TODAY’S TOP 5
1. President Obama pressures Afghanistan leader Karzai on security deal
(Los Angeles Times) Signaling his frustration with events in Afghanistan, President Obama ordered the Pentagon on Tuesday to step up plans to withdraw all U.S. troops by January if Afghan leaders don't sign a bilateral security agreement.
2. DoD War Budget Submission Up in the Air
(Defense News) The Pentagon’s 2015 war spending proposal is on hold as the US waits to see if Afghan officials approve a deal that would allow NATO forces to remain in the country beyond the end of the year, according to a senior DoD official.
3. A Military Budget to Fit the Times
(The New York Times Editorial Board) The Pentagon’s proposals to reduce the Army to pre-World War II levels and modify some benefits for troops and retirees may seem unsettling to a nation that prides itself on having the world’s most capable military. But these ideas, part of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s 2015 military budget, reflect a necessary and more prudent realism as America ends 13 years at war.
4. AP Exclusive: Few Army women want combat jobs
(Associated Press) Only a small fraction of Army women say they'd like to move into one of the newly opening combat jobs, but those few who do say they want a job that takes them right into the heart of battle, according to preliminary results from a survey of the service's nearly 170,000 women.
5. Deputy Defense Secretary Nominee: US Shipbuilding Base 'Under Pressure'
(Defense News) US President Barack Obama’s picks to fill two top Pentagon jobs declared the US shipbuilding industrial base “under pressure” and acknowledged al-Qaida affiliates are spreading.
INDUSTRY
DoD's 2015 Budget to Protect At-Risk Sectors of Defense Industry
(Defense News) The Pentagon’s fiscal 2015 budget proposal will put money toward preserving the industrial base in at-risk sectors to protect technological know-how at a time of decreased defense spending, a senior US Defense Department official said.
Lockheed Secretly Demonstrates New Stealthy Fighter Comms
(Aviation Week) Lockheed Martin has demonstrated a secretly developed capability to fix one of the shortfalls of its stealthy F-22 and F-35 fighters: their inability to link to one another, or to legacy fighters, for air campaigns.
Allies Intensify Pressure on Turkey Over China Missile Deal
(Defense News) The Turkish government and the country’s largest defense company are under increasing pressure from Turkey’s NATO allies to rethink a September decision to award a $3.44 billion air defense contract to a Chinese bidder.
Algeria to sign for two more 'Kilo' subs
(IHS Jane's 360) Algeria plans to order an additional two Project 636 Varshavyanka ('Kilo')-class diesel electric submarines from Russia by the end of the first quarter of this year, Russia's ITAR-TASS and Interfax news agencies reported on 24 February.
France Cleared To Sell Falcon Eye Satellite to UAE
(Defense News) The White House has swept aside attempts by Lockheed Martin to overturn a French sale of military spy satellites to the United Arab Emirates, a senior French defense official said.
CONGRESS
McCain places hold on two Obama defense nominees
(The Hill) Sen. John McCain has placed a hold on two of President Obama's nominees for top Pentagon jobs, after he said they gave unsatisfactory answers during their confirmation hearings Tuesday.
Sexual Misconduct in the Military—and Why Kirsten Gillibrand Is Pushing Reform to the Top of Her Agenda
(Vogue) Kirsten Gillibrand dates her battle with the U.S. military brass to late 2012. That was when the junior senator from New York attended a screening of The Invisible War, writer-director Kirby Dick’s documentary about sexual assault in the military. Like most Americans, Gillibrand was then only vaguely familiar with the problem—and the numbers came as a shock.
Inhofe: Defense strategy based on naïve worldview
(The Hill) A top GOP lawmaker blasted the White House’s new defense budget request, saying it was based on “the naïve world view that the ‘tide of war is receding,’ and Al-Qaeda is ‘on the run’ and on the ‘path to defeat.’ ”
Lawmaker seeks George Clooney's help with Monuments Men bill
(USA Today) Hey, George Clooney: A Texas congresswoman could use a hand in honoring the real-life Monuments Men.
GOP wants Iran sanctions in veterans' bill
(The Hill) Senate Republicans are trying to tie more Iranian sanctions to a veterans’ bill currently being considered.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Extra $26B for DoD Would go Toward 'Base Budget' Readiness
(Defense News) The extra $26 billion eyed for the US Defense Department in 2015 would fund readiness initiatives and other “base budget type of stuff,” the Pentagon’s top buyer said.
Hagel to troops: Proposed cuts to compensation helps ensure readiness
(Military Times) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told hundreds of troops Tuesday that the historic reductions in military compensation he proposing is, in part, an effort to keep them safe.
Hagel Expands on Reservations About Littoral Combat Ship
(Bloomberg) U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said his “considerable reservations” about the Littoral Combat Ship led him to bar planning for any more than 32 of the vessels, 20 fewer than the Navy’s $34 billion program.
Industry group slams DoD plan to cut commissary budget
(Military Times) The Pentagon’s new proposal to drastically reduce commissary funding goes too far, says an association representing companies that supply products to commissaries.
Former Vice President Cheney calls Hagel's proposed Army cuts 'absolutely devastating'
(Fox News) Former Vice President Dick Cheney said Monday that Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel’s proposed drastic cuts to the U.S. Army are “absolutely dangerous" and would cause long-term damage to the military.
Be warned: SCRA doesn't apply to re-enlistments
(Military Times) A new pitch scheme encouraging troops to lower the interest rates on their loans try to get money from financial institutions using an erroneous false claim under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act is making the rounds of social media — and has even been touted by an official Navy publication.
ARMY
Soldier flagrantly avoids flag salute, sets off online outrage
(Army Times) A soldier who hid in her car to avoid saluting the flag — and then flaunted it on Instagram — is the latest service member to come under attack via social media and be accused of dishonoring her service.
US Army Official Defends GCV Against 'Attacks'
(Defense News) The decision to cancel the Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) program had nothing to do with performance, a US Army official said Wednesday, describing criticism of the program as “unfortunate.”
Motion to dismiss all charges filed in Sinclair court-martial
(Fayetteville Observer) Army Brig. Gen. Jeff Sinclair of Fort Bragg has filed a new motion asking a military judge to drop all charges against him in his sexual-assault court-martial on the premise that military leaders continue to illegally pressure prosecutors to pursue the case.
Soldiers getting new mountain climbing gear from Army
(Stars and Stripes) The Army this week started handing out more than $11 million in new mountain-climbing gear to U.S. troops, who count on the equipment to move across rough terrain in places like Afghanistan.
NAVY
Frigate Taylor CO fired 2 weeks after running aground
(Navy Times) The commanding officer of the frigate Taylor was fired Tuesday two weeks after his ship ran aground in the Black Sea, where it was standing by in case it was needed to support security at the Winter Olympics.
Judge in sex assault trial could tap jury outside Naval Academy
(Baltimore Sun) A former Naval Academy football player who is accused of sexually assaulting a fellow midshipman is moving toward a court-martial next month, officials said Tuesday.
Navy to Take Larger Role In Arctic Region
(National Defense Magazine) As ice melts in the Arctic, the Navy anticipates that it will have to increase its presence in the harsh northern region, but not until after 2020, according to a new roadmap released by the service Feb. 24.
Navy parachutists rescued after getting stuck in trees
(Virginian-Pilot; Norfolk, Va.) Two Navy parachutists drifted off course and got stuck in some trees this morning at Fentress Airfield.
AIR FORCE
Budget cuts could ground A-10 Warthog aircraft (With Video)
(PBS NewsHour) At the Air Force, leaders have set their sights on grounding a plane that’s been a reliable standby for decades. But its defenders won’t give up without a fight.
Help wanted in the Reserve: Big bonuses, retraining opportunities and a way to stay Air Force
(Air Force Times) Thousands of airmen at risk of being cut in the drawdown could find a parachute in the Air Force Reserve.
USAF declares IOC for C-5M
(IHS Jane's 360) The US Air Force (USAF) has declared initial operating capability (IOC) for its Lockheed Martin C-5M Galaxy strategic airlifter following a successful Qualification Test, Operational Test and Evaluation, and delivery of the 16th aircraft, the service announced on 21 February.
After Career of Firsts in Air Force, G.O.P. Challenger Has a New Mission
(New York Times) The Air Force Association’s Cochise Chapter had fallen into a rapt silence as Martha McSally — the first female fighter pilot to fly a combat mission and command a fighter squadron — recounted a tale from her days in the military, the time when what was supposed to be a “routine reconnaissance” mission in Afghanistan went awry.
Accusers not forced to testify in Lackland hearing
(San Antonio Express-News) The oldest case in an ongoing Air Force sex scandal took a twist Monday that indicates the military justice system will be more protective of victims.
MARINE CORPS
Commandant will answer Marines' 'Reawakening' questions in new social media project
(Marine Corps Times) Got a question about recent efforts to tighten Marine Corps discipline and reinforce military standards in garrison? Tweet it out, Facebook it, or even film yourself asking it via YouTube, and you just might get a personal answer, via video, from Gen. Jim Amos, commandant of the Marine Corps.
Marine Corps command influence case appealed
(McClatchy) Questions about alleged unlawful command influence that have dogged sexual assault cases in the Marine Corps have now been placed before the nation's top military appeals court.
Additional Marines sent to guard U.S. Embassy in Ukraine
(Marine Corps Times) Members of the Marine Corps’ new Security Augmentation Unit have been dispatched to shore up security at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, as the country is on the brink of a meltdown following weeks of violent unrest after a growing protests over agreements made between the former president and Russian leaders.
Death of Niagara Falls Marine in San Diego hits police department hard
(Niagara Gazette, N.Y.) The son of a Falls police officer has died in a freak accident on a California highway Saturday morning.
Marines to train with equipment stored underground in Arctic
(Marine Corps Times) About 440 North Carolina-based Marines will move prepositioned gear out of caves in Norway for the first time in decades during a multinational exercise aimed at cold weather military training.
VETERANS
Disabled veterans group rallies for full VA advance funding
(Military Times) Despite a budget detente on Capitol Hill, veterans advocates are worried about what another government shutdown could do to Veterans Affairs Department benefits checks and assistance programs.
Retired astronaut and Divide resident Dale Gardner dies at age 65
(Colorado Springs Gazette) NASA astronaut and Divide resident Dale Allan Gardner, who died Feb. 19 of a brain aneurysm at age 65, was not only gutsy, but not afraid to show a little humor in his work.
VA to issue new health care ID cards
(Military Times) The Veterans Affairs Department will replace millions of identification cards for veterans who use the Veterans Health Administration system for medical care, the VA announced Feb. 20.
DNA results get U.S. soldier buried with enemy one step closer to home
(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) Mistaken for a German soldier and buried with the enemy at the end of World War II, a U.S. soldier may finally be coming home thanks in large part to the efforts of a Middleton filmmaker — and despite foot-dragging by U.S. officials.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
Pakistani Official: US Withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2014 'Means Civil War'
(Defense News) President Obama’s warning to Afghan president Hamid Karzai on Tuesday that he may pull all US troops out of Afghanistan by the end of the year if there is no security agreement signed drew a swift response from Pakistani officials concerned about the volatile border with their neighbor.
U.S. quietly whittles down foreign detainee population at facility in Afghanistan
(Washington Post) The United States has quietly begun to whittle down the population of detainees it holds at a military prison in Afghanistan, but it is struggling over what to do with less than a dozen of these non-Afghan nationals who are regarded as particularly dangerous, U.S. officials said.
At least 8 killed in Afghanistan hotel bombing
(Los Angeles Times) An explosion Tuesday evening at a hotel in southern Afghanistan’s Oruzgan province killed at least eight people and injured 37, authorities said.
Pakistan plans military operation in North Waziristan, targeting extremist groups
(Washington Post) The Pakistani government is on the verge of launching a major military offensive in the North Waziristan tribal region following a series of brutal Taliban attacks in recent weeks and the apparent failure of peace talks with the militants, according to a senior Pakistani official.
Pakistan court orders end to blockade on NATO supply route
(Los Angeles Times) In a boost to U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan, a provincial court on Tuesday ordered that protesters end their blockade of the main NATO supply route through Pakistan.
MIDDLE EAST
US Congress should reconsider Iraq helicopters after Iran report: McCain
(Reuters) U.S. Senator John McCain said on Tuesday a proposed agreement to sell 24 Apache attack helicopters to Iraq should be reconsidered because of a Reuters report that Iran has signed a deal to sell Iraq arms and ammunition worth $195 million.
New jihadist front in Syria indicates increased risk of Sunni militant in-fighting spilling into Iraq
(IHS Jane's) A new militant group called Jabhat al-Murabiteen (Sentinels' Front) announced its formation in Iraq on 24 February 2014.
Al Nusrah Front emir issues ultimatum to ISIS
(The Long War Journal) The leader of the Al Nusrah Front for the People of the Levant, al Qaeda's branch in Syria, warned the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham to end its attacks on jihadist and rebel units in Syria or the groups will destroy the ISIS in both Syria and in Iraq. The statement by Al Nusrah emir Abu Muhammad al Julani took place after Ayman al Zawahiri's emissary was killed in a suicide attack over the weekend.
Russia Warns Saudi Against Giving Syria Rebels Missiles
(Defense News) Russia on Tuesday warned Saudi Arabia against supplying Syrian rebels with shoulder-launched missile launchers, saying such a move would endanger security across the Middle East and beyond.
Egypt appoints prime minister with ties to Hosni Mubarak regime
(Washington Post) Egypt has appointed a man with close ties to longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak to become the country’s new prime minister.
ASIA-PACIFIC
Modified J-20 seen being prepared for maiden test flight
(IHS Jane's 360) Images emerged on 20 February of a modified prototype Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) J-20 fifth-generation fighter undertaking high-speed taxi runs.
Philippines Protests China 'Water Cannon' Attack on Fishermen
(Defense News) The Philippines strongly protested against China Tuesday after Filipino fishermen accused the Chinese coast guard of attacking them with a water cannon near a disputed shoal.
Thailand’s Army Chief Cautions Antigovernment Protesters
(New York Times) The head of Thailand’s army, one of the most powerful institutions in the country, appeared to distance himself from the goals of antigovernment protesters in a nationally televised speech on Monday that analysts said was a signal to the Thai public.
EUROPE
France to Extend Military Campaign in Central African Republic
(Wall Street Journal) The French Parliament voted Tuesday to indefinitely extend the country's military intervention in the Central African Republic despite concerns that France is becoming bogged down in the chaotic conflict between local vigilantes.
Kremlin advisor issues warning to western Ukraine
(Los Angeles Times) An advisor to the Kremlin warned Tuesday that aggressive action by western Ukraine toward the country’s pro-Russian southern and eastern regions could provoke a military reaction from Russia.
Norway Lays Out NORDEFCO's Ambitions
(Defense News) Nordic governments have approved Norwegian plans to strengthen the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO) vehicle so it promotes collaboration through common cost-savings programs under the Vision 2020 project.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
Is Hagel tying America’s hands (and is that a bad thing)?
(David Edelstein in the Washington Post) The news that Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel will propose to cut the U.S. Army to pre-World War II levels is sure to generate much controversy and consternation. Despite the fact that the United States spends nearly five times as much on its defense as the next country on the list, China, the idea of cutting the U.S. defense budget is always met with opposition, much of it from the representatives of those states and districts most likely to be affected by the cuts.
Commentary: The Next Carrier Air Wing
(Mark Gunzinger and Bryan Clark in Defense News) In early February, analysts from four Washington think tanks held a public event to recommend how the Pentagon could walk the fine line between developing a future military capable of meeting emerging security threats and staying within legislated budget caps.
A Concrete Way to Honor Military Sacrifices
(Former Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony Principi and Joseph Johnston in the Wall Street Journal) One of the most important measures of a country's greatness lies in how it treats those who put their lives on the line to defend their homeland. This principle has been the driving force behind the careers of both of us—proud veterans—one who served as secretary of Veterans Affairs from 2001 to 2005, and the other who is currently national commander of Disabled American Veterans.
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