TODAY’S TOP 5
1. Dempsey Wants to ‘Rebalance the Use of Military Power’
(DefenseOne) Dempsey: "...it is actually more effective in dealing with strength-on-strength situations than it is in dealing with strength-on-weakness scenarios. And we’re finding that a weakening of structures and central authority is pervasive in today’s world."
2. Contractor Giving Soars 28% in Bid to Block Defense Cuts
(Businessweek) Top U.S. government contractors are ramping up their political giving before the congressional elections, seeking protection from sales-sapping budget cuts.
3. U.S. mission in place to aid in the search for 250 schoolgirls abducted in Nigeria
(Washington Post) The Obama administration is conducting surveillance flights over Nigeria in the search for more than 250 abducted schoolgirls and is considering the deployment of drones to the region to bolster the effort, officials said Monday.
4. 10K soldiers must go this year, 20K next year
(Army Times) Nearly 30,000 soldiers must be removed from the active rolls in the next 17 months if the Army is to make the first waypoint in a drawdown that eventually will reduce the force to 450,000, or even 420,000, soldiers.
5. Newest MoH recipient recalls 2007 ambush: 'The whole valley lit up'
(Army Times) Five soldiers and one Marine were killed on Nov. 8, 2007, during an ambush in Afghanistan’s Nuristan province. Former Sgt. Kyle White is being honored for repeatedly running the gauntlet of enemy fire to get to the wounded and fallen.
INDUSTRY
BMC Acquisition Could Alter Turkish Armored Market
(Defense News) A powerful businessman’s purchase of a failed armored vehicle maker under the government’s disposition may alter business in Turkey’s thriving armored vehicles market, industry sources say.
Army in No Rush to Buy New Radios
(National Defense) Military contractors expect to see details unveiled in the coming weeks on how and when the Army intends to speed up production of new handheld and vehicle radios.
Study: Half of labor income in Pikes Peak region tied to military, aerospace
(The Colorado Springs Gazette) The Colorado Springs Regional Business Alliance, which surveyed local companies, is making sure politicians see its report so they know how important Pentagon cash is to the region’s economy.
CONGRESS
Bill would extend maternity leave for military women
(The Hill) The bill, called the Military Opportunities for Mothers (MOM) Act, would lengthen the time military women can take off for the birth of a child from six weeks to 12 weeks.
Congress Wants Obamacare Exemption To Help Boost Veteran Employment
(National Journal) The Hire More Heroes Act of 2014 would allow employers to leave veterans out of the 50-count threshold for the employer-mandate requirement, as long as the veterans already have health insurance.
Jet-set grounded: Turbulence ahead for members of Congress flying first class
(Washington Times) H.R. 4632, known as the “If Our Military Has to Fly Coach Then So Should Congress Act,” sets the same limits on congressional trips that govern most other government travel.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
U.S. Conducts Nuclear Response Exercises
(Global Security Newswire) U.S. Strategic Command this week is conducting a massive nuclear arms drill designed to “deter and detect strategic attacks” on the United States and allies.
DoD reinstates R&R for 9 countries
(Military Times) The memo comes on the heels of a recent DoD decision to remove 20 areas from its list of locations that qualify for imminent danger pay. The pay change is effective June 1, and it affects about 50,000 troops.
Transgender troops hail Hagel's announcement
(Military Times) For transgender troops and veterans, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s carefully chosen remark that he’s receptive to reviewing the Pentagon’s policy barring them from service is a major step forward.
Price of new, secret Gitmo prison rises $20 million in a year
(Miami Herald) The proposed price of an exclusive new prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, rose by $20 million in a year because designers added meeting rooms and a medical clinic for 15 former CIA captives, a military spokesman said Monday.
DOD seeks to overhaul eHealth records system
(Politico) The Pentagon is readying an $11 billion contract to overhaul its electronic health records system, the biggest federal IT job since last fall’s HealthCare.gov debacle and one that will test the administration’s procurement finesse.
Life after email at DoD
(C4ISR & Networks) Lt. Gen. Ronnie Hawkins, director of the Defense Information Systems Agency: “…if we’re still using email [in five years], I think that from a collaborative perspective and also from a social media perspective, that’s not the right means.”
Pressure points' shaping DISA's move to JIE
(C4ISR & Networks) Progress is well under way for the Defense Department’s Joint Information Environment, the enterprisewide move to realign and restructure military networks and IT, but there are four critical “pressure points” DISA faces amid the transition.
ARMY
Belt-tightening forces Army to get picky in recruiting
(Kansas City Star) Truth is, the class of 2014 now leaving high school will face more difficulty qualifying for the armed services than ever in the 40-year history of the all-volunteer force.
Guardsman wins car, donates it to fellow soldier with leukemia
(Military Times) Jacob Thomas, who is a sergeant, said once the initial shock he had won a car wore off, he knew he didn’t need the car and couldn’t think of anyone more deserving than a fellow Florida Army National Guardsman.
‘Enlisted’ farewell: 35-tweet salute by show’s creator thanks fans, cast
(Outside the Wire blog) How much interest did the Twitter barrage — Biegel sent about three dozen messages, with countless others tweeting and retweeting — draw? “Hey @FOXTV - that show you canceled yesterday? #Enlisted? Guess what? It's trending today.”
NAVY
New rules for early exits
(Navy Times) Sailors will be able to leave the service up to two years early, but maximum quotas will be set for each eligible skill group and will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis.
US chief of naval operations arrives in Pakistan, meets COAS, CNS
(Pakistan Today) US chief of naval operations Admiral Jonathan Greenert, arrived in the capital of Pakistan on Tuesday on an important visit aimed at enhancing professional cooperation between the navies of the two countries.
Last U.S. Surface Ship Leaves the Black Sea
(USNI News) The frigate assigned to operations in the Black Sea as part of a U.S. show of support to allies in the region has left, leaving no U.S. surface ships in the region, U.S. Navy officials told USNI News on Monday.
AIR FORCE
Separating airman answers critics
(Air Force Times) To some, Staff Sgt. Aaron Driver is a truth-teller, laying out the hard realities of the toll everything from repeated deployments to Mickey Mouse regulations have taken on rank-and-file airmen and their families.
Air Force draft consolidation plan would strip top generals of authority over base operations
(Washington Times) Senior Air Force leaders have drafted a budget-driven plan that would strip the three- and four-star generals who oversee major commands of their authority to manage their bases.
No more searching Lake Ontario for military drone
(Associated Press) The New York National Guard says it won't resume the search for parts of the unmanned MQ-9 Reaper that crashed into Lake Ontario late last year.
MARINE CORPS
Camp Bastion security much more robust than in 2012
(Marine Corps Times) Ramped-up vigilance is part of the sea change in security since Sept. 14, 2012, when 15 attackers in Army uniforms managed to gain access to Camp Bastion, the British airfield adjoining Leatherneck, killing two Marines and destroying six Harrier jets.
Marine chief responds to congressman about whistleblower fallout: 'I do not fear Major Weirick'
(Marine Corps Times) The top Marine is offering Congress few details about the fallout from a whistleblower complaint except to say he’s not afraid of the man who accused him of abusing his authority and that criticism is an unfortunate side effect of tough choices.
U.S. Marine Corps Explores Extended-Range Blackjack
(Aviation Week) The service has deployed an early version of its newest unmanned aerial system (UAS), the small, rail-launched Block 1 RQ-21 Blackjack to begin early operations in Afghanistan in April in response to a Central Command urgent need for signals-intelligence collection there.
On the ground in Afghanistan: the last days of a FOB
(Battle Rattle blog) Within 48 hours, Marines would pack the remaining portable equipment into a convoy of vehicles and leave FOB Nolay behind for good.
VETERANS
2012 GAO report showed VA scheduling problems
(Military Times) As Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki prepares to testify Thursday before a Senate committee, he will have to explain why problems with the VA appointment system — which include doctoring records to show only acceptable wait times for patients — have endured for a decade.
White House insists progress made on VA patient backlog
(The Hill) The White House voiced confidence on Monday that the administration has made “significant progress” toward reducing the backlog at the Veterans Affairs Department, despite indications that officials at hospitals across the country tried to alter reporting statistics.
Iraq vet accuses VA of downgrading injuries
(Associated Press) An Iraq war veteran is asking federal lawmakers to investigate whether the VA Medical Center at Fort Harrison is systematically downgrading diagnoses of traumatic brain injuries to post-traumatic stress disorder to cut treatment costs.
Roe: Veterans Affairs panel awaiting probe into deaths at VA facility
(Kingsport Times-News) U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., said an investigation into alleged unnecessary veterans' deaths involving a Phoenix Veterans Administration facility needs to play out amid calls for Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki to resign.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
Taliban kill 21 at start of Afghan spring fighting
(Associated Press) The Taliban unleashed a wave of attacks Monday across Afghanistan to mark the start of their spring offensive, storming a government building in the east, striking a police checkpoint to the south, and rocketing Kabul airport.
Study: Afghan violence up as troops pull out
(The Hill) According to the International Crisis Group report, published Monday, insurgent attacks increased between 15 and 20 percent from 2012 to 2013, and violence continues to escalate in 2014.
Pakistan cracks down on Afghan immigrants, fearing an influx as U.S. leaves Afghanistan
(Washington Post) After three decades of hosting the world’s largest refugee population, Pakistani authorities have started to crack down on the flow of Afghans, as fears mount that the U.S. pullout from their war-torn neighbor could trigger chaos on the border.
MIDDLE EAST
UN experts: Iran's banned nuke buying has slowed
(Associated Press) A report by U.N. experts says Iran's purchases for its banned nuclear and missile programs have slowed, which could be the result of the changed political climate under President Hassan Rouhani or its use of new clandestine methods.
Nuclear Talks Will Confront Iran’s Future Capability to Enrich Uranium
(New York Times) As Iran and six world powers meet this week in Vienna, negotiators say they are finally discussing a crucial sticking point — the size and shape of the nuclear fuel production capability.
Iranian Copy of U.S. Unmanned Stealth Aircraft is a Fake
(USNI News) Iran’s purported reverse-engineered copies of the Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel unmanned aircraft are nothing but cheap mockups, industry sources told USNI News.
Israeli accused of military trade with Iran arrested at US's request
(Los Angeles Times) An Israeli citizen suspected of illegal trade with Iran and money laundering was arrested Monday at the request of American authorities, justice officials in Israel said.
EUROPE
Kremlin seeks talks for Ukraine, not annexation
(Associated Press) The Kremlin made it clear Monday that Moscow has no intention of immediately annexing two regions in eastern Ukraine after a weekend referendum there showed most voters allegedly backing sovereignty.
“Cautious” or not, Putin may still annex eastern Ukraine
(Quartz) Blunt Russian messages to Kyiv and the West today suggest very little difference from the man who, in absorbing Crimea, forcibly altered Europe’s borders for the first time since World War II.
As Ukrainian separatists claim victory in self-rule vote, fears of all-out civil war mount
(Washington Post) Separatists in eastern Ukraine proclaimed the birth of two new “sovereign” republics Monday after asserting victory in controversial self-rule referendums, and one of the regions promptly asked to join Russia.
NATO Official Vows Support In Moldova Visit
(Defense News) NATO’s deputy chief vowed Monday to strengthen the alliance’s partnership with Moldova during a visit in the former Soviet country that could inflame tensions with Moscow.
Austria: First non-NATO Nation To Join Alliance Cyber Defence Centre
(Defense News) The Centre is a research and training facility that aims to improve capability, cooperation and information-sharing within NATO. As a non-NATO nation, Austria can participate in the center’s work but cannot vote on budgets or program of work.
AFRICA
US team in search for Nigerian girls includes FBI, DOD, AFRICOM personnel
(Associated Press) The Pentagon said 16 DoD personnel are on the team, including planners and advisers who were already in Nigeria and have been redirected to assist the government. Others were sent to Nigeria from AFRICOM.
US intel studying Boko Haram video for clues to kidnapped schoolgirls
(The Hill) American intelligence officials are "combing over” a newly released video purportedly showing some of the hundreds of Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped last month for clues to their whereabouts, the White House said Monday.
No US SF Troops to Nigeria to Find Missing Girls
(Military.com) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Sunday ruled out sending Special Forces to Nigeria in the hunt for the kidnapped schoolgirls.
ASIA-PACIFIC
South Korea says North Korea 'must disappear soon'
(Associated Press) The comments, which will likely draw a furious response from Pyongyang, followed a series of sexist and racist slurs by North Korea against the leaders of South Korea and the United States.
China’s Cruise Missiles: Flying Fast Under the Public’s Radar
(The National Interest) The People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) numerous, increasingly advanced cruise missiles have attracted far less attention than its ballistic missiles—yet their impact on regional security, deterrence, and potential military operations may be similar in magnitude.
Australia Is Getting Aircraft Carriers, Sort Of
(War Is Boring) Pretty soon, the Royal Australian Navy will take possession of HMAS Canberra, a 27,000-ton-displacement, flat-deck amphibious assault ship. But could the Canberras also give Australia an offensive naval air capability that it has lacked since the early 1980s?
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
Forging a Global Network of Navies
(Adm. Jonathan Greenert and Rear Adm. James M. Foggo III in USNI Proceedings)
As the world becomes more complex and the oceans less secure, we are compelled to strengthen the bonds of international maritime cooperation.
China Has Strategic Confidence (So Expect Tensions to Continue)
(Dingding Chen In The Diplomat) China has gained a new sort of strategic confidence that allows it to behave independently in Asia.
Is There a Frigate in Your Future?
(Robert Natter in USNI Proceedings)
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel’s recent direction to the Navy to develop proposals for a “capable and lethal small surface combatant, generally consistent with the capabilities of a frigate” could have a major affect [sic] on several Navy programs.
Corruption a common thread in the rise of extremism
(Washington Post) There is one common thread running through this set of tarnished leaders Obama has been dealing with: corruption within their governments.
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