TODAY’S TOP 5
1. Obama: Time to turn the page on decade of war
(Military Times) President Obama has unveiled a two-year plan to withdraw all U.S. troop from Afghanistan by the end of 2016, saying the move will mark a strategic shift to better reflect today's threats.
2. Army Ousts Commander of Hospital After Deaths
(New York Times) The Army ousted the commander of one of its busiest hospitals and suspended three top deputies on Tuesday after two patients in their 20s unexpectedly died in the past 10 days, shortly after they sought treatment at the hospital's emergency room.
3. The Pentagon and Congress Must Stop Raiding the Afghan War Fund
(William D. Hartung in Defense One) Last week's House action on the National Defense Authorization Act was largely an exercise in fantasy budgeting and pork barrel politics. Virtually all of the Pentagon's major cost saving initiatives were rejected, and key issues like when to bring U.S. troops home from Afghanistan were not even brought up for debate.
4. CBS News: CIA Station Chief In Afghanistan Whose Cover Was Blown By White House Will Have To Leave Country
(CBS News) The CIA official whose cover was inadvertently blown by the White House will have to leave Afghanistan, according to CBS News.
5. VA details efforts to speed vets' access to health care
(Military Times) A new Veterans Affairs Department effort to shorten wait times for veterans needing health care could include extended hours and overtime at VA health facilities in addition to increased staffing at some VA primary care clinics.
INDUSTRY
Israel Agrees to Spend Half of Iron Dome Funds in U.S.
(Bloomberg) The Israeli government has agreed to spend more than half the funds the Pentagon provides for its Iron Dome system in the U.S., bolstering the political appeal of the missile-defense system in America.
Oshkosh's RoboTruck Vs. IEDs
(Breaking Defense) The future of military robotics may not look much like a robot. It may just be a truck that drives itself. That's the simple, pragmatic approach pursued by Oshkosh - a company better known for trucks than Terminators - with its TerraMax Unmanned Ground Vehicle. But after eight years of experiments for three different military agencies, TerraMax can only get somewhere in the real world by proving its technology can adapt to many missions and many types of vehicles.
UK's Rivet Joint Wins Interim Approval To Fly
(Defense News) Britain's new Rivet Joint RC-135W aircraft has secured an interim release to service allowing the signals intelligence platform to fly for the first time since it was delivered last November.
Modernizing Canada's Halifax Class Frigates
(Defense Industry Daily) Launched between 1988-1995, and commissioned between 1992-1996, Canada's 12 City Class (now Halifax Class) frigates currently form the high end of its naval capabilities. The Canadian Navy has declined drastically from its post-WWII status as the world's 4th largest navy, and the Halifax Class itself is finding that its open-ocean design is not suited to cope with modern littoral threats and improving anti-ship missiles. Replacement vessels are still many years away, which means that the 4,750t frigates will need to be modernized within the limits of their design if they are to remain effective.
Ambassador IV missile craft bound for Egypt
(IHS Jane's 360) The first two Ambassador IV-class fast missile craft to be built for Egypt in the United States by VT Halter Marine are being prepared for delivery.
UK To Acquire Missile Warning System for Helos, Fixed-Wing Craft
(Defense News) Britain is buying a BAE Systems third-generation (Gen 3) common missile warning system (CMWS) that helps protect helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft against small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades, as well as missiles.
MBDA teams up with Rocketsan for laser-guided rockets
(IHS Jane's 360) Pan European missile company MBDA has announced it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on the manufacturing and integration of a 70 mm guided weapon system with Turkey's Roketsan.
Airbus completes overhaul, says major projects on track
(Reuters) Airbus Group (AIR.PA) completed an overhaul of Europe's largest aerospace group on Tuesday by changing its name from EADS and reaffirming a pledge to deliver on existing projects before embarking on risky new ventures.
South Korean firm emerges as sole bidder in Philippines AAV acquisition
(IHS Jane's 360) South Korean weapons technology company Samsung Techwin has emerged as the sole bidder in the Philippine Department of National Defence's (DND's) PHP2.5 billion (USD57 million) acquisition programme for eight new amphibious assault vehicles (AAVs).
Pratt and Whitney May Build Engine Center in Turkey
(Defense News) In partnership with the Turkish military, US engine-maker Pratt and Whitney intends to build an engine center in Turkey designed for the F135, Turkish officials said.
CONGRESS
McKeon Hits Back at Critics of Defense Bill
(DoDBuzz) The retiring chairman of the House Armed Services Committee is hitting back at critics who blasted his final defense bill as prioritizing pork over readiness.
House members: Don't slash DOD's civilians
(The Hill) A bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House is rallying support for protecting the Pentagon's civilian workforce from budget cuts.
Senate Defense Bill Mulls Bonuses for Cyber Pros
(NextGov) Current and aspiring Defense Department personnel with cyber skills could see a boost in pay under a Senate 2015 defense policy bill that lawmakers detailed on Friday.
Committee seeks answers on VA secret list
(The Hill) The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs will hold a hearing Wednesday about healthcare mismanagement that might have led to the deaths of dozens of veterans and is threatening more subpoenas should the department fail to comply fully.
Senate Bill Would Create Separate Fund for New Trident Submarine
(Global Security Newswire) A Senate defense panel wants to create a separate fund to underwrite the nation's new nuclear-armed submarine fleet, a step the House also supports.
Bill would ensure access to VA hospice care
(The Hill) Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.) has introduced legislation to give all veterans access to hospice care through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
US House, Senate FY15 Defense Authorization Bills Restore Funding
(Defense News) The House and Senate Armed Services committees each passed their markups of the 2015 defense budget last week, allowing the lawmakers to get out of town for the holiday weekend.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Chuck Hagel orders DOD health care review
(Politico) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ordered a "comprehensive review" of the military health system on Tuesday night as The New York Times reported the deaths of two young patients who were treated at an Army hospital.
Military Plans To Test Brain Implants To Fight Mental Disorders
(National Public Radio) The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, is launching a $70 million program to help military personnel with psychiatric disorders using electronic devices implanted in the brain.
Pentagon using change in diagnoses to hide sexual assault cases, critics charge
(Washinton Times) Lawmakers say they fear the Defense Department has found a new way to drum sexual assault victims out of the service: by diagnosing adjustment disorder and having them discharged from the military.
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey Suspects Some VA Allegations Will Be Proven True
(ABC News) The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff believes some of the allegations of malfeasance plaguing the Department of Veteran's Affairs - the very organization meant to offer care to veterans - will be proven true, and if so, those individuals responsible need to held to accountable.
Obama to explain foreign policy goals in West Point speech
(Military Times) President Obama will detail how the U.S. intends to respond to hot spots throughout the world, including Ukraine, Iran and Syria, during a speech Wednesday at West Point, a White House official tells Military Times.
ARMY
Glorious Leader' video game pits N. Korea dictator against U.S. forces
(Army Times) There are multiple video games that promise realistic military tactics, weapons, soldiers and scenarios - the Army even makes one of them.
Neat and clean is all the rage under new regs
(San Antonio Express-News) For Ponds-Pereyra, an African-American, the flap is more about how soldiers see themselves and the world - and hard realities of life in the Army - than racism.
Next-gen gas mask cooler, more comfortable
(Army Times) The rollout of the Army's new gas mask is underway, but researchers already have plans for the next-gen model: An integrated mask-helmet design with a battery-powered, fan-driven air filtration system.
Commander of US Army Corps in Buffalo relieved of command
(WGRZ) The commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Buffalo has been relieved of command due to personal misconduct.
NAVY
Navy Quietly Downscales Destroyer Upgrades
(USNI News) The Navy has quietly reduced the scope of upgrades to its guided missile destroyers in a move that could make up to a quarter of the fleet a target of early decommissioning due to obsolescence, USNI News has learned.
Chesapeake tech company CEO charged with bribery
(Virginian-Pilot) Miller, 57, of Fordsmere Court, Chesapeake, is accused of paying $50,000 in bribes to contractors with the Military Sealift Command in exchange for $1.1 million in contracts.
Two Billion Dollar DDG-1000 Cost Growth Explained
(USNI News) The previously unexplained cost growth of the three ships of the Zumwalt (DDG-1000) class of ships found in the Navy's shipbuilding account over the last five years is a result of funding practices implemented after the program's 2010 restructure - at least in part.
U.S. Navy veteran, pit bull from Muskegon help each other through Pets for Vets
(The Muskegon Chronicle) Nothing was the same for Greg Heberling after he returned home from Iraq.
AIR FORCE
Air Force Secretary: General officer corps numbers are being 'scrubbed'
(Air Force Times) At a time when tens of thousands of rank-and-file airmen are seeing their jobs endangered and facing voluntary and involuntary force reductions, one group has remained noticeably untouched: generals.
Man who survived 5,000-foot fall returning to thank his medical team
(Ausin American-Statesman) On his second and last jump of the day in Central Texas, Air Force Lt. Hunter Davis was going to practice a low-altitude drop from about 5,000 feet, an exercise pilots such as Davis do in case they need to leave an airplane in distress.
Sister wants Vietnam pilot's remains returned
(Tri-City Herald) A Kennewick woman who finally learned the circumstances of her brother's death in the Vietnam War last year is now running into obstacles bringing him home.
As graduation looms, Air Force Academy sets goal for next academic year: Stability
(Colorado Springs Gazette) After a grueling year of budget turmoil that led to the elimination of 10 academic majors and pink slips for 3 percent of the school's workforce, academy officials think financial woes have leveled off.
MARINE CORPS
Jilted Marine sergeant major crusades for justice in the face of 'whistleblower reprisal' complaint
(Marine Corps Times) A sergeant major who asserts that Marine leaders halted his career after he accused a two-star of wrongdoing is challenging the DoD IG's findings in his case and alleging a whitewash. He is calling on military and federal leaders to help review his case.
New River Marine, Surf City woman die in plane crash
(New Bern Sun Journal) Davis was a Marine from Florida. He was a 1st Lieutenant stationed at Marine Corps Air Station New River. Rossi was from Rhode Island, but lived in Wilmington, officials said. On her Facebook page, Rossi indicated she'd moved to Surf City earlier this month. Both were found dead in the wreckage.
Marine held in Mexico set to tell his story to judge
(Fox News) The U.S. Marine who has been jailed since accidentally crossing into Mexico nearly two months ago with three registered guns will appear before a judge for the first time Wednesday in Tijuana, where his mother says he is ready to face his accusers.
Recruits get lessons on Marine heritage
(San Diego Union Tribune) At the Marine Corps' boot camp in San Diego, recruits spend 13 weeks making the transition from civilian life to military service.
VETERANS
Exclusive: Texas VA Run Like a 'Crime Syndicate,' Whistleblower Says
(Daily Beast) For years, employees at a Texas VA complained that their bosses were cooking the books. For years, the VA insisted there was no widespread wrongdoing.
In VA crisis, a general's deliberate style clashes with impatience of young veterans
(Washington Post) In other wars, in other eras, Eric K. Shinseki might have been an ideal fit to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs through a crisis. He's run some of Washington's biggest and most complex bureaucracies. He knows what it's like to fight back from life-changing war wounds, having lost half a foot to a land mine in Vietnam. He prefers to stay out of politics and work on problems quietly and in the background.
New study will measure dogs' usefulness to vets with PTSD
(Military Times) A much-anticipated Veterans Affairs Department study into the effectiveness of service dogs for treating post-traumatic stress disorder will restart in the coming months with veterans receiving dog care training in anticipation of being paired with an animal.
Cost and value of road trigger probe (Paywall)
(Honolulu Star-Advertiser) The Hawaii-based Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command is being investigated for spending millions on a 3.4-mile gravel road to reach a World War II battlefield in Papua New Guinea when it's not clear how many missing American service members' remains can be recovered, officials said.
Advocates for homeless vets prepare to do more with less
(Military Times) It took only about $1,000 to keep T.J. Smith from becoming homeless.
Veterans groups cry foul at senator's criticism
(Military Times) Four prominent veterans groups and Republican Sen. Richard Burr are hurling accusations at each other after the veterans organizations declined to embrace Burr's call for Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki to resign amid reports of treatment delays and falsified records at VA hospitals.
Romance author military vet counters media stereotypes
(USA Today) For the last Wednesday of May, HEA welcomes Kim Lowe of the SOS Aloha blog to help us honor our military and their families during National Military Appreciation Month.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
Taliban releases Afghan police it abducted in attack in northeastern province
(Washington Post) The Taliban has freed 23 local police officers it kidnapped during an assault in northeastern Afghanistan last week, a rare move by the insurgents who have long been known - and maligned - for killing prisoners.
Security convoy of US diplomats attacked in Herat province
(Khaama Press) A group of militants attacked the security convoy of the US diplomats in western Herat province of Afghanistan.
Rebelling Against Abuse, Afghan Women See Signs of Change
(New York Times) Zahra said a neighbor raped her in her home on Friday. It was the most humiliating event in her unremittingly painful life, and the next day she begged her husband, Najibullah, to move their family so the man could not attack her again. He refused.
Biden vowed US would be 'totally out of' Afghanistan by 2014
(The Hill) Vice President Biden in 2010 vowed that U.S. troops would be "totally out of" Afghanistan by 2014, "come hell or high water."
Sino-Pak Shaheen III Air Exercise Commences in Pakistan
(Defense News) China and Pakistan commenced their third installment in the Shaheen (Falcon) series of bilateral exercises here over the weekend, according to a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) spokesman.
India and Pakistan in 'Common Agenda'
(New York Times) Pakistan's prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, said on Tuesday that the foreign secretaries of Pakistan and India would meet in the near future, indicating that he sees momentum toward reviving stalled peace talks between the two nations.
MIDDLE EAST
Obama Close to Authorizing Military Training of Syrian Rebels (Paywall)
(Wall Street Journal) President Barack Obama is close to authorizing a mission led by the U.S. military to train moderate Syrian rebels to fight the regime and al Qaeda-linked groups, a move that would significantly expand Washington's role in the conflict, U.S. officials said.
American took part in suicide bombings, Al Nusrah Front sharia official says
(Long War Journal) An American was one of four suicide bombers who took part in a recent coordinated assault in Syria, according to an Al Nusrah Front sharia official who is active on Twitter.
Wanted Hezbollah commander killed in Syria
(Agence France-Presse) A senior Hezbollah commander branded by the FBI as one of the world's most wanted terrorists was killed fighting in Syria, residents of his village in southern Lebanon told AFP Tuesday.
Large-scale exercise in Jordan gets underway
(Stars & Stripes) Eager Lion, a two-week, 22-nation exercise that includes 6,000 U.S. troops, has kicked off in Jordan.
Attacks Kill More Than 20 In Baghdad
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Iraqi officials say a wave of attacks in Baghdad on May 27 killed more than 20 people
AQAP eulogizes commander killed in April drone strike
(Long War Journal) A well-known Yemeni journalist with connections to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Abdul Razzaq al Jamal, today posted a eulogy issued by the terrorist group to his Facebook page honoring fallen commander Ali bin Lakraa' al Kazimi al Awlaki. The eulogy claimed that Awlaki was injured "during the American bombardment of the Mahfad area in Abyan in late Jumadi al Akhir," referring to the US drone strikes targeting the Mahfad district on April 20.
EUROPE
Russians Revealed Among Ukraine Fighters
(New York Times) For weeks, rumors have flown about the foreign fighters involved in the deepening conflict in Ukraine's troubled east, each one stranger than the last: mercenaries from an American company, Blackwater; Russian special forces; and even Chechen soldiers of fortune.
Incoming Ukrainian President Poroshenko Requests More Time on EU Deal
(Wall Street Journal) The winner of Sunday's presidential election in Ukraine has told senior European Union leaders he wants some time before committing to a major economic and political deal with the bloc, according to more than half a dozen officials briefed on conversations.
Analysis - Ferocity of Ukraine clashes increases risks for Putin
(Reuters) An army assault on pro-Russian rebels in east Ukraine will not have taken Vladimir Putin by surprise, but the ferocity of the clashes may have - and could be a game-changer if they spin out of control.
US Ambassador: Russia's Hand in Ukraine Hard to Deny
(Voice of America) As the uprising in eastern Ukraine intensifies, the Russian government's involvement is becoming harder to deny, the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine said Tuesday.
AFRICA
As Libya deteriorates, U.S. prepares for possible evacuation
(CBS News) The amphibious ship Bataan with Ospreys and 1,000 Marines on board has moved into the eastern Mediterranean to be ready for a possible evacuation, reports CBS News correspondent David Martin. The ship had been taking part in an exercise with Jordan.
Extremist group vows to fight Libyan general
(Associated Press) An Al-Qaida-inspired group on Tuesday vowed to fight a Libyan renegade general who is waging an offensive against Islamists, accusing him of being an "American agent" who wants to replicate last year's military overthrow of an elected government in neighboring Egypt.
Djibouti-based troops restricted to base following bombing
(Stars & Stripes) U.S. military personnel at Camp Lemonnier are locked down following a fatal bombing Saturday at a restaurant frequented by westerners in Djibouti, the strategic Horn of Africa nation that borders Somalia.
A Leaky Border Threatens Tunisia's Transition
(Foreign Policy) Last week, Tunisia's Interior Ministry reported that its forces had arrested eight Libyan militants who had entered the country with the aim of carrying out attacks against Tunisian officials. The ministry described the men as "Islamists." The news jangled nerves in a country that's already worried about contagion from the deepening turmoil in post-Qaddafi Libya. Tunisians, who have had their own troubles with religious militants, have followed the steadily rising tide of bombings, shootings, and militia escapades in their neighbor to the east.
Americans advised to leave Libya amid turmoil
(USA Today) The State Department recommended Tuesday that Americans leave Libya immediately, saying the security situation in Libya "remains unpredictable and unstable" with crime levels high in many parts of the country.
ASIA-PACIFIC
Indonesian Navy establishes new base, deploys near disputed lighthouse
(IHS Jane's 360) The Indonesian Navy (Tentera Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Laut: TNI-AL) will establish a new naval base at Tanjung Datu, West Kalimantan on Borneo Island.
Philippines insists US military accord is legal
(Associated Press) The Philippine government insisted Tuesday that its new accord letting the U.S. expand its military presence in the country is legal and is confident the agreement will withstand constitutional challenges.
New Zealand to Arm Frigates With MBDA's Sea Ceptor
(Defense News) The Royal New Zealand Navy has become the first export customer for MBDA's new Sea Ceptor air defense missile system.
After a long freeze-out, U.S. reaches out to India's new prime minister
(Washington Post) President Obama called to invite Modi to Washington. Secretary of State John F. Kerry sent his regards. And after Modi's swearing-in ceremony Monday as prime minister, Nisha Biswal, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, tweeted about the "wonderful celebration of democracy," adding a cozy postscript about the dhokla snacks that were served - a specialty of Modi's state.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
Base Fight a Microcosm of House Fiscal Fantasies
(Lawrence Korb and Katherine Blakeley in Defense News) In their markup of this year's National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the US House Armed Services Committee has once again rejected the Pentagon's request to have another Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission, along with the rest of the Pentagon's strategic choices. Ranking Member Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., planned to offer an amendment authorizing a 2017 BRAC round when the bill was considered on the House floor, but the House Rules Committee refused to rule it in order, preventing Smith's amendment from being debated or voted on.
Treat Veterans With Respect, Not Pity
(Phil Klay in The Wall Street Journal) A couple of years ago, I spoke at a storytelling competition about some Marines I'd known during our deployment in Iraq and my feelings on getting out of the Corps. After I left the stage, an older woman in the crowd came up to me and, without asking, started rubbing my back. Startled, I looked over at her. "It was very brave of you to tell that story," she said.
Should Putin Be Invited to Normandy?
(David Frum in The Atlantic) It was never a good idea to invite Vladimir Putin to join the 70th-anniversary commemoration of the D-Day landings on June 6. But the justification now offered by the French government makes the original mistake a great deal worse.
Column: The Sky That Never Falls
(John T. Bennett in Defense News) For the US defense sector, the sky was supposed to fall in 2009. It didn't.
American Amnesia in the Afghan War
(Jacob Rozich in War on the Rocks) As a military servicemember currently deployed to Afghanistan, I was intrigued by the themes presented in the article "Afghanistan and the Colonel Kurtz Effect." In particular, Conrad's notion of governmental and societal "amnesia" in Heart of Darkness resonated with frustrations that I have experienced in only two short tours.
Doing Less With Less
(Michael P. Noonan in U.S. News & World Report) Last week Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, delivered a speech at The Atlantic Council and Defense One released an interview that he had conducted with James Kitfield. Both items further articulated the general's views on the current strategic picture confronting the United States and his ideas about the use of force and the military profession - I have covered some of the general's views on these topics here before.
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