TODAY’S TOP 5
1. Marine shoots, kills fellow Marine gate guard at Camp Lejeune
(Marine Corps Times) The shooting death of a Camp Lejeune gate guard by a fellow Marine Tuesday evening was likely the result of a negligent discharge, according to an official at Headquarters Marine Corps, though the incident remains under investigation.
2. VA: Treatment delays may have led to 23 cancer deaths
(Military Times) Delays in cancer treatment consultations may have played a role in the deaths of 23 veterans and compromised the health of 53 others, according to an internal review released this week by the Veterans Affairs Department.
3. Can This Man Save the Pentagon?
(Bill Sweetman in The Daily Beast) If you believe that technology can help solve the problems of national security, and that we can do better at applying it than we have done for the past 30 years or so, there is cause to raise a ragged cheer for the confirmation of Robert O. Work as Deputy Secretary of Defense, an event that—barring unexpected accidents—should happen within days.
4. Elite SEAL Team That Killed Bin Laden Seeks $11 Million for Fitness Center
(Bloomberg) The elite Navy SEAL team may have killed Osama Bin Laden and inspired Hollywood, but it could use an extra $11.1 million for a “Human Performance Center.”
5. Fla. veteran treats PTSD by going bare (With Video)
(USA Today) Every year, millions of people in the United States are diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder, but for some a doctor's office just isn't enough.
INDUSTRY
DoD Withholds $25.7M Payment To Pratt & Whitney For F135
(Breaking Defense) As F-35 program officials prepared to testify to the Senate Armed Services Committee, they announced they were keeping back some $25.7 million, or 5 percent, of payments for the F135 engine used in the Joint Strike Fighter.
Pentagon sees deal with Lockheed, Pratt on next F-35 lot by end May
(Reuters) The U.S. Air Force general who runs the F-35 fighter jet program for the Pentagon said he expected to reach agreements with both Lockheed Martin Corp and engine-maker Pratt & Whitney by the end of May for the next order of fighter planes.
Pratt Claims Competitive Privilege In Concealing F135 Prices
(Aviation Week) Despite a vow of transparency from the outspoken program manager of the turbulent, nearly $400 billion F-35 fighter program, even the U.S. government is having trouble compelling its sole-source engine manufacturer to release pricing data.
Indecision on GW Carrier Refueling Will Delay Overhaul, Says Shipbuilder
(National Defense Magazine) About one-third of the Newport News Shipbuilding yard’s business comes from serving, refueling and deactivating the nation’s nuclear powered aircraft carriers.
Raytheon Moving Out On Air Missile Defense Radar
(Defense News) With a temporary work stoppage lifted, Raytheon is working to develop its air missile defense radar (AMDR) for the US Navy’s future Aegis destroyers.
Finmeccanica Proposes 76mm Gun for LCS
(DOD Buzz) Finmeccanica is proposing that the OTO Melara 76mm gun be configured onto the Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship as part of an effort to improve the lethality and survivability of the shallow-water , multi-mission vessel.
Navy League 2014: USMC hopeful on V-22 FMS deals
(IHS Jane's 360) The US Marine Corps (USMC) is still looking to secure its first international customer for the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft but believes the market exists in 10-12 countries.
Headlines Both Good and Bad Mark First Year of Navy’s P-8 Sub-Hunting Aircraft
(National Defense Magazine) There has been plenty of good news for the Navy’s new submarine hunting aircraft, the P-8 Poseidon, company and service officials said April 8.
Sense-And-Avoid Still Causing Triton Turbulence
(Aviation Week) The U.S. Navy continues to assess its options to replace a sense-and-avoid radar that was to be used on the Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft, but failed to meet expectations.
IAI mulls pooled tanker solution
(IHS Jane's 360) Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is looking at options for offering nations a pooled aerial refuelling capability based on the Boeing 767-300 Multi-Mission Tanker Transport (MMTT) tanker conversion work of its Bedek division, IHS Jane's was told on 3 April.
CONGRESS
Lawmakers Say USAF Plans To Cut A-10 Flights and Training Are Illegal
(Air Force Times) Two key senators say Air Force plans to stop A-10 flights and training in October are against the law.
Senators begin new push to overturn sequestration
(The Hill) Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) are planning to begin a new effort to overturn defense budget cuts known as sequestration, according to several senators.
House GOP to urge limits on U.S. cooperation with Russia
(Military Times) House Republicans will push new restrictions on U.S.-Russian military cooperation and more technical support for Ukrainian troops as part of the annual defense authorization bill debate.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
DoD To Shrink Nuclear-Capable Bombers, Modify Subs to meet New START Obligations
(Defense News) The Pentagon will shrink the number of its nuclear weapon-carrying bomber aircraft and reduce the number of submarine ballistic missile launch tubes as it modifies its force posture to meet the limits of the New START treaty with Russia, the US Defense Department announced Tuesday.
US options to curb Russia on Ukraine: Boots on the ground in Poland?
(Christian Science Monitor) Amid GOP cries to 'do something' on Ukraine, the Pentagon weighs increasing military exercises, forward deploying equipment and personnel, and increasing naval, air, and ground presence. But there are also risks in doing too much, Pentagon officials say.
New DoDEA chief has a military parent's perspective
(Military Times) As a retired Army colonel, Thomas Brady brings a unique perspective to his new role as director of the Department of Defense Education Activity, which operates 191 schools for military children around the world.
ARMY
US Army Guard Agrees to Controversial Apache Plan
(Defense News) In a surprising move, the head of the US National Guard Bureau has given his blessing to the US Army’s plan to move all of the Guard’s Apache attack helicopters into the active force while receiving several hundred Black Hawk and Lakota multi-use helicopters in return.
Soldiers want OK to carry concealed weapons on base
(Army Times) In the wake of last week’s shooting on Fort Hood many soldiers and some lawmakers are calling on the military to reconsider allowing troops to carry concealed weapons on post.
At Fort Hood, Wrestling With Label of Terrorism
(New York Times) In the hours and days after a deadly shooting at Fort Hood last week, Army officials have not shied away from talking about terrorism — to contrast it with the 2009 attack and to ease fears about the motive behind the second mass shooting on the base in nearly five years.
Fort Hood opens debate about secrecy of medical records
(The Hill) Army officials say one thing that could have helped prevent last week’s shooting at Fort Hood is better information sharing with commanders about the mental and behavioral health histories of incoming soldiers.
Fort Drum soldier shot during training in stable condition
(Watertown Daily Times) A soldier from post was taken by a LifeNet helicopter to Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, late Monday after being shot during a live-fire training exercise.
NAVY
Navy fleet boss: 9-month deployments unsustainable
(Navy Times) A new deployment plan billed as a way to make Navy life easier on sailors and their families will provide more time in port than the six-month deployment model, the fleet’s top boss said Tuesday.
Sailor found dead in room on grounds of Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (With Video)
(WVEC-TV; Norfolk, Va.) The man, whose name hasn't been released, was found in his room on Naval Support Activity Portsmouth Annex. People went looking for him when he didn't show up for work, the Navy said.
Funeral set for midshipman who died skateboarding
(Virginian-Pilot; Norfolk, Va.) The U.S. Naval Academy says a funeral is scheduled for a midshipman who died after a skateboarding accident.
Better survival vests coming to Navy, Marine aircrews
(Navy Times) The new vest boasts more coverage of vital organs, a snugger fit and a better color, Dan Ratcliff, the aircrew systems program manager for Naval Air Systems Command, explained in a presentation Tuesday at the Sea-Air-Space expo outside Washington, D.C.
Navy to Focus on 'Affordable' Technology
(National Defense Magazine) The Navy is pouring money into new programs that it believes will give sailors a competitive advantage against potential adversaries, said Rear Adm. Matthew Klunder, head of the Office of Naval Research. But he cautioned that new programs must balance effectiveness with cost.
Navy accelerates NGEN completion
(C4ISR & Networks) After a contract-protest delay of more than three months temporarily halted progress on its Next Generation Enterprise Network, the Navy is declaring full speed ahead on the migration process that originally was slated to end this month.
New X-47B Ship Goal: Clear Deck In 90 Sec.
(Aviation Week) The U.S. Navy is preparing to conduct a new round of sea trials this summer with its X-47B stealthy aircraft to prove the unmanned system can clear the busy aircraft carrier deck in 90 sec. or less, just like its piloted counterparts.
US Navy: Converting Seawater Into Fuel a 'Game-Changer'
(Defense News) The US Navy believes it has finally worked out the solution to a problem that has intrigued scientists for decades: how to take seawater and use it as fuel.
AIR FORCE
Air Force will honor early retirements that were revoked
(Air Force Times) The Air Force said Tuesday that a handful of airmen whose approved early retirements had been revoked will still be able to retire if they so choose.
Airmen at odds with Air Force brass over future of beloved A-10 plane
(PBS Newshour) “I absolutely would like to have a fleet of A-10s, no questions asked,” Air Force Gen. Michael Hostage told the PBS NewsHour in a March telephone interview. “I just flat can’t afford it.”
Defense Department to remove 50 Minuteman missiles from silos at 3 bases, including Malmstrom
(Great Falls Tribune; Mont.) The Pentagon announced Tuesday that it will remove 50 Minuteman III missiles from their silos to meet nuclear reductions called for under an arms-reduction treaty with Russia.
U.S. Air Force is testing Google Glass & building apps for battlefield use (exclusive)
(Venture Beat) The U.S. Air Force’s “BATMAN” research team at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio is beta-testing Google Glass for possible use on the battlefield.
MARINE CORPS
Paxton: Lack of ships hurt typhoon relief mission in Philippines
(Marine Corps Times) After a super typhoon swept through the Philippines last year, U.S. Marines and sailors arrived to bring aid, evacuate survivors and work to limit the death toll, which had climbed into the thousands.
Former Marine convicted of first-degree murder in death penalty case
(Washington Post) A former U.S. Marine was convicted Tuesday of killing a fellow service member in what prosecutors described as a random, sexually motivated attack at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, and jurors must now decide whether he should be executed.
Marine Corps Leaders Say Global Mission Can't Survive Further Troop Cuts
(National Defense Magazine) The Marine Corps’ post-Afghanistan plans to station troops worldwide and focus on crisis response and disaster relief missions is threatened by force reductions, top service officials said April 7.
Marine struggles in fight of his life
(The Daily News; Jacksonville, N.C.) For years, 34-year-old Jimenez, an infantry Marine who is currently transitioning to Wounded Warrior Battalion East, has dealt with thoughts of suicide as a means to escape his overwhelming anxiety. Diagnosed with psychosis, a mood disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and an anxiety disorder, Jimenez said he is constantly battling the urge to end his own life. It won’t be by his own hand though, he said, and he’s never physically hurt himself. Instead, Jimenez engages in risky behavior that he said he hopes will result in an accident that kills him.
Marine kayaker preps for epic trip tapping Bruce Lee’s favorite workout weapon
(PT 365) Former Marine Nic Doucette has a big trip coming up this summer. A very big trip. In fact, it’s an epic, 2,552-mile, from-source-to-sea, Mississippi River-sized trip.
COAST GUARD
Air Force Helo Purchase Could Help Coast Guard
(Defense News) Coast Guard officials have been watching the Air Force’s acquisition of new combat search-and-rescue (CSAR) helicopters and could buy the same aircraft at some point down the road, Adm. Robert Papp told the Defense Writers Group during a breakfast meeting here.
Coast Guard Ship Demand Far Exceeds Funding
(National Defense Magazine) The Coast Guard needs dozens of new ships to replace its aging vessels, but is being forced to live with less than half the procurement funding required, the service’s top officer said.
Budget cuts hurt Coast Guard drug efforts: commander
(Reuters) Budget cuts have eroded the U.S. Coast Guard's ability to combat drug smuggling and the agency is intercepting only about 20 percent of the illegal drugs heading into the United States by sea from South America, its top officer said on Tuesday.
VETERANS
Small study finds problem in Gulf War vets' cell function
(Military Times) A minuscule study of cell function in veterans of the 1990-91 Persian Gulf War could have widespread impact on future research into Gulf War illness.
Fort Hood coverage reinforced stereotypes, vets say
(USA Today) Shortly after last week's shooting at Fort Hood the Army was quick to point out that the alleged shooter had no direct combat experience.
VA doesn't track tissue used in surgeries, GAO says
(Military Times) Veterans Affairs Department officials used tens of thousands of biological implants in surgeries last year, but they can’t fully account for their safety, according to investigators from the Government Accountability Office.
SC veteran to tell painful story of Dorn VA delays
(The State; Columbia, S.C.) Barry Coates wishes he didn’t have to sit in front of a congressional hearing and detail painful personal health details.
After guardsman son's suicide, parents work to save others
(Military Times) Former Army National Guard Sgt. Daniel Somers served as a turret gunner and tactical human intelligence team member during two deployments to Iraq.
Bay Pines VA facility turns away state inspectors
(Tampa Tribune) A day after Department of Veterans Affairs officials released the locations where delays in treatment led to deaths and injuries of patients, the state’s Agency for Health Care Administration continued carrying out Gov. Rick Scott’s orders to inspect VA medical facilities.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
After ’09 Fraud, Afghanistan Reports a Cleaner Election
(New York Times) The Afghan presidential election on Saturday appeared to be substantially cleaner than the widely discredited 2009 election, according to complaint figures released Tuesday by the authorities here.
Front-Runners in Afghan Presidential Election Predict Big Victory
(Wall Street Journal) Both front-runners in Afghanistan's presidential election told The Wall Street Journal they probably won Saturday's vote outright but were waiting for official results to determine the outcome.
At least 22 killed in blast at Pakistan market
(Washington Post) At least 22 people were killed and over 80 injured in an early morning blast here on Wednesday in a fruits and vegetables market on the outskirts of the city, police and doctors said.
Pakistan Army Chief Unhappy Over Musharraf Case
(Wall Street Journal) The head of Pakistan's army lashed out this week over the treason trial of former army chief Gen. Pervez Musharraf, marking the first time the military's previously behind-the-scenes frustration over the ex-leader's treatment has boiled to the surface since the current government came to power in June 2013.
MIDDLE EAST
Kerry raps Israel in faltering Mideast peace
(Associated Press) U.S. efforts to broker a Mideast peace agreement faltered after Israel refused to release prisoners as demanded by Palestinian leaders, then moved forward with plans to build new settlement housing in Jerusalem, America's top diplomat said Tuesday. But he still held out hope that negotiations would continue.
Series of car bombs in Baghdad kills 13 people
(The Daily Star; Lebanon) Iraqi officials say a series of car bombs has hit several mostly Shiite neighborhoods in Baghdad, killing at least 13 people.
ISIS' 'Southern Division' praises foreign suicide bombers
(The Long War Journal) The Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham's "Southern Iraq Division" praised eight foreign fighters who conducted suicide attacks in the province of Babil.
Turkey Opposition Embattled After Big Election Loss
(Wall Street Journal) A week after crucial local elections, Turkey has yet to hear the official results, but one thing is clear: The secularist opposition suffered a walloping by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, failing to capitalize on corruption allegations, bans on social media and ongoing dissent.
EUROPE
US Official: In Key Ways, Russian Military is 'Very Limited'
(Defense News) Pentagon officials on Tuesday described a Russian military that possesses “very limited” ability to punch outside its neighborhood due to poor logistics and “aging equipment.”
Ukraine Moves to Assert Control in East
(Wall Street Journal) Ukrainian police took back a government building from pro-Russian separatists in one volatile eastern city Tuesday, but armed men dug in behind reinforced barricades in other cities, warning against an assault even as some disarray began to show.
U.S. and NATO Warn Russia Against Further Intervention in Ukraine
(New York Times) As the government in Kiev moved to reassert control over pro-Russian protesters across eastern Ukraine, the United States and NATO issued stern warnings to Moscow about further intervention in the country’s affairs amid continuing fears of an eventual Russian incursion.
Rasmussen: Russian Actions in Ukraine Threaten NATO Relations
(Defense News) Russia risks driving itself into political isolation if Moscow continues to destabilize Ukraine, with the prospect of a breakdown of relations with the NATO defense organization, alliance chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Tuesday.
ASIA-PACIFIC
Kim Further Consolidates Power as North Korea’s Leader
(New York Times) North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, was re-elected as head of his country’s top governing agency as its rubber-stamp Parliament met in Pyongyang on Wednesday to help consolidate his power.
Report: North Korea executes official by flamethrower
(USA Today) As part of a second purge of top North Koreans following the execution of leader Kim Jong Un's uncle, 11 high-ranking officials have been imprisoned or put to death, including a security chief "burned alive" by a flamethrower, a South Korean newspaper reported Tuesday.
2ID aims to ease complaints of residents near live-fire range
(Stars and Stripes) U.S. and South Korean military officials will sign an agreement Wednesday with a town near the Demilitarized Zone whose residents claim noise from a nearby live-fire training complex is a nuisance that is eroding the value of their homes.
Australia Defends Security Deal With Japan
(Defense News) Closer defense ties between Japan and Australia should not raise concerns in regional superpower China, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Tuesday, after sealing a major free trade and security deal with Tokyo.
Pacifists rally as poll shows Japan is uneasy over Abe’s military aims
(The Japan Times) Some 3,000 people rallied Tuesday in a Tokyo park against government plans to soften Japan’s constitutional commitment to pacifism and give its military a more active role.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
A Clear Choice on Defense
(Rep. Paul Ryan in Real Clear Defense) The world is less safe when America doesn’t lead. But for President Obama, this lesson has yet to sink in. In February, he offered a budget that would cut crucial funding for our national security. So tomorrow, House Republicans will pass a budget that would give our troops the funding they need.
The Republicans' Cynical Defense Budget
(Rep. Chris Van Hollen in Real Clear Defense) We must continue to support a strong military that is second to none. It is our obligation to provide our men and women in uniform with the training and equipment they need to successfully carry out the missions our country gives them.
The Army v. The Press
(Mark Thompson in Time) It’s like a tank killing a mosquito. A pair of reporters from the Toledo Blade newspaper in Ohio recently stopped outside the gate of the Lima Army Tank Plant—officially rechristened the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center a decade ago—to snap some photographs of the 600-worker plant, some 80 miles south of their paper in northwest Ohio.
America used to love laughing at the military. When did it become so taboo?
(Stephen Walt in Foreign Policy) War is not a funny topic, but military life used to be a bountiful source of comic inspiration. The grim reality of the battlefield prompts plenty of black humor and the rigid orthodoxies of modern military organizations have been ripe fodder for satire in the past. Given that the United States has been at war for two out of every three years since the end of the Cold War, you'd think there would be lots of dark comedy and irreverent commentary on military topics, and not just when some randy commander gets caught with his pants down.
Special Forces Language Training: What Would It Cost To Do It Right?
(Sean Walsh in Small Wars Journal) High-level language skills for Special Forces personnel are a requirement for current and future operations, but they are very difficult and costly to achieve and maintain. In response to the needs for high-level foreign language in Special Forces units, the United States Army Special Forces Command (USASFC) has set the ambitious goal of having at least one Soldier qualified at the 2/2 and 3/3 levels in each deploying twelve-man Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA).
Opinion: More Pressure On Margins Likely By 2020
(Byron Callan in Aviation Week) Record-high operating profit margins being reported by U.S. defense prime contractors could be sustained for another year, perhaps even three, but later this decade and into next, margins may come under pressure. Of course, this has to be considered on a company-by-company basis, but there are some broader changes to consider.
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