bears primary responsibility for restoring calm.
Pacifism thawing, Germany looks for bigger role in regional security
(Stars and Stripes) A new era of security burden-sharing could be on the horizon for a war-weary U.S., with France taking an aggressive lead in Africa and Germany showing a willingness to take a more assertive role in global security matters.
Terma Files Breach of Contract Lawsuit Against Poland's Armaments Inspectorate
(Defense News) Terma A/S has filed a breach of contract lawsuit against Poland’s Armaments Inspectorate in the lower Polish court relating to a $30 million deal secured by the Danish electronics warfare defense specialist in 2010.
Swiss fighters grounded during hijacking as outside office hours
(Agence France Presse) No Swiss fighter jets were scrambled Monday when an Ethiopian Airlines co-pilot hijacked his own plane and forced it to land in Geneva, because it happened outside business hours, the Swiss airforce said.
French To Increase Cargo-Carrying Capabilities of Helo Fleet
(Defense News) France has recruited British defense contractor AmSafe Bridport to boost the cargo-lifting capabilities of its military transport helicopter fleets.
INDUSTRY
Pentagon F-16 Upgrade Hesitation Roils The Market
(Aviation Week) With the U.S. Air Force expected to drop plans to upgrade 300 late-model F-16s, the market for modernizing the Lockheed Martin fighter—already disrupted by BAE Systems' win in South Korea—could become even more contentious. Boeing might join the fray and, along with BAE, is eyeing $8 billion in opportunities in Singapore and Taiwan.
OIW wins out in Combatant Craft Medium competition
(IHS Jane's 360) Oregon Iron Works (OIW) has been selected to deliver the US Special Operations Command's (USSOCOM's) Combatant Craft Medium (CCM) Mk 1 special operations craft programme.
Defense Companies Facing Array of New Cyberthreats
(National Defense Magazine) Waterholes, crypto-lockers and Shodan. These three terms are just a few of the new pitfalls out there for defense companies large and small that face a dizzying array of threats against their networks.
Experts: Clock Is Ticking for Business With Iran
(Defense News) Despite the relaxation of some sanctions against Iran, defense suppliers and companies will have limited opportunity to take advantage, experts said Monday at a forum here hosted by the Defense Services Marketing Council and Washington firm Patton Boggs.
Alenia Aermacchi appoints new chairman
(IHS Jane's 360) Alenia Aermacchi, the aerospace wing of Italy's Finmeccanica, announced on 18 February that Giancarlo Grasso has been appointed chairman.
Turkey Demands $183M in Penalties From Boeing for AEW&C Program Delays
(Defense News) The Turkish government has demanded $183 million worth of penalties from Boeing due to major delays in the delivery of spy planes to the NATO ally, officials said Feb. 18.
First French AWACS aircraft passes through MLU
(IHS Jane's 360) The first of four French Air Force Boeing E-3F Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft has passed through its mid-life upgrade (MLU), with the remainder set to follow by the end of 2016, the company announced on 17 February.
CONGRESS
Congressman wants one official to coordinate POW's release
(Military Times) For almost five years, a host of military and State Department officials have worked to free prisoner of war Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. But one Republican lawmaker is concerned that all the effort is not sufficiently focused to bring him home.
'Unfunded' Lists Reveal Fissures Between HASC Leaders
(Defense News) The return of a budget tactic that was banned by former Defense Secretary Bob Gates shows just how politicized Pentagon spending issues have become.
Senior HASC Lawmaker Forbes Presses Navy On UCLASS Requirements
(Breaking Defense) A member of Congress, Rep. Randy Forbes, is so concerned about a new Navy program and its future importance that he has written Navy Secretary Ray Mabus about the requirements of the service’s promising drone known as UCLASS.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Pentagon considers using electricity to stimulate troops’ brains
(Boston Globe) For some modern soldiers, caffeine is just not enough to stay vigilant, especially for the growing ranks of digital warriors who must spend hours monitoring spy drone footage and other streams of surveillance data.
Military Taking Larger Role in Drone Sustainment
(National Defense Magazine) As the conflict in Afghanistan draws to a close, the Defense Department finds itself having to maintain unmanned aircraft fleets with less money and fewer resources.
Hagel digs deep into military ethics problem
(Military Times) When troops are caught cheating on tests, commanders often call it an “integrity issue.
ARMY
Video: 500-pound friendly bomb dropped too close to soldiers in Afghanistan
(Army Times) New video footage shows U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan coming dangerously close to a 500-pound bomb — allegedly dropped by fellow service members who mistook their position for the enemy.
US Army Emphasizes Speed as It Plans for an Uncertain Future
(Defense News) There was a singular moment late last year during a briefing for senior US Army leaders on the service’s just-concluded yearly war game when one general laid out the future challenges facing the force.
Battle Brewing Over Future Of Army Aviation Programs
(National Defense Magazine) The approved 2014 Defense Department budget contained mostly good news and few surprises for Army aviation, but this may be the calm before the storm. The fiscal year 2015 budget is likely to spur a massive brawl between the Army and its National Guard component.
Fort Hood massacre building demolished
(Austin American-Statesman) For the last four-and-a-half years, Building 42003 stood frozen in time, mostly untouched since Nidal Hasan entered its doors and opened fire on defenseless soldiers preparing to deploy to war.
4 generals nominated for third star
(Army Times) The president has nominated four generals for new assignments, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced Tuesday. All four were also nominated for promotion to lieutenant general.
Family of slain Fort Bragg soldier asks for help solving case
(Fayetteville Observer) No translator was needed Monday to interpret the words of Maria Wells, the mother of a slain Special Forces soldier, as she asked for help in solving her son's murder. Wells spoke in Spanish, but her message was clear.
NAVY
CO, master chief fired after raising funds from strip clubs
(Navy Times) The commanding officer and senior enlisted leader of a Florida-based ordnance testing unit have been fired after determining their command sought Submarine Birthday Ball funds from local strip clubs, the Navy said Tuesday.
US Navy Ship on Olympics Duty Ran Aground
(ABC News) The frigate USS Taylor, one of two Navy ships assigned to the Black Sea during the Sochi Winter Olympics, briefly ran aground last week in a Turkish port where it had gone to refuel.
Death Penalty Still An Option For Chris Kyle’s Accused Killer (With Video)
(CBS 11; Dallas/Fort Worth) Prosecutors called it an over abundance of caution as they prepared for a court hearing in Erath County for the Iraq War veteran accused of killing Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield.
USNA identifies mid found dead on campus
(Navy Times) The Naval Academy has identified Midshipman 1st Class Max Allen as the body found near a sunken car on campus Sunday, according to a release.
Navy Orions likely damaged in hangar collapse
(Stars and Stripes) The condition of several U.S. Navy and Japan Self-Defense Force surveillance planes is still unknown after heavy snow caused the roof of a hangar to collapse Saturday near Naval Air Facility Atsugi, according to U.S. and Japanese officials.
AIR FORCE
Expect Budget Hints, Few Announcements, at AFA Orlando
(Defense News) Starting Wednesday, US Air Force leadership will descend on the Orlando, Fla., area for the annual Air Force Association Air Warfare Symposium.
Behind the Scenes at a Rehearsal For Armageddon
(Popular Mechanics) You've heard about the Air Force officers in charge of launching American nuclear missiles who cheated on tests. Now meet the rest of the people who make sure the nation's Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles can deliver nuclear warheads anywhere in the world, in a half an hour. Popular Mechanics presents the most detailed description of an ICBM test launch you'll ever read.
Vietnam veteran, POW George Robert Hall dies at 83
(Hattiesburg American, Miss.) Retired Air Force Col. George Robert Hall succumbed Sunday to his 20-year battle with Parkinson’s Disease. He was 83.
Delta IV Scheduled To Launch GPS IIF Feb. 20
(Aviation Week) The U.S. Air Force and the United Launch Alliance are scheduled to launch GPS IIF satellite 5 Feb. 20 on a Delta IV rocket from Space Launch Complex 37 Cape Canaveral, Fla., the first of three planned launches through July 2014.
Driver's overcorrection caused 2012 Humvee crash that paralyzed airman
(Air Force Times) A Nov. 29, 2012, Humvee crash that paralyzed an airmen was caused by the driver overcorrecting after swerving to avoid a deer on Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., the Air Force announced Tuesday.
MARINE CORPS
Military researchers: Groom Marines longer before boot camp
(Marine Corps Times) A new study analyzing the economy’s effect on military recruiting and retention found that washout rates across the services improve when prospective troops spend more time in delayed entry programs.
Marines Budget Scramble: Commandant Resurrects MPC, ACV In Limbo
(Breaking Defense) Imagine you’re a military supply officer, weary but proud as you watch the train you’ve laboriously loaded with gear roll out of the depot towards the front. And then you realize: You packed the wrong tank. Now you need to get that vehicle off and the right vehicle on — while the train’s already leaving the station.
Obama appoints Marine as deputy head of Pentagon office
(The Hill) Marine Lt. Gen. Robert Schmidle will be the new deputy director of the Defense Department's Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation office, Pentagon spokesman Col. Steve Warren announced Tuesday.
Corps to debut shorter Sergeants Course
(Marine Corps Times) Sergeants who figured they’d be too much in demand within their commands to attend a resident school this year may get that opportunity after all. The Marine Corps will debut a pilot version of the resident Sergeants Course that cuts the time spent away from home almost in half.
VETERANS
Group hammers VA for veterans' deaths
(Military Times) The conservative advocacy group Concerned Veterans for America unveiled a new online campaign Tuesday that bluntly states: “American veterans are dying, it’s the VA’s fault.”
Social Security to expedite veteran disability claims
(Baltimore Sun) The Social Security Administration plans to streamline its review of disability claims for veterans starting next month, shaving weeks off the process by which it determines benefits, officials are set to announce Wednesday.
Former Marine’s suit over sexual assault case faces uphill battle
(McClatchy) Ariana Klay says she was raped by two men, one of them a fellow Marine Corps officer, while serving at the famed Marine Barracks in Washington. She can be a compelling witness to her nightmare.
Tricare for Life beneficiaries reminded of mail-order Rx requirement
(Military Times) Tricare has begun notifying military retirees and family members who use Tricare for Life that they must start filling long-term prescriptions by mail or at a military treatment facility starting next month.
AFGHANISTAN
Afghan Ethnic Tensions Rise in Media and Politics
(New York Times) It started with a heat-of-the-moment comment on a partisan television talk show, drawing an ethnic line that was bold even by Afghan standards.
Karzai Condemns Killing of Taliban Leader, Body Returned to Takhar
(Tolo News) President Hamid Karzai Tuesday condemned the assassination of Taliban commander Mullah Abduil Raqib, calling him a victim of peace. He went on to invite Raqib's group Tehreek-Islami Taliban to return to Afghanistan.
At Camp Leatherneck, Amos says Marines have transformed Helmand
(Stars and Stripes) Marines have changed Helmand province dramatically and should be proud of the work they have done here, Commandant Gen. James Amos said Tuesday in a town hall meeting here.
Afghan forces have proved surprisingly effective
(USA Today) It was a tactic that surprised the Americans almost as much as the Taliban.
MIDDLE EAST
Chalabi: Anbar crisis sign of 'political failure' in Iraq
(Al-Monitor) In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Ahmed Chalabi, who has been both praised and skewered for his advocacy of the US war in Iraq, discussses some of the successes and disappointments since the US deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003; the challenges faced by the de-Baathification law; the crisis in Anbar; the need for diversification of Iraq's economy; the upcoming Iraqi elections; and Iraq's "failed" relations with Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia.
Al-Qaeda-linked group claims Beirut bombings
(The Daily Star, Lebanon) The Al-Qaeda-linked Abdullah Azzam Brigades claimed responsibility Wednesday for the twin suicide bombings that struck the Beirut neighborhood of Bir Hasan, killing five and wounding 80 others.
Aide’s Return to White House Reflects Changing U.S. Role in Middle East
(New York Times) The last time Robert Malley went to work for the White House, it was as a Middle East peacemaker, advising President Bill Clinton during his futile effort to broker an agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians at Camp David in 2000.
Syria rebels reorganize, push for arms
(Washington Post) Syria’s rebels are launching a new push to persuade the Obama administration to provide them with advanced weapons, citing the intransigence shown by President Bashar al-Assad’s government at stalled peace talks in Geneva as evidence that more military pressure is needed on his regime.
ASIA-PACIFIC
Navy Official: China Training for ‘Short Sharp War’ with Japan
(U.S. Naval Institute) China has long trained for an amphibious invasion of Taiwan during military exercises but has expanded its training to include a similar attack on Japanese holdings in the East China Sea, according the chief of intelligence of the U.S. Pacific Fleet (PACFLEET).
China’s Swelling Soldiers Too Big for Tanks
(Wall Street Journal) China’s soldiers are getting too big for their britches, or least for their tanks and guns.
Singapore Bans Disputed Indonesian Navy Ship
(Defense News) Singapore said Tuesday it will ban from its ports and naval bases an Indonesian navy ship named after two marines who bombed an office complex in the city-state in the 1960s.
South Korea won't audit USFK use of funds
(Stars and Stripes) A South Korean government audit board has decided not to investigate whether U.S. Forces Korea improperly used funds contributed by Seoul toward the upkeep of U.S. troops, saying it would be “inappropriate” in light of national security and diplomatic concerns.
UK Official: Expect Greater British Presence in Asia-Pacific
(Defense News) A senior defense official forecasts a stronger UK presence in the Asia-Pacific over coming years as the region rebalances with the economic and military growth of China and India.
AFRICA
Libyan militias threaten parliament, deploy forces in Tripoli
(Reuters) Two heavily armed Libyan militias demanded on Tuesday the country's parliament hand over power immediately in what the head of the assembly dismissed as an attempted coup that would be contested by the army if necessary.
Tunisia is seeking security assistance, Kerry says
(Los Angeles Times) Tunisia’s embattled government has approached the Obama administration with a request for security assistance, Secretary of State John F. Kerry said Tuesday.
Uganda: Wanted LRD Rebel Commander Believed Dead
(Associated Press) Uganda's military said it believes a senior rebel commander with the infamous Lord's Resistance Army was killed last year in Central African Republic following an attack by African Union forces, inflicting a serious setback to the rebel group that is said to be in decline amid an international hunt for its leader, Joseph Kony.
Ex-U.S. Lawmaker Charged With Pornography Possession in Zimbabwe
(New York Times) A former United States congressman from Illinois has been arrested in Zimbabwe and charged with possession of pornographic material, a local law enforcement spokeswoman said on Tuesday.
AMERICAS
Shake-Up of Top Colombia Military Brass After Scandals
(Defense News) Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos Tuesday announced a shake-up in military leadership two days after a magazine exposed corruption among high level officials.
Venezuela opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez surrenders, urges protests
(Los Angeles Times) Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez turned himself in to authorities Tuesday to face what he calls trumped-up homicide charges, after urging supporters to stay in the streets and protest peacefully against the government.
Mexico law-enforcement partnership grows more thorny for U.S.
(Washington Post) Before Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto was elected, U.S. officials were deeply embedded in Mexico’s war against the drug cartels, spending millions to gather intelligence, choose targets and lock away traffickers in American prisons.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
One officer's opinion: Marines who can't do pullups are 'broke or lazy'
(Maj. Jess Mullen in Marine Corps Times) This female pullup issue is a mess [“Commandant: Get ready for pullups,” Feb. 3]. I believe it can be fixed if we address training, the Training Management System — which leadership pulls data from to make decisions — and individual motivation.
Jet-Powered Diplomacy Boosts the Rebalance
(Matthew Merighi in Real Clear Defense) A week ago, the media covered the Singapore Airshow in depth. The focus of the articles was conventional for an airshow: $32 billion in sales, possible shakeups in the business world, and policy statements by senior industry and government leaders. The coverage, as it always does, tapered off after the first couple of days when the wellspring of eye-catching news dried up.
Obama's Plan for a Declining Military
(James Jay Carafano in The National Interest) Randy Forbes is a lonely man. President Obama’s stewardship of American armed forces has been a dismal failure, yet few on Capitol Hill have waved red flags over it.
Critics Attack Wrong Target for Pentagon Change
(Mark Thompson in Time) The Pentagon recently tweaked its rules on facial hair and turbans after years of pressure from members of the Sikh religion, not Muslims.
Stand With Our Ally in Tokyo
(Rep. J. Randy Forbes in The Diplomat) For seven decades the US-Japan alliance has been the cornerstone of peace in Asia. Never has it been as vital as today.
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