TODAY’S TOP 5
1. Report: Poor planning led to River Forest diplomat's death in Afghanistan
(Chicago Tribune) A U.S. mission to deliver books to a school in Afghanistan that ended in the death of a young foreign service officer from River Forest was plagued by poor planning that “failed at all levels,” according to a scathing Army report obtained by the Tribune.
2. A fatal wait: Veterans languish and die on a VA hospital's secret list
(CNN) At least 40 U.S. veterans died waiting for appointments at the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care system, many of whom were placed on a secret waiting list.
3. How I’ll End the War: The Trip Over to Afghanistan
(Nick Willard in The Daily Beast) I told my kids goodbye as they went to bed the night before I left. I sat with each one for a few minutes, told them to be good for their mom, that I’d call or Skype as often as I could, and I’d be home before they knew it.
4. Raytheon Recovering From Missile Delivery Delays, Air Force Says
(Bloomberg) Raytheon Co. (RTN) has recovered almost 30 percent of about $621 million withheld by the U.S. Air Force since 2012 because it missed deadlines for delivering missiles.
5. Hair reg petition fails to force White House response
(Army Times) A White House petition calling for the president to order the Army to reconsider its new grooming regulation fell short of its goal, but the female sergeant who started the petition still considers her effort a win.
INDUSTRY
Strong U.S. defense firm profits defy regular gloomy warnings
(Reuters) U.S. arms makers complain regularly that lower Pentagon spending on ships, jets and other hardware will hit their earnings, but a string of better-than-expected results this week show that layoffs and cost-cutting have kept profits flowing, and growing.
Raytheon's International Sales Manual Draws Rave Reviews
(National Defense Magazine) What started out as an internal reference handbook for employees of defense contractor Raytheon Co. has become a coveted resource for executives and government officials involved in the business of international arms sales.
Lockheed says costly for Pentagon if it cancels MH-60 helicopters
(Reuters) Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) warned on Tuesday that the U.S. Navy's plan to cancel an order for 29 MH-60 helicopters built by Lockheed and Sikorsky Aircraft would result in large termination fees because they are part of five-year agreements signed in 2012.
Sikorsky demonstrates optionally piloted Black Hawk
(IHS Jane's 360) Sikorsky has conducted the first flight of its Optionally-Piloted Black Hawk (OPBH) helicopter during a demonstration at its West Palm Beach facility in Florida, the company announced on 21 April.
Finland should opt for F-35 over Gripen if the price is right, minister says
(IHS Jane's 360) Finland should reject overtures to procure the Saab Gripen E fighter aircraft, if the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) can be acquired at a comparable cost, the country's defence minister said on 22 April.
NATO Eyes Antimissile Gains In Surveillance-Plane Upgrades
(Global Security Newswire) At issue is the way forward in replacing the alliance-owned Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft -- Boeing E-3 Sentry planes commonly known by the acronym AWACS -- sometime in the 2030s. Given the expectation of a long acquisition process for the project, some officials believe that the time is now to begin planning.
BAE Systems begins new round of CFT trials for Typhoon
(IHS Jane's 360) BAE Systems is currently assessing the aerodynamic characteristics of conformal fuel tanks (CFTs) for the Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft, the company announced on 22 April.
CONGRESS
McKeon to roll out last NDAA next week
(The Hill) Rep. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) is preparing to unveil his last defense bill as chairman of the House Armed Services Committee next week, kicking off what is sure to be a contentious process as lawmakers decide what capabilities the Pentagon will keep during a time of defense budget cuts.
McKeon expresses concern with defense spending
(The Signal; Santa Clarita, Calif.) During a meeting with The Signal Editorial Board on Wednesday, McKeon said he believes America’s standing in the world has been diminished as defense spending has been reduced.
Auditors Defend Pentagon for Skipping Bids on B-2 Upgrades
(Global Security Newswire) Congressional investigators said the Defense Department was right to skip a competitive process for planned updates to B-2 strategic bombers.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Pentagon to Russia: Back away from our allies
(USA Today) The 600 paratroopers the Pentagon is dispatching to Poland and three Baltic nations to conduct live-fire training will also serve as a trip wire to Russian aggression in the region, according to military officials and analysts.
Pentagon Readies New Acquisition Fixes: Will They Work?
(Breaking Defense) The Pentagon’s coy about the next iteration of its Better Buying Power initiative, but it’s clear that “BBP 3.0” is coming. We even have some hints of what will be in it.
As the Wars End, Changes Come in Training Troops to Notify Families of Military Deaths
(Time) The wars are nearly over. So it is time for the U.S. military to reboot for one of its most somber tasks: Telling next-of-kin their loved one has died in the service of his or her country.
ARMY
Soldier dies during exercise in Guatemala
(Army Times) A soldier from the 56th Signal Battalion died Tuesday in Guatemala while participating in an exercise called Beyond the Horizon.
Second servicemember charged in death of AFN broadcaster
(Stars and Stripes) Army Spc. Cody A. Kramer was charged on April 14 with facilitating the strangling of Petty Officer 2nd Class Dmitry Chepusov, a Navy broadcaster who was found dead in the passenger seat of a car during a traffic stop Dec. 14. Kramer was also charged with making a false statement about the slaying.
Fort Drum soldier’s 2011 heroics to be honored Thursday by Canadian government
(Watertown Daily Times) A Fort Drum soldier’s bravery following a fiery 2011 bus crash in Waterloo will be recognized by the Canadian government during a ceremony Thursday.
Paratrooper haunted by deaths of Iraqi boys said they posed no threat to U.S. team
(Tacoma News Tribune) An Army paratrooper haunted by the deaths of two young Iraqi cattle herders he saw killed seven years ago testified today that the boys posed no threat to his hidden reconnaissance team – until his team leader’s gunshots drew attention to their position.
Medal of Honor recipient offers advice to troops about PTSD and surviving war
(Stars and Stripes) Former Army Sgt. Kyle J. White, who will be awarded the Medal of Honor next month, said troops suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder shouldn’t suffer in silence.
Convicted leaker Bradley Manning changes legal name to Chelsea Elizabeth Manning
(Washington Post) An Army soldier convicted of leaking classified military and diplomatic records persuaded a Kansas judge Wednesday to legally change her name from Bradley Manning to Chelsea Elizabeth Manning.
Army deserter caught 5 years later
(The Sentinel-Echo; London, Ken.) Kentucky State Police Trooper Duane Foley found himself executing a felony warrant early Friday evening after making a routine traffic stop. - See more at:
Former JBLM soldier gets 17 years for distributing child porn
(KOMO News; Seattle) Arron D. Burton was living at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in late 2012 when he first came to the attention of law enforcement, according to U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan.
NAVY
Fallen sentry to receive rare heroism medal
(Navy Times) A sailor credited with saving the lives of watchstanders on board the destroyer Mahan in March will be posthumously awarded one of the Navy’s highest honors.
Navy investigates ex-Blue Angels commander after complaint he allowed sexual harassment
(Washington Post) The Navy has reassigned a former commander of the Blue Angels, its acrobatic fighter squadron, and is investigating allegations that the elite team of pilots was a hotbed of hazing, sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination, documents show.
Threat spurs evacuation at Portsmouth Naval hospital
(Virginian-Pilot; Norfolk) Patients and staff were evacuated from two buildings at Portsmouth Naval Medical Center this afternoon after reports of a bomb threat and a suspicious package.
USS Taylor Returns to Black Sea, 3 NATO Ships Now in Region
(U.S. Naval Institute) U.S. Navy frigate USS Taylor (FFG-50) has returned to the Black Sea for the second time in as many months, service officials told USNI News on Wednesday.
Sailors say sexual assault programs better, but still need work
(Stars and Stripes) Navy efforts to address sexual assault in the ranks have improved, but it still faces challenges ranging from preserving confidentiality to fear of punishment for intervening in a potential assault, sailors told Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Mike Stevens on Wednesday.
U.S. Navy Completes its Role in Korean Ferry Search
(U.S. Naval Institute) The South Korean government has released USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) from the search for more than 100 passengers still missing after the April 16 sinking of the ferry Sewol, according to the U.S. Navy.
Navy Realigns Pacific Maritime Patrol Commands
(Seapower) The Navy has restructured its command of maritime patrol and reconnaissance force (MPRF) in the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans as part of the Defense Department initiative to reduce the number of flag and general officer positions in the military.
AIR FORCE
Exclusive: Air Force to Scrutinize Nuke Bomber Units Following Missile Scandal
(Foreign Policy) The Air Force will scrutinize its units that fly dozens of bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons across the globe, the latest aftershock of an embarrassing cheating scandal in its nuclear missile force that led to the unprecedented removal of nine commanders from their jobs and the resignation of a 10th in March.
Pilots blamed in October crash that killed Guardsman
(Air Force Times) The failure of contracted pilots to keep their aircraft over water during an Oct. 5 night flight over Panama led to a crash that killed an Air National Guardsman and three other crew members, according to an Air Combat Command-directed Accident Investigation Board report released Wednesday. The two pilots survived.
Some MAFB officers will return to training
(Great Falls Tribune; Mont.) Of the officers involved in the cheating at Malmstrom Air Force Base, about a third have been deemed fit to return to training so they can be certified to perform nuclear duties, Air Force Global Strike Command officials said.
Air Force Chief: Shelving A-10 Makes 'Eminent Sense' Given Budget Constraints
(National Defense Magazine) Retiring the A-10 fleet will save the Air Force $4.2 billion. “It’s not emotional. It’s logical," Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh said April 23 in a speech at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. "It makes eminent sense from a military perspective if you have to make these kinds of cuts,” he said.
Air Force To Use Pass-Fail Metric for Nuclear Missileers
(Global Security Newswire) The Air Force is simplifying the way it grades nuclear-missile officers on their monthly exams, the service's top-ranking officer said on Wednesday.
Final count: More than 2,100 enlisted members granted early retirement
(Air Force Times) The Air Force has finished processing and approving enlisted airmen’s early retirement applications and is nearly finished officers’ applications.
Spy plane outlasts Cold War, but not defense cuts
(Associated Press) The Air Force wants to gradually retire the fleet of 32 "Dragon Lady" planes, which can soar to an altitude of 70,000 feet, collect intelligence on North Korea and Russia and rapidly send the data to U.S. commanders. That's a critical capability, given North Korea's unpredictable leader, Kim Jong Un, and Russia's emboldened president, Vladimir Putin.
Altus selected for KC-46A training
(Air Force Times) KC-46A Pegasus crews will train at Altus Air Force Base, Okla., when the tanker begins to enter the fleet in fiscal 2016, the Air Force announced Wednesday.
MARINE CORPS
MARSOC debuts 'strength challenge' recruiting event
(Marine Corps Times) A new recruiting event sponsored by Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command allows active-duty Marines to find out if they have the physical qualifications to become an operator.
Victims of toxic water meet skepticism at Supreme Court
(USA Today) A divided Supreme Court seemed mostly dubious Wednesday that federal claims for environmental damages can be brought after state deadlines have passed, signaling a potential setback for thousands of former Marines and their families exposed decades ago to contaminated water.
Marine's family blames cancer on service
(KUSA; Denver) Sean Terry's family believes what Iraqi insurgents weren't able to accomplish near Fallujah in 2005, cancer was able to take care of in 2014.
Discharged Marine regrets crucifying himself in public
(Marine Corps Times) Joshua Klohr felt that no one was paying attention to his claims of injustice.
VETERANS
One hundred years of 'Honor'; WWII war hero Matsumoto dead, at age 100
(The Journal of the San Juan Islands; Wash.) Roy Matsumoto was a small man in stature, which in some ways make his heroic exploits, boundless energy and epic journey over an unpredictable landscape marked by deprivation, racism and global military conflict seem even that much more remarkable.
First lady announces veterans job site
(The Hill) The website, called the Veterans Employment Center, hopes to centralize job and veterans resources from across the government. It will include a database of public and private employment opportunities, a resume-builder, and career and training resources.
2 years in jail for misusing money for homeless vets
(Military Times) A Nashville, Tenn., woman who stole more than $364,000 earmarked to help homeless veterans will spend two years in jail for the crimes.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
3 American Doctors Killed by Guard at Afghan Hospital
(New York Times) An Afghan policeman shot and killed three American doctors at a hospital here on Thursday, according to Afghan police officials.
Afghan Taliban confirms death of shadow governors for Kunar, Kandahar
(Long War Journal) The Afghan Taliban confirmed that its shadow governors for Kunar and Kandahar provinces were killed during combat over the past month.
Afghan Police Dispatched North After Deadly Clash
(Wall Street Journal) The Afghan government has sent heavy police reinforcements to maintain order after a deadly clash between rival police and warlords in northern Afghanistan left homes torched and as many as 10 people dead.
Afghan election commission delays vote results
(Associated Press) Afghanistan's election commission delayed a planned release of full results from the April 5 presidential election to allow for recounts and audits, officials said Wednesday, a development that adds to the confusion surrounding the balloting to replace President Hamid Karzai.
Dostum, a former warlord who was once America’s man in Afghanistan, may be back
(Washington Post) He was America’s ally, a stocky, gray-haired warlord who fought on horseback alongside U.S. Special Forces to overthrow the Taliban government in 2001. But within three years, Gen. Abdurrashid Dostum had so antagonized U.S. officials that they sent a B-1 bomber to buzz his house.
Welsh: Afghanistan Could Create 'Meaningful' Aerospace Industry
(Defense News) Afghanistan is not a country known for its aeronautical industry, but at least one top-ranking US official believes that could change.
Pakistan Fighter Jets Target Taliban Hideouts Near Afghan Border
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Pakistan's military has launched air strikes against suspected militant hideouts near the Afghan border.
MIDDLE EAST
Striking distance - Increasing attacks on Israel's northern border
(IHS Jane's 360) Israel's northern border with Lebanon and Syria, which since summer 2006 has experienced its most sustained period of calm in four decades, witnessed a spike in low-level attacks against Israel Defence Forces (IDF) targets during a 19-day period in early March.
Egypt Expects Apache Delivery in Two Weeks
(Defense News) The Egyptian military is expected to receive delivery of 10 AH-64D Block II Apache Longbow helicopters within the coming two weeks, according to Egyptian military sources.
U.S. may charge ex-Blackwater guard with murder for Iraq massacre
(Reuters) The U.S. Justice Department is considering charging a former Blackwater Worldwide security guard with murder over his alleged role in a 2007 massacre of unarmed civilians in Baghdad, a federal prosecutor said on Wednesday.
Palestinians' Hamas and Fatah factions say they have a unity deal
(Los Angeles Times) Rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas on Wednesday announced a reconciliation deal to end their seven-year schism, in a further blow to U.S.-led efforts to broker a peace agreement between the Palestinians and Israelis.
EUROPE
Eastern Europe Frets About NATO’s Ability to Curb Russia
(New York Times) Today’s NATO, hollowed out by years of European military cuts and deployed mostly to help fight far-off battles in places like Afghanistan and Libya, is no longer as prepared to counter a newly assertive Kremlin, its own leaders acknowledge.
Obama says Russia not abiding by agreement to defuse Ukraine crisis
(Los Angeles Times) President Obama says Russia is not yet holding up its side of an agreement to de-escalate tension in Ukraine, and he suggested that the U.S. and its allies are prepared to hit Moscow with additional sanctions in coming days.
First soldiers from the 173rd arrive in Poland
(Outside the Wire) The soldiers arrived Wednesday at Swidwin Air Base to conduct exercises with the Polish troops that are in addition to regularly scheduled exercises in the region, such as Saber Strike, Rapid Trike and Combined Resolve II, according to a U.S. Army Europe News release.
Tensions Escalate in Ukraine as Geneva Deal Frays
(Wall Street Journal) Russia warned on Wednesday that any attack on its citizens in Ukraine would be considered an attack on Russia itself, as the Ukrainian government said it had resumed its "antiterrorist" operation against pro-Russian militants in the eastern part of the country.
AFRICA
Jihadists Now Control Secretive U.S. Base in Libya
(The Daily Beast) A key jihadist leader and longtime member of al Qaeda has taken control of a secretive training facility set up by U.S. special operations forces on the Libyan coastline to help hunt down Islamic militants, according to local media reports, Jihadist web forums, and U.S. officials.
Fighting rages in South Sudan, days after discovery of hundreds of bodies
(Washington Post) Fierce clashes erupted in South Sudan on Wednesday as rebels sought to seize control of oil-rich areas, two days after U.N. officials accused them of killing hundreds of civilians in ethnically motivated attacks.
UN Security Council Considering South Sudan Sanctions
(Voice of America) U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power is calling on the international community to sanction those in South Sudan who are targeting civilians or acting as "political spoilers."
ASIA-PACIFIC
Obama says U.S. will stand by treaty obligations to Japan (With Video)
(Washington Post) Speaking at a press conference with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Obama said the United States does not take a position “on final sovereignty over the islands,” which are called the Senkaku by Japan and the Diaoyu by China. But he noted a longstanding treaty dictates the U.S. would defend against any attack aimed at Japan.
China Won't Necessarily Observe New Conduct Code for Navies
(Wall Street Journal) Beijing won't necessarily observe a new code of conduct for naval encounters when its ships meet foreign ones in disputed areas of the East and South China seas, according to a senior Chinese naval officer involved in negotiations on the subject.
South Korea Asks China to Persuade North to Avoid Nuclear Test
(Bloomberg) South Korean President Park Geun Hye sought China’s help in dissuading North Korea from any nuclear test, after signs of preparations at the North’s test site days before U.S. President Barack Obama visits Seoul.
Bieber apologizes after visiting controversial Japanese war shrine
(Stars and Stripes) International pop star Justin Bieber’s full day of sightseeing in Tokyo on Wednesday included a stop that managed to offend China, South Korea and much of the Pacific Rim.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
Today's MTIs, through the eyes of an old airman
(Chief Master Sgt. Gerardo Tapia in Air Force Times) I normally don’t jump into the fray of Internet social commentary, but as Air Education and Training Command’s senior enlisted airman, I felt compelled after seeing many readers’ comments stemming from a March 31 news article on the court-martial of a former military training instructor.
Rothenberg: Obama's Foreign Policy Impacts 2014 Elections -- Really
(Stu Rothenberg in Roll Call) The growing perception that President Barack Obama over-promised and has under-delivered on international issues could add to the already hardening perception that his presidency has not been an unadulterated success. And that’s not good for vulnerable Democrats as the elections approach.
Heroes Left to Die
(Rusty Bradley in War on the Rocks) With the end of the war on the horizon, we are turning our backs on thousands of Afghan interpreters. Congress had authorized 8,750 visas for Afghan interpreters as of 2013, but only 1,982 had been issued by December of that year. Thousands of interpreters are in jeopardy as the State Department tries to clear the logjam of applications for the Special Immigrant Visa, or SIV.
The Problem With the New Isolationism
(Cathy Young in Time) Caution about adventures abroad, which have cost the United States dearly in lost lives and morale as well as money in the past decade, is entirely sensible. But a prudent foreign policy is not the same as an American retreat from an active global role — which would be bad for the world, bad for Americans and, at the risk of lapsing into Team America cliché, bad for freedom.
Is America's "Rebalance" to Asia Dead?
(Dustin Walker in The National Interest) Tom Donilon’s April 20 op-ed, “Obama Is on the Right Course with His Reorientation Toward Asia,” Washington Post, is another example of how defenders of the Obama administration have sought to pivot away from important questions about the rebalance to the Asia-Pacific. Rather than cite concrete evidence of America’s increased commitment to the Asia-Pacific, Donilon offers incomplete arguments and retreats to well-rehearsed explanations of the strategic origins of the rebalance.
Negotiating Asia’s Troubled Waters
(Michael Green in The Washington Post) The mounting tensions between Tokyo and Beijing over the small chain of islands in the East China Sea called the Senkaku by Japan and the Diaoyu by China have profound implications for United States interests and the future of Asia.
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