TODAY’S TOP 5
1. Survey shows distrust of retirement reform in the ranks
(Military Times) The Pentagon’s new proposal for reforming military retirement is drawing sharply negative reactions from today’s career-minded service members, according to a recent survey of Military Times active-duty readers.
2. Air Force nuke crew failings worse than reported
(Associated Press) Failings exposed last spring at a U.S. nuclear missile base, reflecting what one officer called "rot" in the ranks, were worse than originally reported, according to Air Force documents obtained by The Associated Press.
3. Cyberspace: What is it, where is it and who cares?
(Air Force Maj. Gen. Brett Williams in Armed Forces Journal) Assured access to cyberspace is a key enabler of national security, so the answer to the question in the title is: we should all care. Two of the defining characteristics of a strong, modern, industrial nation are economic prosperity and a credible defense. The ability to use cyberspace has become indispensable to achieving both of these objectives.
4. Political-Military Affairs at State Dept. Gets New Chief
(Defense News) Puneet Talwar, a longtime White House national security staffer and former adviser to then-Sen. Joseph Biden, was confirmed Thursday by voice vote to become the State Department’s new assistant secretary for political-military affairs.
5. Hagel to meet with brass Friday on sex assault review
(USA Today) Leaders from each of the armed services will brief Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Friday on the criteria they have used to screen out problem troops from serving as sexual assault counselors, recruiters and instructors, according to a Defense Department official.
INDUSTRY
Russian Engine on Atlas V Rocket Needs U.S. Review, Hagel Says
(Bloomberg) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel today told a House defense panel that Russia’s actions in Ukraine will lead the Pentagon to reassess the use of Russian-made engines on Atlas V rockets.
Navy to Hold Contest for New Anti-Surface Missile
(U.S. Naval Institute) The Navy plans to hold a competition for an anti-ship missile that could be used from the air or ships and possibly submarines to beef up the service’s ability to take on surface threats, service officials told USNI News this week.
UK To Invest $498M To Upgrade Shipyard Before Successor Construction
(Defense News) The British government is to spend over £300 million (US $498.5 million) improving the facilities at BAE Systems’ Barrow-in-Furness shipyard ahead of the construction of a new generation of ballistic missile submarines for the Royal Navy.
Australia to buy U.S. Triton drones to secure Indian Ocean resources
(Reuters) Australia has committed to purchasing the U.S. Navy's MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft, its prime minister said on Thursday, continuing a trend amongst Asia-Pacific nations to protect commercial maritime interests amid rising regional tensions.
CONGRESS
Rep. Visclosky: 'Impossible' To Move Pentagon Spending Bill With Only OCO 'Placeholder'
(Defense News) A key US House member warned Thursday the Obama administration’s withholding of a war-funding request could hinder passage of the chamber’s 2015 military spending bill.
Hunter wants Pentagon leading effort to free captured soldier
(The Hill) The Pentagon should take the lead on the U.S. effort to free Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was taken captive in Afghanistan in 2009, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) said Thursday.
Congress Wants to Shield Veterans From Another Government Shutdown
(National Journal) During the last government shutdown, lawmakers feared veterans were days away from not receiving their disability checks.
Eight U.S. Senators To Visit Ukraine This Week
(Wall Street Journal) A bipartisan group of eight senators will visit Ukraine this week for meetings with the interim government, Senate aides said Wednesday.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Employee at troubled military child-care center on Va. base accused of assaulting kids
(Washington Post) A caregiver at a child-care center on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall was charged Thursday with simple assault against a child after investigators said they had uncovered several incidents in which the woman hit or pushed young children in her care.
Panel urges end to US ban on transgender troops
(Associated Press) The United States should join the dozen other nations that allow transgender people to serve in the armed forces, an independent commission said in a report released Thursday, saying there is no medical reason for the decades-old ban and calling on President Barack Obama to lift it.
Pentagon boosting its push for underwater drones
(USA Today) The Pentagon is proposing dramatic increases in spending for underwater pods to store drone submarines and a variety of other seaborne drones and surveillance technology, another example of the military's shift toward the Pacific, newly released budget documents show.
Cyber, IT Bright Spots in Defense Budget
(National Defense Magazine) The Pentagon’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2015 includes $5.2 billion for cyber security. But when intelligence agencies are added to the mix, the amount nearly doubles, according to new estimates.
ARMY
Army to cut combat brigades
(The Hill) The Army may need to cut its number of brigade combat teams nearly in half to accommodate the Pentagon’s plans to slice the Army’s size to below 450,000 soldiers after 2017.
7th Special Forces support soldier dies while on leave in Maine
(Northwest Florida Daily News; Fort Walton Beach) A support soldier assigned to the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) died Sunday while on leave in South Portland, Maine, the 7th Group has announced. The cause of his death is under investigation.
Medal of Honor recipient Ola Lee Mize dies at 82
(Army Times) Medal of Honor recipient, Korean War hero and Special Forces legend retired Army Col. Ola Lee Mize has died at 82, according to the Medal of Honor Society. He died Wednesday after a lengthy illness.
US Army Working With Joint Chiefs to Develop 'Global Landpower Network'
(Defense News) Preparing for the start of a series of hearings before Congress to discuss his fiscal 2015 budget, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno struck a cooperative tone in remarks at a Washington think tank Thursday, stressing joint solutions to future conflicts.
James Robert Jones, Military Fugitive on the Run Since 1977, Arrested in South Florida: Authorities
(WTVJ; Miami) One of the U.S. Army’s “15 Most Wanted” fugitives – on the run since he escaped from a military prison in Kansas in 1977 – was arrested Thursday when he showed up for work in Pompano Beach, authorities said.
Army’s recruiting school moving to Fort Knox from Columbia’s Fort Jackson
(The State; Columbia, S.C.) The U.S. Army’s Recruiting and Retention School and its 92 employees will move in October from Fort Jackson to Fort Knox, Ky., the military confirmed Thursday.
Will FOX's military comedy 'Enlisted' become casualty of ratings?
(Army Times) Despite early reports declaring “Enlisted” dead on arrival, the new FOX comedy series is fighting on with a surge of support from military and DVR watchers.
NAVY
CNO Tells Congress the US Needs 450-Ship Navy
(Military.com) Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert told lawmakers Wednesday that the Navy would need a 450-ship fleet in order to meet the global needs of combatant commanders.
Navy will study Sea Dragon engine problems
(Virginian-Pilot; Norfolk, Va.) The Navy has asked Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. to study ways to reduce the risk of engine fires in its MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopters.
Navy adjusts effort in search for missing Malaysian airliner
(Navy Times) The guided missile destroyer Pinckney will soon end its participation in search efforts for a Malaysian passenger jet that has been missing for nearly a week.
Navy still has tuition assistance money available
(Stars and Stripes) While other services’ tuition programs are turning troops away, the Navy has more tuition assistance cash than it can use, Navy officials said this month.
Pomp, emotion greet old sailors as Battleship Texas turns 100
(Houston Chronicle) With a new coat of paint on its decks and a brisk north wind snapping its pennants Wednesday, the Battleship Texas welcomed back a gang of old warriors - men, who, though perhaps worn by years, still evinced the vigor of "the greatest generation.
AIR FORCE
Malfunction, pilot error caused May KC-135 crash
(Air Force Times) A flight control system malfunction and subsequent pilot error ultimately brought down a KC-135 Stratotanker on May 3, minutes after takeoff from Manas Transit Center, Kyrgyzstan, an Air Force accident investigation report released March 13 shows.
Northern Command boss worried by cut to aerial firefighting wing
(Colorado Springs Gazette) U.S. Northern Command boss Gen. Chuck Jacoby said he's concerned that proposed cuts at Peterson Air Force Base could hurt aerial firefighting efforts.
Exclusive: Inside the Fiery Crash of Jolly 12
(Foreign Policy) When an elite Air Force helicopter rescue crew plummeted into a Japanese forest, it didn't just kill an airman and spark an inferno -- it stirred up a diplomatic hornet’s nest for the U.S.
Selfridge bolsters security after body found on grounds
(Detroit News) Selfridge Air National Guard Base is stepping up security after a body was found on the military installation’s property Thursday, officials said.
Cyber “execute order” authorized in military operation
(Flightlines) A classified cyber operation issued last June is referenced in a recently released Air Force Instruction.
MARINE CORPS
Marine Corps chief tackles tough questions in new video interview
(Marine Corps Times) The Marine Corps on Thursday published a new video interview with the service’s commandant, Gen. Jim Amos, in which he addresses a host of challenging questions posed by rank-and-file personnel via social media.
Amos: I’d like the .45 instead of the 9 millimeter
(Battle Rattle) A congressman told Gen. James Amos that Marines in his district would like to see their M9 service pistol replaced with a .45-caliber — and Amos replied that he would, too.
Environment research on Marines transfer to Guam to end this year
(Global Post) Research on the environmental impact to Guam from the planned transfer of Marines from Japan's Okinawa will finish within this year, the top commander of the U.S. Marine Corps said recently.
Marines volunteer to help renovate home of WWII veteran (With Video)
(WMUR; Manchester, N.H.) When Gunnery Sgt. Bernie Ruchin was in combat on the island of Saipan during World War II, he took some artillery shrapnel in his right knee.
AFGHANISTAN
Commander: US needs 102 days for full Afghan drawdown
(The Hill) The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan said if he is forced to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by December 2014, he would need at least 102 days before then to do it in an orderly fashion.
U.S. Must Demolish Thousands of Its Vehicles in Afghanistan
(DOD BUZZ) U.S. troops are likely to spend part of their remaining time in Afghanistan blowing up thousands of their own vehicles, the top commander said Thursday.
Taliban issues congratulations to its forces on 'defeat' of Canadians
(The Canadian Press) The Taliban’s information arm issued a statement Thursday to followers in Kandahar congratulating its fighters in the rural districts of Panjwaii, Zharey, Dand, Maiwand and Shah Wali Kot claiming that Canada has been defeated and has now fled the country.
India’s role in Afghanistan very critical: Gen Dunford
(Press Trust of India) India has a critical role to play in Afghanistan as it is the most important partner of the war-torn country in the region, the commander of the US-Nato forces in Kabul has said.
MIDDLE EAST
UAE summons Iraq ambassador over Saudi 'terrorism' charge
(Reuters) The United Arab Emirates summoned Iraq's ambassador on Wednesday to protest against his prime minister's accusations that its ally Saudi Arabia was funding terrorism, state news agency WAM reported, while Bahrain called the comments "irresponsible".
Leaders Deny Report of a Truce in Mideast Violence
(New York Times) Islamic Jihad, the militant group responsible for firing dozens of rockets into Israel from the Gaza Strip, announced Thursday that Egypt had intervened to restore calm, offering what at first looked like a familiar resolution to an escalation of violence that had shaken both sides of the border.
Israel’s killing of judge spurs anger in Jordan
(Washington Post) The shooting death of a Jordanian judge by Israeli border guards this week has triggered an outpouring of anger in this kingdom, shaking ties between the two countries at a time when the United States is counting on Jordan’s help in brokering a Middle East peace deal.
Former Egyptian General Calls Promise of Free Elections a ‘Farce’
(New York Times) Critics of the military takeover here often say the generals’ promise of free elections is little more than a bad joke. Now a prominent former military man who cheered the takeover seems to agree: Ahmed Shafik, a former general and prime minister and the runner-up in the last presidential election, has called it a “farce.”
For 3 Egyptian Islamists, violence is only way to respond to police crackdown
(McClatchy) Here reside three young men, the oldest of them just 20, each boasting that they are proud fighters on the nation’s newest battlefield. One said he set a police officer’s home ablaze. Another pointed a gun at nearby residents as his friends set a store on fire. The third said that if a police officer ever killed a member of his family, he would respond by assassinating a police officer.
AMERICAS
Head of Southern Command says he lacks resources to fight drug trafficking
(Washington Post) Dwindling defense budgets have been a boon to drug trafficking networks in Latin America as U.S. intelligence and interdiction assets in the Caribbean have been pared down, the top American commander responsible for the region said Thursday.
Salvador Sanchez Ceren wins El Salvador's presidential election
(Los Angeles Times) Salvadoran electoral authorities on Thursday declared leftist Vice President Salvador Sanchez Ceren the winner of a bitterly contested presidential election, but the political right refused to accept the loss.
Brazilian Army consolidates Southern Military Command units
(IHS Jane's 360) The Brazilian Army's Southern Military Command (CMS), which borders Uruguay and Argentina, is reorganising and will de-activate its 6th Army Division headquartered at Porto Alegre.
EUROPE
US Army to proceed with planned exercise in Ukraine
(Stars and Stripes) That exercise, in Lviv, near the Polish border, is to “promote regional stability and security, strengthen partnership capacity, and foster trust while improving interoperability between USAREUR, the land forces of Ukraine, and other (NATO and partner) nations,” according to the USAEUR website.
First F-16s arrive in Poland to bolster training mission
Six F-16 fighters from the 555th Fighter Squadron from Aviano Base, Italy, have arrived in Poland to augment the U.S. military’s presence there amid regional tensions following Russia’s Feb. 28 incursion into Ukraine, officials said.
U.S. Balks at Ukraine Military-Aid Request
(Wall Street Journal) Ukraine's interim government has appealed for U.S. military aid, including arms, ammunition and intelligence support, according to senior U.S. officials. But the Obama administration has agreed to send only military rations for now, wary of inflaming tensions with Russia.
Russian troops gathering at Ukraine border for exercises as standoff continues (With Video)
(Washington Post) Russia is gathering thousands of troops, as well as artillery and other equipment, at its border with Ukraine as part of military training exercises that also serve as a blunt reminder of Russia’s ability to easily move deeper into the neighboring country.
U.S.-Russian cybersecurity talks face uncertainty amid Ukrainian crisis
(Inside Cybersecurity) The turmoil in Ukraine has cast a shadow of uncertainty over the next chapter of U.S.-Russian cybersecurity talks, which last year led to the creation of a White House-Kremlin cybersecurity crisis hotline -- thus far, never used, according to U.S. officials.
German Government Passes Second Budget Draft
(Defense News) Germany’s new government passed the second draft of the federal budget for 2014 on Wednesday, with total spending set at €298.5 billion (US $414.1 billion) and a defense budget of €32.8 billion, about €500 million less than the previous year.
AFRICA
EU Struggles to Build Force for Central African Republic Mission
(Wall Street Journal) Europe is struggling to put together an adequate force to fulfill its promised military operation in the Central African Republic, diplomats said Thursday, putting at risk the broader international effort to stabilize the country.
Libya drifts after ousting prime minister over oil ship’s escape
(McClatchy) The Libyan parliamentary decision to oust Prime Minister Ali Zeidan this week not only marks the demise of his government after 16 months but also renews questions among some Libyans about whether democracy is the best form of government for their nation.
Scores Reported Killed in Village Raids in Nigerian Land Conflict
(New York Times) Gunmen on motorbikes killed at least 69 people and burned down several homes in attacks on four villages related to conflicts over land in northwestern Nigeria, a state lawmaker said Thursday.
ASIA-PACIFIC
Japan Draws Up Overhaul Of Arms-Export Ban
(Defense News) Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has drawn up plans to overhaul the pacifist country’s self-imposed ban on arms exports, an official said Thursday, in a move that could anger China.
As charges against Devyani Khobragade are dropped, relief and lingering doubts in India
(Washington Post) At a time when the United States and India are trying to move beyond a rift over an Indian diplomat’s arrest in a domestic worker case, news that charges against her had been dismissed — for now — was greeted with a mix of skepticism and relief Thursday.
Knife fight in China market leaves 5 dead
(USA Today) Four people were hacked to death in a knife fight at a market Friday in southern China, and one person was fatally shot by police, state media said.
Philippines Drops Food to Troops After China 'Blockade'
(Defense News) The Philippine military said Thursday it had evaded a Chinese sea blockade by using an airplane to drop food to soldiers on a tiny and remote South China Sea shoal claimed by both countries.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
A Better Way to Close American Bases
(Retired Gen. Norton Schwartz and William F. Murdy in Politico Magazine) In an age of military belt-tightening, the Pentagon is wisely willing to scale back its base operations on U.S. territory. So why won’t Congress let it?
Opinion: Health initiatives can save money, boost readiness
(Dan Glickman, retired Army Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, Charles Milam and Tina Reddington in Military Times) Creating budgets for the Defense Department is always challenging. But determining where to cut and where to spend requires an intense analysis of high-cost line items.
Joint Strike Fighter: No Longer Just "Too Big to Kill"
(Christopher J. Griffin and Phillip Lohaus in Real Clear Defense) When General Mark Walsh, the Air Force Chief of Staff, appears before Congress this Friday, he will be hard pressed to defend the service’s proposals to retire a slew of attack and surveillance aircraft and proposed cuts to the Air National Guard. One program that the budget ramps up, however, is the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). After years of scathing reviews by government auditors and congressional skeptics, the JSF may have finally evaded its greatest threat – the cost overruns and delays that once placed the entire program at risk.
Let the Military Run Drone Warfare
(Rep. Adam Schiff in the New York Times) As night fell on what had been a scorching August day in Hadhramaut, Yemen, in 2012, four large explosions shattered the quiet. When the smoke cleared a few minutes later, Sheik Salem Ahmed bin Ali Jaber, a respected and openly anti-extremist cleric, his cousin, a young local police officer named Waleed Abdullah bin Ali Jaber, and three other men, who have been identified in news reports as likely extremists, lay dead — reportedly by an American drone strike.
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