TODAY’S TOP 5
1. DoD Budget: Expect Big Changes In Five-Year Spending Priorities
(Defense News) Just before Maj. Gen. Jim Martin, the US Air Force budget director, walked into the Pentagon briefing room on March 4, an aide slipped him a note.
2. Troops in key posts may be rechecked for sex offenses
(USA Today) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has discussed with Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy leaders an Army review that disqualified 588 soldiers from posts as sexual assault counselors and whether those services should follow the Army's lead.
3. A defense budget based on hope
(Washington Post Editorial Board) If, as the Obama administration is convinced, the United States will no longer conduct “long and large stability operations” in foreign countries, then the defense budget it has proposed for next year makes some logical choices. Troop strength, particularly in the Army, is being cut — to the lowest level since before World War II — so that money can be spent on new technology, cyber operations and special operations forces, which will be expanded.
4. Robert Gates on Ukraine crisis, 'reset' with Russia
(Fox News Sunday) Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates talks about Putin’s ambitions in Ukraine and calls proposed cuts to defense spending a “serious mistake.”
5. Mohammed Fahim dies at 57; Afghanistan’s first vice president
(Washington Post) Afghanistan’s first vice president, Marshal Mohammed Fahim, a polarizing leader whose political and military career spanned the Soviet War and the American invasion, died Sunday. He was 57.
DEFENSE NEWS WITH VAGO MURADIAN
Interview with Pentagon Comptroller Robert Hale
Pentagon Comptroller Robert Hales calls for Base Realignment and Closure Round
2014 Quadrennial Defense Review
Vago’s Notebook: Budget Confusion
INDUSTRY
Finmeccanica Seeks More Centralized Control
(Defense News) In a bid to scramble back into profit, Italy’s Finmeccanica group wants to emulate its European neighbor Airbus and hand more power to its headquarters, cutting back the autonomy of its units.
Newport News Shipbuilding: Carrier funding prompts head scratching
(Daily Press; Newport News, Va.) This week's rollout of the Defense Department budget prompted as many questions as answers about the U.S. aircraft carrier fleet and the status of future big-ticket jobs at Newport News Shipbuilding.
Airbus CEO blames industry for 'disappointing' Eurofighter sales
(IHS Jane's 360) International sales volume for the Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft has not met with expectations despite a window of opportunity provided by developmental delays of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, Airbus Group CEO Tom Enders told reporters in Washington on 7 March.
Airbus aims to expand slice of smaller U.S. defense 'pie'
(Reuters) Top Airbus executives on Friday said they still hoped to expand the company's share of the shrinking U.S. defense market but did not see a large U.S. acquisition target in the near-term.
Armed With New Name, Airbus Group Courts U.S. Defense Market
(National Defense Magazine) Officials from Airbus Group — the European aerospace and defense corporation formerly known as EADS — are hoping a new name will help open up sales opportunities with the U.S. military.
Taiwan Faces Tough Choices After US Cancels F-16 Upgrade
(Defense News) The US Air Force’s decision not to fund the Combat Avionics Programmed Extension Suite (CAPES) program that would have upgraded 300 US F-16 fighter jets and 146 Taiwan F-16s comes as a blow to Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.
CONGRESS
Sen. McCaskill’s military sexual-assault bill is meatier than advertised
(Washington Post) Sen. Claire McCaskill’s bill to overhaul — yes, overhaul — the way sexual-assault cases are handled in the military has routinely been described as more modest, conservative, watered-down and incremental than her Senate colleague Kirsten Gillibrand’s measure.
Kirsten Gillibrand Blames White House in Failure of Military Sexual-Assault Bill
(National Journal) Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand blamed the White House's lack of support for the failure of her sexual-assault bill in the Senate on Thursday, and she vowed to keep fighting to reform the military justice system.
North Carolina lawmakers are questioning proposed changes to the military's Tricare health system
(Fayetteville Observer) The lawmakers said they had concerns regarding Tricare's change in reimbursement policy to exclude certain medical tests from coverage.
House Republicans Balk at Wording in Obama Emergency Aid Package for Ukraine
(New York Times) An emergency aid package for the beleaguered Ukrainian government has become entangled in a partisan dispute over the International Monetary Fund, with House Republicans resisting President Obama’s personal pleas to extend the reach of a Ukraine rescue plan by including long-sought changes to the fund’s structure.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
DoD Increases New Budget Lines for 2015
(Defense News) Like any complex organization, DoD adds and removes budget lines — the most granular spending category presented in its annual budget requests — from year to year.
The Pentagon’s Battle Against Sexual Assault Rages On
(Time) The Pentagon kept running into bad sexual-assault news last week: the Army’s sexual-prevention chief was suspended from his post following a female subordinate’s claim that Lieut. Colonel Joseph Morse groped her at a sexual-assault conference.
Pentagon: Yes, we study body language
(The Hill) The Pentagon has spent $300,000 per year since 2009 to study the body language of world leaders like Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Pentagon confirmed Friday.
More military consumers cite aggressive debt collection
(Military Times) Debt collection is emerging as a big issue for service members and veterans, according to data released by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on March 6.
ARMY
Commander 'addressed' soldier who dodged flag salute
(Army Times) The Army is not saying whether the soldier who hid in her car to avoid saluting the flag and bragged about it online has been punished for her actions. But officials do confirm the matter is closed as the soldier’s commander has “addressed” the issue.
Sinclair defense cites new emails in bid to get charges dropped
(Los Angeles Times) Citing newly received Army emails, lawyers for Brig. Gen. Jeffrey A. Sinclair on Sunday night renewed their claims of Army command interference in the general's sexual assault prosecution and asked the military judge to reconsider his refusal to drop the charges.
Army says soldier who died is from Yakima
(Yakima Herald, Wash.) Military officials have released the name of a soldier who died Thursday at the Army’s Yakima Training Center.
Soldier accused of sexual assaults in Harnett County arrested in Puerto Rico
(Fayetteville Observer) One of the Army's 15 most wanted suspects was arrested in Puerto Rico on Friday on multiple charges of sexual assaults against adult and child victims in Harnett County.
Tattoo shop owners react to Army grooming regulation changes
(Watertown Daily Times) New regulations from the Army could limit the placement of future tattoos by Fort Drum soldiers, among other grooming standards.
NAVY
Submarine Connecticut XO relieved
(Navy Times) Lt. Cmdr. Brett J. Sterneckert was relieved by Rear Adm. Phillip G. Sawyer, commander of Pacific Fleet’s submarine force based at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Sterneckert was aboard Connecticut since June 2012.
Navy ship, P-3C Orion join search for missing Malaysia flight (With Video)
(USA Today) The U.S. military joined a multinational search effort for the Malaysia Airlines jet that disappeared early Saturday local time.
CNO predicts steady manning levels, outlines plans to shelve some ships
(Navy Times) The Navy’s top officer believes the force, at 323,500 sailors, is the right size and sees his task as rebalancing the force to fill the thousands of open billets across the fleet.
Navy still working on finding the cause of Red Hill fuel leak
(Honolulu Star-Advertiser) The Navy hasn't yet gotten to the bottom of a leak at the Red Hill fuel farm that is believed to have dumped up to 27,000 gallons of JP-8 aviation fuel into concrete containment surrounding the leaky steel liner.
AIR FORCE
Air Force left with little budget flexibility
(Defense News) Air Force leadership spent months telling anyone who would listen that their budget would result in a smaller service today in order to afford modernization for tomorrow, and its budget delivered on that promise. But in an attempt to cut as deeply as possible to fund key priorities, the service has left itself in a precarious position as it heads into Congress to defend its decisions.
Remains of Tacoma airman killed in 1969 will finally return
(Tacoma News Tribune) More than 44 years after his plane was lost in combat during the Vietnam War, U.S. Air Force Capt. Douglas David Ferguson is coming home.
Transit center ferries troops to, from Afghanistan
(Air Force Times) Almost a year of complex coordination came down to a frenetic final month at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania, where hundreds of soldiers and airmen worked to complete a transit hub by Feb. 1 to carry the U.S. through the waning days of the Afghan war.
Proposed spy plane cuts have area around Beale Air Force base worried
(Sacramento Bee) When the Defense Department last month announced plans to retire the Beale-based fleet of U-2 spy planes starting in 2016 in favor of drones to save money, people began to worry. As many as 1,070 people attached to the Marysville-area base and its U-2 mission – maintainers, pilots, contractors and medical personnel – could be affected if the spy plane is mothballed, according to federal and state officials.
Libraries pinched over budget cuts
(Air Force Times) Need that quiet spot to study for your next specialty knowledge test? You may need to find an alternative from your base library.
Hill AFB to repair, maintain robots
(Standard-Examiner; Ogden, Utah) Under a developing contract at Hill Air Force Base, the mechanical beings will be creating work for humans instead of taking it away.
MARINE CORPS
Amos: My wife was all over me about sleeves down
(Marine Corps Times) Marine noncommissioned officers weren’t the only ones complaining after the Marine Corps banned rolled sleeves on camouflage utilities in 2011. Gen. Jim Amos’ wife, Bonnie, also opposed the change.
Marine slain in California returns home
(WLWT, Cincinnati) A Morrow Marine who was killed in California was given a final salute Saturday.
Fundraiser identifies Marine pilot killed in crash
(Marine Corps Times) A fundraising effort has identified the pilot who was killed March 1 when his F/A-18C crashed in Nevada as Marine Corps Capt. Reid Nannen.
Marine recruit treated for meningitis
(San Diego Union-Tribune) A Marine recruit with severe symptoms of meningitis is being treated at Naval Medical Center San Diego, hospital officials said.
Marine operators set to get private lessons in HAHO
(Marine Corps Times) Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command is training more of its elite Marines in tactical air insertion.
COAST GUARD
Did he change a dangerous culture?
(San Diego Union-Tribune) After leading the U.S. Coast Guard since May 2010, Commandant Adm. Robert Papp will retire in a few months.
Papp gives his last State of the Coast Guard address
(Navy Times) In his final State of the Coast Guard speech, Commandant Adm. Bob Papp recapped ongoing efforts to modernize the fleet, outlined a mission set weighed down by everything from sequestration to record levels of ice, and pledged “increased accountability” for Coasties when it comes to alcohol abuse, with a program starting early this month.
Coast Guardsman guilty in sexual misconduct case
(WDSU; New Orleans) Coast Guard officials in New Orleans say a petty officer has been convicted and sentenced on charges involving sexual assault and possession of child pornography.
VETERANS
Post-9/11 vet unemployment rate jumps to 9.2 percent
(Military Times) The unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans jumped in February, nearly erasing the gains of a few months ago, Bureau of Labor Statistics data show.
More vets suffer from ALS, but the VA moves effectively to help
(The News & Observer; Raleigh, N.C.)Thomas Corbett may never know what – if anything – from his five years as a heavy-equipment mechanic in the Marine Corps brought on the disease that likely will steal from him the use of nearly every one of his muscles and, sometime in the next several years, his very breath.
Researchers link Iraq dust with some vets' lung problems
(Military Times) Researchers at Stony Brook University in New York have coined the term “Iraq-Afghanistan war lung injury” to describe respiratory symptoms developed by some veterans — and they have duplicated the problem in mice, using dust from Camp Victory in Baghdad.
AFGHANISTAN
U.S., Afghan military try to get out the vote, prevent Taliban disruption of key election
(Washington Post) With critical Afghan elections just weeks away, U.S. and Afghan soldiers are focused on a daunting new mission: persuading residents of remote, insurgency-plagued areas to vote.
Taliban warn Afghans not to participate in presidential election
(Khaama Press) The Taliban militants group in Afghanistan warned Afghan people not participate in the upcoming presidential elections.
Despite Massive Taliban Death Toll No Drop in Insurgency
(Voice of America) Afghan police and army units are killing an average of 12 Taliban fighters every day but according to experts the high death toll is having little effect on Taliban recruitment efforts or the group’s ability to stage attacks.
Lord Richards in Afghanistan support plea to West
(BBC) A former head of the British armed forces has appealed to western powers not to give up on Afghanistan.
MIDDLE EAST
U.S. special forces sent to train Iraqi special forces in Jordan
(Reuters) The United States recently sent a small number of special forces soldiers to Jordan to train with counterparts from Iraq and Jordan, a new step in the Obama administration's effort to help Baghdad stamp out a resurgent al Qaeda threat, a U.S. defense official said on Friday.
Maliki: Saudi and Qatar at war against Iraq
(Al Jazeera) Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has accused Saudi Arabia and Qatar of supporting fighters in Iraq and effectively declaring war on the country.
Suicide Bomber Kills at Least 45 at Checkpoint in Southern Iraq
(New York Times) A suicide bomber driving a truck loaded with explosives attacked a security checkpoint in the southern Iraqi city of Hilla on Sunday, killing at least 45 people and wounding more than 100, security officials said.
Israeli Armor, Artillery Corps Shifting Emphasis
(Defense News) Tighter budgets and changing threats are forcing specialized Israeli Army corps to temper parochial ambitions to bolster a smaller, fire-fortified, combined arms maneuvering force.
Beirut’s southern suburbs become targets as Syrian war crosses border
(Washington Post) At a small, family-operated firm selling building materials in Beirut’s southern suburbs, sales are picking up. But it’s not new construction that’s fueling business. It’s a run on sandbags for protection from car bombings.
Lebanese Army Funding Gets International Boost
(Defense News) The International Support Group for Lebanon has pledged US $17.8 million for the Lebanese Army, which has been overstretched from the Syrian conflict spillover and increase in terrorist activities.
ASIA-PACIFIC
DoD issues new threat report on North Korea
(Army Times) North Korea has the fourth largest military in the world when it comes to manpower, with as many as 1.2 million people serving on active duty. But in terms of modernization there is — thankfully — much room for improvement.
North Korea’s Fake Election
(Wall Street Journal) North Korea reported a perfect turnout on Sunday for its first national election in five years to confirm state-selected representatives for its rubber-stamp parliament.
Japan Scrambles Jets Against Chinese Plane
(Defense News) Japan scrambled military jets Sunday to counter three Chinese military planes that flew near Japanese airspace, defense officials said.
MARSOC operators rotate into Guam to train with SEALs
(Marine Corps Times) Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command has initiated a rotational deployment to Guam that will see Marine operators training with Navy SEALs on a regular basis.
Confirmed: Singapore Inks Six-Plane Deal With Airbus
(Defense News) Singapore has finally confirmed it has signed an agreement to purchase six A330 MRTT multi-role tanker transport aircraft from Airbus Defence and Space.
EUROPE
USAF To Increase Military Presence in Lithuania, Poland
(Defense News) The US Air Force has deployed fighter jets and military personnel to Lithuania and plans to increase its military presence in Poland. The move comes as concern over Russia’s intervention in Ukraine is rising across the region.
Russia may halt US inspections over sanctions
(Associated Press) Russia is considering a freeze of U.S. military inspections under arms control treaties in retaliation to Washington's decision to halt military cooperation with Russia, news reports said Saturday.
Ukraine leaders vow not to cede land; Russia tightens grip on Crimea
(Los Angeles Times) Leaders of Ukraine vowed Sunday not to cede any part of their nation’s territory, even as Russia defended its virtual takeover of the disputed Crimean peninsula and signaled its willingness to act on the result of an upcoming secession vote there.
Jim Jones: No "kneejerk" reaction to Russian action in Ukraine (Video)
(CBS News' Face the Nation) President Obama's former national security adviser advises prudence and consideration in dealing with the crisis in Ukraine.
France hints at aero, nuclear deals during Xi visit
(Reuters) France expressed optimism on Friday over its ties with China in nuclear energy and aerospace in a sign of possible business deals when China's Xi Jinping makes his first trip as president to Europe in late March.
Germany receives final ASGARD-upgraded Tiger helos
(IHS Jane's 360) The Germany Army has received the last of 12 Airbus Tiger attack helicopters that have been upgraded to Afghanistan Stabilisation German Army Rapid Deployment (ASGARD) standard, Airbus Group announced on 6 March.
AFRICA
U.S. military presence in Africa growing in small ways
(Los Angeles Times) Amid a surge of Islamic militancy in North Africa, a team of fewer than 50 U.S. special operations troops with a single helicopter arrived at a remote base in western Tunisia last month.
Libyan rebels warn of 'war' if navy attacks oil tanker
(Reuters) Armed protesters in eastern Libya traded threats with the government on Sunday in a tense stand-off over the unauthorized sale of oil from a rebel-held port.
International court convicts Congolese warlord Katanga of war crimes
(Los Angeles Times) The International Criminal Court on Friday handed down the second conviction in its 12-year history, finding former Congolese warlord Germain Katanga guilty on four counts of war crimes and one count of crimes against humanity.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
NATO Revived? Not so Fast
(Sean Kay in War on the Rocks) The crises in Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014 are Exhibits A and B of a dramatic failure of the decision to extend NATO engagement into these countries. Of course, Putin is responsible for his own actions. But this 2008 decision by NATO played directly into Putin’s own rationalization of the invasion of Georgia – which was followed by Ukraine’s withdrawal of its NATO application and the consolidation of pro-Moscow forces there.
Why the Cold War isn’t back
(Todd S. Purdum in Politico) German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s private analysis that Vladimir Putin is living “in another world” struck a chord because Russia’s military incursion into Crimea does feel like a blast from the Cold War past of twilight struggle, eyeball-to-eyeball brinkmanship, clattering hotlines, U-2 spy planes and rolling Soviet tanks.
Obama’s Foreign Policy Reality Check
(Defense One) President Barack Obama came to Washington in 2008 pledging to end the Iraq war and refocus on Afghanistan, the “war we have to win.” The idea was to settle the fights America already was involved in and to be certain not to embark upon new ones. Despite approving a troop surge in Afghanistan, Obama made clear that his presidency was the time to shut down the boots on the ground, even if drones and special operations remained as active as ever.
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