TODAY’S TOP 5
1. Army Releases Detailed Account Of Base Rampage
(New York Times) In a little more than eight minutes, Specialist Ivan. A. Lopez fired at least 35 rounds at his fellow troops at Fort Hood, unleashing panic and bloodshed over two blocks on foot and from inside his vehicle as he killed three unarmed soldiers and wounded 16 others while they were sitting at desks, driving in a car and standing outside buildings, an Army official said on Monday.
2. Early retirement revoked for some airmen, leads to White House petition
(Air Force Times) The Air Force revoked some airmen’s approvals for early retirement over the weekend, causing outrage online and sparking a petition to the White House.
3. Commentary: The Growing Shadow BRAC
(Barry Rhoads in Defense News) The conventional wisdom that there won’t be another Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round is dangerously short-sighted. First, significant force structure and basing decisions are already occurring even without a formal BRAC round, what I call a “Shadow BRAC.”
4. Navy Has Finalized Specifications for New Ohio-Replacement Boomer
(U.S. Naval Institute) The Navy has completed the specifications and has set the length for its next generation nuclear ballistic missile submarine, the head of the Navy’s submarine construction program told attendees at the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space Exposition 2014 at National Harbor, Md. on Monday.
5. U.S., China Defense Chiefs Trade Barbs Over Regional Ambitions
(Wall Street Journal) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's call for a "new model" in relations with Beijing's military ran into immediate headwinds Tuesday when China's defense minister castigated the U.S. and its allies for raising tensions in the Asia-Pacific.
INDUSTRY
Pratt must push harder to cut F-35 engine cost -Pentagon
(Reuters) Pratt & Whitney, the engine-making unit of United Technologies Corp, must redouble efforts to lower the cost of the single F135 engine it builds for the Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jet, a top U.S. military official said on Monday.
Lockheed Martin Predicts International Sales of Littoral Combat Ship
(National Defense Magazine) The first international sale of Lockheed Martin’s Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship could occur in less than a year, the company’s program manager said.
AgustaWestland Pitches AW119 for US Navy Helicopter Trainer
(Defense News) Helicopter maker AgustaWestland is touting the capabilities of its American-built AW119Kx as a candidate to replace the US Navy’s current fleet of training choppers.
Boeing 'protecting' St. Louis fighter jet line: executive
(Reuters) Boeing Co (BA.N) is self-funding procurement of some materials needed to keep producing EA-18G electronic attack planes for several months until the U.S. Congress signals whether it will fund 22 more jets in fiscal 2015, a company vice president said on Monday.
Boeing to shut C-17 plant in Long Beach 3 months earlier than expected
(Los Angeles Times) Boeing Co. announced plans to stop production of C-17 cargo jets at the company's sprawling Long Beach plant three months earlier than it previously anticipated.
UK Team To Train on Triton as Government Ponders Purchase
(Defense News) Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) is dispatching a team to train on Northrop Grumman’s MQ-4C Triton UAV in the run-up to a possible decision next year on whether to re-establish a maritime patrol capability.
New Sensor Package Turns Any Helicopter Into Delivery Robot
(National Defense Magazine) Navy engineers have developed a sensor package that can turn any helicopter with a digital flight control system into an autonomous cargo delivery robot.
Nexter awarded French VBCI support contract
(IHS Jane's 360) On 4 April Nexter Systems was awarded a support-in-service contract for the French Army's 8x8 Véhicule Blindé de Combat d'Infanterie (VBCI) infantry fighting vehicle for the next 10 years.
Turkey Accepts First A400M
(Defense News)Turkey has finally accepted its first A400M tactical transport aircraft from the Airbus consortium, ending a monthslong controversy over whether the aircraft met technical specifications.
Ukraine National Guard to receive BTR-4s
(IHS Jane's 360) The Ukraine National Guard will soon receive 74 new armoured personnel carriers, national defence industrial group Ukroboronprom announced on 2 April 2014.
Industry Gives High Grades to Italian Navy Defense Trade Tour
(Defense News) An unusual defense trade show held on the Italian aircraft carrier Cavour, which toured 20 countries in the Arabian Gulf and Africa over five months, has drawn glowing reviews from exhibitors who hope the Italian Navy will organize a follow-up trip aimed at Asian and South American destinations.
CONGRESS
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.
Lawmakers to call for stronger US posture in Europe
(The Hill) House Armed Services Committee Republicans are planning to introduce legislation on Tuesday in response to a continuing threat from Russia to U.S. allies in the region.
Group says Congress should set example by hiring more vets
(Military Times) What’s the worst federal agency for hiring veterans? Try Congress.
McCain blasts Obama 'weakness' on Ukraine
(The Hill) Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) blasted the Obama administration on Monday for not providing military aid to Ukraine, arguing that it could invite further aggression from Russia.
Sen. Feinstein Calls Former CIA Director's 'Emotional' Comment 'Nonsense'
(National Journal) In response to comments from former CIA and National Security Agency director Michael Hayden that she may have compromised a report on CIA interrogation tactics because of her "emotional" views about the issue, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein has one word: "Nonsense," she told reporters in the Capitol Monday.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Pentagon: ‘Too soon to tell’ if military gun policy will be reviewed
(Stars and Stripes) The Pentagon has yet to decide whether it will review a ban on troops carrying concealed weapons onto bases in the wake of last week’s Fort Hood shooting.
Fort Hood Sparks Gun Control Fight Between Republicans and Pentagon
(Foreign Policy) Hawkish Republicans and the senior leadership of the Pentagon typically see eye-to-eye on most things, but the deadly shooting at Fort Hood last week has exposed a rift on a highly-charged issue: Gun control.
Pentagon: B-61 Bomb Update Faces Possible Delays
(National Journal) U.S. Defense Department experts see a danger of delays in work on a key nuclear-bomb component under development at multiple federal agencies.
Be aware but not informed about military sexual assault
(USA Today) April is Sexual Assault Awareness month, and the Pentagon wants troops and civilians alike to know that it takes the issue seriously.
Let’s Put Things in Perspective: You’re Still Safer on a Military Base
(The Daily Beast) On average, military bases are safer than similarly sized American cities. The violence at Fort Hood may best be explained as a workplace shooting, not a uniquely military tragedy.
ARMY
Specialist to receive Silver Star on Tuesday
(Army Times) A soldier who continuously risked his own safety to recover fallen and wounded comrades in Afghanistan will be honored Tuesday with the Silver Star, the nation’s third-highest award for valor.
Bob Hinsley awarded Silver Star for Afghan duty
(Batle Creek Enquirer; Mich.) In the middle of it all, with the bullets whizzing and the bombs exploding and the situation deteriorating, Bob Hinsley returned a text message. From his wife.
Cyber warfare research institute to open at West Point
(Army Times) The Army’s academy has established a cyber warfare research institute to groom elite cyber troops and solve thorny problems for the Army and the nation in this new warfighting domain.
National Guard team ready to tackle Best Ranger competition
(Ledger-Enquirer; Columbus, Ga.) The David E. Grange Jr. Best Ranger competition has been compared to the Ironman and Eco-Challenge competitions, but one Army National Guard team at Fort Benning has competed in both events.
NAVY
Exclusive interview: SECNAV on sea pay, tobacco use, gender equity and more
(Navy Times) Mabus, now in his fifth year in the Navy’s top post, is pushing to boost quality of life for sailors and their families by expanding opportunities for women and paying sailors more for fleet duty. Mabus was a driving force behind the career sea pay hike, set to take effect this summer.
Federal lawsuit says Fukushima disaster poisoned U.S. sailors on relief mission
(Orange County Register) Crew of USS Ronald Reagan says Japanese utility’s failure to warn of radiation risks during 2011 tsunami relief effort led to excess exposure, illness.
Shipmates remember MA2 Mayo as 'a hero'
(Navy Times) Soft cries filled the auditorium as the chief of the watch three times called out for Master at Arms 2nd Class Mark Mayo, a call unanswered. The sobs were soon broken by the somber notes of Taps, as hundreds of sailors stood to honor their fallen shipmate, killed in a March 24 shooting on Naval Station Norfolk.
CNO: Cutbacks Reducing US Navy's Surge Readiness
(Defense News) The US Navy’s top officer warned Monday that deep budget cuts have hampered the Navy’s ability to surge in a crisis, saying that the service could only surge deploy one carrier strike group and one amphibious ready group under current levels.
Mudslide has claimed the lives of 33 people
(The Seattle Times) This morning, the medical examiner’s office staff said they have identified Billy L. Spillers. Spillers, 30, was a chief petty officer in the Navy stationed at Naval Station Everett. Spillers and his children were apparently watching TV when the mudslide hit. Killed along with him were Kaylee Spillers, 5, and his 13-year-old stepson Jovon Mangual.
AIR FORCE
Thousands of airmen spared under revised force-shaping plan
(Air Force Times) At least 8,751 airmen’s jobs are no longer on the chopping block this year, according to the latest charts obtained by Air Force Times.
New GPS Civil Signal Rollout Will Aid Spoofing Countermeasures
(Aviation Week) The U.S. Air Force is set to start early implementation of the long-anticipated GPS Civil Navigation (CNAV) message at the end of this month, and will use the process to help develop new countermeasures against spoofing.
Report details Air force plans for future drones
(Air Force Times) The Air Force next month will finally reach the target number of 65 combat air patrols for its Predator and Reaper fleet, while the administration seeks to cut back on its drone operations in theater.
MARINE CORPS
Expeditionary Force 21: Corps unveils ambitious, aggressive 10-year road map
(Marine Corps Times) As the Corps hones its position as the nation’s crisis response force, a new doctrine details how Marines will remain expeditionary through service-wide restructuring, forward deploying a third of all personnel and better integrating special operations forces.
New US Marine Concept Re-establishes Maritime Roots
(Defense News) Key to the new plan is the Expeditionary Warfare Branch in OPNAV, the offices reporting directly to the US Navy’s chief of naval operations. As the N95 director, Maj. Gen. Robert Walsh is charged with determining and assessing the requirements for amphibious, mine and naval special warfare missions.
Marines Question Availability of Ships, Personnel for Asia-Pacific Shift
(National Defense Magazine) With a rapidly shrinking force and fewer amphibious ships available, the Marine Corps is questioning whether it can support the strategic shift to the Asia-Pacific region.
HITT smartphone app helps Marines get fit on the go
(Marine Corps Times) A High Intensity Tactical Training program mobile application has recently become available for download, giving Marines access to hundreds of exercise videos and workouts at their fingertips. An announcement on the rollout was made via Marine administrative message 166/14 on April 1.
Effort begins to turn 'Full Metal Jacket' star's diary into audiobook
(Marine Corps Times) If you loved the 1987 movie “Full Metal Jacket,” you can sign up to receive an audiobook of Matthew Modine’s inside take on the making of the cinema classic — and help bring it to a new generation of fans.
COAST GUARD
Coasties wanted for full-time diver jobs
(Navy Times) It’s been more than 70 years since Coast Guard divers first took to the water in support of national security during World War II, but until January, the service didn’t have rated divers of its own — just qualified members of other rates on collateral duty or serving at a regional dive locker.
Coast Guard Will Not Charge Family With Sick Child For Ocean Rescue (With Video)
(KPIX; San Francisco) The U.S. Coast Guard will not charge a San Diego family rescued in the middle of the Pacific Ocean after their baby daughter got sick.
Coast Guard Commandant Papp to Receive Arleigh Burke Award
(Seapower) U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Robert J. Papp Jr. will receive the 2014 Admiral Arleigh Burke Leadership Award at this year’s Sea-Air-Space Exposition.
VETERANS
Reminder: The cost of war is borne by a small fraction of the population
(Washington Post) The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan exacted a brutal toll on those who served, with a recent Washington Post-Kaiser survey of veterans finding an emotional cost that was far more widespread than previously recognized. Half of veterans said they knew a fellow service member who had attempted or committed suicide, while more than 1.4 million of the 2.6 million who served said they feel disconnected from civilian life.
VA releases findings on deaths, injuries from delayed tests
(Tampa Tribune) Three veterans died and nine others were injured as the result of delays in treatment for gastrointestinal cancers in the VA’s Sunshine Healthcare Network serving Florida, southern Georgia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, according to a much-anticipated VA report released Monday. The report also laid out corrective measures being taken to prevent similar problems in the future.
VA patient's death tracked to Charleston hospital
(The Augusta Chronicle; Ga.) The Department of Veterans Affairs confirmed Monday that the last remaining death in its Southeast Network of hospitals related to delays in gastrointestinal care happened at its medical center in Charleston, S.C.
One high-profile case of a veteran dying in the course of VA treatment
(The Oregonian; Portland) Today's Oregonian carries the terrific and troubling story from the Center of Investigative Reporting about the hundreds of wrongful death settlements paid by the Department of Veterans Affairs to survivors of people who died in the course of treatment.
Veterans push to smoke pot to ease PTSD, other ailments
(Tacoma News Tribune) After flying helicopters in Vietnam for 30 months, Perry Parks couldn’t stop the panicked dreams.
AFGHANISTAN
Impatient Afghan candidates are counting their own votes
(Washington Post) In this rugged country where ballots are counted by hand and election results are viewed with suspicion, impatient presidential candidates are not willing to wait for official numbers and have started counting votes themselves.
US, partners, hope for thaw in relations with Afghanistan
(Stars and Stripes) With all of the questions surrounding the outcome of the Afghan presidential election, the U.S. and its allies are taking comfort in one certainty: the country’s next leader will not be Hamid Karzai.
Slain U.S. diplomat Anne Smedinghoff is honored at embassy in Kabul
(Los Angeles Times) One year after a 25-year-old diplomat from the Chicago area was killed in a car bombing in southern Afghanistan, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul remembered Anne Smedinghoff on Monday by reading poetry and releasing balloons in a courtyard that was named for her.
MIDDLE EAST
New tribal force created in Iraq's Anbar to fight militants
(Turkish Press) Authorities in Iraq's western Anbar province on Monday enlisted local tribesmen for a new combat force tasked with fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant group – which the government says is linked to Al-Qaeda – and restoring local security, a security source said.
John Kerry, U.S. Military Clash on Approach to Syria's Rebels
(Wall Street Journal) Frustrated by the stalemate in Syria, Secretary of State John Kerry has been pushing for the U.S. military to be more aggressive in supporting the country's rebel forces. Opposition has come from the institution that would spearhead any such effort: the Pentagon.
Israeli FM: Palestinian prisoner release is off
(Associated Press) Israel's foreign minister on Tuesday warned the Palestinians that a planned prisoner release will not happen as long as they pursue what he called a "provocative" bid to join U.N. agencies.
Zawahiri's longtime deputy reportedly arrested in Egypt
(The Long War Journal) Thirwat Salah Shehata, an Egyptian who long served as one Ayman al Zawahiri's top deputies, has reportedly been arrested in a suburb of Cairo.
EUROPE
US Sends Warship To Black Sea Amid Ukraine Crisis
(Defense News) A Department of Defense official confirmed to AFP the warship being sent to the region was the USS Donald Cook, a guided missile destroyer.
In East Ukraine, Protesters Seek Russian Troops
(New York Times) Under the attentive eye of Russian state television, several hundred pro-Russian demonstrators in the city of Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine, declared on Monday that they were forming an independent republic and urged President Vladimir V. Putin to send troops to the region as a peacekeeping force, even though there was no imminent threat to peace.
Kharkiv 'Separatists' Arrested
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov and other officials say around 70 "separatists" were arrested in a counterterrorist operation to evict pro-Russians occupying a local administration building in Kharkiv.
Ukraine Could Be Plunged into Civil War, Warns Russia
(Wall Street Journal) Russia's foreign ministry warned Tuesday that any use of force by Ukrainian authorities to dislodge pro-Kremlin separatists who have seized control of government buildings in three cities in eastern Ukraine could plunge the country into civil war.
Russia's Crimea takeover breeding anarchy and fear throughout East
(Los Angeles Times) Russian President Vladimir Putin's unimpeded success in annexing Crimea has inspired Russian nationalists in eastern Ukraine to seize territory and sown fear region-wide that such provocations will spur Moscow to intervene on behalf of ethnic Russians.
ASIA-PACIFIC
Hagel Receives Tour of Carrier in China Visit
(New York Times) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel got a long-awaited look at China’s only aircraft carrier on Monday, taking a two-hour tour of the vessel at a naval base near this port city, in the first such visit by a foreign defense official, Pentagon officials said.
Australia in talks to buy Japanese submarines to upgrade fleet
(news.com.au) Almost 72 years after Japanese midget submarines attacked Sydney Harbour killing 21 sailors, Australia could buy Japanese subs for its $30 billion replacement program.
Another Indian Navy Vessel Catches Fire
(Defense News) Yet another Indian Navy vessel met with an accident, as the tugboat INS Matanga caught fire April 6 while undergoing repairs at the Mumbai naval dockyard. The Indian Navy has been hit by more than a dozen accidents in the past 10 months involving warships and submarines.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
What the Air Force can learn from the nuclear cheating scandal
(Washington Post Editorial Board) Before they go on duty with U.S. nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles, officers are trained in classrooms and simulators. They are schooled in weapons systems, missile code handling and emergency war orders, among other things. For decades, these missileers have been surrounded by a mystique. They were at the front lines of the Cold War — the officers in the silo who get the codes from a president and turn the keys to launch a nuclear-armed missile.
Opinion: Nation Must Preserve Shipbuilding Industry
(Retired Rear Adm. Terry McKnight in the U.S. Naval Institute) In times of peace and war our defense shipbuilding industry has served our maritime nation with pride and distinction. There are many reasons why this nation was so successful in World War II, but one clear advantage over our enemies was the shipbuilding industry. From the thousands of Higgins landing craft designed and built in Louisiana to massive Iowa-class battleships that were constructed in the shipyards of New York and Philadelphia, many of the “best and the brightest” of the “Greatest Generation” worked in our shipyards.
Hard Evidence That Obama Has Started Arming Syrian Rebels?
(Jack Mulcaire in War on the Rocks) Fresh video from the battlefields of southern Idlib province show the rebels using US-made BGM-71 TOW missiles. This weapon has never been observed in rebel use before. Coming on the heels of much speculation that the Obama administration has finally made the decision to aid the Syrian opposition with weapons, the arrival of the TOW missile in Syria is certainly suggestive. Former US Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford recently stated that he expected a move by the Administration to change the military balance in Syria.
Congress and Pentagon are engaged in a new fight: Where do Apache helicopters belong?
(Walter Pincus in The Washington Post) The Pentagon has a new fight with Congress. This one is over the Pentagon’s plan to cut costs by moving the AH-64 Apache attack helicopters assigned to Army National Guard units to the active Army and replacing them with newer UH-60 Black Hawks, which are used mainly for transportation.
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