TODAY’S TOP 5
1. Hagel orders overhaul of remains recovery mission
(Military Times) After months of criticism about how the military accounts for the remains of fallen U.S. service members from foreign battlefields, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Monday he will create a single Pentagon-level office to oversee the worldwide mission.
2. As Soldiers Return, Who Is Caring For The Caregivers?
(NPR) Over a million Americans are caregivers to returning veterans, and in many cases, they're doing so with little government support. As a major report finds, this is having some serious consequences.
3. Jeremiah Denton
(The Wall Street Journal) Jeremiah Denton never blinked. He did not blink while leading bombing runs over North Vietnam as commander of a squadron of A-6 Intruders. He did not blink after he was shot down and taken prisoner on July 18, 1965, three days after his 41st birthday.
4. U.S. Struggles to Track Nuclear-Arms Design Records
(National Journal) A U.S. Energy Department investigator has lashed nuclear-arms offices for failing to keep a detailed paper trail of how they build and care for each bomb.
5. Report Shows DoD Increased Buying Power in 51 Programs
(Defense News) The Pentagon improved its buying power on 51 of its 80 programs in 2013, resulting in $23 billion of procurement savings, according to a new Government Accountability Office report.
INDUSTRY
S.Korea plans $1.3-bln tanker aircraft buy to boost air defence
(Reuters) South Korea on Monday kicked off the process to buy four in-flight refuelling tanker aircraft, in a deal seen to be worth around 1.4 trillion won ($1.31 billion), with planemakers Boeing and Airbus expected to compete, sources said.
Japan OKs easing of military-related exports
(Associated Press) Japan relaxed a decades-old ban on military-related exports Tuesday in a bid to expand joint arms development with allies and equipment sales to Southeast Asia and elsewhere.
BlackBerry 10 gets green light for DoD networks
(C4ISR & Networks) Government stalwart mobility provider BlackBerry got some additional leverage on March 27 in the form of full operational capacity for its BlackBerry 10 to run on Defense Department networks.
U.S. GAO sees $11.5 billion drop in acquisition cost of Lockheed F-35
(Reuters) The estimated acquisition cost of Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 fighter jet program dropped $11.5 billion over the past year, the congressional Government Accountability Office reported Monday in its annual report on U.S. arms programs.
Saudi Deal Boosts Precision Bomb Production for Raytheon UK
(Defense News) Raytheon UK’s precision-guided bomb business got the shot in the arm it had been hoping for when the US Congress finally approved the sale of the Paveway IV to Saudi Arabia in February.
India To Augment Awacs Fleet
(Aviation Week) In a bid to boost its aerial surveillance, India will buy six aircraft that can be used for supporting its indigenous Airborne Warning and Control System (Awacs).
Turkey Risks Delays in Turning To Local Air Defense Option
(Defense News) Turkish officials, increasingly wary of a controversial decision in September to select a Chinese company to construct the country’s first long-range air defense system, might consider a more time-consuming but entirely local option for the program.
Russia Sanctions Not Hurting Industry Yet
(Aviation Week) U.S. and European sanctions on certain Russians have not impinged on Western aerospace and defense industrial bases to any great extent, but possible reactions down the road do have analysts and executives concerned.
Canada To Seek Less Expensive Maritime Patrol Plane, Upgrade More Auroras
(Defense News) Budget problems have scuttled Canada’s quest for a large, long-range maritime surveillance aircraft, with the focus now shifting to the acquisition of a smaller, more affordable plane, military and industry officials said.
CONGRESS
Lawmakers at odds over Navy’s proposed ban on tobacco sales
(Washington Post) Lawmakers are taking sides in a debate over whether the U.S. Navy should ban tobacco sales on its ships and bases, with one House Republican last week opposing the plan while several Senate Democrats supported it.
Blumenthal calls on Pentagon to end contract with Russian firm
(The Hill) Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on Sunday called on the Pentagon to end a $550 million contract with Russian arms supplier Rosoboronexport to build helicopters for Afghanistan’s air force.
Republicans Begin Campaign For Next House Intel Chair
(The Daily Beast) Following Mike Rogers’ announcement that he won’t be seeking re-election as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, colleagues were shocked—but also eager to fill his big shoes. So far, three members have emerged as top con-tenders.
Senate report: Torture didn't lead to bin Laden
(Associated Press) A Senate investigation concludes waterboarding and other harsh interrogation methods provided no key evidence in the hunt for Osama bin Laden, according to congressional aides and outside experts familiar with a still-secret, 6,200-page report. The finding could deepen the worst rift in years between lawmakers and the CIA.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Hagel supports review of on-base tobacco sales
(Military Times) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Monday that he supports a forcewide review of tobacco use and sales on military installations.
Defense officials say Asia pivot still on
(The Hill) The Obama administration is fully committed to the rebalance to Asia despite questions over whether it can be implemented given cuts to the Pentagon’s budget, senior defense officials said Monday.
Pentagon Aiding Allies on Computer Security From Gulf to Asia
(Bloomberg Businessweek) The Pentagon is working with a dozen countries, including allies in the Persian Gulf region and east Asia, to bolster the cybersecurity of their militaries and build a collective defense against attacks.
TSA expands Pre-check to DoD civilians, Coast Guard
(C4ISR & Networks) Getting through the screening lines at the airport will soon be a lot easier for hundreds of thousands of Defense Department civilians and Coast Guard employees, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
NSA chief's legacy is shaped by big data, for better and worse
(Los Angeles Times) In nearly nine years as head of the nation's largest intelligence agency, Gen. Keith Alexander presided over a vast expansion of digital spying, acquiring information in a volume his predecessors would have found unimaginable.
ARMY
Black female soldiers say new grooming reg is 'racially biased'
(Army Times) Thousands of soldiers and others have signed a White House petition calling for the president to order the Army to reconsider just-released appearance and grooming regulations they contend are “racially biased” against black women.
Fort Drum honors soldier who died in Afghanistan
(Watertown Daily Times) Pfc. Joshua A. Gray, 21, of Van Lear, Ky., died Feb. 10 in a non-combat-related incident at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, that is under investigation. He was a satellite communications system operator maintainer in the division’s Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion.
Sikorsky Pays $3.5 Million Over Army Cost Claims
(Associated Press) Helicopter maker Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. has agreed to pay $3.5 million to resolve allegations it violated federal law and inflated the cost of spare parts to the Army, federal prosecutors said Monday.
Family appeals ruling against Medal of Honor
(Lexington Herald-Leader; Ken.) The widow of a highly decorated World War II veteran from southern Kentucky is asking a federal appeals court to review a decision denying an application to award her husband a Medal of Honor for his service.
Soldier arrested in Puerto Rico earlier this month on sex, burglary charges now jailed in Lillington
(Fayetteville Observer) A soldier who was arrested earlier this month in Puerto Rico amid allegations that he sexually assaulted multiple women and children in Harnett County was jailed in Lillington on Thursday.
NAVY
Sailor training falls short
(Navy Times) It falls to your skipper to make sure your command holds leadership training before frocking or advancing any sailor.
Former Navy SEAL shot in Bath Township parking lot; police seek suspects
(Akron Beacon Journal) Police are seeking information following the shooting of a former Navy SEAL in a parking lot Friday night.
Report: 'Feces march' on destroyer crossed line
(Navy Times) Everyone at khaki call thought it was a joke. But when a chief on the destroyer Jason Dunham told the assembled chiefs and officers that he was going to line up residents in two female berthings and make them march human feces down the pier to portable toilets, he was serious.
Navy increases base-access screening after shootings
(Virginian-Pilot) Additional screening has been added for all delivery drivers presenting a Transportation Worker Identification Credential, following the fatal shootings at Norfolk Naval Station a week ago.
UPDATE: Naval Base Kitsap's lockdown lifted; no proof shots fired
(Navy Times) Law enforcement officials at Naval Base Kitsap, Bangor, sounded the all clear after an investigators failed to uncover evidence that shots had been fired near the base, Navy officials said Monday afternoon.
AIR FORCE
The trials of MTIs: Just doing their job? Or abusing their trainees?
(Air Force Times) Staff Sgt. Annamarie Ellis threatened to beat up recruits and send them home in body bags. She cursed at them, forced them to work out naked in the shower and told one she was going to force a guidon down his urethra.
Discipline Promised For The Dozens Cheating Missileers
(National Public Radio) Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James discusses the Air Force's response to widespread cheating by nuclear missile operators on their monthly proficiency tests.
Unidentified Aircraft Seen Over Southwest U.S.
(Aviation Week) The identity of what appears to be a blended wing-body aircraft type photographed over Amarillo, Texas, on March 10 remains uncertain, with the U.S. Air Force declining any comment on the aircraft.
Troy woman says remains of Air Force Captain missing from Vietnam War identified
(The Oakland Press) Troy resident Sue Scott has never stopped searching for her brother after he went missing during the Vietnam War.
Air Force Weighs ISR, Tanker Consortiums
(DOD BUZZ) The Air Force is considering several new consortium arrangements with European partners as a way to pool resources for a collective advantage, lower operating costs and decrease travel time for U.S. platforms, service officials said.
MARINE CORPS
Thousands must go: Task force charged with keeping the best, cutting the rest
(Marine Corps Times) There are more than 4,000 Marines in line to reenlist this year, but fewer than 400 spaces remain, meaning even the top performers among them are at risk of being arbitrarily shown the door when their current contracts end.
Marine battled back, yet fell to suicide
(San Diego Union-Tribune) He rarely spoke of it. Not to his family or best buddies, fellow Marines or medical staff watching over him.
Marines prepare for historic African exercise
(Marine Corps Times) Marines are back in Morocco for African Lion a year after the local government abruptly canceled the largest annual exercise on the continent, sending hundreds of leathernecks packing, and they’re preparing for next year’s iteration to be the most robust yet.
U.S. & South Korean Marines storm beach for Foal Eagle military exercise
(New York Daily News) Heavily armed Marines from the United States and South Korea stormed a beach in the northeast Asian nation on Monday. Fear not, however. The elaborate military operation was simply part of a series of staged exercises dubbed Foal Eagle, according to officials.
Early retirement extended to Active Reserves
(Marine Corps Times) Manpower officials have extended early retirement incentives to Active Reserve Marines, according to a recently published message.
VETERANS
Outrage as V.A. hides names of hospitals where vets died from delays
(Washington Times) The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) blocked the release of the names of hospitals where 19 veterans died because of delays in medical screenings, leading to calls for transparency from news outlets and a bipartisan group of Capitol Hill lawmakers.
VA hails new low in backlogged claims
(Military Times) A backlog of about 350,000 disability claims doesn’t sound like good news. But Veterans Affairs Department officials argue it represents a pair of important and positive milestones.
'Out of Options': Veterans With PTSD Hit Pot Underground
(NBC News) Marine veteran Logan Edwards worried he could become one of the 22 former members of the armed services who, on average, commit suicide every day. Then, he says, he tried marijuana.
More Nashville VA officials could face discipline
(The Tennessean; Nashville, Tenn.) The chairman of a key U.S. House committee is asking what action has been taken against Veterans Affairs officials in Nashville and Washington, D.C., who helped an employee abandon his assignment in Tennessee and run up over $100,000 in unauthorized expenses.
AFGHANISTAN
33,000 troops to go: 1-star outlines Afghanistan drawdown
(Army Times) The U.S. has closed nearly 290 bases across Afghanistan as of March 1 and fewer than 80 bases remain.
Can Afghan forces hold after Marines depart?
(San Diego Union-Tribune) U-T San Diego spoke with Marine Col. Michael Langley, the officer in charge of the advisory team at Camp Leatherneck for the 215th Corps and its commander, Maj. Gen. Sayed Malook. Here are edited excerpts of that conversation.
US seeking buyers for old military equipment
(Associated Press) The United States is trying to sell or dispose of billions of dollars in military hardware, including sophisticated and highly specialized mine resistant vehicles as it packs up to leave Afghanistan after 13 years of war, officials said Monday.
Many Afghans Intent on Voting Despite Terror
(Wall Street Journal) Lining up behind hundreds of fellow Afghans, Ghazanfar spent up to six hours each day over the past week waiting to register for Saturday's elections.
MIDDLE EAST
Iraqi army battles militants in deadly Anbar siege
(Associated Press) An Iraqi special forces patrol moves on foot past ruined homes on the outskirts of Ramadi, a city west of Baghdad where al-Qaida-inspired militants have held off the military for three months. As they head down an alleyway, shots from snipers ring out, followed by grenade blasts.
U.S. could free Israeli spy in deal to save peace talks: source close to talks
(Reuters) An Israeli spy serving a life sentence in the United States and groups of Palestinian prisoners could be freed under an emerging deal to salvage Middle East peace talks, sources close to the negotiations said on Monday.
Turkish military fires into Syria in response to stray Syrian rocket
(The Long War Journal) Turkish artillery troops fired into Syria today after a Syrian rocket damaged a mosque in the border province of Hatay. Along with the rocket, three of the regime's mortar rounds hit in Hatay during fighting across the border in the Syrian province of Latakia between regime forces and rebels in the Armenian village of Kasab.
Erdogan's Party Wins Local Turkish Elections Despite Graft Scandals
(Defense News) Turkey’s long-serving Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan secured another election win at local polls Sunday, further reinforcing his grip on power ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections.
Turkey's ISIS problem
(The Long War Journal) On March 27 an audio tape recording of high-level Turkish officials discussing Turkey's Syria strategy was leaked on YouTube. The meeting was held between Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu, Deputy Chief of the Armed Forces General Staff Yasar Guler, and Hakan Fidan, the head of the Turkish National Intelligence Agency (MIT).
EUROPE
NATO Foreign Ministers Gather To Discuss Ukraine Crisis
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) NATO foreign ministers are gathering in Brussels to discuss the situation in Ukraine, where Russia has annexed Crimea and troops have been amassed on the Russian side of the border.
NATO To Strengthen East In Face Of Resurgent Russia
(Defense News) NATO foreign ministers will gather in Brussels on Tuesday as the defense alliance seeks to reinforce its eastern frontier against a resurgent Russia emboldened by the annexation of Crimea.
Russia Signals It Will Withdraw Troops From Ukraine Border
(Wall Street Journal) Russia signaled on Monday it was pulling some troops away from its border with Ukraine, a move that met with skepticism in the West but could represent the Kremlin's first notable concession after weeks of frantic diplomacy by the U.S. and Europe.
ASIA-PACIFIC
Leader of China Aims at Military With Graft Case
(New York Times) Prosecutors accused a former senior military official on Monday of a litany of crimes, including bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power, presenting a first glimpse of what could be the biggest corruption scandal to ever engulf the Chinese armed forces.
Chinese Dragnet Entangles Family of Former Security Chief, Zhou Yongkang
(Wall Street Journal) The Chinese Communist Party, by recent tradition, honors its retired leaders by expecting them to fade quietly into the background. But after Zhou Yongkang stepped down from the powerful Politburo Standing Committee 16 months ago, bad things started happening to people with connections to him.
Philippines and China in Dispute Over Reef
(New York Times) China accused the Philippines on Monday of illegally occupying Chinese territory after a Philippine vessel outmaneuvered the Chinese Coast Guard and resupplied a ship that has been stranded for 15 years on the Second Thomas Shoal, a tiny reef in the South China Sea.
China Snubs Japan Over International Warship Gathering
(Defense News) Japan’s navy has not been invited to join an international flotilla of warships taking part in a ceremonial event in China, an official said Monday, the latest snub in a row between Asia’s two largest economies.
U.S. Ambassador to India Resigns Amid Diplomatic Row
(Time) The U.S. ambassador to India said she submitted her resignation Monday, weeks after the arrest of an Indian diplomat in New York City sparked a diplomatic row between the two countries.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
Congress, Pentagon at odds in budget talks; its military’s needs vs. lawmakers’ home front
(Walter Pincus in the Washington Post) Defense Department officials and Congress continue to disagree on how to save money in the fiscal 2015 defense budget.
Editorial: DoD Needs Industrial Strategy
(The Defense News Staff) As America winds down from its wars, once robust spending on a range of core military systems such as armored vehicles and unmanned aircraft has sharply dropped, especially on helicopters.
Opinion: How James Schlesinger Changed the Pentagon for the Better
(Stanton Coerr in the U.S. Naval Institute) James Schlesinger was at once a lifelong Washington creature and a man who rose above politics, achieving the heights of power in both Republican and Democratic administrations.
The New Mayor of Kabul
(Leela Jacinto in Foreign Policy) Why Afghanistan's next president won't succeed without the warlords -- or the Taliban.
Podcast: Bourbon With A Splash of Counter-Insurgency
(Ryan Evans, Douglas A. Ollivant and David Ucko in War on the Rocks) What about counterinsurgency? At a time when all eyes are focused on the potential outbreak of a “conventional” war in Ukraine, Doug Ollivant, David Ucko and Ryan Evans sat down to consider counterinsurgency over fine bourbon (Noah’s Mill, highly recommended).
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