TODAY’S TOP 5
1. Pentagon to Devise 3 Budget Plans on U.S. Troops in Afghanistan
(Bloomberg) The Defense Department will prepare three scenarios for war funding next year depending on how many U.S. troops, if any, will remain in Afghanistan, according to an internal Pentagon e-mail obtained yesterday by Bloomberg News.
2. AP sources: Work to free US soldier disorganized
(Associated Press) Critics of the U.S. government's nearly five-year effort to seek the release of the only American soldier held captive in Afghanistan claim the work suffers from disorganization and poor communication among numerous federal agencies involved, leaving his captors unclear which U.S. officials have the authority to make a deal.
3. Nonpartisan commission needed in Army/National Guard debate
(Retired Army Maj. Gen. Frank Schober) Forty-seven of our nation's governors recently made an emphatic suggestion to Congress: The acrimonious debate between the Army and the National Guard should end and a dialogue should begin with the enactment of H.R. 3930. The proposed legislation sets up an objective, nonpartisan commission to answer a vital question: “What strengths and what force structure of active duty, National Guard and Reserve Army forces will most cost-effectively protect our country at home and abroad?”
4. Army recognizes 'Humanism' as a religious preference
(Army Times) The Army has taken a step toward officially acknowledging “humanists” among other faiths and belief systems, ending years of resistance to the idea, advocates say.
5. In Mexico, Hagel Focuses on Crime, Cyber and Natural Disasters
(Defense One) There’s the pivot to Asia, the growing threat of terrorism in the Middle East and North Africa, the continuing conflict in Ukraine, serious budget cuts at home. And then there’s Canada and Mexico.
INDUSTRY
Zumwalt Class Costs Have Risen $2 Billion in Last Five Years
(U.S. Naval Institute) The cost of the three ships in the Navy’s Zumwalt-class (DDG-1000) has risen more than $2 billion over the last five years — $450 million in the last year alone, according to Navy budget data aggregated by the Congressional Research Service (CRS).
Raytheon sees acquisitions as key part of its long-term strategy
(Reuters) Raytheon Co Chief Executive Thomas Kennedy on Thursday said the company continued to view acquisitions as a key part of its long-term strategy to achieve growth.
New Growler construction may depend on upcoming Navy exercise
(St. Louis Post-Dispatch) The Navy’s Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group will conduct three days of exercises to see whether seven or eight Growlers on an aircraft carrier — rather than the five currently assigned — would provide better support for attacks from fighter jets and ground forces. A Navy vice admiral said that paper analysis indicated the higher number was more effective and that exercises off the Carl Vinson would be conducted to verify it.
Contractor speeds up deliveries of Russian engines (With Video)
(The Hill) A U.S. defense firm is accelerating deliveries of rocket engines from Russia as members of Congress seek to end contracts with the country over the conflict in Ukraine.
Nexter Scoops Up Chemring's European Munitions Operations
(Defense News) Chemring has sold its European munitions business to French armaments producer Nexter Systems in a deal that could net the British-based company up to £138 million (US $231.9 million).
Vietnam to arm new Gepard-class frigates with Palma CIWS
(IHS Jane's 360) The People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) Navy will equip its third and fourth Russian-built Gepard 3.9 (Project 11661) light frigates with the Palma close-in weapon system (CIWS), Nudelman Precision Engineering Design Bureau confirmed in a statement issued 22 April.
CONGRESS
Rep. John Kline urges White House to keep troop levels up in Afghanistan
(Minneapolis Star Tribune) Rep. John Kline said Wednesday he will urge the Obama administration not to depress troop levels in Afghanistan below 10,000 so the Afghan security forces have some intelligence and logistical support through the year.
Lawmakers vow hearings on Phoenix VA health care issues
(Military Times) Congressional leaders are promising hearings and further investigation into allegations that officials in the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care system covered up lengthy wait times for care of thousands of veterans, contributing to at least 40 deaths.
House VA committee to hold Florida hearing
(Tampa Tribune) The House Veterans Affairs Committee will hold a field hearing in Florida after a request from Gov. Rick Scott.
Mikulski Wants National Commission to Study Guard Cuts
(WBAL Radio; Baltimore) Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski is calling for a national Commission on Army Force structure to study proposed Pentagon budget cuts to the National Guard. She's calling for a 'second opinion,' which she says could cripple the reservist military force both in Maryland and throughout the nation.
What Happens When Democrats Lose More Than 100 Years of Committee Experience?
(National Journal) With new faces already in Finance and Energy, and openings coming to Banking, Commerce, and Armed Services, the turnover could be a blow. Committee chairmen, while perhaps not as powerful as in years past, still wield considerable influence in the Senate, shaping the agenda through hearings and shepherding legislation to the floor. Of the 100 bills that have become law so far this Congress, 91 have moved through committees, according to congressional records.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
War-years military suicide rate higher than believed
(USA Today) Rates of suicide in the military were slightly worse during the war years than what the Pentagon previously reported, according to new calculations released by Defense Department officials Friday.
Fresh reports of sexual misconduct undercut Pentagon’s argument for internal fix
(Washington Post) For more than a year, U.S. military officials have admitted they have a serious problem with sexual assault and harassment in the ranks. They’ve pleaded with the White House, Congress and the public to trust commanders to fix it on their own terms.
If You Have a ‘Secret’ Clearance, Prepare for Greater Scrutiny
(National Defense Magazine) The Pentagon is wrapping up an eight-month effort to overhaul security policies to deal with “insider” threats. The focus is on trying to prevent a repeat of the Sept. 16 Washington Navy Yard shooting when a contractor employee with a secret clearance killed 12 coworkers.
Ex-commissary chief warns defense cuts could topple resale system
(Tom Philpott) A retired Army sergeant first class living in Northeast El Paso, Texas, says he and his wife will stop shopping on Fort Bliss if the Department of Defense, as planned, allows commissary prices to climb within 10 percent of local grocers.
Pentagon Deputy: Defense Contracting Choices Will Only Get Tougher
(Government Executive) Sequestration is forcing the Defense Department to “literally build two budgets” and, if the automatic cuts are continued, will damage the quality of U.S. weapons systems and deter innovation, a top Pentagon acquisition official said on Wednesday.
DARPA seeks optical technology for faster networks
(C4ISR & Networks) Pentagon researchers want to do to light what scientists have done with microwaves.
ARMY
3 possible suicides at Fort Bliss last weekend
(Military Times) Fort Bliss, Texas, is reeling from three deaths on Easter weekend that, while still under investigation, are thought to be suicides.
Probe of Army general calls insular military culture into question
(Stars and Stripes) An Army two-star general in Japan failed to properly investigate a sexual assault allegation against a colonel he had known for decades and referred the case to criminal investigators only after Stars and Stripes inquired about the charges, according to an Army Inspector General report released this week.
Remote care for wounded warriors raises concern
(Army Times) The potential for thousands of wounded soldiers to have to rely on remote medical care has some Defense Department healthcare officials challenging Army logic.
Witnesses call 2007 killings of Iraqi boys unjustified but remember the day differently
(Tacoma News Tribune)The three former soldiers who served alongside a paratrooper accused of murdering two unarmed Iraqi brothers during a reconnaissance mission gone awry seven years ago have not told consistent stories in court this week about the shootings.
Governor orders flags to half-staff to honor fallen Fort Drum soldier
(Watertown Daily Times) Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo ordered flags at half-staff today to honor fallen Fort Drum soldier Spc. Kerry M.G. Danyluk. The infantryman, 27, of Cuero, Texas, died April 15 in Germany of combat injuries suffered in an attack April 12 on his unit in Pul-e-Alam, Logar province, Afghanistan.
Fort Carson 'incident' causes evacuation; woman detained
(Colorado Springs Gazette) A building on Fort Carson was evacuated Wednesday after a woman displayed threatening behavior and suggested she had weapon during a medical appointment, Fort Carson officials said.
NAVY
Sailors caught on Navy base with fake guns
(San Diego Union-Tribune) Two sailors who were shooting pellet guns were taken into custody at Naval Base Point Loma after a person mistook the guns as real, prompting parts of the base to shelter in place Thursday, a Navy spokesman said.
USS Firebolt sailors remembered a decade later
(Stars and Stripes) Approximately 200 servicemembers from various nations gathered at Naval Support Activity Bahrain for a remembrance ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of a suicide bombing in the Persian Gulf that killed two sailors and a Coast Guardsman.
King George: Ex-SEAL helping keep film on target
(The Free-Lance Star; Fredericksburg, Va.) In his years on SEAL Team 3, few things made Kevin Lacz sweat.
Will U.S. and Russian Dolphins Face Off? No Way, Navy Says
(NBC News) The U.S. Navy says there's no truth to a widely circulating report that its mine-hunting dolphins are heading for the Black Sea, where the Russian Navy has recently taken control of Ukraine's military-trained dolphins.
AIR FORCE
False active-shooter report sends Sheppard into lockdown
(Air Force Times) An Air Force base in the midst of an active-shooter drill Thursday afternoon was forced to abandon the exercise in response to a report of suspected gunfire on the other side of the base.
INTERVIEW: Herbert 'Hawk' Carlisle: Strong U.S.-Japan alliance deterring China from provocative actions
(The Asahi Shimbun) Herbert “Hawk” Carlisle, commander of Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), told The Asahi Shimbun in a recent interview at its headquarters in Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, “... as they (Chinese) continue to develop these capabilities that try to put us farther and farther away, we are continuing to work on our capabilities as well.”
Air Force leaders tout states' support for A-10 cuts
(Air Force Times) Air National Guard leaders and governors are offering strong support for an Air Force plan to replace A-10 fleets with new missions in six states — unlike a vocal group of congressional lawmakers who have said they will fight to save the Warthog.
Airman 'felt like trash' about alleged rape
(San Antonio Express-News) An investigator said Thursday that an Air Force photographer charged with raping a woman twice on different occasions last year admitted he did it.
Interview with Lt. Gen. Michael Moeller
(Defense News) Since being named the US Air Force’s deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and programs (A8) in October 2012, Lt. Gen. Michael Moeller has helped guide the service through the short-term chaos of a sequestered budget process while planning its long-term strategy. With the 2015 budget submitted, Moeller is turning his thoughts toward a new goal: a 30-year strategy that will provide the backbone of the Air Force’s long-term vision.
Scott airman admits having bombs possibly intended for child molesters
(St. Louis Post-Dispatch) An airman at Scott Air Force Base admitted in federal court here Wednesday that he possessed three illegal pipe bombs at his home in Shiloh, but there was no explanation at the hearing of why.
MARINE CORPS
Ex-Marine sentenced to die in sailor's slaying
(Associated Press) An ex-Marine was sentenced to death Thursday for murdering a fellow service member in 2009, after a federal jury concluded he had been responsible for a series of violent, sexually motivated attacks on women and young girls over the last nine years.
Nakaima praises Abe’s bid to close Futenma air base
(The Japan Times) Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima welcomed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s announcement Thursday that he would seek U.S. President Barack Obama’s cooperation in closing U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Okinawa within five years.
Boise Marine's poem will be displayed on Quantico monument (with Video)
(KTVB; Boise) Family and friends of a Boise Marine have gathered in the Washington D.C. area to honor him. Second Lieutenant Ralph Gorton, III was killed while fighting for our country in Vietnam, but soon one of his poems will be on display for people from around the world to see.
VETERANS
VA Expands Phoenix Hospital Probe Over Long Waits for Appointments
(Wall Street Journal) The Department of Veterans Affairs said it has expanded an investigation of a Phoenix hospital where a whistleblower alleges that as many as 40 veterans died amid lengthy waits for appointments.
Navy veteran, 92, finally gets military medals
(Associated Press) Rhode Island's U.S. Sen. Jack Reed presented Frank Poli with several awards Tuesday in the military lounge at T.F. Green Airport. The awards include the Navy Good Conduct Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and the American Campaign Medal.
VA looks to data for customer service solutions
(C4ISR & Networks) The Department of Veterans Affairs long has struggled to meet customer needs, amassing an enduring backlog of claims benefits with which it continues to grapple. On the surface, it may seem that the large quantities of data inherent to operating in the 21st century might not make things any easier, but the hope is that better use of data will improve customer experience.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
The Real Winner of the Afghan War Is This Shady Military Contractor
(The Daily Beast) For over a decade, the State Department gave 69% of its funding for Afghanistan to a single company—a company with a particularly checkered history.
Killing of Americans at Kabul hospital highlights foreigners' risk
(Los Angeles Times) The fatal shooting of three Americans in a charity hospital Thursday punctuated a dismal new trend that has emerged in the waning months of the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan: Just as many foreign civilians are being killed as troops.
Prominent Pakistani Officer, Three Others Killed by Bomb
(Wall Street Journal) A leading Pakistani counterterrorism police officer and three others were killed by a suicide bomber Thursday in the latest attack in the volatile southern port city of Karachi, officials said.
Pakistan army eyes Taliban talks with unease
(BBC) From the moment it was founded in 2007, the Pakistani Taliban have proved to be a formidable force.
MIDDLE EAST
Israel suspends peace talks with Palestinians
(Los Angeles Times) Israel suspended its involvement in peace talks Thursday after a Palestinian deal that would bring the militant Islamic group Hamas into a broader Palestinian government.
Turkey Offers Condolences to Armenians Over Killings
(New York Times) For the first time, the Turkish government offered condolences on Wednesday to the descendants of Armenians who were killed by the Ottoman Army in 1915. But it stood by its official position that the events were not a genocide, as they have been called by several Western governments and international organizations.
British police appeal to women to help stop flow of would-be jihadists to Syria
(Washington Post) British counterterrorism officials made a direct appeal Thursday to mothers, wives, sisters and girlfriends as they urged British women to persuade loved ones not to travel to Syria to take part in that country’s bloody civil war.
Syria Civil War Forces Brutal Split in Aleppo
(Wall Street Journal) Months before the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad in March 2011, Aleppo entrepreneur Abdul-Latif Kudsi opened a state-of-the-art denim factory in his native city in partnership with an Italian businessman.
EUROPE
Ukraine Halts Military Push, Fearing Attack From Russia
(Wall Street Journal) Ukrainian forces moved in on a pro-Russian stronghold Thursday, killing several militants in a firefight at a roadside checkpoint, but quickly halted their advance after Russia activated the thousands of troops it has massed just across the border.
Ukraine Says Its Efforts to Regain Control of East Will Go On
(New York Times) Defying warnings from Moscow not to confront pro-Russian militants entrenched in towns across eastern Ukraine, the interim government on Friday threatened to maintain efforts to regain control by force that have so far produced little beyond Russian military drills on Ukraine’s border and heightened alarm about Moscow’s next move.
Clashes spread across eastern Ukraine as Russia begins military drills on border
(Washington Post) Russia on Thursday began military drills on its border with Ukraine as the government there mobilized against pro-Russian militants, killing “up to five” people, according to Ukrainian officials.
'A big slap in the face': Civilians losing LQA vent anger as cutoff nears
(Stars and Stripes) Dr. Jeff Wolff loves working with the patients at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. So why leave suddenly after more than a decade?
COLA dropping for many troops in Germany
(Military Times) Some service members in Germany could see their overseas cost of-living allowance drop by more than $200 per month under new COLA rates set to take effect on May 16, according to U.S. military officials in Europe.
AMERICAS
Ecuador expels US military group
(Associated Press) Ecuador has ordered all 20 Defense Department employees in the U.S. Embassy's military group to leave the country by month's end, The Associated Press has learned.
Bolivia dismisses hundreds of protesting soldiers
(BBC) Bolivia's military chiefs have ordered the dismissal of more than 700 troops who have been protesting to demand better working conditions.
Venezuelan Economy Slows Sharply
(Wall Street Journal) Venezuela released two clues on Thursday of its increasingly troubled economy.
ASIA-PACIFIC
North Korean Light-Water Reactor Appears to Be Operating: Report
(Global Security Newswire) Recent satellite images indicate that North Korea has begun operating a new light-water reactor that could produce plutonium for its weapons program.
U.S. Confronts Consequences of Underestimating North Korean Leader
(New York Times) Almost everything American intelligence agencies and North Korea-watchers thought they understood two years ago about Kim Jong-un, the North’s young leader, turns out to have been wrong.
China Army Targets Students for Officers to Match Weapons
(Bloomberg) China’s military has used annual budget increases in excess of 10 percent to buy precision-guided weapons, fighter jets and an aircraft carrier. Now it’s seeking to upgrade its recruits to operate them.
China Court Releases Japanese Ship at Center of Dispute
(Wall Street Journal) Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. 9104.TO 0.00% paid nearly $40 million to free a ship impounded by Chinese authorities, according to a Chinese court, in a dispute that dates to Japan's wartime occupation of China and that comes amid strains between the two countries over history and territory.
People’s Daily Demands ‘Immediate Rectification’ of Parody Twitter Account
(Wall Street Journal) The Chinese Communist Party’s mouthpiece newspaper is expert at grasping and deeply reflecting on the often-stilted utterances of the country’s leaders. When it comes to Western satire, though, its record is considerably less sterling.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
10 reasons why you shouldn't vote for a vet
(Jim Gourley in Best Defense) So long as veterans running for office promote their military service as a job qualification, the relative value of their service should be on the debate table. But American veterans are taking unfair advantage of the population's newfound reverence for "our heroes." No civilian politician can debate the merits of military service in government without becoming a pariah, and no veteran candidate will undermine their ace in the hole. So it falls to a veteran with Shermanesque interest in political office to submit, for the benefit of public discourse, the 10 most inconvenient reasons why you shouldn't vote for a veteran.
The Role of Europe in American Defense Strategy
(John R. Deni in War on the Rocks) The United States appears to be entering a period of having to do less with less, particularly in the military realm. In part, this reflects a more discerning attitude on the part of the Obama administration toward national security policy — that is, a more realistic appraisal of American interests at stake in various regions of the globe, and of whether, when, and how U.S. military force can promote those interests, especially in coordination with foreign partners.
Does Putin Want a War?
(Steven Pifer, John Herbst, William Taylor in The National Interest) Does Vladimir Putin want war with Ukraine? Given Moscow’s failure to help implement the April 17 Geneva statement and its bellicose tone, it is increasingly difficult to escape that conclusion. The United States and Europe need to apply sterner sanctions immediately if they hope to have any chance of dissuading Mr. Putin from more aggressive action.
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