TODAY’S TOP 5
1. Ramping up in Europe
(Military Times) The map of the U.S. military footprint in Europe is shifting as post-Cold-War-era calm seems to be ending, with new threats originating from the Middle East and Africa. In addition, the deepening crisis in Ukraine is making NATO's newest members nervous and prompting U.S. European Command to push east to new locations; while a few long-standing bases in southern Europe are assuming new strategic importance.
2. Shooter fears he killed Pat Tillman (With Video)
(ESPN) In his first public statements about the death of Pat Tillman, the former NFL player turned Army Ranger, one of the fellow Rangers involved in the 2004 friendly-fire incident in Afghanistan told ESPN's "Outside the Lines" he has lived for 10 years with the thought that he might have fired the fatal shots.
3. Our Debating Military: Here, If You're Looking
(Navy Lt. Matthew Hipple in the Center for International Maritime Security) Will, “hello,” suffice? William S. Lind’s suggestion at The American Conservative Magazine that the Officer Corps is in a blind, intellectual death spiral is weighty indeed, but ignores the vast body of debate going on in the junior and senior ranks of our nation’s military. Rather than our officer corps living in a bubble, perhaps some of those discussing the internal debate of the military writ-large need to reach out of their bubble to see the rich discussion happening -right now.
4. Transitioning from military to civilian life, and from camaraderie to isolation
(Washington Post) The only light in the vast Wyoming darkness came from the lit end of another 5:30 a.m. cigarette as Derric Winters waited alone for sunrise on the porch of his trailer. He never slept well, not anymore, so he smoked and stared across the three miles of barren landscape that separated him from town. He checked his voice mail, but there were no messages. He logged on to Facebook, but no one was awake to chat. The only company now was the hum of the interstate behind his trailer, people on their way from one place to the next. He walked out to his truck and joined them.
5. Training For An Uncertain Military Future In The Calif. Desert
(National Public Radio) In the middle of the Mojave Desert, between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, there is a place that looks just like Afghanistan.
DEFENSE NEWS WITH VAGO MURADIAN
Navy and Sequestration
Adm. Bill Gortney, commander of U.S. Forces Fleet Command, on how sequestration has affected the Navy.
Budget Tradeoffs for Navy
Adm. Bill Gortney, commander of U.S. Navy Fleet Forces Command, on keeping 11 aircraft carriers in service.
Balancing Efficiency and Effectiveness
Adm. Bill Gortney, commander of U.S. Navy Fleet Forces Command, on rolling back some of the Navy's efficiency moves.
Vago's Notebook: On Navy Efficiencies
Efficiency could leave the Navy vulnerable in a time of war.
EUROPE
U.S. Weighing Military Exercises in Eastern Europe
(Associated Press) The United States is considering deploying about 150 soldiers for military exercises to begin in Poland and Estonia in the next few weeks, a Western official said Saturday. The exercises would follow Russia's buildup of forces near its border with Ukraine and its annexation last month of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.
U.S. ground troops going to Poland, defense minister says
(Washington Post) Poland and the United States will announce next week the deployment of U.S. ground forces to Poland as part of an expansion of NATO presence in Central and Eastern Europe in response to events in Ukraine. That was the word from Poland’s defense minister, Tomasz Siemoniak, who visited The Post Friday after meeting with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel at the Pentagon on Thursday.
Hagel: U.S. May 'Adjust' Missile Defenses in Europe, As Tensions Rise
(National Journal) Amid rising tensions with Russia, the U.S. defense chief said Washington and its allies may "adjust" the timing for fielding antimissile systems in Europe.
In Cold War Echo, Obama Strategy Writes Off Putin
(New York Times) Even as the crisis in Ukraine continues to defy easy resolution, President Obama and his national security team are looking beyond the immediate conflict to forge a new long-term approach to Russia that applies an updated version of the Cold War strategy of containment.
Snowden’s Camp: Staged Putin Q&A Was a Screw-Up
(The Daily Beast) Even the NSA leaker’s closest advisers now say his appearance on a Kremlin call-in show, which touched off yet another international firestorm, was a mistake.
Russia says Kiev 'breaking Geneva accord' on Ukraine
(BBC) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has accused the Kiev authorities of breaking last week's Geneva accord on resolving the Ukraine crisis.
Shootout shatters Easter truce in Ukraine
(USA Today) An Easter truce was shattered early Sunday after a shootout at a militia checkpoint in eastern Ukraine left at least three people dead.
Ukraine, short on military budget, starts fundraising drive
(Washington Post) Ukraine’s new government inherited an army so bereft of modern equipment and training that when Russian troops entered Crimea and agitators stormed government offices in eastern Ukraine, the country proved helpless to protect its borders and citizens.
The 600 Years of History Behind Those Ukrainian Masks
(Time) `Maskirovka’ has been a part of the Russian military since before there was a Russia.
Estonian Army Eyes $155M in Procurements, New Infantry Fighting Vehicles
(Defense News) Estonia’s Army is planning to spend €111.5 million (US $155 million) on procurement this year to accelerate the modernization of the country’s armed forces under the National Defense Development Plan for 2013-2022. The planned acquisitions include weapons, vehicles and ammunition, reported local broadcaster ERR.
INDUSTRY
Ship Study Should Favor Existing Designs
(Defense News) With an eye to the international market, shipbuilders Lockheed Martin, Austal USA and Huntington Ingalls have worked to develop more heavily armed versions of ships already in production for domestic customers. Now, ironically, the proposals might have their best chance yet — as the choice to succeed the LCS as the US Navy’s next small surface combatant (SSC).
F-35 Program Manager: More Buyers Needed to Help Lower Production Costs
(National Defense Magazine) The officer who oversees the F-35, Air Force Lt. Gen. Christopher C. Bogdan, downplayed the significance of the report as a bellwether for the program. Aircraft procurement cost is up, Bogdan said, not because program expenses are out of control but because Pentagon budgets are down and the military services are buying fewer airplanes.
Hunt for Airliner Shows Limits of Satellite Imagery
(Defense News) The big question on the minds of industry executives and others attending the Defense Services Asia (DSA) exhibition in the Malaysian capital last week was what effect would the crash of flight MH370 have on defense spending priorities here.
Technology, exports to drive defense-contractor growth, Northrop Grumman CEO says
(Wall Street Journal) Despite belt-tightening at the Pentagon, defense contractors can count on the military’s continuing need for advanced technology and personnel training as well as expanded opportunities for exports to allies, Northrop Grumman NOC CEO Wes Bush said Thursday.
Sweden's Goals Fuel Saab's Acquisitions
(Defense News) The Swedish government’s drive to rebuild core national defense capacities is pivotal to Saab’s ambitions to develop a competitive submarine branch and become a major global player in this segment, government and company insiders say.
CONGRESS
McCain: VA flatly denies secret wait-time data (With Video)
(Arizona Republic; Phoenix) U.S. Sen. John McCain said he confronted administrators at the Phoenix VA Medical Center on Friday about allegations that there are "secret books" on patient care and received a "flat-out denial."
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand takes up fight for veterans with mental issues
(Newsday) For years after leaving the Army, Iraq War veteran Kristofer Goldsmith seethed over his forced discharge after combat-related depression led him to attempt suicide days before he was scheduled to be sent back into battle. He embraced an outsider's attitude and wore a Mohawk haircut to indicate his disillusionment.
Gillibrand: Battle over military sexual assaults (Video)
(USA Today) Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand talks about the next steps in Congress for a bill addressing military sexual assaults after the last one needed five more senators' support to pass. Susan Page, Shannon Rae Green.
Zuckerberg group goes after Steve King
(The Hill) The pro-immigration-reform group co-founded by Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg is going after Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) for his opposition to letting so-called "DREAMERs" join the military.
Congresswoman helps reunite wounded vet with Army dog
(USA Today) For more than a year in Afghanistan, Ellen the black lab sniffed out explosives while on patrol with her handler, Army Spc. Josh Tucker.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
DoD Reshapes R&D, Betting on Future Technology
(Defense News) Defense budgets had been in decline for a decade when soon-to-be-president George W. Bush laid out his vision for the US military. In a 1999 speech, Bush argued that it was time for military research and development efforts to pursue big leaps, not incremental improvements.
RDT&E: New Starts
(Defense News) Facing declining defense budgets, the Pentagon is maintaining funding for basic research (to generate tomorrow’s tech) and late-stage testing (to finish up work on almost-ready weapons and gear). Instead, mid-stage prototyping is taking a hit. Includes a user-sortable table of the 62 new RDTE lines added for the 2015 budget.
Study: U.S. Combat Aviation Stuck in the Industrial Age
(National Defense Magazine) U.S. combat air forces are ill equipped to fight a technologically empowered enemy, and it could be years or decades before the Pentagon deploys more advanced weapons. Such is the grim picture painted in a new study by the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. The authors, retired Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula and CSBA analyst Mark Gunzinger, make the case that aviation forces are not up to the challenges of 21st century warfare and the Pentagon has only itself to blame.
Pentagon agrees to review burial of 22 unknown WWII sailors
(The Hill) The Pentagon has agreed to conduct a review of the accounting for the bodies of 22 unknown men who died on the USS Oklahoma battleship during the World War II attack on Pearl Harbor.
On-base fast food outlets get temporary reprieve from new wage rules
(Military Times) The Labor Department has pulled back — at least temporarily — from new minimum wage rules that had led several fast-food restaurants to end their contracts on military installations and prompted others to possibly follow suit.
Report urges building resilience to future cyber shocks
(Inside Cybersecurity) The Heartbleed security flaw, which recently stunned security experts worldwide and has widespread implications, is a harbinger of future shocks, according to report author Jason Healey, the head of the Atlantic Council's Cyber Statecraft Initiative.
ARMY
10 years later, Marie Tillman at peace (With Video)
(The Arizona Republic; Phoenix) Marie kept Pat Tillman's last name. But in the 10 years since, she has built a new life. She fell in love again. She got married again. She wrote a book about living through grief. Though she guarded her family's privacy, as a new mom she was happy to go public two years ago with the news that she and her husband had had a baby — a boy they named Mac Patrick.
Army says it will support National Day of Prayer event despite protest
(Stars and Stripes) The Army plans to support a National Day of Prayer event closely associated with an evangelical Christian organization despite a protest from a group that wants to crack down on what it calls fundamentalist Christian domination of the U.S. military.
Sergeant gets plate that saved his life in point-blank attack
(Army Times) Sgt. Timothy Gilboe is taking home one hell of a souvenir. Gilboe was given an armor plate three years after it saved his life when he charged an AK-47-toting insurgent and was shot point-blank in the belly. Gilboe defeated the gunman bare-handed, protecting his squad.
Fort Riley quickly overhauls its sexual assault program to improve response
(The Kansas City Star) As much as Army Sgt. Aiden Hinkley believed in the concept of a one-stop shop of services for sexual assault victims in the military, he and his supervisor weren’t certain anybody would show up.
JBLM's artillery command heads overseas for nine-month mission in unnamed country
(Tacoma News Tribune) The 17th Field Artillery Brigade took about 60 soldiers from its command group for the assignment, the brigade public affairs officer said. They left Lewis-McChord late Thursday.
Star named to honor fallen troops
(Colorado Springs Gazette) In the night sky, deep in the constellation Puppis is the newly-named "Fallen Heroes Star."
NAVY
XO fired for issues while leading Blue Angels
(Navy Times) The Navy fired the No. 2 officer at Naval Base Coronado Friday after allegations arose into his conduct while in command of the Blue Angels.
Navy OKs changes for submariners' sleep schedules
(Associated Press) With no sunlight to set day apart from night on a submarine, the U.S. Navy for decades has staggered sailors' working hours on schedules with little resemblance to life above the ocean's surface.
Navy surveys female sailors for sub duty
(Navy Times) A survey meant to gauge interest among enlisted women for submarine service is going out to the fleet.
More than 170 babies meet carrier Truman dads
(Virginian-Pilot; Norfolk) A Navy spokeswoman didn’t have an explanation for the surge. But an informal survey of the worn-out moms who packed into the tent Friday revealed a common narrative: Federal budget cuts had messed with family planning.
Crews hunt 'enemy' subs in latest patrol airplane
(Navy Times) Flying at less than 500 feet over the Atlantic Ocean, the Navy P-8A Poseidon took a hard 180-degree turn to starboard, nearly standing the aircraft on its wing as it doubled back along the search track.
Dozens denied Navy base access due to past crimes
(Associated Press) Dozens of transportation workers have been denied access to Navy bases on the East Coast because of their criminal histories since more stringent rules were put in place following a fatal shooting aboard a destroyer in Virginia, according to figures provided by the Navy.
AIR FORCE
Pilot's career stalls after criticizing oxygen system
(Virginian-Pilot; Norfolk) The Air Force has spent tens of millions of dollars over the past two years correcting problems with its premier jet fighter - issues that Capt. Joshua Wilson helped expose by speaking up, both to his bosses and on national television.
Beale AFB drone protest results in 11 arrests
(Sacramento Bee) Eleven anti-drone protesters were arrested Friday and cited as trespassers on Beale Air Force Base, the most people detained at one time since arrests of the demonstrators began 18 months ago.
Tops in Blue returns, gets visit from Sinbad
(Air Force Times) Tops in Blue, the Air Force’s traveling musical performance troupe, will kick off this year’s 85-show tour May 17 — and earlier this month, got encouragement and advice from a surprise visitor.
Nuke commander: Lessons learned from cheat scandal
(Wyoming Tribune Eagle) The commander of the nation's land-based nuclear arsenal said lessons can be learned in the wake of a test-cheating scandal that has shaken the confidence of the embattled intercontinental ballistic missile force.
Retirees create network to help active-duty families
(Air Force Times) One airman couldn’t fit an oil change into his busy schedule.
Top Air Force NCO hails Afghan air force ops during elections
(Stars and Stripes) The Afghan air force’s operations in support of presidential elections this month show that the service is making quick progress as the pullout of most foreign troops nears, the U.S. Air Force’s top enlisted man said Friday.
Civilian named Exceptional Sexual Assault Response Coordinator
(Air Force Times) When Cindy Graver first went to work as the sexual assault response coordinator at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., in 2005, she was half of a two-member team in a job new to the military.
MARINE CORPS
II MEF's no holds barred war on drugs
(Marine Corps Times) Leaders at II Marine Expeditionary Force are ramping up counter-drug efforts after 450 Marines popped positive for drugs — including marijuana, spice, cocaine and ecstasy — during a seven month period in 2013.
China boast: U.S. Marines would be like ‘marching band’ in all out fight
(Washington Times) A casual remark by a U.S. general during a breakfast has made China mad, really mad, and Beijing’s response is far less than civil and humble.
To counter IEDs, EOD techs teach enemy mindset
(Marine Corps Times) Nowadays specialists must think like a terrorist to anticipate attacks or avoid them all together, all the while targeting the bomb-making networks that produce IEDs. That means in addition to “cutting the right wire,” they must act as a de facto police investigator and intelligence operative all rolled into one.
New Navy report could clear way for Marines' move from Okinawa to Guam
(Stars and Stripes) The Navy has recommended placing firing ranges on Andersen Air Force Base instead of Guam’s ancient ancestral lands in its latest environmental impact report — largely seen as one of the final hurdles to moving 4,700 Marines and their families off Okinawa as part of the Pacific realignment.
Marines happily recycle Army bots
(Marine Corps Times) The Marine Corps is now fielding its next-generation counter-IED robot for route clearance.
Corps’ top marksmen take aim in shooting competition
(The Daily News; Jacksonville, N.C.) Marines from across the Corps gathered at Stone Bay rifle range this week to demonstrate that there is nothing deadlier than Marines and their weapons.
Staff sergeant rank due to get culled
(Marine Corps Times) Marine Corps Times has obtained details of the upcoming Staff Sergeant Retention Board, which will be held for the first time this summer to cull hundreds of staff sergeants who were passed over twice for promotion and have served between 15 and 18 years.
VETERANS
Veterans home had HIV scare
(San Diego Union-Tribune) The Chula Vista veterans home whose director was ousted this month had the lowest health rating available from the federal government and had seen a sharp uptick in negative findings from state health inspectors, records show.
Death March survivor, 99, running out of time
(San Antonio Express-News) He was a Japanese prisoner of war 72 years ago after surviving the Bataan Death March. Sick with malaria, he was among roughly 75,000 Filipino and American POWs who marched 40 miles in one of the war's worst atrocities.
SC veterans plan ‘last hurrah’ to D-Day beaches
(The State; Columbia, S.C.) In June, Palyok will take about 20 S.C. veterans of World War II back to Normandy for the 70th anniversary commemoration of D-Day. And she wants them to go for free.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
Karzai rival increases lead in latest Afghan presidential results
(Stars and Stripes) With roughly half the votes counted in Afghanistan’s presidential election, a rival of Hamid Karzai has opened up a commanding lead although still below the majority needed to avoid a run-off ballot.
Trailing candidates in Afghan election hold power in deciding next president
(Washington Post) Some of the influential politicians who competed in Afghanistan’s recent — but still undecided — presidential election have begun to accept their failure to win. And with that acknowledgment, their power has grown.
In Afghanistan, childhood is often a full-time job
(Los Angeles Times) It's estimated that at least a quarter of Afghan children work, despite labor laws that forbid it.
Fractured State of Pakistani Taliban Calls Peace Deal Into Question
(New York Times) When the Pakistani Taliban said they were willing to make peace, many Pakistanis were skeptical that the militants had truly abandoned their dream of transforming the country into an Islamic caliphate.
IRAQ
Iraqi Kurds entrench political faultline with Syria border ditch
(Reuters) Iraqi Kurds are digging a 17-km (10-mile) trench on their border with Syria, reinforcing a political faultline between the two rival parties that dominate on either side of the frontier.
Violence Claims More Lives In Fallujah, Baghdad
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) At least 21 people were killed in Baghdad, Fallujah, and nearby areas on April 19 in bombings and months-long fighting between government forces and Al-Qaeda-linked militants.
Iraqi forces take control of Fallujah entrances
(Asharq Al-Awsat) Iraqi forces claimed to have taken control of the main entrances of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, on Sunday, in preparation for plans to storm the city, following the failure of attempts to find peaceful solutions for the crisis in the province of Anbar.
MIDDLE EAST
US drone strike kills 16 AQAP fighters, 5 civilians
(The Long War Journal) The US killed 16 al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula fighters and five civilians in the first drone strike in Yemen in more than two weeks, according to reports from the country.
Official: Iran will not discuss missile program
(Associated Press) Tehran will not discuss its ballistic missiles as part of ongoing talks with world powers on a final agreement to curb the Iranian nuclear program, the country's defense minister said Wednesday.
Saudi spy chief removal may not change U.S. ties -- or end his career
(Los Angeles Times) Prince Bandar bin Sultan's replacement last week as Saudi Arabia's intelligence chief has fueled speculation about a shift in the monarchy’s shaky relations with the United States and its position toward the Syrian conflict — not to mention about the prince's political future.
Head of al Qaeda's 'Victory Committee' survived battle in Syria
(The Long War Journal) A senior al Qaeda operative who was reportedly killed while fighting in the Latakia province of Syria last month is, in fact, alive.
Gulf States Agree to End Rift, But Terms Remain Unclear
(Wall Street Journal) The Arab Gulf states late last week said that they reached an agreement to end weeks of tension between members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, but the vague nature of the agreement left many wondering if a resolution has indeed been achieved.
ASIA-PACIFIC
In Seoul, Obama to focus on security guarantee, FTA
(Yonhap News Agency) U.S. President Barack Obama will have two main goals in his trip to South Korea next week -- assuring Washington's security commitment and promoting bilateral economic ties, according to the White House Friday.
New Head of Indian Navy Selected
(U.S. Naval Institute) Adm. Robin Dhowan took charge of the service on Thursday two months after the previous chief of naval staff resigned after a string of accidents.
Japanese have duty to visit war shrine, says minister Keiji Furuya
(South China Morning Post) A Japanese cabinet minister yesterday visited a Tokyo shrine that honours the dead, including war criminals, in what has repeatedly caused friction with Japan's neighbours.
AFRICA
In Shift to Africa, US Troops Find Complicated Relationships
(Defense News) Lt. Col. Lee Magee had been on the ground in Africa for less than four days when the call came in to gather his troops and get on a plane to South Sudan.
Insurgents kill at least 11 Algerian soldiers
(Associated Press) Islamist insurgents ambushed an Algerian military convoy in a mountainous region, killing 11 soldiers and wounding five others, the Defense Ministry said Sunday.
South Sudan Urges Sudan to Stop Attacks By Armed Groups
(Voice of America) South Sudan has urged Sudan to prevent armed groups -- including rebels loyal to former vice president Riek Machar -- from using its territory to launch attacks against the world’s newest nation, according to Barnaba Mariel Benjamin, South Sudan’s foreign minister.
Technical problems delay reopening of Libya's Zueitina oil port - minister
(Reuters) Technical problems have delayed the reopening of Libya's eastern Zueitina oil export terminal after the government reached a deal with rebels to end an eight-month blockade of the port, a minister said on Sunday.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
Commentary: Every airman has role in preventing sex assaults
(Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Larry Spencer in Military Times) Every April the Air Force recognizes Sexual Assault Prevention and Response month, using it as an opportunity to renew our commitment to treating each other with dignity and respect. I applaud the idea of a month focused on SAPR, but what we really need is everyone’s focus on this critical issue every day.
Stop Asking the Military to Do More With Less
(Mackenzie Eaglen in U.S. News & World Report) Last week, the military’s vice chiefs told Congress that their ability to fight two wars at once was at risk. They warned that ongoing pressure, including from the 2011 Budget Control Act and its substantial defense cuts, is eroding the size and capability of America’s armed forces. As Army General John Campbell cautioned bluntly, “We’re mortgaging the future.”
Iraq: The Road to Chaos
(Ned Parker in the New York Review of Books) The Iraqi state is breaking apart again: from the west in Anbar province, where after weeks of anarchic violence more than 380,000 people have fled their homes; to the east in Diyala province, where tit-for-tat sectarian killings are rampant; to the north in Mosul, where al-Qaeda-linked militants control large swathes of territory; to the south in Basra, home to Iraq’s oil riches, where Shiite militias are once more ascendant; to Iraq’s Kurds, who warn that the country is disintegrating and contemplate full independence from Baghdad.
International aid can’t arrive soon enough for the Central African Republic
(The Washington Post Editorial Board) The Unanimity with which the United Nations Security Council approved a peacekeeping force for the Central African Republic early this month attested to the dire situation in that impoverished country. More than 630,000 people in a nation of 4.5 million have fled their homes, and tens of thousands are living in miserable and dangerous conditions at the airport in Bangui, the capital, or in other improvised camps. Just 6,000 African and 2,000 French troops provide what passes for protection and order in a country where the state has collapsed. The U.N. force, which will consist of 10,000 troops and 2,000 police, is not due to deploy until September.
How Rwanda's Paul Kagame Exploits U.S. Guilt
(Howard French in The Wall Street Journal) Today's Rwanda—led by President Paul Kagame, who rose to power as the head of a Tutsi insurgency driving back the Hutu killers in 1994—no longer follows a simple narrative of victims and perpetrators. The longer the U.S. has been guided by that narrative—atoning, in effect, for shirking global leadership during one of the worst mass slaughters of the past century—the more it has become complicit in crimes and misdeeds in Rwanda ever since.
How to navigate the East China Sea dispute between Japan and China
(Joseph Nye and Kevin Rudd in The Washington Post) While the world focuses on Ukraine, ships and planes from Japan and China challenge each other almost every day near a few square miles of barren islets in the East China Sea that Japan calls the Senkaku and China calls the Diaoyu islands. This dangerous rivalry dates to the late 19th century, but the flare-up that led to widespread anti-Japan demonstrations in China in September 2012 began when the Japanese government purchased three of the tiny islets from their private Japanese owner. The issue is bound to arise during President Obama’s upcoming visit to Japan.
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